Apple is adopting new AMD RDNA2 GPUs for its Mac Pro. These are the Radeon Pro W6000X solutions that AMD presented last June.
Thanks to this September update, the Mac Pro can therefore accommodate three new MPX graphics modules as an option to arm itself with the Radeon Pro W6800X, Radeon Pro W6800X Duo or Radeon Pro W6900X. They offer it superior firepower, with AMD announcing up to 79% more performance for its W6800 than the previous generation.
For its part, and as The Verge points out, Apple mentions up to 84% more performance under Octane X. In comparison, this additional performance amounts to a maximum of 23% on the Da Vinci Resolve video editing and calibration software.
Apple says these new GPU options replace the AMD Radeon Pro Vega II and Radeon Pro Vega II Duo MPX modules. They will no longer be available in the configurations offered for the Mac Pro but will remain accessible as separately purchasable kits.
The fact remains that Apple does not sell its new GPU options: count 2,760 euros to get your hands on a Radeon Pro W6800X (32 GB), while the Radeon Pro W6900X Duo (32 GB also) is cashed at 6,440 euros. To increase to 64 GB of video memory, you will have to opt for a Radeon Pro W6800X Duo. This time charged 5,290 euros.
Stratospheric sums, but perhaps the most disappointing thing is that Apple is not taking advantage of this hardware update to add new processor options. As NextInpact points out, the firm could, for example, have added to its Mac Pro the new Xeon W-3300 from Intel, announced at the end of July. Maybe next time.