Apple M4 Extreme SoC with 64-core CPU and 160-core GPU reportedly canceled
Apple's recently launched M4 family of SoCs is flexing some serious silicon muscle. Four years since the inception of Apple Silicon, the M-series of desktop-class ARM chips have come a long way indeed, both in terms of performance and efficiency. So far, the 'Ultra' flavor of M SoCs has been the largest and most powerful among the bunch, packing two 'Max' dies. Although an M4 Ultra is widely rumored to be in development, those expecting an even higher-end M4 Extreme might have to shelve their expectations.
According to a report by The Information, spotted by MacRumors, Apple was indeed experimenting with a high-end 'M4 Extreme' SoC packing the performance of two M4 Ultra chips, or four M4 Max chips, but such plans have reportedly been deferred by the Cupertino giant. The publication further adds that this was likely done in order to prioritize the development of an Apple Silicon-based server chip. Those who keep up with Apple Silicon developments will likely remember that something very similar happened with the rumored M2 Extreme as well, which was probably the nail in the coffin for the Mac Pro's viability as a true workstation titan.
However, if the M4 Extreme somehow manages to see the light of day, it would likely boast a massive 64-core CPU and a 160-core behemoth of an integrated GPU. The die size would be comically large, unsurprisingly, and the transistor count would likely even eclipse that of server-grade hardware. That said, considering that the M4 Extreme is now far-fetched, it remains to be seen whether Apple will revisit the idea at a later point. There is no doubt that a Mac Pro with an M4 Extreme would be the ultimate halo product, which might not make sense to develop and market. But as with all things, time will surely have the last word.
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