Apple unveiled a new iMac version during its WWDC keynote last month, the iMac Pro that was featured in a variety of rumors preceding the event. On stage, Apple talked about the all-in-one’s design and its high-end specs that should deliver the kind of power pro users expect. Since then, we saw additional leaks detailing the purported specs of the iMac Pro, as Apple did not disclose quite everything during the keynote. Intel on Tuesday may have revealed one critical piece of the iMac Pro puzzle, the next-gen chips that are going to power the device.
The Purley series of Xeon chips is now official, and it contains several versions that could be installed in the first iMac Pro desktop. As Apple Insider explains, Intel unveiled 50 distinct Xeon chips on Tuesday, which will replace the E5 and E7 Haswell lines.
There are four new Intel Xeon configurations to choose from, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, and the iMac Pro’s processor options are likely in there. Apple teased up to 18-core Xeon chips for the iMac Pro, and the Purely line does have such options. And they’re quite pricey.
The Purley chips target data centers that need high-performance processing as well as energy efficiency, the kind of tasks most computer users won’t need. However, the iMac Pro’s might satisfy the needs of pro users as they wait for the next Mac Pro version to come out. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some of the top Purley chips power the next-gen Mac Pro.
Apple will not confirm the iMac Pro’s specs until it’s ready to start taking orders for the desktop, but the code in macOS High Sierra already revealed that Apple will use LGA3647 chips from Intel. You’ve probably guessed it: Intel’s Purely chips run on that LGA3647 socket.
