MP 7,1 MacOS Supporting AMD Chips? Uh Oh.

[Theophilos]

AMD Macs? Apple's latest macOS beta code references AMD processors and graphics cards

Are AMD Macs on the horizon? References to upcoming AMD processors, graphics cards and APUs have been spotted in code for macOS 10.15.4 beta 1…

macdailynews.com

Many who purchased the new Mac Pro did so because it was the first real expandable pro machine after years of waiting. Now, there seems to be a possibility that future Macs will run AMD chips, which can be more powerful than the Xeons in our Mac Pros. I wonder if we're going to have buyer's remorse in a year or two.

Of course, people will predictably jump in and say, "This is a pro machine that you should buy only if you need it" and "Real pros can afford this machine, because they'll make up the cost in a few high profile projects" and "You got what you paid for", etc. I can easily predict all of those arguments.

But I still think some people might be upset if this Mac Pro was really a stepping stone to something better with no possibility of upgrade.

 

[koyoot]

Everybody who bought last years tech will have buyers remorse, because of AMD next gen products. That is how they obsolete their products always: they release new products which make their last gen products look poor.

 

[tsialex]

AMD Macs? Apple's latest macOS beta code references AMD processors and graphics cards

Are AMD Macs on the horizon? References to upcoming AMD processors, graphics cards and APUs have been spotted in code for macOS 10.15.4 beta 1…

macdailynews.com

Many who purchased the new Mac Pro did so because it was the first real expandable pro machine after years of waiting. Now, there seems to be a possibility that future Macs will run AMD chips, which can be more powerful than the Xeons in our Mac Pros. I wonder if we're going to have buyer's remorse in a year or two.

Of course, people will predictably jump in and say, "This is a pro machine that you should buy only if you need it" and "Real pros can afford this machine, because they'll make up the cost in a few high profile projects" and "You got what you paid for", etc. I can easily predict all of those arguments.

But I still think some people might be upset if this Mac Pro was really a stepping stone to something better with no possibility of upgrade.

AMD APUs use the same video drivers as AMD GPUs, Apple is probably just using the AMD reference list that happens to have the IDs for the APUs GPUs too.

Btw, Apple can support AMD CPUs any time they want, they probably have prototype Macs with AMD CPUs, the question is if they ever gonna use it outside their labs.

 

[Timothy Leo Crowley]

Wait? Are you telling me that they may release more powerful computers in the future? That will probably turn my current computer into a paper weight? Oh My Gawd. Whatever will I do. /sarcasm.

 

[Earl Urley]

Apple has had a good relationship with AMD for a while as they currently supply ALL the GPUs on the Mac desktops and laptops, don't see any reason why a retooled Pro with ThreadRipper couldn't be produced.

Only possible stumbling block is Threadripper support for Thunderbolt 3 but that seems to have been worked out as Asrock put out a Ryzen motherboard with onboard TB3 back in August 2019.

 

[UmarOMC]

I bought a bottom of the line MacPro 4,1 and I've been able to upgrade and keep it running for over ten years, I'm hoping for the same with the base 2019 I bought as well. I'm glad they're giving AMD business though considering Hackintosh users have had them running for awhile now and they're the much better buy.

Imagine this bad boy in a MacPro!

 

[Coyote2006]

Apple has NO reason to use AMD CPUs. Xeons are for workstations (the AMD conterparts are slower) and for all other Macs Apple will move over to their own ARM CPUs. I don't think Apple will produce AMD-Motherboards just in between moving from Intel to ARM.

 

[tommy chen]

Apple has had a good relationship with AMD for a while as they currently supply ALL the GPUs on the Mac desktops and laptops, don't see any reason why a retooled Pro with ThreadRipper couldn't be produced.

Only possible stumbling block is Threadripper support for Thunderbolt 3 but that seems to have been worked out as Asrock put out a Ryzen motherboard with onboard TB3 back in August 2019.

the problems (unstable) with TB in asrock and others are also known