Apple's muted 2023 hardware launches to include Mac Pro with fixed memory
Apple's 2023 lineup of updates will be muted and headlined by a New Mac Pro, one that will look just like the 2019 model but with a lack of user-upgradable memory.
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The New Mac Pro could look like the old one.
The 2023 product catalog will include a number of typical updates to various lines, as usual, as well as the possible mixed-reality headset. However, one highly-anticipated update may be less of a change than users could expect.
The Mac Pro, the last Mac in the Apple product lineup to be offered only with Intel chips, has already been reported as not including a high-specification M2 Extreme chip. According to Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, that may not be the only disappointment for the model.
Equipped with an M2 Ultra chip, the Mac Pro will apparently "look identical" to the 2019 model, complete with its cheese grater motif and user-upgradable elements. However, it is claimed that the user-changeable elements won't include memory, as that is apparently tied directly to the motherboard and cannot be removed or changed.
Even so, there will still be two SSD storage slots and other slots for adding or altering the graphical, media, and networking capabilities. Whether this level of upgradability will be enough to draw users away from acquiring the powerful Mac Studio remains to be seen.
The muted lineup will also include 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro updates, however it is reckoned the design and features will be static. What will change is the chips to M2 Pro and M2 Max editions, but Gurman offers they could be "marginal leaps" from the M1 equivalents.
As for new Mac models, Gurman refers to a 15-inch MacBook Air as a "saving grace" for the lineup, but at the same time says a 12-inch MacBook is "no longer on Apple's near-term road map."
The iPad Pro updates allegedly won't arrive until the first half of 2024. While a fair way off, a source claims the models will include a new design and will use OLED displays.
Similar disappointments are also proposed for other areas of Apple's empire in the newsletter. For the Apple Watch, Gurman doesn't anticipate major changes in 2023, "save for some minor performance boosts."
AirPods may not get "updates of note" this year either, while there are seemingly no plans for a new Apple TV launch either.
The return of the larger HomePod size is apparently still on the cards, but won't be revolutionary. Gurman says to expect a lower price point, an updated touch control panel, and the use of the S8 chip.
Read on AppleInsider
-xl-xl-xl.jpg)
The New Mac Pro could look like the old one.
The 2023 product catalog will include a number of typical updates to various lines, as usual, as well as the possible mixed-reality headset. However, one highly-anticipated update may be less of a change than users could expect.
The Mac Pro, the last Mac in the Apple product lineup to be offered only with Intel chips, has already been reported as not including a high-specification M2 Extreme chip. According to Mark Gurman's "Power On" newsletter for Bloomberg, that may not be the only disappointment for the model.
Equipped with an M2 Ultra chip, the Mac Pro will apparently "look identical" to the 2019 model, complete with its cheese grater motif and user-upgradable elements. However, it is claimed that the user-changeable elements won't include memory, as that is apparently tied directly to the motherboard and cannot be removed or changed.
Even so, there will still be two SSD storage slots and other slots for adding or altering the graphical, media, and networking capabilities. Whether this level of upgradability will be enough to draw users away from acquiring the powerful Mac Studio remains to be seen.
Other Macs and MacBooks
Alongside the Mac Pro, an updated iMac Pro has been previously rumored, but would be a surprise to Gurman if it does launch in 2023. A specification bump upgrade for the 24-inch iMac may not arrive until an M3 chip is ready, which won't be until late 2023 or early 2024.The muted lineup will also include 14-inch MacBook Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro updates, however it is reckoned the design and features will be static. What will change is the chips to M2 Pro and M2 Max editions, but Gurman offers they could be "marginal leaps" from the M1 equivalents.
As for new Mac models, Gurman refers to a 15-inch MacBook Air as a "saving grace" for the lineup, but at the same time says a 12-inch MacBook is "no longer on Apple's near-term road map."
iPad, AirPods, HomePod, Apple Watch
For the iPad range, there is speculation that larger models are being worked on, but won't arrive in 2023. Updates to the iPad mini, iPad Air, and entry-level iPad will apparently be standard spec bumps, "if they arrive at all."The iPad Pro updates allegedly won't arrive until the first half of 2024. While a fair way off, a source claims the models will include a new design and will use OLED displays.
Similar disappointments are also proposed for other areas of Apple's empire in the newsletter. For the Apple Watch, Gurman doesn't anticipate major changes in 2023, "save for some minor performance boosts."
AirPods may not get "updates of note" this year either, while there are seemingly no plans for a new Apple TV launch either.
The return of the larger HomePod size is apparently still on the cards, but won't be revolutionary. Gurman says to expect a lower price point, an updated touch control panel, and the use of the S8 chip.
Read on AppleInsider
Comments
The new MacBook Pro could just use a bump to keep it current. I can't see Apple making any major design changes to it. It's great the way it is in my opinion. I love my 14" MacBook Pro. It's the best laptop I've ever had without a doubt.
The 24" iMac could be updated just to keep it current. It's getting a little long in the tooth. I'm surprised they haven't released a regular consumer 27" iMac with like an M1 Pro by now. I know M1 is kinda done now so I don't expect M1 SoC's anymore in Macs. I don't think the average consumer really cares when the iMac was last updated though. It's still a great desktop Mac today even though it's approaching I think 3yrs old?
I still would like to see that rumored Mac mini design come to fruition. That looks like a great design for it with colors and everything. Maybe someday when it's the right time they will.
We can only go off "rumors" and we don't really know what's going on, what's going to be released and what was canceled for whatever reason. I don't think it's fair to draw true conclusions for 2023 based off rumors. We'll all just have to wait and see.
Create a series of bricks having the same length and width (a la Mac Studio, OWC Ministack STX, etc.) but with different heights. Allow these to be vertically stacked to customize the server of your dreams. I would then create:
- CPU - essentially an upgraded Mac Studio
- RAID array module based on M.2 SSDs
- RAID array module based on HDDs
- PCI expansion modules (for graphics cards, scientific packages, etc.)
- Power backup module (lithium battery for space)
The Mac Pro 'special sauce' would be the integration between all the components. I'd make the footprint larger than the Mac Studio to support the 312mm PCI cards and appropriate cooling fans. Extra credit for allowing multiple CPU modules to work together.Were Apple to go this route, I believe they could capture the majority of revenue associated with server hardware.
The same chassis suggests they'd plan to offer PCIe GPU support. Presumably this would be a Pro version of the Radeon GPUs. There isn't a 7000 series available yet.
The current Mac Pro uses up to W6900X (22TFLOPs):
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-pro-w6900x.c3825
The gaming card Radeon 7900XTX (61TFLOPs) is available, this is about 20% slower than the Nvidia 4090:
https://www.techpowerup.com/gpu-specs/radeon-rx-7900-xtx.c3941
The Pro GPUs have launched about 1.5 years apart and the 6000 series was in June 2021. They are a bit slower than the gaming cards. A Radeon Pro W7900X would likely be around 50TFLOPs and the Mac Pro would allow 2 of them. The next Ultra on 4/5nm would have a ~30TFLOPs internal GPU.
Base model Ultra = $4k
Each W7900X = $5.5k
I would have preferred to see them make a dual Ultra model. The Nvidia 4090 can fit into fairly compact builds and a dual Ultra would have been similar instead of a standard tower.
But the tower offers more power. Dual Ultra would be 60TFLOPs, Ultra + dual W7900X = 130TFLOPs. Plus hardware raytracing, which will hopefully make it into Apple's chips eventually.
This would also suggest it won't replace the Studio model, which has a Max option at $2k.
Apple has left an x86 model in the lineup after updating most of the Mac models so it's a possibility here too and would cover scenarios that need more RAM. The Mac Pro Ultra will probably allow for 256GB RAM and maybe a bit more.
It wouldn't be a very noteworthy upgrade but it doesn't really need to be.
If they were to keep the Intel Mac Pro around, then I don't see the point of an Apple silicon Mac Pro that lacks upgradeable RAM. Might as well keep the Mac Pro Intel (or AMD) only and use the Mac Studio as the highest-end Apple Silicon machine.
It’s got to have a kickass insanely great framework to justify the $$$$$, and delayed release. Here’s hoping.
The Mac Pro is a workstation, not a server. There have always been plenty of workstations more powerful than the Mac Pro that cost significantly less. And when Apple switches the Mac Pro from Intel to Apple Silicon, this will become even more so. The M1 Ultra is 2.6X slower than AMD's Threadripper Pro 5995WX. And unlike Epyc, Threadripper is a workstation chip. This means that even if Apple does eventually do an M2 or M3 Extreme, Intel and AMD's real competition in workstations - not servers! - will be each other, not Apple.
If the M2 Max & Ultra end up being impressive, a Mac Studio will do for 99% of the users.
That said, I’m not a computer engineer so it may be a crazy idea;
Would it be feasible to use two tiers of RAM? The high speed RAM built into the chip, and then a TB or more of comparatively slow conventional RAM in sticks on the MB like it has now? It would have to keep track of what needed to be kept in the extra high speed on chip space, and what could be parked on the sticks. It would be like virtual RAM does now but not to the SSD.
Not sure how feasible this is but it was a crazy idea that just crossed my mind.
To make proper usage of top speed memory would ideally involve providing special APIs to enable the applications providing hints to the OS as to what’s most important to be fast, something that’s not unheard of in operating systems, No OS will know how to optimize everything as-is, and a decent OS enables developers and users to set parameters as to what and how to optimize for their needs.