First there were rumors of its demise, then there was a plea from users for information, and now according to 9to5 Mac, reliable sources say that Apple will be unveiling a new Mac Pro at the World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC).
From 9to5 Mac:
Our sources are currently unsure of the feature-set coming with the new Mac Pro, but these sources say that there will likely now be three configurations. Two standard versions of the Mac Pro and a third version with OS X Server capabilities. In early 2011, we reported on some of the work that Apple engineers had been prototyping up for a future version of Apple’s Pro desktop line. For that report, sources said that Apple had been experimenting with a new Mac Pro design that is rackable and stackable. These prototype machines also included space for more storage drives, an important feature now that the Xserve has been long discontinued. With a year having passed since we heard about these prototype Mac Pros and the ability of Thunderbolt to offload a lot of the expandability, the final new Mac Pro designs could be different than the current designs but we haven’t yet heard definitively either way.
With Apple adding the super-fast USB 3.0 technology to its next-generation MacBook Pro, and with Apple’s latest Macs including the even faster Thunderbolt I/O technology, Apple will likely add these faster connection ports to their latest Pro desktop. Since the Mac Pro is Apple’s most high-end machine for professional workers of all types, the most important features are the internals. Earlier this year, Intel released a series of Xeon E5 chips that would seem like a lock for a new Mac Pro. These new Mac Pros will likely also likely feature the latest graphics chips.
Unfortunately, information on Mac Pro specs are scarce, but 9to5 Mac has received unconfirmed specs on the new MacBook Pro:
- 2.6 Ghz quad-core Intel Core i& with 8MB L3 cache (Turbo Boost up to 3.6 Ghz)
- 16GB of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
- 750 GB 7200-rpm hard drive
- 15.4-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display; 2560 by 1600 pixels
- AMD Radeon HD 7770M graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory and Intel HD Graphics 4000 with automatic switching
- Built-in FaceTime HD camera
- Thunderbolt port supports high-speed I/O and Mini DisplayPort devices
- SDXC card slot, FireWire 800 port, four USB 3.0 ports
- Optical digital audio output/analog line out; stereo speakers
- 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet
- 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4.0
- Backlit keyboard and ambient light sensor
- Preinstalled Mac OSX and iLife
It's important to keep in mind that 9to5 Mac says that these specs are "unlikely". Although, a similar (though more modest) list of specs was posted at MacRumors.
So what do you think the specs for the new Mac Pro line might be? How likely do the specs look for the new MacBook Pro?
Links:
- 9to5 Mac: After nearly two years without an update, Apple to finally revamp Mac Pro next week
- 9to5 Mac: Unlikely new MacBook Pro specs label surfaces: 2560 x 1600 display, USB 3.0 ports, thin as Air
- MacRumors: Leaked 13.3" MacBook Pro Specs Suggest No Retina Display, Addition of USB 3.0, and Only Minor Changes
