Apple is reportedly testing a new display with an A13 chip & Neural Engine

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Apple New Mac Mini Logic Pro Pro Display Xdr
Apple New Mac Mini Logic Pro Pro Display Xdr (Image credit: Apple)

What you need to know

  • Apple is reportedly working on a display that has its own A13 chip and a Neural Engine.
  • Specifications are unclear, but the display carries the codename J327.

Apple is working on a new display that will make use of an Apple A13 chips as well as a Neural Engine, according to a new report. The A13 chip was recently used in Apple's iPhone 11 lineup.

Citing "sources familiar with the matter," 9to5Mac also notes that the new display currently carries the codename J327, although it doesn't have any more details — including how big it will be.

However, while we've been hearing rumors that Apple is working on a display to sit beneath the Pro Display XDR in the lineup, this doesn't appear to be that device. Rather, 9to5Mac believes this display will eventually replace Apple's current high-end offering.

Along with the A13 chip, the external display features the Neural Engine, which accelerates machine learning tasks. Although rumors suggest that Apple has been working on a less expensive display for regular users, the new external display with a dedicated SoC will likely be a new model to replace the current Pro Display XDR in the future.

The current Pro Display XDR is a very capable monitor, as well it should be considering its $4999 asking price. What could make this new display different is its inclusion of an A-series chip, potentially acting as some sort of external GPU for low-power devices.

While the current Pro Display XDR is a great option, it's far from the only one. There are plenty of alternatives to the Pro Display XDR — if you know where to look.

Oliver Haslam
Oliver Haslam
Contributor

Oliver Haslam has written about Apple and the wider technology business for more than a decade with bylines on How-To Geek, PC Mag, iDownloadBlog, and many more. He has also been published in print for Macworld, including cover stories. At iMore, Oliver is involved in daily news coverage and, not being short of opinions, has been known to 'explain' those thoughts in more detail, too. Having grown up using PCs and spending far too much money on graphics card and flashy RAM, Oliver switched to the Mac with a G5 iMac and hasn't looked back. Since then he's seen the growth of the smartphone world, backed by iPhone, and new product categories come and go. Current expertise includes iOS, macOS, streaming services, and pretty much anything that has a battery or plugs into a wall. Oliver also covers mobile gaming for iMore, with Apple Arcade a particular focus. He's been gaming since the Atari 2600 days and still struggles to comprehend the fact he can play console quality titles on his pocket computer.