For those who felt that the M1 Max in the top spec of the latest MacBook Pro wasn’t quite powerful enough, salvation is at hand. According to new information from the prolific and reliable Twitter leaker DylanDKT, the iMac ‘Pro’ that Apple is currently working on will be equipped with an even more capable version of that processor.

The information comes from code snippets in beta versions of macOS that show a 12-core CPU with a reference to the iMac.

I have received confirmation that there will be an additional configuration for the upcoming iMac Pro beyond M1 Max. A 12 Core CPU configuration was tied to a snippet of code referencing the iMac. The internal naming candidate is iMac Pro for a reason. It is targeted towards pros

— Dylan (@dylandkt)
January 23, 2022

That’s a small but significant upgrade on the current M1 Max offering, which has a 10-core CPU. The less powerful M1 Pro, meanwhile, comes in both eight- and 10-core variants (you can browse the various configurations on Apple’s website), and it’s plausible that Apple might similarly offer the M1 Max in both 10- and 12-core versions. It doesn’t necessarily follow that the iMac’s processor will be given a new name such as “M1 Max Plus”.

We mentioned earlier that DylanDKT is a reliable source – and by the standards of Twitter leakers that is certainly true. But he is not infallible by any means, with an accuracy rating on AppleTrack of 77.5% at time of writing, and this latest prediction should not be taken as certain.

There have been other theories: one is that the new iMac will simply feature two M1 Max chips. But note that this was simply an idea proposed by analysts, whereas DylanDKT’s theory is grounded in the code. It has some basis to it.

The new iMac – which may or may not be officially branded as the iMac Pro, but will clearly be targeted at a pro audience – could arrive as soon as spring 2022. You can catch up with the latest news and rumours in our new iMac hub.

In the meantime, monitor the lowest prices on the current range with our guide to the best iMac deals.

This article originally appeared on Macworld Sweden. Translation (using DeepL) and additional reporting by David Price.