2007 Harpertown Stoakley-Seaburg Motherboard With New Graphics Cards 8-Core Mac Pro

[Topper]

The current graphics cards will probably replaced with these:
nVidia GeForce 7300 GT ------------> nVidia GeForce 8300 GT
ATI Radeon X1900 XT ---------------> ATI Radeon HD X2900 XT
nVidia Quadro FX 4500 ---------------> nVidia GeForce 8800GTX or Ultra

The Quadro FX 4500 is a workstation card. Can't be compared to consumer cards like the GeForce 8800 series.
I doubt Apple will replace the FX 4500. If they do, they will go with a more powerful Quadro card.

I don't care, I am hoping the X1900 XT is replaced by either the X2900 XT or a GeForce 8800 series card.
If I could pick, I would take a 8800 Ultra or GTX card. They are doing a little better in gaming benchmarks than the X2900 XT.
ATI does not perform as well with OpenGL as nVidia cards.

 

[Topper]

One more thing to consider is that the GTX (and, I assume the GTX Ultra) are long/large cards. I don't know how/if they'd fit into a Mac Pro case.

There was a rumor in February that Apple may put a ATI Radeon 2800 XT crossfire card in the Mac Pro.
That 2800 XT crossfire would be a long/large card. And it would probably require a large power supply.
In February also, LoopRumors said that Apple plans to redesign the Mac Pro.

 

[krunk]

I sure thought that ATI Radeon HD X2900 XT will be better than the nVidia GeForce 8800GTS, GTX or even Ultra.
The current graphics cards will probably replaced with these:
nVidia GeForce 7300 GT ------------> nVidia GeForce 8300 GT
ATI Radeon X1900 XT ---------------> ATI Radeon HD X2900 XT
nVidia Quadro FX 4500 ---------------> nVidia GeForce 8800GTX or Ultra

They'll never in a million years replace the 4500 Quadro with the 8800 consumer cards.

They serve two completely different purposes and in fact, for what it was made for, the Quadro FX 4500 stomps all over the 8800 cards like red headed step child.

The new Quadro FX 5600's are the most likely upgrade path for the 3d rendering/CAD/CAM world.

 

[dartzorichalcos]

They serve two completely different purposes and in fact, for what it was made for, the Quadro FX 4500 stomps all over the 8800 cards like red headed step child.

Sorry, I thought they were comparable. I haven't found any benchmarks between those 2 cards. Sorry, I just like to predict.

 

[suneohair]

Krunk, most people don't understand what a Quadro is. I remember when the Pro first came out people are like "Should I get the Quadro?" or "Why would I spend $1000 more for a few FPS!!!?"

Pretty funny really. Anyhow, I hope we see a nice Mac Pro update in Aug/Sept. My money is ready.

 

[krunk]

Krunk, most people don't understand what a Quadro is. I remember when the Pro first came out people are like "Should I get the Quadro?" or "Why would I spend $1000 more for a few FPS!!!?"

Pretty funny really. Anyhow, I hope we see a nice Mac Pro update in Aug/Sept. My money is ready.

My finger is quite literally hovering over the buy button. . . and has been. Yeah, yeah, if you "need" then buy it. I guess I don't *need*...but can't stop that kid before christmas WANT WANT WANT!!!

 

[iW00t]

At the time I created this thread, I was still reeling from Apple's inability to deliver the SS motherboard with 8-cores in the first place. I realized soon afterwards that it was probably Intel's inability to deliver the SS motherboard on time - promised for first quarter of 2007 - that was the culprit. Nevertheless, I had no business bashing anyone for doing the best they can under whatever technological impasse they may have been facing.

Seriously, does it matter?

Does your work need to involve changing a hard drive on a MacBook Pro like every day?

If the avatar is really your picture, are you even working at this age?

If a pre-SS board does not have certain memory coherency features. Again, does it matter? No offense, but the expected lifetime of a current Octo-core MP is probably a lot more than the expected remaining lifetime of yours.

There is more to life than just a stupid computer, and for someone who was pretty damned pissed over the pre-SR MacBook Pro screens (just roll over to the notebook forum and check some older posts) I do find you very amusing.

 

[Multimedia]

Yeah The Anticipation Is Starting To Kill Me

Krunk, most people don't understand what a Quadro is. I remember when the Pro first came out people are like "Should I get the Quadro?" or "Why would I spend $1000 more for a few FPS!!!?"

Pretty funny really. Anyhow, I hope we see a nice Mac Pro update in Aug/Sept. My money is ready.

My finger is quite literally hovering over the buy button. . . and has been. Yeah, yeah, if you "need" then buy it. I guess I don't *need*...but can't stop that kid before christmas WANT WANT WANT!!!

My anxiety level is through the roof. I almost succumbed to the lure of an old 2.66GHz Quad yesterday just to have something new. Thank God they sold like hot cakes and are already gone to temp me no more until the next batch arrives again next week.

 

[Multimedia]

Amusement Is My #1 Goal Here

... I do find you very amusing.

Glad to hear it. That's my main goal here. Appreciate the complement.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

My anxiety level is through the roof. I almost succumbed to the lure of an old 2.66GHz Quad yesterday just to have something new. Thank God they sold like hot cakes and are already gone to temp me no more until the next batch arrives again next week.

It's tempting isn't it Multimedia ;-) I have my finger hovering over the "Buy" button at the moment, and I think I'll press it pretty soon - I'll wait one more Tuesday I think. This cash is burning a hole in my pocket.

 

[72930]

My anxiety level is through the roof. I almost succumbed to the lure of an old 2.66GHz Quad yesterday just to have something new. Thank God they sold like hot cakes and are already gone to temp me no more until the next batch arrives again next week.

Yes, but it will pay off, and you know it...

 

[ob81]

It's tempting isn't it Multimedia ;-) I have my finger hovering over the "Buy" button at the moment, and I think I'll press it pretty soon - I'll wait one more Tuesday I think. This cash is burning a hole in my pocket.

Don't do it. DO NOT DO IT!! The new Mac Pro will be much better than the current version. Hands down. Yeah yeah, either version would be more than sufficient for whatever task you wanted to do, but every night when you logged off, you will wish you would have waited for cheaper 8-core.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

Don't do it. DO NOT DO IT!! The new Mac Pro will be much better than the current version. Hands down. Yeah yeah, either version would be more than sufficient for whatever task you wanted to do, but every night when you logged off, you will wish you would have waited for cheaper 8-core.

I'm not actually going to be going the 8-Core route, I'll be going with a 2.00 or 2.66Ghz 4 Core machine. I've already ordered a second 500GB HDD and 2 x 1GB RAM from OWC.

 

[ob81]

I'm not actually going to be going the 8-Core route, I'll be going with a 2.00 or 2.66Ghz 4 Core machine. I've already ordered a second 500GB HDD and 2 x 1GB RAM from OWC.

Nice, I was checking out OWC also. There is a chance that you may be able to get 8-core for what we are paying for 4 now though. I only need 4 though. Its a touchy issue of having 2.0 as an option. I mean , the 2.66 is marginally better, and you would only save like a few hundred bucks.

Whats weird is, I am having more issues trying to piece together a decent monitor setup, that fits into my Mac Pro budget.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

Nice, I was checking out OWC also. There is a chance that you may be able to get 8-core for what we are paying for 4 now though. I only need 4 though. Its a touchy issue of having 2.0 as an option. I mean , the 2.66 is marginally better, and you would only save like a few hundred bucks.

Whats weird is, I am having more issues trying to piece together a decent monitor setup, that fits into my Mac Pro budget.

Yeah, I picked up the Seagate 7200RPM 500GB HDD at $149.99. I was going to limp with a cheaper 400GB, but the OCD inside of me wanted to go with an even number for when I added more drives in the future. Besides, $150 wasn't too bad for all that storage space.

Regarding the specs of the actual machine. I want to go for the 2.66Ghz version, but something inside me tells me to get the 2.00Ghz. I don't do anything hefty on the processor (other than the occasional Aperture use) and I feel like I'd just be wasting processor cycles even with the 2.00Ghz machine.

I have my heart set on Dual 2407 Dell Displays to hook up to the machine, they look pretty darn good and are at a price which can't really be beaten.

Back to the waiting..2.00 or 2.66 now, or wait a little longer. I'm at the end of my straw.

 

[ob81]

Yeah, I picked up the Seagate 7200RPM 500GB HDD at $149.99. I was going to limp with a cheaper 400GB, but the OCD inside of me wanted to go with an even number for when I added more drives in the future. Besides, $150 wasn't too bad for all that storage space.

Regarding the specs of the actual machine. I want to go for the 2.66Ghz version, but something inside me tells me to get the 2.00Ghz. I don't do anything hefty on the processor (other than the occasional Aperture use) and I feel like I'd just be wasting processor cycles even with the 2.00Ghz machine.

I have my heart set on Dual 2407 Dell Displays to hook up to the machine, they look pretty darn good and are at a price which can't really be beaten.

Back to the waiting..2.00 or 2.66 now, or wait a little longer. I'm at the end of my straw.

I won't feel so bad getting Dell displays knowing that another die hard apple fan didn't get the ACD.

 

[Glenn Wolsey]

I won't feel so bad getting Dell displays knowing that another die hard apple fan didn't get the ACD.

Honestly, I went over the idea of Apple displays so many times early on when I was deciding what I wanted to purchase, but logic kept telling me the Dell 2407 displays are the way to go. They looks pretty sleek, will match my diNovo Edge and MX Revolution peripherals, and they are at a price point cheaper than the Apple screens. I'll be purchasing two of them alongside the Mac Pro when I order.

 

[Trekkie]

Honestly, I went over the idea of Apple displays so many times early on when I was deciding what I wanted to purchase, but logic kept telling me the Dell 2407 displays are the way to go. They looks pretty sleek, will match my diNovo Edge and MX Revolution peripherals, and they are at a price point cheaper than the Apple screens. I'll be purchasing two of them alongside the Mac Pro when I order.

Wonder how many you'll have to send back for replacements, or have they fixed the banding issues? Everything I've read in photography forums while researching the monitor says they're awesome once you get one that works.

 

[krunk]

Wonder how many you'll have to send back for replacements, or have they fixed the banding issues? Everything I've read in photography forums while researching the monitor says they're awesome once you get one that works.

The ACD's are pretty bad too. After my experiences with my two ACD's and the dreaded "smudge" issue (google it, search apple discussions, it's common as dirt) I can't see myself paying a premium for them again.

Two ACD's, 4 or 5mths apart, both developed smudges. The odd's of that happening unless ACD's are inherently flawed/defective are less then getting struck by lightening.

 

[Trekkie]

The ACD's are pretty bad too. After my experiences with my two ACD's and the dreaded "smudge" issue (google it, search apple discussions, it's common as dirt) I can't see myself paying a premium for them again.

Two ACD's, 4 or 5mths apart, both developed smudges. The odd's of that happening unless ACD's are inherently flawed/defective are less then getting struck by lightening.

That must be what my brother is talking about, he has a 20" and said it looked like a thumbprint.

I wasn't saying the ACD was the end all to be all, just that the Dell is you get what you pay for.

I'd invest in something else entirely as mentioned above.

 

[krunk]

That must be what my brother is talking about, he has a 20" and said it looked like a thumbprint.

I wasn't saying the ACD was the end all to be all, just that the Dell is you get what you pay for.

I'd invest in something else entirely as mentioned above.

Totally, I'm not a graphic designer so the only really negative effect for me is the bitterness of paying for a less then perfect product. Graphics designers should pony up for top notch LCD.

 

[suneohair]

Very promising quote from Steve Jobs for the waiters

The first leg is the Mac business, which Steve addressed by saying that they have the "best Macs" in the new product pipeline ever right now, and that the stuff coming out in the next year is "off the charts."

 

[jrlcopy]

Very promising quote from Steve Jobs for the waiters

The first leg is the Mac business, which Steve addressed by saying that they have the "best Macs" in the new product pipeline ever right now, and that the stuff coming out in the next year is "off the charts."

Gah, I don't want to wait another 12 months... waaaaaaa .

Guess my macbook will have to last a little longer, common lil' buddy.

 

[statikcat]

Very promising quote from Steve Jobs for the waiters

The first leg is the Mac business, which Steve addressed by saying that they have the "best Macs" in the new product pipeline ever right now, and that the stuff coming out in the next year is "off the charts."

Huh, he quoted updates not until January+?

 

[Umbongo]

Gah, I don't want to wait another 12 months... waaaaaaa .

Guess my macbook will have to last a little longer, common lil' buddy.

Huh, he quoted updates not until January+?

He means over the course of the next 12 months.