8-Core Mac Pro Details Emerging?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

Daily Tech claims to have received details for Intel's next major Core-based Xeon processor, code-named Clovertown. The processors will be in the Xeon 53xx family (current Mac Pros use Woodcrest cores that are in the Xeon 51xx family), and will be available in the following configurations:

Processor # / Clock (GHz) / Bus (MHz) / L2 Cache (MB) / Price (in 1,000 unit lots)
X5355 / 2.66 / 1333 / 8 / $1,172
E5345 / 2.33 / 1333 / 8 / $851
E5320 / 1.86 / 1066 / 8 / $690
E5310 / 1.60 / 1066 / 8 / $455

In the likely event Apple choses to use Clovertown Xeon core as the next Mac Pro CPU, educated speculation would indicate that Apple would elect to only use the X5355 and E5345, as they are the only models that support a 1333 MHz front side bus, which is what current Mac Pros use. In such a scenario, Apple may elect to keep a Woodcrest configuration at the bottom end for customizability (currently, Apple offers 3 chip speeds in the Mac Pro).

Of interest, the Xeon 53xx series will be using Intel's LGA771 socket, which is the same socket that today's Xeon 51xx series (aka Woodcrest). Therefore current Mac Pro users may be able to upgrade to 8-core machines upon availability of the new chips (expected later this quarter to PC manufacturers according to Daily Tech).

Also mentioned in the article were Intel's Tulsa (Xeon MP) processor and Core-based Kentsfield, aka Core 2 Quadro. Currently, the Tulsa (Xeon MP 71xx series) is highly unlikely to be introduced into a Mac due to its basis on the power-hungry Netburst architecture. Kentsfield/Core 2 Quadro is also unlikely to see an inclusion in any current models.

[ezekielrage_99]

And the wait for 8 Core Mac Pros and Merom MacBook Pros/MaBook is on

Waiting for speed bumps means no one buys a dang thing

[Mr.Gadget]

Exactly... Now I have to wait even longer to jump into the Mac foray... I'm holding on until these 8-ways come out... I hope it is soon!

I know there isn't much point as I won't need that horsepower, but the bang for buck is what keeps me holding on just a little longer. No way am I waiting until Christmas though! :-)

[spicyapple]

Did anyone listen to TWiT? Someone mentioned 80 cores. Clovertown, your days are numbered.

[CHROMEDOME]

Sweet...Octo-core.

[ezekielrage_99]

Originally Posted by Mr.Gadget

Exactly... Now I have to wait even longer to jump into the Mac foray... I'm holding on until these 8-ways come out... I hope it is soon!

But seriously how many cores does anyone REALLY need?

Still the more the merrier I say

[rkriheli]

yeah, this will be great if we want to run a small country with.

[Silentwave]

I'd pay for them to try and do a low voltage Clovertown like they did Woodcrest with the 5148LV. That one had a TDP not far off of Merom.

[b0tt094]

Originally Posted by rkriheli

yeah, this will be great if we want to run a small country with.

lmao and just to add, DAMN that is alot of cores

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by ezekielrage_99

But seriously how many cores does anyone REALLY need?

Software makers are in for a rude shock here. One big thread is nearly obsolete today, and even the common one-big-lump-with-little-ancillary-threads model is going to start looking tired fast. I hope that everyone is up to the job, this is something people have been avoiding for as long as multiprocessors were still uncommon, expensive beasts.

Originally Posted by SRSound

So say I’m using my 8-core Mac Pro for CPU intensive digital audio recording. Would I be able to assign two cores the main program, two to virtual processing, two to auxiliary “re-wire” applications, and two to the general system? If so, I guess I need to hold out on my impending Mac Pro purchase!

Most likely you'll have about as much control over this as you have over memory, which is to say, not a lot. It will be up to the OS to schedule things in a smart way.

[relimw]

Is my 8-core MBP going to be announced tomorrow?!? It's a Tuesday after all!!!
Ok, now that that's out of the way...

Would the XServes not be the ideal choice to get Clovertown initially? I mean, we've already been through how few apps make really good use of all those cores, a server would make more sense.

[relimw]

Ooo, maybe the reason for that long delay into October is because they're waiting for enough Clovertowns to become available.... That'd be a nice surprise.

[Eidorian]

That's a pricey chip. You're not going to see killer single thread performance but multitasking would be insane.

[pianodude123]

Originally Posted by ezekielrage_99

And the wait for 8 Core Mac Pros and Merom MacBook Pros/MaBook is on

Waiting for speed bumps means no one buys a dang thing

at least the educated do not....

Well...it's amazing that now every dual core computer is obsolete, and every single core computer is like an Apple II compared to this.

[Multimedia]

Originally Posted by ezekielrage_99

And the wait for 8 Core Mac Pros and Merom MacBook Pros/MaBook is on. Waiting for speed bumps means no one buys a dang thing.

It's also not just speed bumps. I want a MBP redesign that includes a better cooling system and an easy access HD Bay like in the MB. Lots of good reasons to be waiting. It's the IN thing to do right now. We're the IN Crowd.

Originally Posted by pianodude123

at least the educated do not.... Well... it's amazing that now every dual core computer is obsolete, and every single core computer is like an Apple II compared to this.

Yes but that 2.7GHz DP G5 of yours is a keeper. The fastest last classic G5 DP on the planet. Kudos to you for hanging on to it. If I were you I would NEVER sell it. Should become a family heirloom. Wish I had one.

[rikers_mailbox]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

In the likely event Apple choses to use Cloverton Xeon core as the next Mac Pro CPU, educated speculation would indicate that Apple would elect to only use the X5355 and E5345..

http://www.MacSpeculation.com

[mdntcallr]

well sounds like i need to chill out and not but the mac pro i was thinking of. perhaps i will wait till they are refreshed with this.

Hopefully the new mac pro's will also have a blu-ray drive option with HDMI HDTV option.

also, with new HDTV TV/Monitor with Speakers integrated Displays.

[SRSound]

So say I’m using my 8-core Mac Pro for CPU intensive digital audio recording. Would I be able to assign two cores the main program, two to virtual processing, two to auxiliary “re-wire” applications, and two to the general system? If so, I guess I need to hold out on my impending Mac Pro purchase!

[drsmithy]

Originally Posted by SRSound

So say I’m using my 8-core Mac Pro for CPU intensive digital audio recording. Would I be able to assign two cores the main program, two to virtual processing, two to auxiliary “re-wire” applications, and two to the general system? If so, I guess I need to hold out on my impending Mac Pro purchase!

You can typically bind processes to specific cores. Some OSes have a concept of processor "pools" where you can group, say, 3 CPUs together and assign a certain group of processes to them, another 2 CPUs get a different set of processes, etc.

Most of the time though (outside of benchmarks and corner cases) you're generally better off letting the OS's scheduler shuffle tasks around CPUs as it sees fit.

OS X still has a ways to go with its multiprocessor support, however, so it might not do it as well as other platforms do yet.

[ChrisA]

Originally Posted by SRSound

So say I’m using my 8-core Mac Pro for CPU intensive digital audio recording. Would I be able to assign two cores the main program, two to virtual processing........

That is not the way it's done. One does not asign threads to cores. What yu do is crate threads and let the operating system shedle cores to "ready" threads

[sisyphus]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif
Kentsfield/Core 2 Quadro is also unlikely to see an inclusion in any current models.

Which of course leads to the missing piece!

We can't just go from 2 Cores on the iMac to 8 Cores on the Mac Pro without a handy dandy 4 core prosumer model in the middle.

(Somebody around here has to keep the "Mac" computer around in the rumor threads).

I had thought Apple was going to release a Conroe based computer, but now seeing that Intel is releasing the Kentsfield as early as Late October/Early November it would make no sense. Apple would release the machine in September, be unable to meet demand then replace it less than 2 months later? Not very Appleish (ignore the November/January iMac occurence last year ).

But now that would make a hot item for the Christmas shopping season wouldn't it? This is the reason Apple didn't release a Conroe based system... too short of a time in the pipeline.

This now gives us the perfect differentiated lineup going into Christmas:

Mac Mini - Core Duo
iMac - Core 2 Duo
Mac - Core 2 Quattro
Mac Pro - Dual Cloverton (May not arrive until MWSF)

I'd buy myself a Mac Quattro for Christmas!

[DavidCar]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

...In the likely event Apple choses to use Cloverton Xeon core as the next Mac Pro CPU, educated speculation would indicate that Apple would elect to only use the X5355 and E5345, as they are the only models that support a 1333 MHz front side bus, which is what current Mac Pros use. In such a scenario, Apple may elect to keep a Woodcrest configuration at the bottom end for customizability (currently, Apple offers 3 chip speeds in the Mac Pro). ...

Why would they change the basic configuration of the Mac Pro? The two Clovertown chips will just appear as high end options as soon as they become available.

[Silentwave]

Originally Posted by DavidCar

Why would they change the basic configuration of the Mac Pro? The two Clovertown chips will just appear as high end options as soon as they become available.

Look at the prices. you can get 8 cores (2.33GHz) at the same price that 4 3GHz cores cost you now. My bet is that Woodcrest will see a moderate price drop upon Clovertown's introduction.

[pseudobrit]

Where's the eight-core Memromn?

[Eidorian]

Originally Posted by pseudobrit

Where's the eight-core Memromn?

Not happening.

http://guides.macrumors.com/Merom