The Mac Pro is, and has been, a powerhouse desktop computer designed for professional users who need the highest level of performance and expandability. Whether for creative work, scientific computing, or software development, the Mac Pro is built to handle the most demanding tasks with ease.
Until recently, the last iteration was released back in December 2019 and was Apple’s most configurable Mac. Its starting price came in at $5,999, complete with a rather unique build, but also supports the ability to swap out different components for future-proofing and upgrading.
When Apple unveiled the M2 chip at WWDC ’22, the company teased a new Mac Pro was on the way. Speculation began running rampant, with many hoping to see a desktop Mac powered by Apple Silicon with interchangeable parts such as RAM, storage, and even the graphics card.
It wasn’t until WWDC 2023 that Apple finally introduced the first Mac Pro powered by Apple Silicon.
Mac Pro 2023: Specs
Processor:Â Apple M2 Ultra
24-core CPU with 16 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores
Up to 76-core GPU
32-core Neural Engine
800GB/s memory bandwidth
Media Engine
Hardware-accelerated H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW
Two video decode engines
Four video encode engines
Four ProRes encode and decode engines
RAM:
64GB / 128GB / 192GB
Storage:
1TB / 2TB / 4TB / 8TB
Audio:Â Built-in speaker, 3.5 mm headphone jack with advanced support for high-impedance headphones, HDMI port supports multichannel audio output
Expansion:
Six full-length PCI Express gen 4 slots
Two x16 slots
Four x8 slots
One half-length x4 PCI Express gen 3 slot with Apple I/O card installed
Connectivity:Â Wi-Fi 6E (802.11ax) / Bluetooth 5.3 / 10Gb Ethernet
Dimensions:
Height: 20.8-inches
Width: 8.58-inches
Depth: 17.7-inches
Weight: 37.2 pounds
Price:Â Starts at $6999
Mac Pro 2023: Apple Silicon Comes to the Mac Pro
Getting the fun stuff out of the way, the 2023 Mac Pro is powered by the all-new Apple M2 Ultra chip. This is the latest entry in Apple’s M-Series of processors, featuring a 24-core CPU comprised of 16 performance cores and 8 efficiency cores. As for graphical power, Apple packed up to an incredible 76-cores into the GPU, but more on that later.
The base configuration comes with 64GB of unified memory (i.e. RAM), but is configurable with either 128GB or 192GB. Of course, being “unified memory,” means that you won’t be able to go back and add more RAM to your Mac Pro later. And when it comes to storage, the base 2023 Mac Pro includes 1TB of storage but is configurable with 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB.
With the M2 Ultra at the helm, Apple claims that the 2023 Mac Pro is 3x faster in “real-world pro workflows like video transcoding and 3D simulations” compared to the previous Intel-powered Mac Pro. Apple also suggests its most powerful desktop computer allows “video engineers to ingest 24 4K camera feeds and encode them to ProRes in real time.”
In terms of connectivity, you’ll find a total of eight built-in Thunderbolt 4 ports, making it possible to use up to six Pro Display XDRs at the same time. There are also three USB-A ports, and two “higher-bandwidth” HDMI ports with support for 8K resolution and up to 240Hz refresh rates. And as expected, the Mac Pro is equipped with Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 for “fast wireless connectivity”. Lastly, the Mac Pro sports two 10Gb Ethernet ports, and a “headphone jack that enables the use of high-impedance headphones.”
Mac Pro 2023: Where’s the Expansion?
As we noted previously, a big reason why the 2019 Mac Pro was so popular is the ability to add more power and ports thanks to PCIe expansion. On the bright side, the 2023 Mac Pro includes a total of seven PCIe expansion slots, including six that are “open expansion slots that support Gen 4.”
Here’s a breakdown of the different PCIe slots:
Two double-wide full length x16 gen4Â slots
Two double-wide full length x8 gen4 slots
Two single-wide full length x8 gen4 slots
One single-wide half length x4 gen3 slot preconfigured with the Apple I/O card
And here are the different PCIe cards that can be installed:
Apple I/O card: Mac Pro comes preinstalled with the Apple I/O card in slot 7, which has a 3.5mm headphone jack with support for high-impedence headphones, two HDMI ports, and two USB-A ports.
Fibre channel cards
Fiber networking cards
Video and I/O cards
Storage cards
Ethernet cards
Unfortunately, not everything is perfect in the Mac Pro world, as the transition to Apple Silicon means that you will not be able to insert your own graphics card in the event that you want to beef up performance even more. In an interview, Apple’s John Ternus provided the following explanation as to why this decision was made:
“Fundamentally, we’ve built our architecture around this shared memory model and that optimization, and so it’s not entirely clear to me how you’d bring in another GPU and do so in a way that is optimized for our systems.”
So it doesn’t seem as though the 2019 Mac Pro will be the last model to support GPU expansion, as it’s not even possible to use something like a Thunderbolt enclosure with the current lineup of Apple-powered Macs.
Mac Pro 2023: Largely the Same Design
Instead of reinventing the wheel with the new Mac Pro’s case, Apple went with pretty much the same case design as the previous model. This machine’s design is somewhat infamous for looking like a cheese grater. It stands like a traditional CPU tower with a design that is very Apple and very unique.
The tower measures in at 20.8 inches high, going up to 21.9 inches if you decide to pick up the infamous and optional Mac Pro wheels. The case is also 8.58 inches wide, while measuring 17.7 inches deep and weighing a tremendous 37.2 pounds, out of the box. There’s also a rack mount version available for those who already have a rack mount, or plan to use one in the future.
Mac Pro 2023: Price and Availability
Considering that the Mac Pro has been Apple’s most expensive computer for years, it should come as little surprise that this trend continues with the 2023 model. Pricing for the 2023 Mac Pro starts at $6,999 for the base configuration with 64GB of unified memory and 1TB of storage. But if you want to know just how much each configuration costs, here’s a breakdown for you:
Apple M2 Ultra
24-core CPU, 60-core GPU, 32‑core Neural Engine
64GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $6999
64GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $7399
64GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $7999
64GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $9199
128GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $7799
128GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $8199
128GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $8799
128GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $9999
192GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $8599
192GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $8999
192GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $9599
192GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $10799
24-core CPU, 76-core GPU, 32‑core Neural Engine
64GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $7999
64GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $8399
64GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $8999
64GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $10199
128GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $8799
128GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $9199
128GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $9799
128GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $10999
192GB unified memory, 1TB storage: $9599
192GB unified memory, 2TB storage: $9999
192GB unified memory, 4TB storage: $10599
192GB unified memory, 8TB storage: $11799
From there, you can decide whether you want to pay an extra $400 to add wheels so you can roll the Mac Pro around or not. Lastly, Apple includes its Magic Keyboard with Touch ID in the box, along with a Magic Mouse. However, you can pay an extra $50 to swap the Magic Mouse out for a Magic Trackpad, or pay an extra $149 to have both the mouse and trackpad included.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
Andrew Myrick is a freelance writer based on the East Coast of the US. He enjoys everything to do with technology, including tablets, smartphones, and everything in between. Perhaps his favorite past-time is having a never-ending supply of different keyboards and gaming handhelds that end up collecting more dust than the consoles that are being emulated.
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