MacPro perfomance - (how) will they do it?

[Varmann]

I am not a computer architecture expert, but it seems there are some challenges making a MacPro-like performance computer based on the M1 concept.

MacPro, main advantages
* Modular
* Lots of memory possible
* Lots of dedicated graphics power possible

M1 (correct me if I am wrong)
* SoC - integrated CPU, GPU and memory gives very efficient and high performance
* External addition of memory and graphic power will counteract advantages with SoC

How can Apple solve this?
Making a SoC covering very high memory/GPU demands is probably out of question.

Several SoC?
Seems very inefficient, counteracts SoC.
Addition of memory, CPU or graphics power only as multiples of the SoC. Not just one or the other.

Dedicated high performance CPU, with external memory and graphics?
The Xeon/EPYC chips are extremely expensive, despite having much larger market than a MacPro-only CPU will ever have.
Will Apple put resources into development of a CPU with such a small market?

Other solutions?

It would be weird if Apple ment the new MacPro as a blind-way. After having put so much resources into development, even developing a brand new GPU slot. That development must have been parallel to the plans of the ARM transition and the M1.

 

[JPack]

Several SoC?
Seems very inefficient, counteracts SoC.
Addition of memory, CPU or graphics power only as multiples of the SoC. Not just one or the other.

I would expect Apple to take this route because it offers the best memory latency. Apple can enlarge the M1 package so it is flanked on both side by memory. It's expensive, but that's market Apple sells to.

Is it possible a user wants 128GB RAM with a single M1? Yes, but unlikely. If your workload needs 128GB RAM, you will probably benefit from additional cores and GPU.

 

[BigSplash]

Novel packaging that provides a GPU stacked like the memory modules with its own on-package connection to the memory controller?

 

[Varmann]

Is it possible a user wants 128GB RAM with a single M1? Yes, but unlikely. If your workload needs 128GB RAM, you will probably benefit from additional cores and GPU.

Some user combine 1 TB or more memory with one CPU (max 28 cores) in the current MacPro. Even a 64 GB SoC would need 15 chips to reach that. If you need loads of memory for some special use this route do not look that feasible to me..

 

[JMacHack]

Obligatory disclaimer: I'm not an expert, and in fact, am very dumb. Take anything in this post with lots of salt.

If I had to guess, based on the M1 that was released, I'd say the most "Apple" way would be as follows:

32-64gb of RAM on the SOC itself
up to 1tb of detachable RAM.

Why not 1tb of soldered RAM? Because that would be a HUGE interposer to try and fit on the SOC. the M1 only has two spots for chips, and I don't think we'll see more than 32gb density for a single chip, and that's optimistic I think. So if it's supposed to match the current Mac Pro, there will have to be extended RAM.

The other stuff I would guess it would be a matter of Apple adding more PCI lanes to the chips themselves.

I would guess that the SoC itself would run the main stuff on itself, and act as a "gatekeeper" for the extensible stuff.

 

[UltimateSyn]

TSMC is expected to have its 3nm process ready for mass production in the second half of 2022. Obviously the process tech is just part of the story but still they may wait for that process to be available for the... let's call it M3Z.... and slap one or more of those in a Mac Pro. I think doubting Apple's silicon team would be foolish at this point. They'll figure it out and it will be awesome.