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2016 (?) Mac Pro vs 2013 Mac Pro

L

LoftyHammond

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 19, 2014
35
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I've held off from buying a Mac Pro for about a year now. My 2012 rMBP has been able to keep up with my tasks so far, but is starting to show signs of struggling. I was heavily considering the newly refreshed 5k iMac, but have due it not fitting into my work load (which I will list below).

I've been waiting for a while, so waiting a little more for a (possibly) new Mac Pro in 2016 doesn't concern me too much, what does concern me though is wether the wait will be worth it. Considering this will be the 2nd iteration of the nMP, I'm assuming there will be a noticeable performance increase (in both computational power, and SSD speeds). I'm going to assume that the updated nMP will have the screamers of SSDs that are found in the new 5k iMac and Macbook Pro. What I can't assume is what the computational power increase will be with the new processors and graphics cards.

Anybody with want to chime in?

I use FCPX, CCS, C4D, Maya, and Office.

Yes, I could get a older Mac Pro and upgrade it or build a PC. I do not want to, mainly because the form factor to power ratio of the nMP is very appealing to me. Also, I really appreciate the engineering that has gone into it.
 
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I think it is very possible we'll see a refresh of the Mac Pro in 2016. If history repeats itself Apple skips CPU architecture changes (Sandy Bridge-E, Haswell-E) and refreshes the Mac Pro on process node changes (e.g. Ivy Bridge-E). Broadwell-E is slated for release in Q4 of this year, so I think it is reasonable to expect Apple may use these chips for a refresh.

If this is the case the main advantages will be:

- Faster CPUs, ~15% faster clock for clock versus current Ivy Bridge-E chips
- DDR4 memory
- Faster GPUs
- Faster SSDs
- Possibly Thunderbolt 3

If I were to bet, these will be refreshed at WWDC next year
 
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Thanks for the replies guys!

I hope it does indeed come next year. I waited this year hoping for a refresh, and so far am out of luck. Really want this machine to be powerful enough to last me a while.
 
It sounds like you can wait, so you definitely should. The nMP is almost two years old now, and Apple still charges the exact same price for it as release day. Because of that it's a really bad deal right now. The day the nMP2 comes out, you will see a substantially better computer for exactly the same price.

Jonisign's post is a good summary of what people are expecting to see.
 
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ActionableMango said:
It sounds like you can wait, so you definitely should. The nMP is almost two years old now, and Apple still charges the exact same price for it as release day. Because of that it's a really bad deal right now. The day the nMP2 comes out, you will see a substantially better computer for exactly the same price.

Jonisign's post is a good summary of what people are expecting to see.
Click to expand...

That's the route I'm going to go. I'll be the first one with a nMP2 :b.
 
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lowendlinux said:
Will the computer make you money you wouldn't normally make? If so buy, if not don't
Click to expand...

I can hold down the fort with my rMBP right now. It's struggles, but still gets the job done. The nMP is mainly to alleviate the load on my rMBP and to up my computing power.
 
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LoftyHammond said:
Their refurbished units looked tasty, but now that I think about it, they still aren't worth the price with those components being used.
Click to expand...

I agree. I have bought Mac refurbs myself, including my current MP. The problem with the refurbs currently is that their discount is based off of the current price, and the current price is the whole problem.

The refurbs themselves are fantastic though. Full length warranty, eligible for Apple Care, typically in perfect or near perfect condition, and occasionally include unlisted/unexpected upgrades.
 
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LoftyHammond said:
Thanks for the replies guys!

I hope it does indeed come next year. I waited this year hoping for a refresh, and so far am out of luck. Really want this machine to be powerful enough to last me a while.
Click to expand...
What are you currently running?

I want a nMP but all I can afford is my cMP 3,1 but .... I still really love it though. Put a AMD 7970 in it with a USB 3 card and a planned PCI SSD card to come. I have 10 gigs of Ram and 8 TB worth of storage. This baby is so stinking awesome. If we see a mid 2016 "2017 Model" to celebrate the 10th Anniversary as some have suggested ..... Then maybe I can scarf up someone's 2013. Any way it goes ... I win. So can you. I have $650 invested so far with a 30 " monitor that came with the 3,1
 
LoftyHammond said:
I've held off from buying a Mac Pro for about a year now. My 2012 rMBP has been able to keep up with my tasks so far, but is starting to show signs of struggling. I was heavily considering the newly refreshed 5k iMac, but have due it not fitting into my work load (which I will list below).

I've been waiting for a while, so waiting a little more for a (possibly) new Mac Pro in 2016 doesn't concern me too much, what does concern me though is wether the wait will be worth it. Considering this will be the 2nd iteration of the nMP, I'm assuming there will be a noticeable performance increase (in both computational power, and SSD speeds). I'm going to assume that the updated nMP will have the screamers of SSDs that are found in the new 5k iMac and Macbook Pro. What I can't assume is what the computational power increase will be with the new processors and graphics cards.

Anybody with want to chime in?

I use FCPX, CCS, C4D, Maya, and Office.

Yes, I could get a older Mac Pro and upgrade it or build a PC. I do not want to, mainly because the form factor to power ratio of the nMP is very appealing to me. Also, I really appreciate the engineering that has gone into it.
Click to expand...

You might as well wait...however, we don't know when the next refresh will occur. If you need it now...sure...buy it in refurbished type.
If you don't need it...sure...don't buy it. Do you need it?
 
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JimmyPainter said:
What are you currently running?

I want a nMP but all I can afford is my cMP 3,1 but .... I still really love it though. Put a AMD 7970 in it with a USB 3 card and a planned PCI SSD card to come. I have 10 gigs of Ram and 8 TB worth of storage. This baby is so stinking awesome. If we see a mid 2016 "2017 Model" to celebrate the 10th Anniversary as some have suggested ..... Then maybe I can scarf up someone's 2013. Any way it goes ... I win. So can you. I have $650 invested so far with a 30 " monitor that came with the 3,1
Click to expand...

Right now, my main machine is my mid 2012 rMBP. It's has the 2.6ghz i7, 650m, 8gb ram, and 512gb of flash storage. For writing, leisure, and photography it's runs fine. But, when it comes to 3D modeling/rendering and video editing/exporting it starts struggling a bit. I can still work with it, but I really don't think pushing this thing for the hours that I need for necessary is all that healthy (hence why I stopped rendering 3D scenes on it).

Considering that I've been able in the market for a Mac Pro since around this time last year, I don't think a few (6 maybe) more months of waiting will kill me. I was in a similar situation when I was buying a MBP.
 
pat500000 said:
You might as well wait...however, we don't know when the next refresh will occur. If you need it now...sure...buy it in refurbished type.
If you don't need it...sure...don't buy it. Do you need it?
Click to expand...

It's more of a want/convenience than a need for me, so I'm waiting it out.
 
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LoftyHammond said:
I've held off from buying a Mac Pro for about a year now. My 2012 rMBP has been able to keep up with my tasks so far, but is starting to show signs of struggling. I was heavily considering the newly refreshed 5k iMac, but have due it not fitting into my work load (which I will list below).

I've been waiting for a while, so waiting a little more for a (possibly) new Mac Pro in 2016 doesn't concern me too much, what does concern me though is wether the wait will be worth it. Considering this will be the 2nd iteration of the nMP, I'm assuming there will be a noticeable performance increase (in both computational power, and SSD speeds). I'm going to assume that the updated nMP will have the screamers of SSDs that are found in the new 5k iMac and Macbook Pro. What I can't assume is what the computational power increase will be with the new processors and graphics cards.

Anybody with want to chime in?

I use FCPX, CCS, C4D, Maya, and Office.

Yes, I could get a older Mac Pro and upgrade it or build a PC. I do not want to, mainly because the form factor to power ratio of the nMP is very appealing to me. Also, I really appreciate the engineering that has gone into it.
Click to expand...

I think the wait will be worth it. The 6,1 is a powerhouse with its dual GPU workflow to be sure, however those cards are going on 4 years old and are still being sold by Apple at full price. The promise of Thunderbolt 3 and the latest SSDs make the upcoming model worth the wait if you don't need a new machine at this moment. My guess is that the CPUs won't receive as drastic of an upgrade but if you are coming from a rMBP the difference will be huge anyway.
 
Zwhaler said:
I think the wait will be worth it. The 6,1 is a powerhouse with its dual GPU workflow to be sure, however those cards are going on 4 years old and are still being sold by Apple at full price. The promise of Thunderbolt 3 and the latest SSDs make the upcoming model worth the wait if you don't need a new machine at this moment. My guess is that the CPUs won't receive as drastic of an upgrade but if you are coming from a rMBP the difference will be huge anyway.
Click to expand...
'
If (and only if) your workflow can use multi-GPU OpenCL.

If your workflow doesn't use OpenCL -- the MP6,1 is an over-priced, under-powered pretty toy.
 
Zwhaler said:
I think the wait will be worth it. The 6,1 is a powerhouse with its dual GPU workflow to be sure, however those cards are going on 4 years old and are still being sold by Apple at full price. The promise of Thunderbolt 3 and the latest SSDs make the upcoming model worth the wait if you don't need a new machine at this moment. My guess is that the CPUs won't receive as drastic of an upgrade but if you are coming from a rMBP the difference will be huge anyway.
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking. The new SSDs used in the iMac murder the ones used in the nMP.
 
AidenShaw said:
'
If (and only if) your workflow can use multi-GPU OpenCL.

If your workflow doesn't use OpenCL -- the MP6,1 is an over-priced, under-powered pretty toy.
Click to expand...

That is true. FCP utilizes the nMP's hardware pretty well, as well as some Adobe stuff, but not some of the 3D softwares. That being said, compared to my rMBP, it would still be a significant upgrade (even tho it's not the smartest/efficient choice currently).
 
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LoftyHammond said:
That is true. FCP utilizes the nMP's hardware pretty well, as well as some Adobe stuff, but not some of the 3D softwares. That being said, compared to my rMBP, it would still be a significant upgrade (even tho it's not the smartest/efficient choice currently).
Click to expand...

Take your "3D" Software and your MBP down to your local Apple Store and find you an UBER Geek. Not all of the Apple folks are as Geeky as some but you can usually spot them with the Giant Smiles they have talking up the 5K iMacs or the nMP Tubes. Ask him if it's ok to load a demo of your software and a file or 2. Then start a Test Render that takes 15 min or so. Watch how the little baby runs cause you sure won't hear it ...LOL Then while your at it hold your hand over it while it's churning away. It feels like a Stove pipe blowing nice warm goodness. Compare 15 minutes in to where your MBP is. Then ... try to convince yourself not to buy. That's what I did but I took my smaller slower MBA. I think the wait will be worth it but even the current model is almost too much to pass on. One of the ONLY times in my life where NOT having the money has saved me. I love the old G5's all the way thru the nMP. Who am I kidding ... I Love it all. If the Newest nMP ever does show ... I am just hoping to scarf up someone's left-over 2013.
 
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JimmyPainter said:
Take your "3D" Software and your MBP down to your local Apple Store and find you an UBER Geek. Not all of the Apple folks are as Geeky as some but you can usually spot them with the Giant Smiles they have talking up the 5K iMacs or the nMP Tubes. Ask him if it's ok to load a demo of your software and a file or 2. Then start a Test Render that takes 15 min or so. Watch how the little baby runs cause you sure won't hear it ...LOL Then while your at it hold your hand over it while it's churning away. It feels like a Stove pipe blowing nice warm goodness. Compare 15 minutes in to where your MBP is. Then ... try to convince yourself not to buy. That's what I did but I took my smaller slower MBA. I think the wait will be worth it but even the current model is almost too much to pass on. One of the ONLY times in my life where NOT having the money has saved me. I love the old G5's all the way thru the nMP. Who am I kidding ... I Love it all. If the Newest nMP ever does show ... I am just hoping to scarf up someone's left-over 2013.
Click to expand...

I actually did tested a file on a 6 core around the time that the new 5k iMac came out. That test was the reason I decided to hold out for a nnMP. I've pretty much stopped going to just any Apple store with the exception of a few that have UBER Geeks. Not only do they actually help out, but they're fun to talk with as well.
 
LoftyHammond said:
I actually did tested a file on a 6 core around the time that the new 5k iMac came out. That test was the reason I decided to hold out for a nnMP. I've pretty much stopped going to just any Apple store with the exception of a few that have UBER Geeks. Not only do they actually help out, but they're fun to talk with as well.
Click to expand...

I am in the same boat as you. I am running a macbook pro 2011 which is starting to show its age. I really want the added performance of the mac pro for scientific computing, photo/video editing and gaming but right now the 2013 version is just not a good buy with how dated the hardware is. Here is to hoping we get an updated one by the summer.
 
I think there is a very real chance we wont see a nMP update till 2017. The real chipsets we want are on the intel roadmap for 2017. So we either get an interim update this year (in which case I'm holding off), or we get an announcement during WWDC with 6 month waits for limited availability in dec...

I really hope I'm wrong, but thats the latest gab I've seen around the rumor mills
 
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This is all quite depressing about the Mac Pro. My boss has given me 5 grand to buy a new Mac but it has to be used within the tax year, which ends on 30 June 2016. Not sure what to do now. I'm very much hoping they announce the updated model at the June conference.
[doublepost=1453367955][/doublepost]
Jewels53 said:
This is all quite depressing about the Mac Pro. My boss has given me 5 grand to buy a new Mac but it has to be used within the tax year, which ends on 30 June 2016. Not sure what to do now. I'm very much hoping they announce the updated model at the June conference.
Click to expand...
 
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