Apple tests new external display with a dedicated A13 chip

Apple's Pro Display XDR has been around for quite some time, but there are still no rumours about an updated version of its high-priced display in the short term. However, 9to5Mac has learned from sources familiar with the matter that Apple is internally testing a new external display with a dedicated A13 chip and also Neural Engine.

The new display is being developed under the codename J327, but at this time, details on the technical specifications are unclear. According to sources, this screen will have an SoC made by Apple, which at the moment is the A13 Bionic chip, the same one used in the iPhone 11 line.

Along with the A13 chip, the external display features the Neural Engine, which speeds up machine learning tasks. Rumours suggest that Apple has been working on a less expensive display for regular users, the new external display with a dedicated SoC might be a new model to replace the current Pro Display XDR in the future.

In 2016, soon after Apple's Thunderbolt display was discontinued, rumours hint that Apple was working on a replacement with a high-resolution display and a built-in GPU. While Apple launched its own premium external display in 2019, Pro Display XDR doesn't come with a GPU as rumours predicted.

9to5Mac reports suggest that Apple plans to launch an external display with some sort of SoC, at least internally. Having a CPU / GPU built into the external display could help Macs deliver high-resolution graphics without using all the resources of the computer's internal chip.

Apple could also combine the power of the display SoC with the Mac SoC to provide even more performance for running graphics-intensive tasks. One more possibility is to use this SoC to add some smart features to the Pro Display XDR, like AirPlay.

We should note that Apple's plans may change, just like the first Pro Display XDR never had all the features it was rumoured to have. Apple's launch plans for this new external display are still unknown.

Tags: Apple