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

[Topper]

If we do get a new Pro in November, I wonder will there be supply issues with limited stock.

I'm not too worried about there being a limited supply.
I am slightly worried that there could be a delay getting a bto Mac Pro.

 

[areve]

At last !
9to5mac has heard things concerning the MacPros.

1. New Enclosure. We've heard that the enclosure is getting smaller (finally!). Still Aluminum, still relatively large, still with four drive slots. Easy open case more like the G4 desktops. Hopefully better handles too.

5. What better way to run cool and cut power consumption than with a 45nm Penryn Chip from Intel? We've heard things…

but

We got to thinking that the MacPros were in fact due for an update at or around Macworld

 

[Topper]

At last !
9to5mac has heard things concerning the MacPros.

How about their number 10?

10. Now make this all affordable. We are not talking $399.99 affordable of course but drop the barrier to entry a bit. Perhaps $1499? Some additional gamers will come into the fold if you have the fastest processor and a great video card.

$1499? Can't take them very seriously with that one.

 

[suneohair]

At last !
9to5mac has heard things concerning the MacPros.

How about their number 10?

$1499? Can't take them very seriously with that one.

That post is nothing more than what they would like to see. They have no more to go on other than what we have, which is the rumor about Apple hoarding the Harpertowns. That is the only thing they have heard, everything else is nothing more than dreams. The OP should not post such sensational titles for links.

 

[netdog]

That post is nothing more than what they would like to see. They have no more to go on other than what we have, which is the rumor about Apple hoarding the Harpertowns. That is the only thing they have heard, everything else is nothing more than dreams. The OP should not post such sensational titles for links.

Not true. Read it and see.

A good example is the first expectation listed...

1. New Enclosure. We've heard that the enclosure is getting smaller (finally!). Still Aluminum, still relatively large, still with four drive slots. Easy open case more like the G4 desktops. Hopefully better handles too.

When 9 to 5 says that they have heard something, it tends to be true.

Further, that's the first that I've heard of it (beyond the endless moaning by myself and others for a mid-sized headless Mac).

If you are going to accuse me of misleading headlines, be sure that you are right.

I bet these babies don't come until Macworld, and that wasn't an opinion I had before this article. 9 to 5 Mac tend to be right, and they say, "...we got to thinking that the MacPros were in fact due for an update at or around Macworld.", I think they are calling it.

Anyway, I hope we are clear that there is more to the article than what they would like to see.

 

[irishgrizzly]

I bet these babies don't come until Macworld

Nuts

 

[krunk]

A good example is the first expectation listed...

I saw that differently, as in that is the only expectation they had any reason above idle wishing to be true.

 

[Multimedia]

Commentary on 9 to 5 Mac.com's Wish List

Regarding 10 Things We'd Expect to See in the New MacPros

1. New Enclosure. We've heard that the enclosure is getting smaller (finally!). Still Aluminum, still relatively large, still with four drive slots. Easy open case more like the G4 desktops. Hopefully better handles too.

I doubt it. The enclosure is already perfect. But I understand a change to the enclosure is inevitable.

2. Blu-Ray option. Not Just for movie editing but also for storing 50GB of files and sending off to a client or home with a user. Although we never thought we'd say it, DVDs - even double sided ones - are too small. It is time for Apple to get on board.

Rocket Science.

3. Cooler running - not louder. Those fans are loud and annoying on the current Mac Pros. Liquid cooled enclosures, while more expensive are a much more elegant solution. We know there were leaks in previous versions that had to cool the over clocked G5s. We are talking cooling done right here.

I can't hear my Mac Pro fans. What Mac Pro are they referring to?

4. Consume less energy. We love power but we also love clean air and Middle East peace and all of that so perhaps Apple, while you are at it, cut down our energy usage!

Penryns do that. A politically correct point.

5. What better way to run cool and cut power consumption than with a 45nm Penryn Chip from Intel? We've heard things…

Harpertown should make that possible.

6. eSATA external storage. Firewire 800 doesn’t do it for us anymore. We need more speed and storage options. eSATA is coming out of the woodwork as the new standard for super high speed drives while external drives and arrays are coming down in price dramatically.
Fiber is nice as well but a bit overkill for workstations.

Agreed.

7.Strong Video/ HDMI out. Sometimes we want to present stuff on a HDTV. This would cost very little but coolness would be awesome. Do it just to say you did it. This of course would be part of an extremely high end video card option. Steve, we know Apple likes to have options when it comes to Processors. We like options when it comes to video cards.

I'd like to see both HDMI and eSATA i/o on the motherboard with those ports along side the existing set - in addition to not instead of.

8. 10GB Ethernet. If not now, soon. If not Apple, who? 10Gb Ethernet cards are coming down around $100/pop and switches that utilize them are also coming down. Maybe not on all models but top end video rigs? Sure.

Sounds good to me. First I've heard of it.

9. Hardware RAID standard. Apple introduced the $1000 add on card a few months ago. Now it is time to build it in. And not just for internal drives, external as well. And Ohhhh boy – when that ZFS comes along.

Sounds good to me too. Like a real fantasy story.

10. Now make this all affordable. We are not talking $399.99 affordable of course but drop the barrier to entry a bit. Perhaps $1499? Some additional gamers will come into the fold if you have the fastest processor and a great video card.

In your dreams. I doubt gamers are even on the radar screen of how they choose their specifications for Mac Pros. Why should more cost less? I expect to spend $5K on this Mac Pro. Anyone who thinks they will get in for less than $2K is kidding themselves. And that will be for a fairly minimal configuration.

 

[Topper]

Anyway, I hope we are clear that there is more to the article than what they would like to see.

You get no agreement from me.
Most of it is just a wish list.
What few actual predictions they are making could have been made by most of people in here.

"4. Consume less energy. We love power but we also love clean air and Middle East peace and all of that so perhaps Apple, while you are at it, cut down our energy usage!"

What kind of prediction is this?

"5. What better way to run cool and cut power consumption than with a 45nm Penryn Chip from Intel? We've heard things…"

They going way out on the limb by predicting Penryn chips.

I am sitting here laughing at the part where they suggest the $1000 raid card be built-in and then expect the price to be lowered by $1000 to $1499.

 

[Multimedia]

NetDog Needs A Bone

You get no agreement from me.
Most of it is just a wish list.
What few actual predictions they are making could have been made by most of people in here.

They going way out on the limb by predicting Penryn chips.

I am sitting here laughing at the part where they suggest the $1000 raid card be built-in and then expect the price to be lowered by $1000 to $1499.

I think netdog is looking for a BONE.

 

[netdog]

I think netdog is looking for a BONE.

De Nile ain't just a river in Egypt Multi.


As you know, nothing would make me happier than to see these things announced this month.

 

[suneohair]

Not true. Read it and see.

A good example is the first expectation listed...

1. New Enclosure. We've heard that the enclosure is getting smaller (finally!). Still Aluminum, still relatively large, still with four drive slots. Easy open case more like the G4 desktops. Hopefully better handles too.

When 9 to 5 says that they have heard something, it tends to be true.

Further, that's the first that I've heard of it (beyond the endless moaning by myself and others for a mid-sized headless Mac).

If you are going to accuse me of misleading headlines, be sure that you are right.

I bet these babies don't come until Macworld, and that wasn't an opinion I had before this article. 9 to 5 Mac tend to be right, and they say, "...we got to thinking that the MacPros were in fact due for an update at or around Macworld.", I think they are calling it.

Anyway, I hope we are clear that there is more to the article than what they would like to see.

Are all those things rumored? Or are they expectations about a future Mac Pro? How many of them are duhs? All 10 things are seemingly (based on the exclusion of "we've heard") not rumors. Your title of the link was "9to5mac has heard things concerning the Mac Pro" which, IMO is a sensational title considering the majority of the things were not rumors, the article itself was even called things we expect to see.

I stand by what I said, I don't know what motive you had for giving the article a different title than the one the author gave, but I don't think that move was warranted by 1) a rumor we know 2) a rumor about the case with no backing.

I read the whole article and it was duly noted. However, I do not take it as fact, like you seem to be, considering they chose not to call it, "We have deets on the new Mac Pros" and favored "Things we expect to see in the new Mac Pro."

Further, I don't care when it comes out. I am waiting until it does. Now, of course I would like it to come out sooner rather than later. But as far as a cutoff date, it exists only in the form of writing Apple off if they delay past next Spring. Which I don't think is likely. So, I am not chosing to say it is bull, I just don't think it has as much force as you seemed to proclaim it has based on the title you gave it, and further in the reply to me.

I don't really understand your point in supposing it won't come out til Macworld. It seems to have a purpose of sparking frustration than helpfulness (please don't assume I am angry or frustrated). I would rather not carry this on any longer. I think we have both made our points. Feel free to reply, but if it includes more of the same, lets not. Deal?

 

[krunk]

In your dreams. I doubt gamers are even on the radar screen of how they choose their specifications for Mac Pros.

They're probably speaking of the ever pined for mid range Mac desktop.

I notice apple folks are quick to discount the gamer market as insignificant. It's good to remember that our level of consumer technology we enjoy today is in large part due to gamers.

They drive new hd formats: Gamers drive the blue-ray market

They drive our graphics abilities: Game chips drive technology

Gamers drive cutting edge computer tech all around: Video gamers drive high-end PC design

There's also a reason why the desktop cpu's come out before server chips. Gamers are early adopters and buy on much more frequent cycles. For example, you had a powermac G5 up until recently and then bought an after market mac pro to tide you over because the G5 was good enough.

Gamers drop cash every time the next best thing comes out. Thus, every gamer is the equiv of 2 or more professional and 3 or 4 consumers in revenue.

MS knows this, which is why they put so many of their resources into DirectX. Dell, HP, etc knows this. Even Steve knows this Steve Jobs Talks Mac Gaming (though he has yet to act on it)

Instead of poo poo'ing gamers, we should be thanking them for our cheap and affordable computers we have today. Instead of shunning them as a non-issue, we should be courting them with amazing new tech.

Gamers are the "geek down the street" that everyone listens to when they want to buy a system and everyone calls when they need help.

I'd like to think Apple isn't stupid. I'd also like to think that they're a true corporation (yeah, I'm capitalist) and so wish to maximize profits and market share for their share holders. I'd like to think they're a top notch computer technology company that provides high end products and a solid OS.

If any one of these are true, I don't find it outside the realm of believability that we'll see a product that appeals to this group or a modification of current products to meet the demand.

 

[AidenShaw]

$100 PC motherboards have hardware RAID

I am sitting here laughing at the part where they suggest the $1000 raid card be built-in and then expect the price to be lowered by $1000 to $1499.

HW RAID is a standard feature on a number of really cheap PC motherboards.

Many of the mainstream desktop Intel chipsets, like the G35, have standard RAID.
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/matrixstorage_sb.htm

While these are less capable than Apple's $1000 card, they're probably adequate for many users. The people who don't think they're adequate probably won't be concerned about the $1000 price tag on the Apple card.

 

[netdog]

Are all those things rumored? Or are they expectations about a future Mac Pro? How many of them are duhs? All 10 things are seemingly (based on the exclusion of "we've heard") not rumors. Your title of the link was "9to5mac has heard things concerning the Mac Pro" which, IMO is a sensational title considering the majority of the things were not rumors, the article itself was even called things we expect to see.

I stand by what I said, I don't know what motive you had for giving the article a different title than the one the author gave, but I don't think that move was warranted by 1) a rumor we know 2) a rumor about the case with no backing.

I read the whole article and it was duly noted. However, I do not take it as fact, like you seem to be, considering they chose not to call it, "We have deets on the new Mac Pros" and favored "Things we expect to see in the new Mac Pro."

Further, I don't care when it comes out. I am waiting until it does. Now, of course I would like it to come out sooner rather than later. But as far as a cutoff date, it exists only in the form of writing Apple off if they delay past next Spring. Which I don't think is likely. So, I am not chosing to say it is bull, I just don't think it has as much force as you seemed to proclaim it has based on the title you gave it, and further in the reply to me.

I don't really understand your point in supposing it won't come out til Macworld. It seems to have a purpose of sparking frustration than helpfulness (please don't assume I am angry or frustrated). I would rather not carry this on any longer. I think we have both made our points. Feel free to reply, but if it includes more of the same, lets not. Deal?

Dude, when it comes out at Macworld, you'll see how good 9 to 5 is. If it comes out earlier, you'll see me in line right in front of you to pick my Mac Pro up.

They also told us they hear it is going to be smaller.

It isn't just expectations.

 

[krunk]

Dude, when it comes out at Macworld, you'll see how good 9 to 5 is. If it comes out earlier, you'll see me in line right in front of you to pick my Mac Pro up.

They also told us they hear it is going to be smaller.

It isn't just expectations.

I think the contention is that the case redesign is the only thing they said they "heard". Everything else looks like speculation.

 

[darthraige]

I honestly don't care anymore. I'm breaking my "MP waiting list status" second week of November. I am in the "Need it, Buy it" stage. Too many projects due. Getting pissed. And no one seems to know anything at the moment... Can ya tell I'm having a great day at work?

 

[Multimedia]

I Agree It's Gotta Happen By November 14 At The Latest

I honestly don't care anymore. I'm breaking my "MP waiting list status" second week of November. I am in the "Need it, Buy it" stage. Too many projects due. Getting pissed. And no one seems to know anything at the moment... Can ya tell I'm having a great day at work?

I can relate. I sure hope Apple is preparing one hell of a monster set of announcements for next week.

 

[netdog]

I honestly don't care anymore. I'm breaking my "MP waiting list status" second week of November. I am in the "Need it, Buy it" stage. Too many projects due. Getting pissed. And no one seems to know anything at the moment... Can ya tell I'm having a great day at work?

Whether it's a Harpertown, Clovertown or just a "plain old 2.66 quad", you're going to have a great day in November.

 

[darthraige]

Whether it's a Harpertown, Clovertown or just a "plain old 2.66 quad", you're going to have a great day in November.

Thanks, I'm sure it will be night and day between one of those systems compared to my G4 Dual 800 Megahertz. And with Leopard coming out, maybe it will be faster too.

 

[darthraige]

I can relate. I sure hope Apple is preparing one hell of a monster set of announcements for next week.

Right. You would think that, since they made us wait and wait and wait for Leopard after they lied about Spring time. They owe us big time!

 

[Wild-Bill]

If it comes out earlier, you'll see me in line right in front of you to pick my Mac Pro up.

I'll be the guy ahead of you.

 

[Umbongo]

I notice apple folks are quick to discount the gamer market as insignificant. It's good to remember that our level of consumer technology we enjoy today is in large part due to gamers.

That may all be true, but it doesn't mean that there is money to be made with Apple's business model from the gamer market.

 

[Simplesimon101]

THE SITU:

i'm getting a mac pro given to me for my dyslexia, cos i'm at uni (motion graphics and animation) and the council are being kind to me (evidently VERY kind!). this shiney new box of dreams will replace my G3 ibook (not so good for motion graphics) i know the current one will be great but the thing is i don't have bags of cash to spend on new Macs every 3months so this computer needs to last for as LONG as poss... but i also sorta need it now for uni (though i can beg, steal and borrow time on other peoples for the time being... or go into uni and use theirs)

THE $64,000 QUESTION: (well £2600 question)

is... if you where in my situ what date would you wait for until you just think screw it i'm gonna go buy one? i;m thinking it'd be silly not to wait for leopard & 12th nov? (there's no way i'd wait until Macworld) or would you just get it now?

any wisdom is good...

PS... sorry you probably hate questions like this... i bet someone will show me that 'should i buy' choice making chart thing.

 

[Eidorian]

I'd wait as long as possible given it's this late in the waiting game. Buy one before there's a chance of losing your funds though.