Apple drops Extreme M2 and M3 chips, ends Mac Pro

Apple developed but ultimately abandoned plans for a new top-tier class of Apple Silicon processors, known internally as M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme, which were intended for its now-discontinued Mac Pro desktop computer. The company concluded the project was not commercially viable due to high production costs and a limited market for the high-end machine, according to a report from Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

The proposed Extreme chips would have represented a new performance tier above Apple's existing Ultra processors, such as the M2 Ultra and M3 Ultra. The design reportedly aimed to double the number of CPU and GPU cores compared to Ultra chips, creating the most powerful Apple Silicon the company had ever designed. These processors were specifically developed for the Mac Pro, Apple's most powerful desktop, which traditionally served professionals in fields like 3D rendering, visual effects, and scientific computing.

Apple reportedly decided to scrap both the Extreme chip project and the Mac Pro product line itself earlier this year. The Mac Pro was officially discontinued in March 2026, ending a product lineage that spanned approximately two decades. The decision was driven by...