Mac Pro (Late 2013): Refurbished, Specs & Repairs

Cylindrical Mac Pro 2013 with its outer casing removed

A compact workstation with Xeon power and dual graphics

The Mac Pro (Late 2013) is the distinctive black cylinder that replaced Apple’s large tower workstations. Inside the small case are an Intel Xeon processor with up to 12 cores, two AMD FirePro graphics cards, fast PCIe flash storage and six Thunderbolt 2 ports for displays, storage and audio equipment.

It remains popular with studios, editors and collectors who want a quiet, powerful Intel Mac with plenty of memory and connections. It is now an older machine, though: it no longer runs the latest versions of macOS, so check your applications before buying.

Every refurbished Mac Pro (Late 2013) we sell is checked by our technicians and comes with a 12-month warranty. Browse our refurbished Mac Pro range, or book a repair if you already own one.

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About This Model

The Mac Pro (Late 2013) was Apple’s professional desktop from December 2013 until the 2019 Mac Pro arrived. Its central thermal core cools the processor and both graphics cards with a single large fan, which keeps it remarkably quiet for a workstation and small enough to sit on a desk.

Complete Mac Solutions supplies refurbished Apple Macs in Bristol for home users, students and businesses. We also offer Mac repairs and can help you compare the cost of repairing an older Mac Pro with a suitable replacement.

Which Mac Pro does this cover?

This guide covers the Mac Pro (Late 2013), model number A1481, with the model identifier MacPro6,1. It is easy to recognise by its black cylindrical case and the ports grouped on the back. It is a different machine from the aluminium tower Mac Pro models made before 2013 and the 2019 Mac Pro, which returned to a tower design.

Choose About This Mac from the Apple menu to check the model name, processor and graphics. Apple sold this model in several configurations, and many machines have since had their memory or storage changed, so check the details of the individual machine rather than relying on the year of purchase.

Specifications at a glance

Processor options	3.7GHz quad-core, 3.5GHz 6-core, 3.0GHz 8-core or 2.7GHz 12-core Intel Xeon E5
Memory	12GB (quad-core) or 16GB (6-core and 8-core) 1866MHz DDR3 ECC; four slots; Apple supports up to 64GB
Graphics	Dual AMD FirePro D300 (2GB each), D500 (3GB each) or D700 (6GB each)
Original storage options	256GB, 512GB or 1TB PCIe flash storage
Connections	Six Thunderbolt 2 ports, four USB 3 ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, HDMI 1.4, optical/analogue audio out and headphone socket
Wireless	802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0
Displays	Up to six Thunderbolt displays
Power	Internal 450W power supply
Size and weight	25.1cm tall, 16.8cm diameter; approximately 5kg

Ask us to confirm the exact configuration of any refurbished machine available. Memory and storage may have been upgraded from the original factory specification.

What is it useful for?

Our recommendation is to assess this model for audio production, photo work, compatible video and design software, and office work that benefits from lots of memory and several displays. Its multi-core Xeon processors and dual graphics cards still handle many established workflows well.

It is not equivalent to a current professional Mac. Recent versions of creative and professional software increasingly require a newer macOS release or Apple silicon, and a Mac Studio or recent Mac mini will usually be much faster for modern video and graphics work.

Condition and compatibility matter more than the number of cores. Check that the software and plug-ins you rely on will run, and that the graphics configuration suits the work you do.

A Mac for Bristol students

Bristol’s universities and colleges have plenty of music, media and design students, and a Mac Pro can appeal as an affordable way into a powerful desktop. It may suit coursework when the required applications support its operating system.

Check course software requirements before choosing an older workstation, as many current applications and examination tools need a newer macOS. If you need a machine for several years of study, compare it with a newer desktop such as the iMac 27-inch Retina 5K (2019).

Macs for businesses

Complete Mac Solutions supplies Macs for businesses as well as individuals. Tell us which applications, peripherals and storage your team uses so we can help you choose a suitable machine.

A Late 2013 Mac Pro can work well as a dedicated machine for an established workflow, such as an audio studio running compatible software and Thunderbolt interfaces. Check application support and your organisation’s security requirements before using it as a main staff computer.

macOS compatibility

Apple lists macOS Monterey as the newest officially compatible operating system for this model. That is an important buying limitation: current applications may require a newer macOS release, and Monterey no longer receives security updates.

Check the developer’s requirements for your essential applications and plug-ins before purchasing. Tell us what you need to run so we can help you compare suitable alternatives.

Memory and SSD upgrades

Memory is one of this model’s strengths. It has four memory slots that are easy to reach once the outer case is removed, and it uses 1866MHz DDR3 ECC memory. Apple supports up to 64GB, and higher capacities are also used in some machines.

The SSD is removable, making replacement or a storage upgrade possible. It uses an Apple-specific connection, so the replacement drive and any adapter must be checked for compatibility. Fast external storage can also be added through the Thunderbolt 2 ports.

Upgrades can extend the usefulness of a Mac Pro, but they will not extend official macOS support. Ask us about the exact machine and the work you want it to do before deciding whether an upgrade is worthwhile.

Known concern: graphics card faults

The dual AMD FirePro graphics cards are the most common source of serious faults on this model. Symptoms include distorted or flickering images, lines on screen, freezing, unexpected restarts and failure to start up, particularly during graphics-heavy work.

Apple ran a repair programme for some D500 and D700 machines built in 2015, but that programme has ended. Graphics symptoms now need diagnosis to find out whether a card, the logic board or another part is at fault, and whether repair is good value for the machine.

Other repair symptoms to check

Heat and fan noise

The cooling system relies on one fan drawing air through the central core. Dust build-up can make the fan louder and the machine hotter, so ask about cleaning if yours has become noisy or slow under load.

Startup and power problems

Failure to power on, random shutdowns or a machine that starts without a picture can have several causes, including the internal power supply. Tell us exactly what happens when you press the power button.

Ports and connected equipment

Test the Thunderbolt, USB and Ethernet ports you plan to use, along with any displays and audio interfaces. Problems with one device can sometimes be caused by cables, adapters or software rather than the Mac itself.

Storage and data

A failing SSD can cause slow startup, freezing or missing files. If you need files from a Mac Pro that will not start, ask about data recovery before any repair work.

Complete Mac Solutions can discuss Mac Pro repairs in Bristol and help you weigh the likely cost against the condition, usefulness and replacement value of the machine.

Buying a refurbished Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Confirm the processor, graphics cards, memory, SSD capacity and installed version of macOS. Check that the machine runs smoothly under load, that the fan is not unusually loud and that the ports you need work. Most importantly, check that your essential software supports its operating system.

Complete Mac Solutions carries a large stock of refurbished Macs and has an extensive supplier network to help source suitable configurations. Many of our Macs come fully boxed, with all accessories and in fantastic condition. Packaging, accessories and condition vary between machines, so ask us to confirm what comes with the one you choose.

Explore our Apple Macs for sale or speak to us about a desktop for home, study or business. If you already own this model, we can help you consider whether repair, an upgrade or replacement offers the best value.

References and further reading

Compare the Mac Pro (Late 2013) with similar models

If you need a large display built in, a 27-inch Retina 5K iMac offers strong Intel performance in an all-in-one design. For current macOS support and much faster performance, a Mac Studio or Apple silicon Mac mini is a far bigger step forward.

Buy or repair a Mac Pro (Late 2013)

Looking for a quiet, compact workstation with plenty of memory and connections? Ask about our current Mac Pro stock, or let us diagnose and quote for a repair on the one you already own.

Image credit

Photo: Uadro. Wikimedia Commons source · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and compressed to WebP.