Intel launches new Xeon’s, likely what will be in new MacPro

Intel is launching a new series of scalable Xeon processors. They have a new mesh architecture which will make them more optimized. They all can run dual processor from Bronze  with 8 cores at 1.7 GHz, silver with 12 cores at 2.2 GHz, gold can run up to 4 processors with 14 cores at 3.6 GHz or 22 cores at 3.4 GHz and Platinum with 28 cores at 3.6 GHz and support for 8 CPU’s.

I bet the 1.7 is too slow, but we could see the 2.2 GHz and up in a new MacPro though I doubt they have more than dual CPU options. These are certainly not the processors in the iMac Pro though.

These Skylake Xeons should have a 1.65 times performance boost over the current Broadwell Xeon’s which likely will be in the iMac Pro.

Let’s hope the new Mac Pro really is a great machine. We all just want the cheese grater though and not some design wonder.

iMac Pro had a sneak peek at WWDC

So at WWDC today not only did Apple upgrade it’s laptops and iMacs to Intel Kaby lake processors with more RAM, but they previewed the iMac Pro which will come out in December.

It is a serious pro iMac starting at $4999, with 8, 10 or 18 core XEON processors and AMD Radeon Vega graphics to drive it’s 4K display as well as up to 128GB of RAM. Damn!

Still I would change some things. Intel XEONS are literally generations behind in technology, and their best benefit of using dual processors is useless here. The upcoming i9 processors are much newer tech and also have 18 cores and should be cheaper than Xeons. Even without ICC memory support. And while the Vegas are impressive, I would much rather have an NVIDIA 1080ti for CUDA support.

The fact that Apple is supporting external video cards via Thunderbolt in High Sierra could negate this issue of course, though they only mentioned AMD support.

EDIT: And in a not very pro way, the RAM is not user upgradeable, so you are stuck with what you start ith (very expensive Apple RAM), though at least the 5 grand model starts with 32GB.