Why not just TB3 data only ports. That's what we have on all our workstation PCs.
Because it is non solution for Display Docking stations which is pretty much all Apple sells and is probably at least an order magnitude percentage larger presence in the overall Mac ecosystem than in your cluster of workstations. ( Isn't that one of the primary arguments against the iMac .... if buying new computer why do I need a new monitor/display. if the display uses TB then TB is a baseline requirement. )
Right now TB v3 is pragmatically the only single cable 5K monitor solution. ( Apple is going to pick a two wire solution when a one wire one will work ? )
These are workstations with TB controllers integrated into the motherboard? ( how new Mac systems over last 2-3 years don't have TB integrated into the motherboard ? ) How likely is TB going to be an optional socket on a Mac going forward?
If add-in cards, these cards do not have a DP input socket ?
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There have been Xeon SKUs with integrated graphics before.
Not in the Xeon E5 / Xeon W class. The >6 "large" core class trade off die space used for GPU for more cores. You can't have both in a single die. ( AMD's single die Vega integration choke off L3 cache space from the baseline Zen core implementation to make it fit. )
The Mac Pro wouldn't be competitive with a smaller core baseline design than that of iMac Pro ( or even the upper range of iMac ).
I'm certain Intel could provide one with sufficient punch to drive the upcoming pro display. Don't hear this discussed much.
Long term Intel might do a very large EMIB (multichip package) design that cobbles dies that are primary CPU with another die that is primarily GPU. ( there is small step in that direction with the Intel+AMD mash up coming for smaller mainstream CPUs. ) . The tension is going to be that additional dies dropping into the package could also just do more x86 cores. if in a 'core count' war most of the pressure is going to move that way. Intel pushing into their own discrete GPU die business would offset that though..
Or, since there will be PCIe slots, there's room for a GPU on a mezzanine card somewhere in there.
using a socket that has PCIe lanes is different than a socket that is the fixed in stone PCI-e standard connector.
MXM GPU cards carry both PCIe and DisplayPort data. MXM only issue is that it is a bit too small for high TDP cards.
The more I think about it, that's a very Apple solution. Baseline GPU options are Vega 56 and 64 (or equivalents) on a mezzanine card. Apple can customize it to do whatever trickery to handle video over TB3, enthusiasts can upgrade as new cards hit the market (and if not, who cares we have PCIe again).
There is no trickery needed if the card connector(s) carry both signals.
Hmmm... coupled with my belief that they're really into this thermal core language... imagine the same thermal core. Your configuration options are (per side)
Not sure how read the meeting transcript from last year and come away with that. The iMac Pro has somewhat more decoupled system. There is one thermal exit port but two fans and the GPU and CPU placed significantly apart from the primary radiator.
1. CPU
2. GPU
3. 2nd GPU or CPU
"or CPU" doesn't work. Need at least 4 more RAM DIMM slots. The amount of RAM coupled to the GPU is dramatically smaller than the max RAM capacity the system would need to carry to be competitive.
If trying to maximize volume used "bang for buck" then a CPU with 8 DIMM slots and a GPU with its own thermal solution work fine.
It is same problem gong to run into if try to jam the GPU into a monolithic multi-chip package. The extremely close proximity is going to feedback into the thermal limits of the package and the single cooler you can stack on top.
Significantly more likely is that Apple goes back to multiple thermal zones as opposed to singular thermal core.
The rest of the chassis could house 4 full-sized Nvidia GPUs and still be reasonably small. So a mini Z?
the mini Z's don't do that so not sure how Apple is going to pull that off. ( Z4 isn't going to cut it unless "full size" means entry level desktop cards. Once get into Z6 - Z8 size range 'mini' is a misnomer. )
