The Future of Apple's Mac Pro: A Modular System?

Apple has been teasing its upcoming Mac Pro, and rumor has it that this new desktop will be a game-changer for professionals and enthusiasts alike. The latest whispers from insiders suggest that the Mac Pro will feature a modular system, where users can upgrade and customize their machine with ease.

A Modular System: What Does It Mean?

According to experts, a modular system means that the base unit of the Mac Pro will contain essential components such as the CPU, RAM, and storage. This would provide a solid foundation for users to build upon, allowing them to add or remove modules as needed. The idea is to create a stackable system where users can easily swap out individual components without having to replace the entire machine.

The Base Unit: What Can You Expect?

In terms of what's included in the base unit, it's likely that Apple will stick to tried-and-true components. This could include Xeon processors for the CPU, ECC RAM for server-grade memory, and storage options such as SSDs or HDDs. However, users should not expect too much storage capacity out of the box, as they may need to purchase additional modules for more demanding applications.

No GPU in the Base Unit: A Purposeful Design Choice?

One notable omission from the base unit is a built-in GPU. Instead, Apple plans to offer separate graphics modules that users can add to their Mac Pro. This design choice may seem counterintuitive at first, but it offers several benefits. For users with modest graphical needs, a lightweight GPU option will be available. On the other hand, those who require more powerful GPUs can opt for a higher-end module, providing greater flexibility and customization options.

AMD GPUs: The Likely Choice

While there's been speculation about Apple switching to NVIDIA GPUs in the past, it appears that this won't be the case with the Mac Pro. Insiders suggest that AMD GPUs will be the preferred choice, citing the company's long-standing partnership with Apple. This decision may have implications for users who previously relied on NVIDIA GPUs, but it also means that Apple is committed to its own hardware and software ecosystem.

External GPUs: A Game-Changer?

One intriguing aspect of the modular Mac Pro is the possibility of using external GPUs. Apple has already supported this feature in previous operating systems, and some speculate that the new Mac Pro will take it to the next level. If users can connect multiple external GPUs to their machine, they may unlock unprecedented performance for applications that rely on multiple GPU cores.

The Advantages of Modularity

So what are the benefits of a modular system like the one Apple is planning? For starters, it offers users unparalleled flexibility and customization options. With a stackable design, enthusiasts can upgrade or replace individual components as needed, extending the life of their machine and reducing electronic waste. Additionally, modularity allows for more efficient power management and cooling, which could lead to improved performance and reliability.

The Challenges of Modularity

However, there are also challenges associated with this approach. One major concern is cost. As each component is custom-designed and manufactured by Apple, the price tag will likely be higher than traditional desktops. This may make the Mac Pro inaccessible to many users who would otherwise be interested in upgrading their machine.

Another challenge is the potential for lock-in. With proprietary components and a closed system, users may find it difficult to integrate third-party devices or accessories. This could lead to frustration among enthusiasts who value freedom of choice and flexibility.

Power and Thermal Engineering: A Delicate Balance

Finally, there's the issue of power and thermal engineering. As each component is powered individually, Apple will need to ensure that the system remains cool and stable. While experts suggest that this challenge has been addressed in previous desktop designs, it remains a potential point of contention for users who are sensitive to temperature and noise levels.

Conclusion

The future of Apple's Mac Pro is looking bright, with a modular system promising unparalleled flexibility and customization options. However, there are also challenges associated with this approach, including cost, lock-in, and power engineering. As the design nears completion, we can only speculate on what features will ultimately make it to market. One thing is certain: the Mac Pro is poised to revolutionize the world of desktop computing.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enApple has said that their upcoming Mac Prois supposed to be a modular systemand instead of a regular kind of component based build that we've seen withlike PC's and even the oldschool Mac ProThere's a growing sense that this new Mac Pro is supposed to be astackable modular system, so you have kind of like a base unitthat has like your core components, and then you have modulesyou can add on the top or beneath itthat would add extra functionality to the deviceSo in your base unit, you have stuff like your CPU, your RAMand your storage. The CPU would probably be a Xeon processorApple always runs Xeon chips in their Pro desktop devicesSo you get like 10, 16, maybe 20 core chipsAnd you're also running ECC RAM in here so that'sserver grade memory. That's very expensive, but very reliable.And I also think that they'll be running storage in that base module.Not a lot if, you need crazy amounts of storage, you're gonna have to get like a different module.But just enough for the OS and some basic applications and stuff like thatAnd that's it. There's nothing elsein that base unit other than those three things. And becauseit doesn't have a GPU, you will need to buy amodule for your graphics, and that's kind of the beautyof a modular system. If you're someone that has veryundemanding graphical needsyou can just get something lightweight, but if you want something that's more powerful,you have the option of spending a lot more money and gettinga more powerful GPU for your system.They're most likely gonna run AMD GPU'sAgain, I don't see them with NVIDIA, they've actuallyremoved NVIDIA support even on the software sideFrom the latest version of MacOS, so if you're wantingquadro cards, that's probably not gonna happen.Uh, one thing that's kind of interesting is that MacOSsupports the use of multiple external GPU'sAnd the way that these graphics modulues could connect to the systemit is possible that they would be consideredexternal GPU's. Now normally when you think of external GPU'sThey don't have great performance because we're running off Thunderbolt 3 connectionsThis connectivity is new, right, it could be acompletely different system and it could be very fastIt is possible that you can connecttwo external GPU's to a base module, and you would havegreat performance from thatfor applications that can make use of multiple GPU'sAnd that's basically it, like you have yourcomputer in a stack and everything else that you wouldneed, like massive storage or a really high quality DAClike all of those would be extra modules that you would purchaseand then add on to the stackNow this isn't the first time we've seena company do a modular PC like this, right?A few years ago we saw Acer do it, they had the Acer RevoIt wasn't particularly well polished. It looked kind of incompleteBut it was 2015 and they had a working modularPC, and then a couple years agowe saw HP do it. They had a product called the Elite SliceAnd you could get a speaker module for it,you could get an optical disk drive for it. I'll be honest, I don't see Applegoing with a disk drive on this new Mac Pro, but it ispossible, right? Modularity allows stuff like thatAnd we've even seen a patent from Microsoft,where they were trying to make the Surface Studio a modular systemas well, even though that built in screen might be a little bit weirdBut all of these systemsincluding that Microsoft Surface Studio have been builtmore for like consumer grade products. The Mac Prowill be the first kind of modular PCor modular desktop that's ever been made forthe professional high-end market, and forApple that's avery small percentage of their user base. Like we're talkingway less than 1%, now the advantagesto a modular systemare quite evident, right? You get a very nice looking sytem that's easyto upgrade, easy to use, and if anything goes wrong withany of the individual modules, you canremove it, get it repaired or replaced, then swap itin and out like that. And also gives this product linea potentially very long lifespanas long as Apple continues to support itNow, there are some negatives tomodular systems as well. The first one the biggestone, is cost. When you have a systemlike this, every single one of those modules has to havea housing, or like a shell, as well asthe connection or some kind of interface for these differentmodules to talk to one another, and the engineering costto make all this work is not cheapand customers are gonna have to pay for that. So as an examplethe camera that I use to shoot my videos ismade by a comapny called Red. They have amodular camera system. And you can set up your camerahowever you want it. You can build something lean, or you can go hamand build something you would see on a movie set.But, the moment the company makessomething new, like they have a new sensoror a new screen, or a different moduleyou can switch out your old onewith the new upgraded part, but the components are very expensive,and the company is good at locking you out from using other thirdparty devices, and the same thing would apply tothe Apple modular Mac Pro. They're gonna be expensiveand you can't just swap out a regular GPUinto this system, you have to use a dedicatedApple certified GPU that connects to the system, soas nice as it is, it's gonna have an Appleprice tag, like a professional Apple price tagAnd then the other concern that I have for the modular sytem isthe power and thermal engineeringyou have to do around this. Like every single one of the modules has to bepowered, and every single one of the modules has to beindividually cooled.But I think that's something Apple's gotten better with for their desktop products.But, that's the modular Mac Pro, at least how I'mpicturing it. I think this is how it's gonna be done.I don't see them going with like the component build with the chassisand stuff like that.What do you think? Is this what you want?Is this what you would use? I mean this is gonnabe crazy expensive, so very few people are gonna be buying this.But, would you want to use something like this? Or would you prefera component based Mac Pro?\n"