Apple's iconic tower is gone, succeeded by the Mac Studio.
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Apple has discontinued the Mac Pro, its most expandable workstation. Mentions of the system are being scrubbed from the company's website and online store.
Apple confirmed to 9to5Mac that it no longer has plans to produce the hardware.
For many onlookers, this isn't a huge surprise. Apple has had the Mac Pro on ice since its move to Apple Silicon in 2023. The tower has been stuck with the M2 Ultra ever since. The smaller Mac Studio has since taken over as the company's flagship workstation with options for the M3 Ultra and M4 Max last year.
The Mac Pro's last design refresh was in 2019, when the system still boasted Intel Xeon processors. The Mac Pro has a small but dedicated following, but it was clearly Apple's lowest volume Mac and, starting at $6,999.99, was far more expensive than the Studio.
The Mac Pro was unique from the rest of the Apple Silicon lineup in that it continued to allow for expansion through PCIe slots. Apple seemingly kept the Mac Pro around to support video and sound editors who needed specialized add-in cards or a lot of extra storage. The M2 Ultra doesn't support external graphics, so you can't use a dedicated GPU.
The system has had a number of iconic form factors, including the long-lived "cheese grater" design of the original (similar to the Power Mac G5) and the bold "trash can" design that ultimately had issues with thermals (and, ironically, expandability).
But Apple has increasingly demoed the Mac Studio with a range of Thunderbolt accessories, and Thunderbolt 5 models can be connected to pool their SoCs' resources together, which can create powerful clusters for AI workloads.
You can even rack mount the Mac Studio. While Apple doesn't sell that option (it did for the Mac Pro), a number of enterprise IT vendors make 3U and 5U mounts to fit Apple's new professional champ in server rooms.
Apple's desktop lineup is now down to just three systems: the iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio. Apple clearly isn't abandoning pro users as a customer base, but it is dropping the most customizable Mac in favor of a more popular, streamlined device.
The system has had a number of iconic form factors, including the long-lived "cheese grater" design of the original (similar to the Power Mac G5) and the bold "trash can" design that ultimately had issues with thermals.
But Apple has increasingly demoed the Mac Studio with Thunderbolt accessories, and Thunderbolt 5 models can be connected together to pool its SoC's resources together, which can be powerful for AI workloads.
You can even rack mount the Mac Studio. While Apple doesn't sell that option (it did for the Mac Pro), a number of enterprise IT vendors make 3u and 5u mounts to fit Apple's new professional champ in server rooms.
Apple's desktop lineup is now just three systems: the iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio. Apple clearly isn't abandoning pro users as a customer base, but it is dropping the most customizable Mac in favor of a more popular, streamlined device.
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Andrew E. Freedman is a senior editor at Tom's Hardware focusing on laptops, desktops and gaming. He also keeps up with the latest news. A lover of all things gaming and tech, his previous work has shown up in Tom's Guide, Laptop Mag, Kotaku, PCMag and Complex, among others. Follow him on Threads @FreedmanAE and BlueSky @andrewfreedman.net. You can send him tips on Signal: andrewfreedman.01
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alan.campbell99 I recall at the time wondering if the Apple Silicon version could at least get around the fixed RAM config by way of a CXL RAM card or similar since it had PCI expansion options. That's probably not supported though either?Reply
Facts Only
Actor: Apple Inc.
Action: Discontinued Mac Pro
Event: Last update in 2019, transition to Apple Silicon in 2023, discontinuation confirmed in 20XX
Location: N/A
Executive Summary
Full Take
Apple's decision to discontinue the Mac Pro signifies a shift towards streamlined devices that align with popular demand. The Mac Pro was unique among Apple Silicon devices as it allowed for expansion through PCIe slots, catering to video and sound editors who required specialized add-in cards or additional storage. However, the M2 Ultra does not support external graphics, making it less suitable for these professionals.
The Mac Studio, a more affordable and versatile alternative, has gained traction due to its compatibility with Thunderbolt accessories and its ability to pool resources together for powerful AI workloads. The Mac Pro's discontinuation indicates Apple's focus on streamlined devices, as the desktop lineup is now down to just three systems: the iMac, Mac Mini, and Mac Studio.
It's worth noting that this decision may stir controversy among the Mac Pro's dedicated user base, who appreciate its high-end capabilities and expansibility. The discontinuation could be seen as a move towards consumer-focused devices at the expense of professional users with more demanding requirements.
Patterns detected: ARC-0024 Ambiguity (The article does not clarify whether the Mac Pro will be completely phased out or if there are plans for an update in the future), ARC-0036 Framing and Scapegoating (The article frames Apple's decision as a move towards streamlined devices, potentially oversimplifying the complexities behind this decision).
Sentinel — Human
This article appears to be written by a human journalist. The writing style, use of personal voice, and inclusion of an author bio are consistent with human authorship.