Apple Reportedly Tested Intel and M3 Ultra Mac Pro Models Before Ending the Line

Apple reportedly explored two more Mac Pro configurations before discontinuing the product line in March 2026. According to reporting by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, relayed by 9to5Mac and AppleInsider, the internal projects were known as J170 and J190. J170 used an Intel processor, while J190 paired the Mac Pro chassis with Apple’s M3 Ultra. Neither model reached customers.

The Intel project is notable, but the available reporting does not establish why Apple considered it. Bloomberg’s description only says it was intended to address certain uses. That is not enough evidence to attribute the decision to virtualization, software compatibility, PCIe graphics, or any other specific workload. Those possibilities remain speculation and should not be presented as Apple’s motive.

J190 followed the more predictable route. It was reportedly planned around the same period as the M3 Ultra Mac Studio introduced in early 2025. Its cancellation suggests that adopting Apple silicon alone was not sufficient to secure another Mac Pro release. In March 2026, Apple confirmed that the Mac Pro had been discontinued and that no future hardware was planned, leaving Mac Studio as its highest-performance desktop Mac.

The same report says Apple developed M2 Extreme and M3 Extreme chips above the Ultra tier, then wound down those projects because expected demand did not justify their cost. Apple has not publicly announced those chips, so they remain reported internal projects rather than confirmed products. Together, the abandoned machines and chips document paths Apple considered, not products buyers were ever promised.