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kikero69

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 2, 2011
1
0
hello
I am thinking about buying a Mac pro to use it for video , but i have been told that new Mac pros are coming out, does anyone know if is worth it to wait , and if it is when the new mac pros are suppose to come out, be cause i am finish my uni this year and from july wont be able to have student discount anymore

thanks
 

stridemat

Moderator
Staff member
Apr 2, 2008
11,364
863
UK
Nobody knows when they are due to arrive. All anyone knows is that it should be soon.
 

Umbongo

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2006
4,934
55
England
They won't be here before October as the processors they will use are slated to launch in the fourth quarter and if we take Intel's and Apple's history in to account it could be as far away as March 2012.
 

Transporteur

macrumors 68030
Nov 30, 2008
2,729
3
UK

stridemat

Moderator
Staff member
Apr 2, 2008
11,364
863
UK
Update with Thunderbolt?

Does not make sense to have the Pro machines without this feature.
 

Joshuarocks

macrumors 6502
Mar 12, 2011
364
1
Somewhere in Cyberspace
While the X79 preliminary list of supported features is nice and Sandy Bridge is also nice, sadly.. I don't think I will get a new mac pro when it comes out; I am never ever really going to use the current 2010 mac pro for what it was intended for.. Thus, I will convert my 2010 6-core into a file server and possibly use it for "limited" dvd ripping and encoding.

My mistake was that I looked at this mac pro as a Power Mac - a consumer based model, and not a niche product.
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
I am thinking about buying a Mac pro to use it for video , but i have been told that new Mac pros are coming out...
The Sandy Bridge Xeon's aren't out yet (due Q3/Q4, depending on the model). And it will take additional time to get a system shipping. So it's extremely unlikely they'll have it out this year. I'd figure on March - May of 2012 realistically.

Update with Thunderbolt?

Does not make sense to have the Pro machines without this feature.
It's not necessary for workstations, as you can get much better bandwidth via other card tech on PCIe slots (think RAID cards with a sufficient number of disks for disk throughput).

Where it could be useful, are those that also have laptops they use for location work, such as video recording (just attach the TB storage device to the workstation, and start editing for example).

Now the X79 chipset that will be used in the next MP's doesn't include TB at all, so the only possible way to get it, is if they opt to add in a TB chip.

But Intel's strategy seems to be that they want both data and video information over the port, so there would need to be a way to attach a DisplayPort output from a graphics card to the mainboard in order to connect it to the TB signal. So far, there's been no public information on this (technically possible).

Ultimately, it's possible, but not a guarantee it would make it in the next MP if they wanted to (and a TB chip adds cost, which Apple isn't keen on - look at other port tech user's have asked for over the years, and still not gotten).

While the X79 preliminary list of supported features is nice and Sandy Bridge is also nice, sadly
The X79 doesn't provide TB support anyway (it does combine the usual separate chipset and ICHxR into a single part though).
 

zephonic

macrumors 65816
Feb 7, 2011
1,310
709
greater L.A. area
If Apple slows the MacPro's update cycle down to 18 months they really should have mid-cycle refreshes or price drops.

The MacPro's price/performance ratio is not the best.
 

geraldprost

macrumors newbie
Oct 10, 2011
1
0
New Mac Pros

It does appear that the new Mac Pros are aways away. Perhaps Apple is even thinking of dumping this line. The release of Final Cut X and the discontinuing of Final Cut Studio suggests that they may be distancing themselves from the new media professionals. Aperture has lost so much of the market share to Lightroom that perhaps it too, will be on the chopping block soon. You were saying that you were concerned about losing your student discount on your purchase. It is really not much of a discount. I got a great deal on my Mac Pro by buying a reconditioned one. I got one that was a few years old (2008) but it has exactly the same processor as the new ones. I paid $1500 here in Canada for a quad core 2.8. Here they want $2500 for a new one. Okay, I paid and bought a new video card but I still saved a significant amount of cash. The machine looks and performs like new.
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
I got one that was a few years old (2008) but it has exactly the same processor as the new ones.
You may have the same clock speed, but the 2008 uses a different socket (2008 uses LGA771; current models use LGA1366 = current parts won't fit in a 2006 - 2008, let alone work).
 

CaptainChunk

macrumors 68020
Apr 16, 2008
2,142
6
Phoenix, AZ
It does appear that the new Mac Pros are aways away. Perhaps Apple is even thinking of dumping this line. The release of Final Cut X and the discontinuing of Final Cut Studio suggests that they may be distancing themselves from the new media professionals. Aperture has lost so much of the market share to Lightroom that perhaps it too, will be on the chopping block soon.

New Mac Pros aren't here yet only because Sandy Bridge Xeon chips are not yet available from Intel. It makes very little sense to refresh a workstation product line using the same CPU tech as last year's. Apple would be shooting itself in the foot if they discontinued the Mac Pro line at this point. Lots of professionals still buy them, and if Apple makes the improvements on FCP X they're promising, a large chunk of editors will still want an expandable platform.

I also don't think Aperture is going anywhere either, especially how Apple is now distributing it for cheap in the App Store. Lightroom has always had the bigger market share because it's cross-platform.

I got one that was a few years old (2008) but it has exactly the same processor as the new ones.

That would be false. The clock speed may be the same, but the 2009/10 machines use a completely different CPU architecture (Nehalem).
 

d-m-a-x

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2011
510
0
New Mac Pros aren't here yet only because Sandy Bridge Xeon chips are not yet available from Intel. It makes very little sense to refresh a workstation product line using the same CPU tech as last year's. Apple would be shooting itself in the foot if they discontinued the Mac Pro line at this point. Lots of professionals still buy them, and if Apple makes the improvements on FCP X they're promising, a large chunk of editors will still want an expandable platform.

I also don't think Aperture is going anywhere either, especially how Apple is now distributing it for cheap in the App Store. Lightroom has always had the bigger market share because it's cross-platform.



That would be false. The clock speed may be the same, but the 2009/10 machines use a completely different CPU architecture (Nehalem).

going in circles here - denial, self-confrontation, attack, counterattack, acceptance -we could turn the mac rumors / pro section into a 12 step forum!
 

thekev

macrumors 604
Aug 5, 2010
7,005
3,343
going in circles here - denial, self-confrontation, attack, counterattack, acceptance -we could turn the mac rumors / pro section into a 12 step forum!


edit: I was thinking of someone else here, my mistake.

Yar.. you know you wrote a really nice essay on your thoughts on the mac pro last time I responded. It was fun to read.

edit: I was thinking of someone else here, my mistake.

This is a guess but considering that the Xeons have been suggested as coming out later than the i7s which are to be released November 14th, couldn't Apple just wait for 2012 chipsets with usb3? Intel also mentioned plans to push thunderbolt in 2012 but there aren't enough details on how they plan to do so. I'm probably nearing step 12. I don't know if I'll end up buying one at this point. The sub 3k options hardly seem worth it.
 
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Umbongo

macrumors 601
Sep 14, 2006
4,934
55
England
Yar.. you know you wrote a really nice essay on your thoughts on the mac pro last time I responded. It was fun to read.

This is a guess but considering that the Xeons have been suggested as coming out later than the i7s which are to be released November 14th, couldn't Apple just wait for 2012 chipsets with usb3? Intel also mentioned plans to push thunderbolt in 2012 but there aren't enough details on how they plan to do so. I'm probably nearing step 12. I don't know if I'll end up buying one at this point. The sub 3k options hardly seem worth it.

The 2012 chipsets that include USB 3.0 are Ivy Bridge, not Sandy Bridge-E and EP.
 

thekev

macrumors 604
Aug 5, 2010
7,005
3,343
The 2012 chipsets that include USB 3.0 are Ivy Bridge, not Sandy Bridge-E and EP.

Bleh that sucks :( Any word on what Ivy Bridge looks like on the workstation end? Right now they're lacking PCIe 3.0 and usb3. The combination makes me sad although it's mostly the current lack of usb3. I haven't had excellent luck with third party cards.
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
Bleh that sucks :( Any word on what Ivy Bridge looks like on the workstation end? Right now they're lacking PCIe 3.0 and usb3. The combination makes me sad although it's mostly the current lack of usb3. I haven't had excellent luck with third party cards.
IB uses the same socket and chipset. Which means it will have PCIe 3.0 compliance approval by then, but still no USB 3.0 in the chipset (possible to add it via a 3rd party semiconductor).
 

nanofrog

macrumors G4
May 6, 2008
11,719
3
Screw you I now have juice all over my 13" screen!
It was worth it though. :D
Maybe that will teach you not to drink anything while sitting in front of the laptop in the first place. ;) Especially with the jokes that get cracked in this forum. :D :p
 

d-m-a-x

macrumors 6502a
Aug 13, 2011
510
0
Maybe that will teach you not to drink anything while sitting in front of the laptop in the first place. ;) Especially with the jokes that get cracked in this forum. :D :p

Sounds like Ted Striker's drinking problem
 

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Jack40

macrumors newbie
Jul 26, 2011
23
0
It's shame if Apple won't Update Mac Pro!

It's shame if Apple won't Update Mac Pro:mad:
 
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