by Jason Snell
Mac Pro gets a graphics update
It’s not dead yet! On Tuesday, Apple rolled out three new graphics card modules for the Intel-based Mac Pro, all based on AMD’s Radeon Pro W6000 series GPU. (Apple posted a Mac Pro performance white paper to celebrate.) The new modules (in Apple’s MPX format) come in three variants, with a Radeon Pro W6800X, two W6800X GPUs, and the W6900X. Each module also adds four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 port to the Mac Pro.
The Mac Pro supports two MPX modules, so you could pop in two of the dual-GPU modules to max out performance. They can connect using AMD’s Infinity Fabric Link, which can connect up to four GPUs to communicate with one another via a super-fast connection with much more bandwidth than is available via the PCIe bus.
The new modules are replacing previous modules featuring AMD Vega II GPUs, and will be offered as configure-to-order options for new Mac Pros and as standalone kits. Get ready now: it’s $2800 for the Radeon Pro W6800X, $5000 for the W6800X duo, and $6000 for the W6900X. Each module also adds four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 port to the Mac Pro. Apple’s also removing the Radeon Pro Vega II and Pro Vega II Duo MPX modules as configurable options with new systems, but will still sell them as standalone kits for $2200 and $4400, respectively.