Intel today launched new W-2200 Cascade Lake-X Xeon chips that are potentially suitable for a new iMac Pro should Apple be planning to refresh the machine in the near future.
Right now, Apple uses custom Intel Xeon-W chips for its iMac Pro models, but could use a stock version of the W-2200 Xeon chips or a custom version.
There are up to 18 AVX 512 enabled cores in the new W-2200 chips, along with up to 48 PCIe lanes, Turbo Boost Max 3.0, and AI acceleration (Intel Deep Learning Boost) for visual effects, motion graphics, 3D rendering, and more. The chips are similar to Intel's X-Series chips but with Intel vPro for support for up to 1TB ECC RAM, VROC, and RAS (reliability, availability, and serviceability) features.
According to Intel, its new chips offer 2x faster 3D architecture rendering, 97% faster 4K video editing, and 2.1x faster video game compile times.
Intel is introducing a new, more affordable pricing structure for the updated chips, dropping prices by up to almost 50 percent compared to prior-generation Xeon chips. The pricing cuts could drive the cost of future iMac Pro models down should Apple pass those savings along to consumers.
Apple released the iMac Pro in 2017 and hasn't updated it since then, so it's due for a refresh. There are no rumors that an updated model is in the works, but we often don't hear much about minor Mac refreshes, so upgraded processors and other hardware could still come in a 2019 update.
Intel says the new Xeon W-2200 chips will be available starting in November.
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