14 DAY TRIAL // New Macintosh upgrades are on the way, according to the latest rumors, and one of the systems getting overhauled is the Mac Pro. A tipster has leaked internal Apple documentation that references a mid-2011 Mac Pro model with configurations ranging from 6 core CPUs to 16 cores.
Citing a “reliable source,” Apple-centric blog 9to5Mac reveals that Apple has referenced a mid-2011 Mac Pro model in several internal documents.
Apparently, one such document has made it the blog’s way.
Apple has not given the Mac Pro any overhaul in 12 months, and several of the company’s other Macs have already gotten the Intel treatment consisting of Sandy Bridge CPUs and Thunderbolt I/O.
Whether or not the same CPU architecture is going inside Apple’s upcoming Mac Pros, the configurations available at launch are said to be 6 cores, 8 cores, 12 cores, and for the first time, 16 cores.
Custom configurations are also expected to be available, as usual.
There has been talk that not only will Apple upgrade the innards of the Mac Pro workstations, but also that the company is giving the tower Mac a completely new rack mountable design, making it the perfect replacement for the now-discontinued Xserve line of server computers.
The source talking to 9to5, however, could not confirm the new rack mountable design, the blog said.
The report ends with a quote from an Apple executive who reportedly said “Apple is investing heavily into Mac Pro,” adding credence to rumors that the Cupertino giant is looking at new ways to promote the powerhouse computers.
In addition to launching new Mac Pro computers, Apple is also poised to introduce new MacBook Airs and likely even new Mac minis.
However, unlike the Pro, the MBA and the mini will not boast a design overhaul, company watchers say.
The only enhancements expected for the MacBook Air and Mac mini systems are Sandy Bridge processors, and Thunderbolt connectivity.