The next iMac Pro could feature a monster twelve-core chip more powerful than the M1 Max

The next Apple iMac Pro will feature a beefy twelve-core CPU that’s even more powerful than the M1 Max, a prominent leaker has claimed.

According to a tweet from Dylandkt, the existence of an iMac Pro configuration powered by a new mystery chip was revealed by a section of Apple code.

“I have received confirmation that there will be an additional configuration for the upcoming iMac Pro beyond M1 Max,” he explained. “A 12 Core CPU configuration was tied to a snippet of code referencing the iMac.”

New iMac Pro

When Apple first announced its Macs would move away from Intel chips, some were sceptical. However, the powerful M1 series (currently made up of the M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max) has earned plenty of critical acclaim for its combination of raw performance and power efficiency.

Since the transition away from Intel, the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac and Mac Mini have all received an M1-powered refresh. However, the iMac Pro is conspicuous by its absence.

As the name suggests, the most powerful of the current set of chips is the M1 Max, which features a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU and 16-core neural engine. Apple says it boasts 4x faster graphics performance than the original M1.

But if Dylandkt is correct, Apple will soon release a new iMac Pro workstation powered by an even more powerful twelve-core processor (the M1 Ultra, perhaps?), likely at some point in the spring. The leaker offered no information about whether the rest of the SoC specification would differ from the M1 Max.

Although less powerful configurations of the new iMac Pro will supposedly be available, the top-tier SKU powered by the mystery chip could become a favorite among professionals required to use demanding video editing, 3D rendering and CAD software.

Optimistically, TechRadar Pro has asked Apple for confirmation of the veracity of the rumors.

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