On Wednesday, Apple announced that it had made the Radeon Pro W5700X MPX Module GPU available as a build-to-order option for the new Mac Pro. The card is a Navi 10-based GPU ideal for video editors working with 10-bit footage.
The Radeon Pro W5700X is available in one of two configurations during the configuration process. Users have the option of adding a single Radeon Pro W5700X with 16GB of GDDR6 memory for $600, or adding two Radeon Pro W5700Xs with 16GB of GDDR6 each for $1600.
Apple is also looking to sell the W5700X MPX module as a standalone product for upgrading the Mac Pro. The unit is available for $1,000 via the Apple web site, as linked below.
The GPU’s architecture tends to yield much better results when compared to Vega-based GPUs like the Radeon Pro 580X, especially when it comes to exporting high quality H.265 video. Navi 10-based GPUs like the W5700X have built-in HEVC hardware-accelerated decoding, which should significantly decrease the otherwise excruciating export times in Final Cut Pro X for those looking to distribute 10-bit HEVC video.
Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.