According to the Apple product tipper and journalist Mark Gurman, let it slip that the M3 Ultra could be inserted into the Mac Studio and Mac Pro, “if Apple continues making those.”

Gurman’s offhanded comment is potentially more directed at the Mac Studio, not the Mac Pro, and indicates the Mac Pro could potentially be taking share from the Mac Studio.

Currently, both Macs have the exact same chip options, while the switch to silicon has rid the Mac Pro of much of the flexibility and perhaps, made it more susceptible to being killed off soon. 

Gurman says the entry-level M3 will have eight CPU cores and 10 graphics cores and will be found in the following models: the 13-inch MacBook Pro, the 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air, the Mac mini, and the 24-inch iMac.

For the M3 Pro, there will be a 12 CPU cores version and 18 GPU cores version, and also a 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores.

Specifically, the 16-inch and 14-inch MacBook Pro and the Mac mini are rumoured to get these chips.

Looking at the heavy-duty chips, the M3 Max will have 16 CPU cores and either 32 or 40 GPU cores, dependent on the model.

Whereas the Mac Studio and the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, the entire trio will come with this chip.

Additionally, the M3 Ultra will have two configurations with their own 32 CPU cores but the contrasts will be visible only in the GPU cores because one will come with 64 graphics cores, while the other will have 80 GPU cores.

The new lineup of chips are slight upgrades in core counts contrasted with the M2 generation.

Further, Gurman also claimed Apple is experimenting with new memory configurations and that 36GB and 48GB may be up next for release.

Consumers might have the option to get their hands on the first M3-clad Macs in a couple of months said Gurman, and that in 2024, the M3 Pro and M3 Max will follow.

If you have your hopes set on the M3 Ultra, however, expect a wait of maybe the end of 2024 “at the earliest,” Gurman claimed.

The new claims and timeline suggest we will not be able to substantiate what Apple really is doing for another 12 months. Until then, we will watch for signs of the tech giant removing the Mac Pro from the Mac linage.