Multiple outlets report that Apple developed higher-end “Extreme” versions of its Apple Silicon processors—an M2 Extreme and an M3 Extreme—but ultimately decided not to release them. Citing reporting attributed to Bloomberg journalist Mark Gurman, the articles say work on these chips dates to around 2022. The proposed parts would have been positioned above Apple’s existing “Ultra” chips for the Mac Pro line. According to the reports, the “Extreme” chips were intended to offer roughly twice the CPU and GPU core counts compared with the corresponding “Ultra” processors available at the time.
The outlets also agree that the cancellation was driven by business considerations rather than technical feasibility. The reporting states Apple weighed higher production costs and anticipated limited demand for a Mac Pro configuration that would require such a premium processor. In addition, MacRumors notes that Apple discontinued the Mac Pro model line this year after a long run. The reports describe the “Extreme” project as an effort to create an even more powerful tier for the Mac Pro, but one that did not reach market release.
