Intel Xeon processors expected to power Apple iMac Retina in 2017, or a completely different Mac.
The next Apple iMac could be powered by Intel’s most powerful processor yet, according to sources cited by a number of outlets including iTechPost. Rumors seem to indicate that an either early, or late 2017 Apple iMac Retina, will be unveiled, with a number of incremental, yet significant upgrades, including an Intel Xeon processor, currently the most powerful consumer CPU made by Intel.
While such is the going rumor, there are a number of reasons why this rumor could be one of those rare cases of misplaced information, where the truth could be just that much more exciting than what we are lead to believe.
If experience is of any help, Apple rumors following the 12 inch MacBook Retina lead most of us to believe it would be the next MacBook Air, when in fact, the MacBook Air has little chance to be rebooted, ever again.
The primary reason against a Xeon-powered iMac, is the considerable price hike brought by the integration of a processor typically used in servers and supercomputers. While an iMac powered by an Intel Xeon would be indeed a dream machine for professionals, a most appropriate recipient for this level of processing power should be a machine that Apple has seemingly ignored, since 2013: the Apple Mac Pro.
While not entirely obsolete yet, the Mac Pro, which is in fact the most powerful Mac available from Apple, is decisively getting long in the tooth, particularly when it comes to graphic processing and expansion capabilities.
The architecture of the Mac Pro doesn’t leave much room for custom upgrades, which begs the question of when, if ever, the Mac Pro will get an update.
Considering that the Mac Pro is also the only Mac to be powered by a quad-core and 6-core Intel Xeon CPU, talks of a Xeon-powered iMac, sound more than a little odd, which is precisely why, such rumors should be taken with a grain of salt.
According to recent comments made by Apple CEO Tim Cook, new Mac desktops are underway, a statement that comes amidst criticism from those who are beginning to feel Apple’s commitment to desktop computers is somehow losing its luster.
By this token, it’s important to read between the lines, and while a Xeon-powered Apple iMac Retina would be something to behold, a more realistic view points towards the release of a completely different machine.
Will Apple release a new Mac Pro, with a more powerful Xeon processor? We’ll be watching.
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