Still Waiting for Mac Pro Updates, Suitable Intel Processors Due in Q4

[MacRumors]

After a flurry of new releases this past month, the one Mac that Apple has continued to neglect is the Mac Pro. The last credible date we received was for early August, though CNet's Brian Tong now acknowledges that the information didn't pan out.

For many, an August release would actually have been the surprise, as Intel has yet to ship Mac Pro-suitable Sandy Bridge processors. There had been some hope that Apple would receive these processors early from Intel, but clearly not quite this early.

Still, Apple's Mac Pro is presently the only Mac without the new Thunderbolt port that Apple and Intel introduced earlier this year. Apple's Mac Pro has had relatively infrequent updates over the past few years with the last update taking place over a year ago.

Apple has certainly placed an emphasis on their notebook line, reflecting the ongoing trends towards mobile computing. Apple's notebook sales have steadily become a larger percentage of their total Mac sales.

Our last check with resellers reported no change in Mac Pro stock availability that might have suggested an imminent update.

As for Intel, the Sandy Bridge-E processor that is expected to be used in the Mac Pro had been rumored to be released even as late as 2012, but the latest leaks have pinpointed a Q4 2011 release. Donanimhaber posts the following release timetable from Intel:

The yellow box denotes the Sandy Bridge-E class of processors that we are waiting for with Xeon versions likely shipping at the same time. According to this slide, the Mac Pro suitable processors will first launch in Q4 2011. Apple's new Mac Pro is likely to follow.

Article Link: Still Waiting for Mac Pro Updates, Suitable Intel Processors Due in Q4

 

[BornAgainMac]

I can see Apple dumping it like they did the DVD internal drive, Final Cut 7 stuff, and the White Macbook. It will be the worst than all the things above combined though.

 

[TwitchOSX]

Well.. they need to hurry it up. We need to buy new equipment this year for tax reasons. We have a Dual 2.5 G5 that is getting long in the tooth and I need MOAR CORES! Cant wait to see what the $3500 range MacPro looks like.

 

[applefan289]

I can see Apple dumping it like they did the DVD internal drive, Final Cut 7 stuff, and the White Macbook. It will be the worst than all the things above combined though.

The Macbook being dropped I understand, but the true pros need a Mac too!

 

[TwitchOSX]

I can see Apple dumping it like they did the DVD internal drive, Final Cut 7 stuff, and the White Macbook. It will be the worst than all the things above combined though.

They aint dumping the Mac Pro. Sure they are concentrating on Laptops but Laptops cant do what a Mac Pro can do.

 

[Seo]

Glad I bought one a week ago. A whole half year of using a lesser computer isn't a very attractive idea, especially having to sell it afterward.

 

[Bokito]

The Macbook being dropped I understand, but the true pros need a Mac too!

Apple makes consumer products now.

 

[marcre3363]

I managed to convince my company to buy me an 8-core mac last year. It's been fantastic. I've tried to transfer Pro Tools and After Effects projects from it to my white Macbook and it just freezes up trying to run them.

I hope Apple doesn't abandon their Pro desktops. I'm still pissed about what they did to FCP.

 

[TwitchOSX]

Apple makes consumer products now.

You think they want to screw with their entire Pro market? Not gonna happen. That's a LOT of people.

 

[applefan289]

Apple makes consumer products now.

Well, I'm not a pro, but I see your point if they were to drop the Mac Pro.

In the next few years, Apple will probably be the leading consumer electronics company.

Cisco + Microsoft for business and enterprise.

Apple for fun and consumer.

That's what I see for the future (and now).

 

[nagromme]

I used to want a Mac Pro.

Now I just want an external Thunderbolt expansion chassis for my Air!

Apple makes consumer products now.

Yes. And pro products.

Apple’s “pro demise” has been predicted constantly for as long as I’ve been using Macs. It’s a side effect of making things easy to use I guess: it makes people expect that Apple doesn’t care about the people who like things difficult But in fact they do care about pros (like myself) and offer us a quite a lot.

The Mac Pro is overdue for a change—not a removal.

 

[Justinf79]

I'd kind of like to see Apple drop the Xeons and just put in regular desktop CPUs in. And drop the price a few hundred while they're at it.

 

[TwitchOSX]

I'd kind of like to see Apple drop the Xeons and just put in regular desktop CPUs in. And drop the price a few hundred while they're at it.

Heck no! If I wanted a "consumer" machine we would get an iMac. I need the xtra power and cores. I'm grinding this G5 to the ground. Cant wait to get a 12 core machine.

 

[BornAgainMac]

Dropping XServe had a lot of backlash. Dropping the Mac Pro will be the worst thing to date. If you follow the pattern, then Apple moving to ARM across the entire Mac product line with slower performance and integrated graphics. Then after that the Mac line will be dropped leaving only iPads and mobile phones. What a nightmare!

 

[johnpq]

I'm very disappointed in this. I need a new desk top NOW as my G5 simply won't suffice any longer and I was really looking forward to getting a new Mac Pro. However, I can't see buying the current Mac Pro either given how much faster the upgrade will be and what I can build a PC for. I hate to say it but I'm going to be forced to build a Windows box and simply deal with not having OS-X then buy a Mac Pro in a couple of years when the PC has more or less paid for itself.

John

 

[GregAndonian]

You think they want to screw with their entire Pro market? Not gonna happen. That's a LOT of people.

They already screwed the pro editors pretty badly...

 

[applefan289]

Dropping XServe had a lot of backlash. Dropping the Mac Pro will be the worst thing to date. If you follow the pattern, then Apple moving to ARM across the entire Mac product line with slower performance and integrated graphics. Then after that the Mac line will be dropped leaving only iPads and mobile phones. What a nightmare!

Apple has said before that Mac sales are growing and growing and is a big part of their income (not the biggest part, but a big part). I can't see them getting rid of Macs.

Come on, the brand was "Apple Computer, Inc.", would they really drop the computer part?

If they do drop all Macs, they will at least give us a device that can do mostly the same functions as a computer.

 

[scottsjack]

The Macbook being dropped I understand, but the true pros need a Mac too!

But does Apple need true pros?

 

[Chaszmyr]

Come on, the brand was "Apple Computer, Inc.", would they really drop the computer part?

Is this supposed to be a joke? As you suggested, they dropped the "computer" part of the name already.

(I can't imagine them getting rid of the Mac Pro though)

 

[NorCalLights]

I'm very disappointed in this. I need a new desk top NOW as my G5 simply won't suffice any longer and I was really looking forward to getting a new Mac Pro. However, I can't see buying the current Mac Pro either given how much faster the upgrade will be and what I can build a PC for. I hate to say it but I'm going to be forced to build a Windows box and simply deal with not having OS-X then buy a Mac Pro in a couple of years when the PC has more or less paid for itself.

John

If you really need a new computer now, buy a refurbished Mac Pro now, and then sell it when the new ones are released. You'll easily get 90% of your investment back on the refub when you sell it in a few months. Maybe more.

 

[Daschund]

I'm very disappointed in this. I need a new desk top NOW as my G5 simply won't suffice any longer and I was really looking forward to getting a new Mac Pro. However, I can't see buying the current Mac Pro either given how much faster the upgrade will be and what I can build a PC for. I hate to say it but I'm going to be forced to build a Windows box and simply deal with not having OS-X then buy a Mac Pro in a couple of years when the PC has more or less paid for itself.

John

Really? Would you rather go to a PC and then come back in a couple of years than upgrade your G5 (which is what, 4-5 years old) to a computer that works perfectly fine and is waaaaay faster than your G5 just because you'll know there will be a faster one in a couple of months? Honestly that's very illogic to me...

 

[johnpq]

If you really need a new computer now, buy a refurbished Mac Pro now, and then sell it when the new ones are released. You'll easily get 90% of your investment back on the refub when you sell it in a few months. Maybe more.

Thanks for the tip. I will look into refurbs.

John

 

[Mr-Stabby]

I can see Apple dropping proper Professional products entirely in the future. I really hope they don't, as my lively hood relies on Mac Pro products. The loss of the XServe, the dumbing down of OSX Server and the new Final Cut have already been a punch in the stomach to me. I hope it doesn't get even worse.

I don't really understand Apple's attitude when it comes to Pro products. The vibe i and a lot of other people are getting from them is that they are half-assing their pro products and concentrating on their consumer stuff like the iPad and iPhone.

What i don't understand is why they can't concentrate on both! Sony for example do a very good job of making brilliant professional level broadcast AV equipment, yet are just as good at making consumer gear like netbooks and camcorders and such.

Why can't Apple thrive in more than one area?

 

[Repo]

And thus, the Hackintosh was born.

 

[crazy dave]

Dropping XServe had a lot of backlash. Dropping the Mac Pro will be the worst thing to date. If you follow the pattern, then Apple moving to ARM across the entire Mac product line with slower performance and integrated graphics. Then after that the Mac line will be dropped leaving only iPads and mobile phones. What a nightmare!

I think someone woke up on the cranky side. Honestly, on the desktop side, the more likely scenario is the Mac mini gets dropped. Like the MacBook it is a generalist who is getting squeezed on multiple sides. The MacBook was squeezed by the Air and the Pro.

What are the mini's roles? It features as a Home media center (AppleTV), as a switch to Mac from PC (most people by Mac laptops for that), and a home server. Apple have already removed Front Row from OS X so the transition away from the mini as the media center has begun. If the actual rumors about the upcoming Mac Pro refresh are true with a new 2U form factor and new chips, Apple could easily create a home server version of that that was cheaper - not as cheap as the mini I'll grant you, but still something that would eliminate the need for the generalist mini.

The pattern from the last few years is that Apple eliminates overlap and generalists from its product line. To me, the mini is the most obvious thing to be eliminated though I don't expect it to happen during next year's refresh. Xserve was hardly a generalist, but was eliminated from much the same reason - overlap. The mini and the pro could both serve as servers - neither were rack-mountable server farm servers, but Apple could replace Xserve with a rack-mountable Pro and thus streamline their product lines (which is as aforementioned the rumor). Apple is all about minimalism and that comes down to their product lines as well, not just their aesthetics.

EDIT: Sorry the proposed Mac Pro for factor is 3U