Apple 'Questioning' the Future of its Mac Pro Line?

[LagunaSol]

Not cool, Apple. Ceding any part of the consumer (including prosumers and pros) computer business at this point would be shortsighted.

It's a great thing to expand into the consumer electronics and smartphone business, but don't forget your historical core.

[cmChimera]

I can't really fault them. Notebooks are far more popular, and getting MUCH more powerful very quickly. I would like to see an expandable desktop from Apple so that when I do decide to buy a desktop I can have a tower, but I don't really think I need to spend $5,000 dollars for that.

[H2SO4]

Originally Posted by no_name

Every drive bay in my MacPro is used, and I do not want to have to house them all externally.

That's exactly the situation I'm in. I hate cables and boxes everywhere.

[reden]

They can't stop developing the Mac Pros. I tried to replicate a similar setup by getting rid of my Mac Pro, getting a top of the line MacBook Pro, and it doesn't compare. I am waiting for the new Mac Pro line eagerly to get my work done quicker. The expandability, the solid performance is excellent on these machines. I would definitely be extremely sad if they stopped developing them. I don't think they will to be honest, many labs, schools, companies still use them.

[gmcalpin]

Originally Posted by rellimie

The only people this will hurt is the people that use Mac OSX Server as the MacPro and MacMini is the only server hardware they currently offer.

Well, it would hurt me, too.

I want a new Mac Pro, because I already own a very nice IPS monitor that I need to be a retoucher (yes, I realize iMac monitors are just as good, probably, but I already own it) and I have a Cintiq, as well. So I want a headless computer with two display outs, and the Mac mini's poor graphics card choices just don't cut it. I could chuck my monitor and get an iMac, I suppose, but I'll be damned if I don't also like to be able to swap in and out hard drives to my heart's content, which you can't do with one of those.

I hope by "questioning the future of the Mac Pro" line they switch to non-server-grade desktop processors, so they cost a thousand dollars less or so, and just rename it… wait for it, because I think this is a great name… the Mac.

[jtara]

Do they really want to stick it to Adobe this badly?

It's going to send graphics and video editor publishers scrambling to provide top-tier support for Windows and Linux.

Either that, or Apple will have to relent and license OSX to third-parties for use in workstations.

[kuwisdelu]

I can finally justify purchasing a Mac Pro, and have been looking forward to the refresh to get my hands on some new Xeons. I will not be happy if it is dropped.

[gramirez2012]

I would hate to see the Mac Pro go. Although they've been using the same case design since 2003, it would be nice to see a radical change in that department.

[a.gomez]

not surprising - nothing "pro" about Apple anymore - just another part of the iOS dumbing down of apple

[ipedro]

Here's a straightforward solution:

Make the Mac Mini scaleable in stacks. Use the Thunderbolt port to make it simple to build anything from a FinalCutPro station, to a server, to a super computer by simply daisy chaining Mac Minis.

This would enable Apple to continue to serve the Pro market all the while only having to continue to build a Mac Mini which still has a high sale potential well into the future in the mass consumer market as a standalone unit. Power users could add another Mac Mini or several to meet the needs they would find in the Mac Pro.

The required change is in OSX enabling the stacking, no need for Apple to design, build and maintain a separate hardware line. To address the only remaining shortcoming: expansion slots. These could be added in the chain as external components. Either Apple could build and sell an expansion stack shaped like the Mac Mini with Thunderbolt I/O or leave it to third party manufacturers to build their expansion chips into these shapes.

The Mac Pro will be missed, but its place is in the history books.

New Mac Pro:

[HiRez]

Originally Posted by rellimie

Back in the day the main benefits to the MacPro were the expansion slots, dual processor, extra hard drives, and dual processors.

Now days with iMacs coming with quad cores, 16 GB of ram, and terrabytes of hard drive space, and thunderbolts ability to add external storage, and an expansion slot chassis; I think this is an obvious move. Add a duel processor option to the iMac and there you go. The only people this will hurt is the people that use Mac OSX Server as the MacPro and MacMini is the only server hardware they currently offer.

I agree iMacs are pretty capable machine nowadays for much work that formerly would have required a Mac Pro. But one problem with this approach is the built-in monitor. The iMac's monitor is "good enough" for many, and it's not really bad, but:

a) it's not pro quality, black levels and hence contrast is poor and there's a lot of edge backlight leak, color gamut and accuracy is only so-so.

b) it's built-in and cannot be changed or upgraded.

I wonder if there will be an "iMac Pro" model that would use the Thunderbolt/Cinema display, as well as offer more pro-level options like 6 or 8 CPU cores, dual drive slots, faster GPUs, more RAM slots, etc, but in an iMac enclosure. That's still a step down from a MacPro, but it might cover a lot more people who need that stuff, and still allow some manufacturing cost savings by using an iMac casing and other components. But I still think it makes more sense to have a monitor-less solution, maybe based on a Mini chassis instead of an iMac, as iPedro suggests it could be a modular system.

[PeterQVenkman]

I don't think anyone would be surprised if it disappeared.

[gotvenm]

I have been waiting for a refresh of the Mac Pro as well, I want/need full size graphics cards, anything less is unacceptable.

[MovieCutter]

Originally Posted by Eugene-DL

They should add Siri to the Mac line and a function that allows users to use other voices such as Alex. Apple should improve Siri's voice and make it smoother like Alex.

WTF? What does that have to do with a Professional Workstation. This is the most idiotic suggestion I've heard. The Mac Pro is done folks. If you needed any proof, look at Final Cut "Pro".

Originally Posted by reden

They can't stop developing the Mac Pros. I tried to replicate a similar setup by getting rid of my Mac Pro, getting a top of the line MacBook Pro, and it doesn't compare. I am waiting for the new Mac Pro line eagerly to get my work done quicker. The expandability, the solid performance is excellent on these machines. I would definitely be extremely sad if they stopped developing them. I don't think they will to be honest, many labs, schools, companies still use them.

Sure they can, and they don't care if it would make you sad.

Originally Posted by no_name

Every drive bay in my MacPro is used, and I do not want to have to house them all externally.

Doesn't matter if you and a handful of other people are the only ones buying. I completely get Apple's point if the sources are accurate. Why pour resources into your worst selling product line if people are just buying iMacs?

Originally Posted by HiRez

I agree iMacs are pretty capable machine nowadays for much work that formerly would have required a Mac Pro. But one problem with this approach is the built-in monitor. The iMac's monitor is "good enough" for many, and it's not really bad, but:

a) it's not pro quality, black levels and hence contrast is poor and there's a lot of edge backlight leak, color gamut and accuracy is only so-so.

b) it's built-in and cannot be changed or upgraded.
]

Attach a second monitor?

Originally Posted by bpd115

I have a 30" DVI Cinema Display and a 23" DVI Cinema Display...how am I supposed to hook these up to an iMac?

These should do the trick...

[Doug183]

This is a long time coming. All most pros really need is an i7 Imac with some PCI/PCIe slots.

If a Thunderbolt to PCIe adapter really worked/existed, then the Mac Pro is dead.

The only caveat to all my arguments is that this would leave a gaping hole in the Mac lineup that hackintoshes will rush to fill. I don't think Apple would be too happy with that and that in itself might be the strongest reason to keep the MacPro lineup alive.

[KCMichaelB]

Originally Posted by no_name

Every drive bay in my MacPro is used, and I do not want to have to house them all externally.

Ditto.

[Henriok]

As one who's doing a lot of video and 3D rendering professionally, I'd be happy with a an iMac and some thunderbolt based solution where I could hook up GPUs for additional monitors and as rendering engines.

[Umbongo]

Originally Posted by G-Force

Offer a cheaper version with a single Core i7, it will sell like crazy... But still offer an 8-/12-core for the professionals who need one.

I own a 2009 8-core now, but it's overkill for me. A Core i7 version would be perfect.

The $2,499 Mac Pros come with a $300 processor. The cheapest Core i7 processors are $300.

[IceMacMac]

Originally Posted by PeterQVenkman

I don't think anyone would be surprised if it disappeared.

To the contrary. Look at the forums. There have been many posters like GoMac who have been stubborn ostriches on facing this looming tragedy.

[gugy]

That would be very sad if Apple drops the support for the MacPro.

It's understandable that they much rather focus, support and develop the iToys because of the $ but at some point they need to understand professionals that develop apps and all the creative media are also the most loyal supporters through the years. Especially during Apple dark days, We still need to have Apple Pro machines (desktop/laptop) at our disposal in order to create content, apps, etc.

It would be a great mistake to leave these folks (including me) in the cold. I hope they realize that and bring us nice Pro machines very soon.

[wikus]

I dont want an iMac with a mirror in front of me when im using a machine to work.

If they discontinue the Mac Pro, I may very well end up getting myself a hackintosh. The iMacs are a sad and limiting substitute for power users.

[iBug2]

Originally Posted by HiRez

I agree iMacs are pretty capable machine nowadays for much work that formerly would have required a Mac Pro. But one problem with this approach is the built-in monitor. The iMac's monitor is "good enough" for many, and it's not really bad, but:

a) it's not pro quality, black levels and hence contrast is poor and there's a lot of edge backlight leak.

b) it's built-in and cannot be changed or upgraded.
f an iMac, as iPedro suggests it could be a modular system.

iMacs monitor is as good as Apple Cinema Displays, which are pro quality.

But yes, the fact that it can't be changed sucks. I want to keep using my 30" ACD, and not being forced to a 27" iMac in the future.

[Steve's Barber]

No surprise the Mac Pro line is dying. This machine will look downright silly running Apple's iOS they have planned across all platforms.

One more fiasco like iLion and I iz on to Windows 8.

[iBug2]

Originally Posted by gugy

That would be very sad if Apple drops the support for the MacPro.

It's understandable that they much rather support and develop the iToys but at some point they need to understand professionals that develop apps and all the creative media are also the most loyal supporters through the years. Especially during Apple dark days, We still need to have Apple Pro machines (desktop/laptop) at our disposal in order to create.

It would be a great mistake to leave these folks (including me) in the cold.
I hope they realize that and bring us nice Pro machines very soon.

Most professionals that use desktop macs are using iMacs at this point. So the majority does not need Mac Pro to do the job they are doing. The problem will be for those few who definitely need a Mac Pro. I also hope they don't drop the Mac Pro line, but it's absurd to think one needs a Mac Pro to create content. Most don't.

[kromekat]

Your kidding me!?!???!?

If Apple is questioning why the sales have dropped that would be down to lack of frequent updates!!!!! ?

I'm currently using a 2008 8 core 3.2Ghz as my main desktop. and I am desperate to upgrade, as I suspect are MANY others out there that can ONLY use a MacPro because its the ONLY mac with enough power for their needs!! - an iMac for professional 3D!? - please!....

So will I have to settle for their currently 18 month old 12 core or are they going to stop ******** about and release a newer, up to date pro machine??

I mean if they want to make Pro iMacs with 12/16 core Xeons and room for multiple HDs and decent GFX cards and a LOT of RAM, then cool - means I get a decent LCD thrown in too instead of the overpriced standalones, but is that even realistic?

Why kill off the machine that ultimately made Apple a proper computer company in the first place? - do I really have to switch to a PC to get a proper computer now?

FFS...