According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, Apple internally developed two extreme versions of its processors, named M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme, intended for the Mac Pro. However, the company decided not to release them. The news, first reported in 2022, was revisited in the latest Power On newsletter, where Gurman provided new details about Cupertino's decisions.
Extreme chips would have doubled cores compared to Ultra
Gurman stated that the Extreme chips would have offered twice as many CPU and GPU cores as Apple's already powerful Ultra chips. The idea was to create a processor positioned above the Ultra tier, with a marketing name that the analyst considers the most sensible for Apple: Extreme. These technical specifications would have included double the number of graphics and main processing cores compared to current top-of-the-line models, making the Mac Pro an even more powerful machine for professionals in fields such as 3D rendering, video editing, and scientific simulation.
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Reasons behind the cancellation: high production costs and limited demand
Despite the technical potential, Apple decided against releasing the Extreme chips due to high production costs and what the company deemed insufficient market demand for the Mac Pro. Gurman emphasizes that Apple assessed the cost-benefit ratio as unfavorable, preferring to allocate resources to other projects. Furthermore, Apple recently discontinued the Mac Pro after a 20-year run, marking the end of an era for the professional desktop computer. This decision fits into a broader strategy of simplifying the Mac lineup, as seen in other areas: for instance, Apple tests AI-powered Live Notes to transcribe Genius Bar repairs, focusing on innovative services rather than niche hardware.
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The future of Apple processors after the Extreme line
With the abandonment of the Extreme chips and the discontinuation of the Mac Pro, Apple seems to be focusing its offerings on more mainstream devices while still delivering high performance through its Ultra chips. The decision not to release such powerful processors may disappoint some professionals, but for the company, profitability and production efficiency remain paramount. For those interested in the history of Apple Silicon architecture, check the related Wikipedia entry. Meanwhile, the industry is closely watching Cupertino's next moves in custom processor development.
Source: https://www.macrumors.com/2026/07/19/apple-worked-on-two-extreme-chips
