Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro gets a 5600M GPU option with HBM2 memory

Apple is gearing up for WWDC with a pair of hardware upgrade options for pros. To start, the 16-inch MacBook Pro now has the option of Radeon Pro 5600M graphics with 8GB of speedy HBM2 memory. It’s reportedly up to 75 percent faster than the 4GB Radeon Pro 5500M (thanks in part to 40 compute units), and as much as 3.5 times faster than what you got in the last 15-inch MacBook Pro. It’ll cost you a substantial $700 above what comes with the higher-end stock MacBook Pro configuration, but might be worthwhile for 3D rendering, some video editing and other tasks that lean heavily on the GPU.

There’s also something for Mac Pro owners who want to upgrade their internal storage without resorting to third-party solutions. A new SSD kit includes two drive modules in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB capacities similar to what you can order when buying a system. Details for pricing are forthcoming as we write this, but it’s safe to say these will be expensive. If you’re determined to get a solution that’s as tightly integrated as possible, though, this is your only choice.