Product Cycle Mac Pro? When will the next update be?

[wackazong]

Hey,

the buyers guide already says: Buy only if you need it. But some googling did not reveal any rumors (or in fact anything at all) about when there could be the release of a new line of Mac Pros, let alone their possible configuration.

Any tips?

[Rhalliwell1]

I'm not expecting anything this side of Christmas. :)

[G4DP]

Feb at the very earliest. It's been a minimum of 12 months between Mac Pro upgrades since the move to Intel. I'm not sure when the next set of new 32nm Xeons are due. The next update should be due around then.

[iMacmatician]

My guess is mid 2010 since Gulftown may be coming in May (last I checked).

[Hellhammer]

My guess is mid 2010 since Gulftown may be coming in May (last I checked).

I agree. There's nothing usable coming before Gulftown. Last time I checked it was Q2 but we'll, it's still over 6 months so it has time to change billion times :p

[Umbongo]

It's all related to processor releases which you can find out as Intel talk about them.

Xeon 5100: June 18th 2006.
Mac Pro: August 7th 2006.

Xeon 5400: November 11th 2007.
Mac Pro: January 8th 2008.

Xeon 5500: March 29th 2009
Mac Pro: March 3rd 2009

Xeon 5600: Q2 2010

[Eithanius]

It's all related to processor releases which you can find out as Intel talk about them.

Xeon 5100: June 18th 2006.
Mac Pro: August 7th 2006.

Xeon 5400: November 11th 2007.
Mac Pro: January 8th 2008.

Xeon 5500: March 29th 2009
Mac Pro: March 3rd 2009

Xeon 5600: Q2 2010

You've forgotten the first 8-core Mac Pro:

Xeon 5300: July 2007
Mac Pro: April 4th 2007

[Umbongo]

You've forgotten the first 8-core Mac Pro:

Xeon 5300: July 2007
Mac Pro: April 4th 2007

I had it in originally but edited it out along with my explainations and this requires one. Clovertown was released on the 11th of November 2006 but Apple waited until they could get enough 3GHz parts and just updated the board firmware, so it's a bit of an oddity compared to the other 3 releases. Though it does highlight that the release dates seem to be as soon as Apple have enough processors sourced they launch a Mac Pro.

[gugucom]

MP2,1 was also unusual as Apple released before the official Intel release. They effectively got Intel's whole supply of the first three months.

Some people said that Apple was very keen to bring 8 cores to the market because there was massive criticism that MP1,1 did not justify the Intel switch by a sufficiently big performance advantage over the PPC Quad. By topping that with an Octad Apple silenced the criticism.

I also read here on MacRumors that the initial X5365 chips were proto or engineering samples, that used higher voltage to run 3,0 GHz. That sounds incredible when you look at Apple's extremely conservative clocking policies of their 2008 and 2009 models. The regular X5365 runs on 130 W TDP. The original Apple chips ran on 150 W TDP some claim. Perhaps Steve Jobs had an open ticket for a 3,0 GHz computer from his 2003 key note. ;)

[wackazong]

Thanks folks. That is extensive, reasonable and interesting. What a nice thread :)

Going to order my Mac Pro in the next days.

[macinfojunkie]

Thanks folks. That is extensive, reasonable and interesting. What a nice thread :)

Going to order my Mac Pro in the next days.

I am also. And you can just bet that it will be refreshed a few weeks after they arrive!

[podiki]

ordered mine 6 days ago, you betcha it will be updated soon. ;)

[B A S]

Is a refresh of the processors likely before a major upgrade again next year Q1/Q2 onwards?
I looking to buying a MacPro but can wait a month or 2.
I think if there's no refresh by november then there won't any point in doing one. Or I might be wrong...

[Umbongo]

Is a refresh of the processors likely before a major upgrade again next year Q1/Q2 onwards?


No.

[bearcatrp]

With posts about chip replacements on the newer models, I would suggest getting the low end octo, then upgrade them down the road when needed. Cheaper than what apple charges.

[alphaod]

the buyers guide already says: Buy only if you need it.

That should always apply. It shouldn't matter at what stage of the product lifecycles you're in, you shouldn't buy it just because it's new.

[product26]

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac_Pro