Apple unveiled the long-awaited Mac Pro on Dec. 10; the computer model received its first refresh since 2013. The Pro Display XDR was also released along with the Mac Pro.

The 2019 Mac Pro features a new boxy design with “cheese-grater” vents for improved airflow, a completely redesigned machine from the 2013 “trash can” Mac Pro. 

Base model Mac Pro:

Price: $5,999

3.5 GHz 8-core Intel Xeon W processor

32 GB DDR4 ECC memory

256 GB SSD storage

Radeon Pro 580X

Maxed out:

Price: $52,199

2.5GHz 28‑core Intel Xeon W processor

1.5TB DDR4 ECC memory

4TB SSD storage

Two Radeon Pro Vega II Duo

Apple Afterburner card

“The top Mac Pro is really overkill for normal users… you can build a PC that performs similarly for a lower price,” senior Mason Li said. “You might as well buy a car because it’s more practical.”

“Learning from past lessons, Apple built the new Mac Pro to be modular, upgradeable, customizable and able to handle some of the highest-end components available on the market,” according to MacRumors staff on MacRumors.com. “Each component can be replaced with relative ease, and new parts can be added if needed.”

With the Mac Pro, every dollar is well spent. In a rendering test, the Macbook Pro rendered a five-minute 8k RED RAW clip, a very high quality video, in 20 minutes and eight seconds. The iMac Pro did the same in 11 minutes and 56 seconds, while the Mac Pro blew away the competition with a time of four minutes and 20 seconds, according to tech Youtuber Marques Brownlee.

The Pro Display XDR is a 32” 6K Retina display starting at $4,999. It has a peak brightness of 1,600 nits and a contrast ratio of 1,000,000:1, which produces a bright and vivid image. A nano-textured glass display is also available for $5,999, which has anti-glare coating etched into the glass. 

“The Pro Stand has an intricately engineered arm that perfectly counterbalances the display, so it feels virtually weightless, allowing users to easily place it into position,” according to Apple’s website.

For $999, the solid aluminum stand is definitely a premium, but a VESA (Flat Display Mounting Interface) mount is also available for $199, which is the standard for display mounting. 

For the average user, the Mac Pro is overkill for basic web browsing and video playback. This computer is targeted toward high-end consumers with cash to spend and businesses that need the fastest Mac on the market. For day-to-day use at school,  a Macbook Air may be a better option. For more power in a portable form factor, check out the 16” Macbook Pro.