Apple’s Mac silicon team has been delivering impressive performance gains in recent years, fueling speculation about their next big leap. Rumors surrounding a mysterious chip codenamed “Hidra” have intensified, promising a new level of power for Apple’s professional machines. This article explores the current understanding of the Hidra chip, compiling the latest leaks and expert predictions.
Decoding “Hidra”: The M4 Ultra
A person using a Mac Studio with an Apple Studio Display.The prevailing consensus points towards “Hidra” being the highly anticipated M4 Ultra chip. This positions it as the successor to the M2 Ultra, destined for the Mac Studio and Mac Pro. Given the demanding power requirements and cooling considerations, it’s unlikely to appear in other Mac models like the MacBook Pro or Mac mini.
Projected Release and Pricing
The Apple M4 series chips, including the M4, M4 Pro and M4 Max against a black background.The M4 Ultra, or “Hidra,” is expected to debut in 2025. The Mac Studio is likely to receive the chip first, with Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggesting a launch window between March and June 2025. This aligns with predictions of a spring release for the new MacBook Air, followed by the updated Mac Studio. The Mac Pro, according to Gurman, is slated for the second half of 2025, possibly preceding the updated MacBook Pro.
Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June 2025 also presents a potential launch platform. Precedent exists, as both the Mac Studio and Mac Pro were refreshed at WWDC 2023. Given WWDC’s developer focus, a “Hidra” tease followed by later product releases is a plausible scenario.
Anticipated Performance and Specifications
AppleWith Apple skipping the M3 Ultra, the M4 Ultra represents a significant performance jump over the M2 Ultra. Gurman anticipates up to a 32-core CPU and an 80-core GPU, a substantial upgrade from the M2 Ultra’s 24-core CPU and up to 76-core GPU.
Memory capacity could also see a dramatic increase. Rumors indicate Apple is exploring support for up to half a terabyte of RAM, a welcome improvement from the current 192GB limit, though still shy of the 1.5TB achievable with the Intel-based Mac Pro.
AppleAppleInsider, based on previous generational performance gains, projects a Geekbench single-core score around 37,315 and a Metal score of approximately 287,096 for the M4 Ultra. While speculative, these figures align with historical trends and Apple’s likely ambition to showcase significant performance improvements.
The M4 Extreme: Fact or Fiction?
Tim Cook presenting the Mac Pro on stage at WWDC in 2019.Rumors of an even more powerful “Extreme” chip have circulated for years. However, both Mark Gurman and The Information report that Apple has shelved the M4 Extreme due to manufacturing complexities and prohibitive costs. A potential $10,000+ price tag would make such a machine too niche for Apple’s market strategy.
Gurman’s reporting on the M4 chip tiers further supports this theory. He identified “Donan” (M4), “Brava” (M4 Pro), and “Hidra” (presumably M4 Ultra), with no mention of an “Extreme” variant. The absence of such a significant product from these reports, so close to the expected Mac Studio refresh, strongly suggests its non-existence in the M4 generation.
A person uses an Apple Mac Pro alongside three monitors and an editing console in a darkened room.While an “Extreme” chip might materialize in the future, the M4 Ultra, under the codename “Hidra,” appears to be the pinnacle of Apple’s upcoming Mac silicon lineup. This powerful chip promises substantial performance gains for demanding professionals using the Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
