Again when Apple introduced its transition to Intel processors in June 2020, it made a few guarantees that haven’t been fulfilled. Most notably, it mentioned the transition can be accomplished “in about two years,” which is both 4 months or 8 months not on time, relying on once you begin counting.

However along with vowing to “proceed to assist and launch new variations of macOS for Intel-based Macs for years to come back,” which is unquestionably true, Apple additionally mentioned it “has thrilling new Intel-based Macs in improvement.”

That was nearly three years in the past, and suffice it to say, we haven’t seen any new Intel-based Macs, thrilling or in any other case. And with only one Intel-based Mac remaining in Apple’s lineup, it might appear that ship has sailed and it’s only a matter of time till the Mac Professional will get its Apple silicon makeover. The truth is, a couple of 12 months in the past, John Ternus teased the existence of such a machine, saying there was “only one extra product to go” within the transition, “however that’s for one more day.” However perhaps everybody can be happier if that day didn’t arrive simply but.

The core subject

The most recent rumors in regards to the Mac Professional are lower than intriguing, because the distinctive structure of the M2 chip is reportedly forcing Apple to rethink a number of of the Mac Professional’s distinctive traits, together with user-upgradeable RAM and graphics. And the rumored M2 Excessive chip with 48 CPU cores and 152 graphics cores is unlikely to make an look, with Apple as an alternative going with a barely overclocked M2 Extremely with a 24-core CPU and 76-core GPU.

Foundry

That’s lots quick, after all, however in comparison with the present M1 Extremely Mac Studio, it’s not value wherever close to the $17,000 beginning value for the top-of-the-line Intel Mac Professional with a 28‑core Intel Xeon W processor. When the Mac Professional launched in 2019, its closest competitor was the 18-Core Intel Xeon W within the iMac Professional, which was no comparability in benchmarks (13,453 versus 26,604 in Geekbench multi-core checks). Granted, the Mac Professional value about $10,000 greater than the iMac Professional, however you had been getting much more velocity on your cash.

Primarily based on the newest reviews, that received’t be the case with the brand new Mac Professional. Whereas it should clearly be quicker than each the present top-of-the-line Mac Professional and the top-end Mac Studio—particularly if Apple doesn’t replace the Mac Studio to an M2 chip—the hole received’t be practically as massive as with the earlier Mac Professional. Geekbench benchmarks for the M1 Extremely high out at round 24,000, so we will assume the M2 Extremely would are available round 30,000 or so with the identical 20 to 25 p.c increase. That’s larger than the present 28‑core Intel Xeon W processor (26,604) however not by a large margin.

With such super energy at even the bottom finish of its Mac chips, Apple has painted itself into a decent nook with the Mac Professional. Patrons count on the Mac Professional to be “a system created to let a variety of execs push the boundaries of what’s potential,” however with meager efficiency enhancements and restricted enlargement, patrons received’t be getting the identical boundary-pushing machine.

Intel inside (once more)

However even when it had been to deliver an enormous velocity increase, Mac Professional patrons is likely to be reluctant to change to Apple silicon anyway. The Mac Professional is the type of machine folks purchase to fill a really particular want, and people wants is likely to be tied to current peripheral gadgets and functions that don’t work as properly (or in any respect) on Apple silicon Macs.

Apple

For these folks—and my guess is there are loads of them—an upgraded Intel mannequin might be preferable to an M2 Extremely-based mannequin. Particularly if Apple had been to make use of one in every of Intel’s latest Xeon W-3400 or Xeon W-2400 chips. Final week, Intel unveiled its latest workstation-class chips with as much as 56 cores and 112 threads. These are glorious specs which are sure to match or beat the rumored M2 Extremely.

As my colleague Jason Cross factors out, Apple can be extra possible to make use of the W-2400 chips that high out at 24 cores resulting from thermals. (The very best-end Intel CPU within the Mac Professional has a thermal design energy of 205 watts. The W-2400 collection ranges from 120W to 225W whereas the W-3400 goes from 270W to 350W.) Apple prioritizes energy effectivity with its M-series chips, so it might be unlikely to make use of a chip with such a excessive energy draw.

However even the lower-end chip would nonetheless be a superb improve over the present Mac Professional, whereas nonetheless providing customers the expandability and after-market upgrades they want. I don’t suppose any potential patrons can be mad at a brand new Intel machine that preserves the Mac Professional’s mission but nonetheless delivers an enormous velocity increase over the 2019 mannequin Apple nonetheless sells. Intel would let customers simply improve their present setup, retain the upgradeability they crave, and purchase Apple some extra time to make a correct Apple silicon mannequin.

And if any of these patrons really need an Apple silicon machine, they’ll all the time purchase a MacBook Professional to go together with it.