Apple today began offering new high-end graphics upgrade options for both the tower and rack versions of the Mac Pro desktop computer. This comes on the same day that Apple started selling the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on a standalone basis.
As noted by CNN Underscored's Jake Krol, the Mac Pro can now be configured with new AMD Radeon Pro W6800X, W6800X Duo, or W6900X graphics when ordering the professional workstation through Apple's online store. The new options come at steep prices, ranging from $2,400 for a single W6800X module to $11,600 for two W6900X modules.
Apple's descriptions of the graphics modules:
AMD Radeon Pro W6800X
For workstation-class graphics and demanding pro applications, choose the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. This graphics option features AMD’s RDNA2 architecture, delivering up to 16.0 teraflops of single-precision or 32.0 teraflops of half-precision computing. It supports up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays, or three Pro Display XDRs.The full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. You can install two W6800X MPX Modules in your Mac Pro and connect them using Infinity Fabric Link for enhanced multi-GPU performance in applications like Final Cut Pro. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.
AMD Radeon Pro W6900X
For the maximum workstation-class graphics and demanding pro applications, choose the AMD Radeon Pro W6900X with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. This graphics option features AMD’s RDNA2 architecture, delivering up to 22.2 teraflops of single-precision or 44.4 teraflops of half-precision computing. It supports up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays, or three Pro Display XDRs.The full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. You can install two W6900X MPX Modules in your Mac Pro and connect them using Infinity Fabric Link for enhanced multi-GPU performance in applications like Final Cut Pro. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.
AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module
To push your graphics performance even further, choose the Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module, which is ideal for even the most demanding multi-GPU pro applications. The module has two W6800X GPUs, each with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. The two GPUs are connected onboard with Infinity Fabric Link, and two W6800X Duo modules can be bridged to allow four W6800X GPUs to communicate.Install two modules in your Mac Pro for intensive tasks like GPU rendering or advanced color grading. Get up to 30.2 teraflops of single-precision or 60.4 teraflops of half-precision computing. The Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module supports up to eight 4K displays, four 5K displays, or six Pro Display XDRs. And the full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.
For customers who already purchased a Mac Pro, Krol said the new graphics modules will also be available on a standalone basis through Apple's online store, but the product listings have yet to go live, so pricing remains to be seen.
These should deliver some big performance boosts like up to 23% faster performance in DaVinci Resolve and 84% faster in Octane X. Imagine mileage here will vary. These will be available for individual order or for a built-to-order #MacPro. — Jake Krol (@Jake31Krol) August 3, 2021
The current Mac Pro was released in December 2019 and still uses Intel processors, with an Apple silicon model rumored to be in the works.
