Geekbench 5 benchmarks of some of the new Mac Pro processor options are now available, giving us an idea of how the Mac Pro performs relative to other Apple machines.

Based on the available scores, the 8-core, 12-core, and 16-core Mac Pro processors offer performance similar to the processors in the 2017 iMac Pro models.

8-core 2019 Mac Pro vs. 8-core 2017 iMac Pro

The base Mac Pro with an 8-core Xeon W chip has a single-core score of 1008 and a multi-core score of 7606, which is beaten out by the 8-core 2017 iMac Pro’s single core score of 1076 and multi-core score of 8120.

Similar scores can also be seen in the higher-core Mac Pro models as well. The 12-core Mac Pro earned a single-core score of 1090 and a multi-core score of 11599, while the 16-core machine earned a single-core score of 1104 and a multi-core score of 14285.

Geekbench 5 single-core Mac scores (8-core model not pictured here but ranking can be seen in full chart)

The 16-core processor in the Mac Pro does win out over the 18-core processor in the 2017 iMac Pro when it comes to both multi-core and single-core performance, but there’s not a huge difference in score.

In single-core performance, the new Mac Pro models are outshined by many of Apple’s 2019 Macs, especially when it comes to the lowest-end 8-core machine. The higher-end 2019 MacBook Pro models (13, 15, and 16-inch), the high-end Mac mini, and 2019 iMac models all beat out even the 16-core machine when it comes to single-core scores.

In multi-core performance, it’s only the iMac Pro models and the high-end iMac that outshine the 8-core Mac Pro, while 12-core and 16-core models are close to the top of the chart.

Geekbench 5 multi-core Mac scores

Though the base and middle tier models offer performance that’s fairly similar to the performance you get from many of the 2017 iMac Pro models, the upgradeability and expandability of the Mac Pro should not be overlooked.

Every component is modular and can be improved and upgraded after purchase, with RAM upgrades, SSD upgrades, and GPU upgrades all possible, unlike the iMac Pro.

When it comes to the higher-tier 24 and 28-core processor options in the Mac Pro, we can expect to see performance that far exceeds what’s possible with an iMac Pro as the 2017 iMac Pro tops out at the 18-core Xeon processor option.

This article, “Base and Middle Tier Mac Pro Models Offer CPU Performance Similar to iMac Pro” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 6.1.2 update to developers, one week after releasing the watchOS 6.1.1 update with bug fixes.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated ‌‌Apple Watch‌‌ app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update.

To install the update, the ‌‌‌Apple Watch‌‌‌ needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the ‌‌iPhone‌‌.

There’s no word yet on what features are included in the watchOS 6.1.2 beta, but if we find anything new after downloading the software, we’ll update this article.

This article, “Apple Seeds First Beta of watchOS 6.1.2 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple has signed a deal for a new docuseries called “Visible: Out on Television,” which is executive produced by Wanda Sykes, reports Variety.

The series, created by filmmakers Ryan White and Jessica Hargrave, features five episodes that look into the “importance of TV as an intimate medium that has shaped the American conscience, and how the LGBTQ movement has shaped television.”

The hour long episodes will explore themes that include invisibility, homophobia, the evolution of LGBTQ characters, and coming out in the TV industry.

It is said to combine archival footage with “key players from the movement,” and it is narrated by Janet Mock, Margaret Cho, Asia Kate Dillon, Neil Patrick Harris, and Lena Waithe. Interviews with Ellen DeGeneres, Oprah Winfrey, Anderson Cooper, and more will be included.

“Visible: Out on Television” is set to debut on Apple TV+ on February 14, 2020.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

This article, “Apple Inks Deal for ‘Visible: Out on Television’ Docuseries” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS 10.15.3 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the macOS Catalina 10.15.2 update.

The new ‌‌macOS Catalina‌‌ beta can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.

We don’t yet know what improvements the third update to ‌macOS Catalina‌ will bring, but it will likely focus on performance improvements, security updates, and fixes for bugs that weren’t able to be fixed in the ‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.2 update.

If we find anything new in the first ‌macOS Catalina‌ 10.15.3 update, we’ll update this article.

This article, “Apple Seeds First Beta of Upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.3 Update to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 13.3.1 update to developers, one week after releasing the tvOS 13.3 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 13.3.1 developer beta can be downloaded onto the ‌‌‌Apple TV‌‌‌ via a profile that’s installed using Xcode.

tvOS updates are typically minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes and improvements rather than major outward-facing changes. Apple provides little to no information on what’s included in tvOS beta updates, so we may not discover anything new after installing the software.

While we don’t often know what’s new in tvOS during the beta testing process, we let MacRumors readers know when new updates are available so those who are developers can download it upon release.

If we find anything new in the tvOS 13.3.1 beta, we’ll update this article.

This article, “Apple Seeds First Beta of tvOS 13.3.1 Update to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple today seeded the first betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.3.1 updates to developers, one week after the release of iOS 13.3 with Communication Limits for Screen Time.

iOS and ‌iPadOS‌ 13.3.1 can be downloaded from the Apple Developer center or over the air once the proper developer profile has been installed.

There’s no word yet on what’s included in the iOS 13.3.1 update, but it likely includes bug fixes for issues unable to be addressed in the iOS 13.3 update. Specifically, it could address some issues with Communication Limits, fixing a workaround with the Contacts app that allowed children text someone who contacted them from an unknown number.

Once we download the update and take a look at what’s new, we’ll update this article.

This article, “Apple Seeds First Betas of iOS 13.3.1 and iPadOS 13.3.1 to Developers” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple plans to open a revamped 10,287-square-foot store at Fairview Mall in Toronto, Canada, nearly twice as large as its existing store in the mall, according to a recently updated floor plan for the property.

Apple’s current store at Fairview Mall

Apple has yet to announce a grand opening date for the new store, which will be located directly beside the existing store on level two of the mall. The floor plan indicates the new store is “coming soon.” The existing store, originally opened in September 2008, should close after its replacement opens.

In addition to being larger, the new store should sport Apple’s modern retail design, such as a Forum and Video Wall for Today at Apple sessions, large glass doors, and wooden shelves along the walls for accessories.

The new Fairview Mall store would follow in the footsteps of Apple’s new Eaton Centre store in Toronto, which opened last weekend.

Apple has been modernizing its chain of over 500 retail stores since 2015.

This article, “Apple Store at Toronto’s Fairview Mall to Nearly Double in Size” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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iFixit has shared its full teardown of the new Mac Pro, calling it “beautiful, amazingly well put together, and a masterclass in repairability.”

Given its modular design, the new Mac Pro unsurprisingly earned a nearly perfect repairability score of 9/10, with iFixit noting that basic repairs and upgrades can be performed with standard tools or even no tools at all. Major components also use industry-standard sockets and interfaces.

From a repair standpoint, the only downside is that while the SSDs are modular, they are not user replaceable since they are tied to the Apple T2 security chip. If you need to remove and replace the SSD modules, a support document says to contact Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider instead.

iFixit also has a service manual for the new Mac Pro.

This article, “iFixit Shares 2019 Mac Pro Teardown: ‘A Masterclass in Repairability’” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Sony could be about to launch the next generation model of its popular WH-1000XM3 over-ear noise-canceling headphones, if a new FCC filing is anything to go by.

The company’s WH-1000XM3 cans, which we reviewed back in March, are considered by many to offer some of the best noise-canceling in the business, providing great sound, excellent comfort and long battery life.

Now it appears that Sony wants to go one better with news that the company has filed for certification for the next model in the series.

The new “WH-1000XM4” headphones aren’t actually named as such in the filing, which doesn’t reveal any specs or pictures either. However, The Verge notes that the product ID gives a good indication that the version number will be XM4. (The last two models had the version numbers of M2 and M3.)

With so much going for the current model, it’s difficult to know what improvements Sony is aiming for in the XM4’s. Having said that, the XM3 cans don’t support dynamic switching between audio sources.

Bose’s QC35’s and 700’s have no trouble pairing with two devices and automatically switching between them based on which one is transmitting an audio signal. We think it’s baffling that the 1000XM3’s lack this ability given how convenient the feature is, so hopefully Sony has been listening.

The filing offers no hint as to when the new model will be out, but the Consumer Electronics Show is coming up in January, so maybe Sony will announce the headphones then.

In the meantime, the WH-1000XM3’s are still a top choice if you’re looking to get some wireless noise-canceling cans for the holidays, and you can find places like Amazon and Best Buy selling them at around $280, which is a decent discount on their original $349.99 RRP.

This article, “Successor to Sony’s Flagship WH-1000XM3 Wireless Headphones Spotted in FCC Filing” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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