Apple confirms: Mac Pro discontinued, no successor models planned

Apple has discontinued production of the Mac Pro and removed the device from its website. Apple announced that no new version is planned and that no new model will be released in the future.

The Mac Pro was last updated in 2023 when Apple introduced an M2 Ultra Apple Silicon chip, but the enclosure hasn’t been redesigned since 2019. Apple made the 2019 model more modular after the failure of the “innovative” Mac Pro with its “trash can” design. However, due to its starting price of €8,299/$6,999, the device never really gained widespread acceptance.

Apple Mac Pro replaced by Mac Studio

Apple has largely replaced the Mac Pro with the Mac Studio, a smaller device with newer Apple silicon chips. The Mac Studio is now Apple’s high-end desktop computer for professional use.

The current Apple Mac Studio is equipped with an M3 Ultra chip, but is expected to be upgraded to an M5 Ultra chip later this year. Apple’s desktop lineup also includes the Mac mini and the iMac.

The Mac Pro’s decline began in 2013 when Apple introduced a radical cylindrical design that proved to be a major mistake. Components were arranged around a central heatsink and cooled by a single fan that drew air from the bottom of the enclosure, through the heatsink, and out the top of the device. While quiet, it was inefficient.

Furthermore, the 2013 Mac Pro unfortunately lacked PCIe expansion slots for graphics cards and other hardware; expansion was achieved via Thunderbolt 2 ports. Additionally, the design did not accommodate future advancements in GPU technology, preventing Apple from installing larger graphics cards and other components.

Apple eventually apologized to its professional users, explaining that the 2013 design was not upgradeable due to thermal limitations. It wasn’t until 2019 that Apple introduced the current model, which features a more standard tower chassis with eight PCIe slots.

After its market launch in 2019, the Mac Pro received an Apple Silicon chip in 2023 – and that was it. It has seen only three updates in the last 13 years, so its discontinuation is not surprising. The Mac Studio offers almost all the features of the Pro model, with the exception of the PCIe expansion slots.