Mac Pro Turns 20 Today, Five Months After Apple Killed It

Twenty years ago today, Apple introduced the original Mac Pro, marking the end of a transition from PowerPC to Intel chips. The machine boasted two dual-core 64-bit Xeon processors, delivering up to twice the speed of its predecessor, the Power Mac G5. It was equipped with PCI Express expansion slots, a $2,499 starting price, and four internal drive bays, making it an attractive option for creative professionals, especially those utilizing Final Cut Studio.

Apple maintained an aggressive update schedule, introducing an eight-core configuration in 2007 and a refreshed base model in 2008, but the pace slowed in later years. The Mac Pro served as Apple's professional flagship for nearly two decades, despite inconsistent attention and a radical redesign in 2013, which was quickly followed by a more conventional tower in 2019.

Apple discontinued the machine on March 26, 2026, citing unsustainable price increases due to memory chip shortages. The Mac Studio now holds the title of Apple's most powerful desktop, though it lacks the tower's PCIe expansion slots.