New Radeon Pro W5700X GPU is Mac Pro’s most affordable yet

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Mac-Pro-W5700X
Order yours today for $1,000.
Photo: Apple

Those looking to improve the graphics performance of their 2019 Mac Pro can now pick up the Radeon Pro W5700X MPX Module from the Apple Online Store.

For exactly $1,000, the new GPU offers up to 9.4 teraflops of compute performance and 16GB of GDDR6 memory. It uses AMD’s latest RDNA architecture, and it’s now the most affordable GPU module Apple sells.

The 2019 Mac Pro is one powerful machine — the most powerful machine Apple offers by far. Despite its $5,999 price tag, however, the Mac Pro’s base configuration ships with a GPU that leaves a lot to be desired.

The AMD Radeon Pro 580X might get the job done for some creatives, but you’ll want to upgrade for particularly heavy video usage, or if you plan to use your Mac Pro to play games at a decent level.

That’s where the Radeon Pro W5700X MPX Module comes in.

AMD Radeon Pro W5700X available now

The W5700X not only has twice as much memory as the 580X, but it’s also significantly faster, with up to 488 GB/s memory bandwidth. It supports Display Stream Compression (DSD) and packs four Thunderbolt 3 ports.

The module can handle six 4K displays, three 5K displays, or three Pro Display XDRs. It’s a full-height module, unlike the 580X, and can be combined with another GPU inside the 2019 Mac Pro.

The W5700X is available for $1,000 as a standalone MPX Module for existing Mac Pro owners. Those ordering a new Mac Pro can add a W5700X at checkout for a total of $6,599, which is just $600 more than the 580X setup.

Ships in 1-2 weeks

Apple says the W5700X module ships in one to two weeks. With Apple Stores closed in most markets, ordering from the Apple Online Store is the only way for most Mac Pro owners to bag one.

Other GPU modules for Mac Pro include the Pro Vega II at $2,800 and the Pro Vega II Duo at $5,600. Apple also offers the Afterburner Card, specifically for ProRes video, which is priced at $2,000.

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