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8-Core Mac Pros have arrived.

skoorbevad said:
No one (that I'm aware of -- I haven't really checked too deeply) is shipping a 2 socket 3.0GHz Quad-Core Xeon machine except Apple at this point.

However, that wasn't the question that was asked. He asked if it was the first 8-core Intel Xeon computer. It isn't.

I highly doubt Apple is overclocking, that would be somewhat unorthodox for an OEM builder to do and still honor the kinds of warranties they do. Of course, it's also strange to me that Apple would be the first to get 3.0GHz QC Xeons from Intel, since from a market segment Apple makes up a very small percentage of the total amount of processors Intel ships. You'd think they'd be made available first to larger buyers.
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These are a limited number 3Ghz chips according to Intel

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31484/135/

No over-clocking at all.Apple just gets the first 3 Ghz chips.


"Intel’s Clovertown currently tops out at 2.66 GHz (model X5355). Intel spokesperson Dan Snyder told TG Daily that the 3.0 GHz model is available in limited production at this time an “Apple has chosen to adopt it.” Snyder said that Intel will introduce another Xeon 3 GHz “later on as well”
 
I'm happy my Quad 2.66 system is still a current system, and is still the same price! I don't feel so outdated now!
 
sblasl said:
I have this drive, there really is no percievable noise increase IMHO.:cool:
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I HAD this drive too, and it was friggin noisy when seeking (which is most of the time). Just surfing the web and you'd hear a loud and annoying "click, click, click." Perhaps you need to have your hearing checked?

Also, this drive is old technology (not SATAII), so Apple will never offer them as an option. Side by side, these drives only slightly beat a 500GB Seagate with SATA II (we are talking about shaving a second or two at most) and they are similar in price.
 
Penryn/Seaburg is looking good.

Enhanced Snoop Filter, 1600Mhz FSB, 44 PCI Express lanes (should support PCI Express 2.0 as well). Perhaps we'll have SATA 600MBps support as well.

I think Apple will role out some changes to the casing then. The quiet release of this Octo MP pretty much sums up Apple. They're not trying to make a big deal out of it.

I expect to see HDCP enabled Cinema Displays soon. Hopefully with LED backlighting.

HD burner options should be here by summer or whenever Final Cut Pro Studio is set to ship.

New GPU options will likely hit with HDCP support and OpenGL 2.x drivers post Leopard in June.

It really makes sense what Apple is doing right now. They've created a new high end for people that need it. They've started the process of clearing out today's Cinema Displays and they've given more room to discuss just the software on April 15th.

I'm pleased with today's upgrade.
 
mattbatt said:
Nehalem really interests me because from what I have read, the entire architecture will change on these chips. Really, nothing is different from a P4, Pentium D, Core duo, Core 2 duo, Core 2 duo Extreme, Woodcrest & Clovertown except cores, cache and transistor count and size (yes, that makes a large difference mind you and increased efficiency), but the Nehalem processor family will change the architecture completely.

Right now, the cores, even though they are on the same die, act more like separate processors in close proximity of each other rather than 2 or more 'brains' working together as an efficient team.

For me, Nehalem may be the time when I upgrade my dual G5.
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You have some inaccuracies.
The Pentium 4, Pentium D are all based on the Netburst architecture ( a really bad one, IMHO).

Core Duo is based off the Pentium M, which is based off of the Pentium 3.

Core Duo 2 is a new architecture based off the Pentium M, bringing new cache intelligence, and better execution of 128bit floating point data.

Nehalem will be a totally new architecture that in some ways resembles the Core Duo 2 and the Opteron. It will have even better caching algorithms, and an integrated memory controller, as well as a point to point protocol bus ala HyperTransport.
 
I was just listening to Macbreak Weekly, and Leo Lapporte and Scott Bourne were discussing the MacPro and dual 23" acd's that Scott bought over the weekend. They were laughing about how funny it would be if the Macs and displays were revised soon.
 
mrthieme said:
I was just listening to Macbreak Weekly, and Leo Lapporte and Scott Bourne were discussing the MacPro and dual 23" acd's that Scott bought over the weekend. They were laughing about how funny it would be if the Macs and displays were revised soon.
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They should just go back to the Apple Store and get a refund of the price difference.
 
Stoakley-Seaburg isn't shipping yet (hence no increased bus speed), 8 cores is a new option independent of RAM, no new mother board, etc.

Folks the Mac Pros aren't (at least from the Apple store) being sold like the PowerMac used to be ... Apple is just defining a base reference model and then letting you build out from that to what you want.

Apple doesn't really expect you to pick 8 cores and only have 1 GiB of RAM to feed them... but they also don't force a RAM configuration on you when you pick 8 cores... which is good since I rather buy qualified 3rd party RAM since it is often less expensive then what Apple charges.
 
notjustjay said:
Food for thought:

The original Macintosh cost $2495 back in 1984. In today's dollars, that's $4869.

That Macintosh had 128K of RAM (0.000128 gigs), a 400K floppy drive, and a 512x342 monochrome CRT monitor. Its 68000 processor ran at 8 MHz, or 0.008 GHz.

Today's machines have 32,768 times more RAM (4 gig).
1.3 million times more storage capacity (500 gig hard drive).
375,000 times faster processor (3 GHz, and that's EACH processor).
23 times more pixels (on EACH 30" display).
4.2 billion times more color fidelity (32 bit color).

And cost about the same.

We have come such a long way in just over 20 years!
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This should be in the FAQ.
 
The software has a lot of catching up to do so people can take advantage of the speed. I have owned a Quad Powermac since the were released and while it's a powerful multitasking machine, the performance in applications like Final Cut Pro is frankly disappointing. The fault lies not in the machine but in the software. Final Cut seems only partially multi processor aware, and the app that can benefit the most from raw speed, Compressor, just farts along maxing out only 1 of the 4 cores. I will be hanging on to mine for quite a few more years. While the fanboys will argue, there is very little actual day to day improvement from the late G-5s to the Intel machines. I have used Intel Macs from the MacBook ti the iMac, and A Mac Pro and the perfomance increase is just not there. Possibly on paper, but I don't work on paper!
If you are going to get an 8 core do it with your eyes open. Until the software gets it act togrther you may be disappointed.
I really hope FCS 6 gets a boost in the multi-threading department. Compressor REALLY needs some work under the hood. This would benefit both the G5 and Intel machines greatly. :apple: :D :apple:
 
Nice Try Apple

Apple thinks they can squeeze out as much as they can with this MacPro version by updating to an 8-core. No, no, no Steve. I am waiting for a FULL upgrade version of the MacPro. Hardrive, BlueRay, Graphics card....
 
I think the results with an 8-core and CS3 with a considerable amount of ram will lift off the planet. If i was impressed with a Quad G5 w/4Gb of ram and CS2, then i think the 8-core will render faster than my heart beats. My low budget Mac Pro is enough for me.
 
Glenn Wolsey said:
Pardon my basic processor knowledge, but what exactly is Stoakley-Seburg?
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"Stoakley" is the Intel code name for their next generation workstation class chipset that better supports Intels current and near future Dual-Core and Quad-Core Xeon processors. Basically the follow on to the Intel X5000 chipset that the current Mac Pro uses.

As I understand it "Seburg" is the code name for the memory controller (possibly the technology) that is part of Stoakley (and maybe other chipsets).

Just in case the concept of a chipset isn't clear in the following diagram (current Mac Pro) the chipset is the north and south bridge and few related supporting chips. In general the stuff that makes up the mother board.

 
Capstone said:
Apple thinks they can squeeze out as much as they can with this MacPro version by updating to an 8-core. No, no, no Steve. I am waiting for a FULL upgrade version of the MacPro. Hardrive, BlueRay, Graphics card....
Click to expand...

How is Apple going to support Blu-ray fully until they have HDCP content protection GPUs and displays?

You can upgrade the hard drive easily to 750GB seagates. You are making absolutely no sense.
 
Only me so happy?

I'm really happy to see this upgrade! I was planning on getting a Quad 2.6 but decided to wait after hearing rumors of an 8-core. Well they are out now and really out of my price range, and not SO much faster than the quad 2.6 (understand, i'm currently using a 1.33 G4 to do video and 3D), so I am happy to go ahead and buy the Quad Core now.

It would've been nice if this release had caused a price drop, but I'm not complaining.

(and for the billionth time, some people need as many processors as possible, generally for video or 3d apps, so please stop asking "who needs 8 processors")

:D
 
Peace said:
These are a limited number 3Ghz chips according to Intel

http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/31484/135/.............Intel spokesperson Dan Snyder told TG Daily that the 3.0 GHz model is available in limited production at this time and “Apple has chosen to adopt it.” Snyder said that Intel will introduce another Xeon 3 GHz “later on as well”
Click to expand...

I wonder if that "other 3 GHz" Xeon will be able to go mobile? ;)
 
shawnce said:
Interesting little quote from Apple about the new systems http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/04/04/eightcore/index.php
This seems to imply this is mostly targeted at developers so they can validate/develope software against an 8 core system. Of course by Apple making it available to others they also feel that some number of non-developers may have a use for it.
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8 core systems will require some additional work. Let say you have an application where 70% of the execution time can be multithreaded easily and 30% can't, and it takes 100 seconds on a single core. On dual core it''s 50 seconds. On four cores, one core does the 30% task, the other three divide the 70% task between them, so you finish on 30 seconds, still nice. With eight cores, one core does the 30% in 30 seconds, seven cores do the rest in 10 seconds - it takes the same 30 seconds as with four cores, not the 12.5 seconds that should be possible. Now suddenly these 30 percent are very important and need work by the developers.
 
Changing timeframes

This is great news. Wonder if MacBook Pro updates are around the corner. Know Intel says Santa Rosa in May (even June). Any chance Apple may get it sooner, say, by NAB? Just throwing it out there cause nobody expected this update today.
 
It looks like the new mac pro has reached the UK, -ish.

http://www.apple.com/uk/macpro/

When you go to buy it, it doesn't let you choose the Clovertown chips. :confused: Oh well, it's not exactly like i'm looking to buy.

maybe it'll be a similar situation across europe too.
 
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