Apple reportedly has “largely written off the Mac Pro” and does not plan to significantly upgrade its expandable desktop computer in 2026.
Instead, the company seems focused on the Mac Studio, a smaller desktop machine without expansion slots.
Don’t miss our explanation on why Apple killing the Mac Pro makes sense.
No M5 Ultra upgrade for Mac Pro
Professionals have long turned to the Mac Pro when they needed the best performance for their demanding workflows. The 2023 Mac Pro, powered by the M2 Ultra chip, remains the only machine in Apple’s lineup to feature six PCI expansion slots, which enable professional users to upgrade certain aspects of the machine and connect high-bandwidth accessories.
It’s a big, powerful machine, built for professionals with specific hardware needs. And yet, Apple reportedly doesn’t plan to upgrade the Mac Pro with an M5 Ultra chip next year.
“The sentiment internally is that the Mac Studio now represents both the present and future of Apple’s professional desktop strategy,” wrote Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman in the Sunday edition of his Power On newsletter.
Mac Pro’s troubled history
Apple refreshed the Mac Pro with a trashcan-like chassis in 2013. While the machine stood out for its unique and compact look, it also boxed Apple into a thermal corner.
Despite being built for heavy workloads, it throttled under pressure. And because of its design, Apple couldn’t upgrade it with newer Intel and AMD chips that ran even hotter.
Following years of criticism, Apple eventually redesigned the Mac Pro in 2019. The bigger chassis, which resembled a gigantic cheese grater, provided ample thermal headroom and options for future expansion.
Apple stuck to the same chassis design when it upgraded the Mac Pro with its M2 Ultra chip in 2023 but hasn’t updated it since then. It was the last Mac to make the transition to Apple silicon.
Despite Apple’s previous efforts, the Mac Pro does not receive substantial upgrades as regularly as its less-powerful siblings. And for now, the company seems more inclined to push the Mac Studio to pro users.
The Mac Pro has “been overshadowed by the Mac Studio, which received the M3 Ultra chip earlier this year while the Mac Pro stayed put,” Gurman wrote. “Now here’s the bad news: That doesn’t look set to change anytime soon. There’s no longer an M4 Ultra in the works (a Mac Pro to support it was also nixed), and the next high-end desktop chip will be the M5 Ultra. So far, Apple is only focused on a new Mac Studio for the processor. That suggests the Mac Pro won’t be updated in 2026 in a significant way.”
While it lacks expansion slots, the current Mac Studio, powered by either M4 Max or M3 Ultra processors, delivers excellent performance. (For more info, read our comparison: Mac Studio vs. Mac Pro: M3 Ultra makes all the difference.)
Rajesh has been closely following and writing about the latest happenings in the world of mobile for nearly a decade now. While he prefers Android, he does not deny the superiority of Apple’s products and ecosystem.
