• This is the new Mac Pro. Samuel Axon
  • And here's a rear view. Samuel Axon
  • Let's zoom in to see some of the ports in this configuration. Samuel Axon
  • There's more to see at the bottom. Samuel Axon
  • On top, you'll notice a couple more ports, a power button, and this handle. When you grab it, you can twist and pull the entire cover off in one motion for 360-degree access to the internals. Samuel Axon
  • This is what the frame looks like with nothing in it. Samuel Axon
  • These stands can optionally be replaced with wheels. Samuel Axon
  • The cheese-grater design serves a cooling function, but it's also a deliberate nod to the past. Samuel Axon
  • OK, from this angle, it really does look like an ultra-shiny cheese grater. Samuel Axon

Apple has emailed its customers notifying them that its new Mac Pro desktop computer and accompanying Pro Display XDR will be available for order starting tomorrow, December 10. However, the company has not yet revealed when units would actually ship to buyers or any details about build-to-order configuration pricing. This news came around the same time that records of FCC approval of both tower and rack-mount configurations of the Mac Pro surfaced.

The Mac Pro is Apple's attempt to answer six years of complaints about the 2013 Mac Pro. The 2013 version was not as customizable as some users wanted and bet on a video architecture that did not pan out for segments of the computer's target audience, such as video production professionals. The new device is a sort of middle ground between the Mac towers of yore, which could house certain industry-standard components that users could select themselves, and the company's current focus on proprietary hardware. Users will be able to purchase modular upgrades made specifically for the Mac Pro by Apple and its partners.

The Pro comes with eight PCIe expansion slots and offers anywhere from eight to 28 cores, plus memory up to 1.5TB and 12 DIMM slots. Pricing starts at $5,999, but we'll have to wait until tomorrow to see how much various upgrades add to that price.

Below: Apple's Pro Display XDR.