Apple is Discontinuing Intel-based iMac Pro

[AleksandarK]

According to the official company website, Apple will no longer manufacture its iMac Pro computers based on Intel processors. Instead, the company will carry these models in its store, only while the supplies last. Apple will be replacing these models with next-generation iMac Pro devices that will be home to the custom Apple Silicon processors, combining Arm CPU cores with custom GPU design. Having a starting price of 4990 USD, the Apple iMac Pro was able to max out at 15000 USD. The most expensive part was exactly the Intel Xeon processor inside it, among the AMD GPU with HBM. Configuration pricing was also driven by storage/RAM options. However, even the most expensive iMac Pro with its 2017 hardware had no chance against the regular 2020 iMac, so the product was set to be discontinued sooner or later.

When the stock of the iMac Pro runs out, Apple will replace this model with its Apple Silicon equipped variant. According to the current rumor mill, Apple is set to hold a keynote on March 16th that will be an announcement for new iMac Pro devices with custom processors. What happens is only up to Apple, so we have to wait and see.


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[JAB Creations]

 

[randomUser]

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Of course it will. The cost of manufacturing that is. Not the product retail price.

 

[dyonoctis]

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But, you know that the M1 macbooks are cheaper than the intel one right ? or were you expecting a more massive cut ?

 

[1d10t]

They didn't have to paid third party anymore sooo, maximum profit?

 

[P4-630]

 

[C1ff0]

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Well, i've finally found something that will trigger a heart attack on my boss...

 

[Selaya]

What is this, 8 M1s duct-taped together?
Some chip thats as big as a whole wafer? (With like 0.1% yields)
Also, little cores are totally useless on a desktop platform, literal waste of silicon (who cares whether its 3W or 9W idle on a desktop)

 

[8BitZ80]

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It's definitely Apple when their prices start at "unaffordable".

 

[billEST]

a great lost for humanity !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Vya Domus]

What is this, 8 M1s duct-taped together?
Some chip thats as big as a whole wafer? (With like 0.1% yields)
Also, little cores are totally useless on a desktop platform, literal waste of silicon (who cares whether its 3W or 9W idle on a desktop)

Yeah, I am wondering too, their cores are massive in comparison with Intel's. 64 big cores seems completely unfeasible to me.

 

[Dristun]

I imagine many people gonna laugh and seethe but I honestly can't wait for Apple to smoke the hell out of competition performance-wise. They could compete in many tasks against higher-end mobile chips with M1 constrained by laughable MBAir cooling solution, can't see why they wouldn't be able to scale it all the way up. And you bet that they'll push partner devs hard to optimize for their stuff. Definitely the most exciting thing in chips since AMD managed to start climbing back from abyss with Zen, probably even better than that.

 

[Frick]

Yeah, I am wondering too, their cores are massive in comparison with Intel's. 64 big cores seems completely unfeasible to me.

If AMD hadn't had a 64 core CPU out now and a 96 core CPU in the works I'd agree. So yes, high tech duct tape.

 

[DrCR]

Yeah, it's almost like they are a for profit company i.e. maximizing shareholder value.

 

[Mescalamba]

Its most likely multi-CPU boards. I think ARMs can be paired a bit easier than our current server CPUs.

 

[Darmok N Jalad]

I'd be surprised if we ever see an AS-based iMac Pro (they will just be called iMacs). The Intel version was Apple trying to throw pros a bone while the trash can Mac Pro was the only pro option, and everything else was stuck on quad cores at best, and the new Mac Pro was still a few years away. It was at least some nifty engineering to get that much system into an iMac shell, but most pros want some modularity. Once Intel finally went beyond quad core and AMD made Navi GPUs, the iMac Pro really lost any value it could have possibly offered.

I also wonder what an AS-based Mac Pro is going to look like. RIght now, they don't even support TB GPUs, so it's quite possible that all Apple will do is up the core counts on their own silicon for their product stack.I could see it being MCM or even traditional multi-socket, just not upgradeable sockets.

 

[Vayra86]

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Even though I reported you for forum guidelines, this one still is good.

 

[Vya Domus]

If AMD hadn't had a 64 core CPU out now and a 96 core CPU in the works I'd agree.

Except their designs are simply much smaller area and transistor budget wise as well.

 

[TristanX]

It is matter of time when they develop their own GPU, and kick AMD. Even more, to increase profits, they may release it in standalone graphics card, to compete with NV, AMD and (soon) Intel

 

[windwhirl]

They didn't have to paid third party anymore sooo, maximum profit?

Maximum profit? No, MAXIMUMER PROFIT.

Except their designs are simply much smaller area and transistor budget wise as well.

But Apple has far more budget. Definitely looking forward to seeing what they came up with to build this, chiplet approach and/or something else?

It is matter of time when they develop their own GPU, and kick AMD. Even more, to increase profits, they may release it in standalone graphics card, to compete with NV, AMD and (soon) Intel

They already have, for the mobile devices. They just have to upscale it and make a few adjustments here and there.

Though I doubt they'd release standalone GPUs for the mass market. At best, it would be given the choice of taking a Mac to an Apple shop and get an upgrade right then and there.

 

[DeathtoGnomes]

Apple is doing the money dance.

 

[Frick]

Except their designs are simply much smaller area and transistor budget wise as well.

So?

 

[medi01]

But Apple has far more budget.

And that... helps, right? #IntelAmCry

 

[dicktracy]

Expect Apple to take up even more capacities from TSMC

 

[Selaya]

[ ... ]But Apple has far more budget. Definitely looking forward to seeing what they came up with to build this, chiplet approach and/or something else? [ ... ]

They would be retarded indeed if it wasn't chiplet, because their yields would be in the negative.
Last time I checked, no money of the world would enable you to defy cold, hard physics.