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Apple didn’t specify exactly which processors will be included in the iMac Pro, but if the blog Pike’s Universum is to be believed, it could be powered by Intel’s next-generation server-grade Skylake-EX and Skylake-EP processors, which are based on a platform codenamed “Purley.”
The blog, which appears to be sourcing its information from firmware files in the macOS High Sierra developer beta, said the iMac Pro will use Intel’s new server-class LGA3647 socket, not its high-end, desktop-class LGA2066 socket.
If the information is accurate, it suggests the iMac Pro could have truly server-grade Xeon processors, rather than using Intel’s recently announced Core-X series of Skylake and Kaby Lake chips that still use the LGA2066 socket.
The blog added that the new iMac Pro appears to be coming with a Secure Enclave, suggesting it will have an ARM coprocessor like the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for added security. It would also open the door to Touch ID on the iMac Pro, but Apple made no mention of the feature when introducing the computer.
Signs point to iMac Pro being the first desktop Mac with a Touch Bar-style ARM coprocessor https://t.co/i8oxM8ln8m
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) June 22, 2017
Pike’s Universum revealed some of the iMac Pro’s tech specs in April, two months prior to it being announced, including that it would have Xeon processors, ECC RAM, faster SSD storage, AMD graphics options, and Thunderbolt 3 ports, but some of the specific details proved to be inaccurate.
Apple said the iMac Pro will be available to order in December, starting at $4,999 in the United States.
