Umbongo
macrumors 601
I wouldn't expect them to get an update before the July price drops, so that they can maintain the current pricing but with quad core chips. I'm not sure if they could keep the 3Ghz quad core chips cool either.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
8-Core Mac Pros have arrived.
- Thread starter arcsbite
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
I wouldn't expect them to get an update before the July price drops, so that they can maintain the current pricing but with quad core chips. I'm not sure if they could keep the 3Ghz quad core chips cool either.
This is a sweet system, but my only question is
Why doesn't Apple offer the Western Digital Raptor HDD with this? Those spin at 10,000 rpm.
With such good specs on this 8-core monster, why not put the fastest HDD in it?
late
Why doesn't Apple offer the Western Digital Raptor HDD with this? Those spin at 10,000 rpm.
With such good specs on this 8-core monster, why not put the fastest HDD in it?
late
8 core at 3 GHz is a nice speed bump for those that can use it... I call it a compelling addition to BTO.
I wasn't jazzed on 8 core 2.66 GHz and apparently Apple wasn't either so it looks like they waited until Quad core Xeons running at 3 GHz came out from Intel in enough volume.
I think this is all we will see for a while (except for additional BTO like BluRay, maybe faster dual core chips, etc.) ... Apple will likely wait for the next workstation class chip-set from Intel and possibly even 45nm cores before doing a major upgrade to the Mac Pro line.
...with that said...
If Intel does do a drastic of a price drop as some have talked about Apple may cut the whole Mac Pro line over to 8 core systems with existing chipsets and at the same price points... but again they likely will wait until the next major workstation chip-set before they do that.
I wasn't jazzed on 8 core 2.66 GHz and apparently Apple wasn't either so it looks like they waited until Quad core Xeons running at 3 GHz came out from Intel in enough volume.
I think this is all we will see for a while (except for additional BTO like BluRay, maybe faster dual core chips, etc.) ... Apple will likely wait for the next workstation class chip-set from Intel and possibly even 45nm cores before doing a major upgrade to the Mac Pro line.
...with that said...
If Intel does do a drastic of a price drop as some have talked about Apple may cut the whole Mac Pro line over to 8 core systems with existing chipsets and at the same price points... but again they likely will wait until the next major workstation chip-set before they do that.
Umbongo
macrumors 601
Eidorian
macrumors Penryn
You are correct about Apple. Not all Woodcrest/Clovertown processors available have a 1006 MHz front side bus though.
The lack of a price drop from Apple allows the "original" Mac Pro to retain it's value. So all the naysayers that said to wait were wrong. 🙄
Just new processors?
It looks like as if they only put in new processors. But the motherboard needs to be updated, too. Support for only 26 PCI Express lanes? You can't even run two graphics cards at full speed, not to mention four.
Steffen
It looks like as if they only put in new processors. But the motherboard needs to be updated, too. Support for only 26 PCI Express lanes? You can't even run two graphics cards at full speed, not to mention four.
Steffen
FJ218700
macrumors 68000
Digital Skunk
macrumors G3
I think it would be cool if they did make a headless geek tower. A tower that most average consumers could afford with a single dual core or quad core that looks like a MacPro with it's lower half cut off.
Something like (see bottome pictures)
It would sell a whole lot better on the gaming market if it could allow for the upgrade options of the MacPro and the base config was similar to the 17" iMac. Then you could put in your own graphics card, up to 8GB of ram or more and at least two internal sata HDD. (slurp) sorry I was drooling😀
I would get a few of them. Base price could be $1299.
Attachments
zero2dash
macrumors 6502a
KindredMAC
macrumors 6502a
We won't see Blu-Ray options in the store until Leopard comes out. People have already seen support for Blu-Ray and HD DVD in Leopard code in DVD Player app.
Why would Apple make Blu-Ray an option when the only way to burn a Blu-Ray disc is by using Toast 8 at this point???
Just wait impatient ones.... it is coming.
Why would Apple make Blu-Ray an option when the only way to burn a Blu-Ray disc is by using Toast 8 at this point???
Just wait impatient ones.... it is coming.
shadowfax
macrumors 603
Yeah, but you can only be so surprised that it's so expensive. Aside from the whole "processor envy" value of having 8 cores, it's not much better than 4 cores for most things--unless you're running a server that's getting hammered or browsing the web, encoding your DVD library into divx for your
TV, and rendering a massive project in Maya. This doesn't seem like it's that common. I don't think Apple has any motivation from the real market to drop prices to make an 8-core processor machine more "affordable." the 4-core machines are still "pro." 8 cores is just nuts. It's super-pro.
Digital Skunk
macrumors G3
He was the first one at the processing plant to pick his up after it rolled off the belt.
Nice to see the update but they need to do the high end graphics too.
The quadro fx4500 is 2 maybe even 3 generations behind now. Nvidia recently released a quadro fx5600 which is roughly twice as fast and retails for roughly the same price as the fx4500 does/did
The quadro fx4500 is 2 maybe even 3 generations behind now. Nvidia recently released a quadro fx5600 which is roughly twice as fast and retails for roughly the same price as the fx4500 does/did
Umbongo
macrumors 601
As silly as it sounds to technical folk I think Apple really didn't want to have the issue of 3Ghz woodcrests being faster than 2.66Ghz clovertowns at various tasks.
Rocketman
macrumors 603
I am wondering if we are going to hear these are the first of the dieshrink Clovertowns, thus making X-serves more dense (cash cow for Apple), and being the bleeding edge for a range of dieshrink consumer releases starting with iMac Quad.
Rocketman
SO last night I had a dream...new MacPro's and I finally upgraded my G4867. I wake up and my powerbook is still sitting on my desk next to my bed and I think...what the heck.....www.apple.com. Bam...new MacPros. I kid you not.
Think Arn might use me as a source...maybe page 3 rumors via the dreamworld.?
Think Arn might use me as a source...maybe page 3 rumors via the dreamworld.?
What a joke. How can they justify ripping anyone off that much when the chips don't even cost $1200. There charging $300 dollars to open the case and use a set of screwdrivers. Although you guys should be happy, no doubt in the UK the new chips will probably cost us £1000. so be grateful. We're already paying $600 more for the same system.
I was waiting to buy a Dual Quad. But Steve can shove it back where the sun doesn't shine. I've been willing to pay a little more for Apple becasue of the quality, but things are getting stupid. as others have said, there 6 months behind other manufacturer's, and still want to charge the same prices for the old Woodcrest set. A bit late for a sad April fools joke.
So much for this year being an important one for the Mac.
I'm about to do something I never thought I ever would. I'm gonna visit the Alienware site and see what I can get for £2,500.
Goodbye Apple.
The old G4 will have to last a little while longer I think.
I was waiting to buy a Dual Quad. But Steve can shove it back where the sun doesn't shine. I've been willing to pay a little more for Apple becasue of the quality, but things are getting stupid. as others have said, there 6 months behind other manufacturer's, and still want to charge the same prices for the old Woodcrest set. A bit late for a sad April fools joke.
So much for this year being an important one for the Mac.
I'm about to do something I never thought I ever would. I'm gonna visit the Alienware site and see what I can get for £2,500.
Goodbye Apple.
The old G4 will have to last a little while longer I think.
zero2dash
macrumors 6502a
I agree, that was the first thing I looked at when I heard the news.
The only speed improvements are in 3D rendering and Linpack (whatever that is?)
$4k starting price, and no real performance boost for 99.8% of computer users.... 😕
I think Apple needs to create a middle of the market desktop computer.
It seems Apple is focusing too much attention on each end of the spectrum, High End Pro and basic users, leaving everyone else out.
>more options, accessability and exapnsion then what the Mac Mini offers
>more options, accessability, exapnsion, do not need a monitor and/or do not care about the installed iSight that the iMac offers
>will need less expansion (and a lower base price) that the Mac Pro offers.
Im still wating and pondering my next system, cause Im not excited about any of the systems available.
richard4339
macrumors 6502a
Might've been said, but this is going to throw everything off by having this happen on a Wednesday!
Umbongo
macrumors 601
FX 5500s (not seen 5600 for sale) are about $800 more than a 4500.
There is alot more to come from 65nm Clovertowns before we see a dieshrink later in the year.
I would buy one!
Make it happen!
headless geek tower, love it, thats what i want!😱
Ge4-ce
macrumors regular
Only Die-Hard Pro's will really benefit.
A simple form of calculation for what the speed advantage "could" mean for some of us:
4-Core at 3Ghz: 4x3000= 12000 Ghz
8-Core at 3Ghz: 8x3000= 24000 Ghz
But THIS is highly software dependend!
Most of us would not even notice the difference. Only if you use Final cut Pro, and more specific "Compressor" to render video to Mpeg 2, or if you do high end 3D animation (I use E-on's Vue Infinite a lot for example) Then you will see the speedbump.
That's also the reason why apple did not put in any effort to make custom 2.0Ghz 8 core's, or 2.66 Ghz 8 core's. People who REALLY need 8 core machines, also can use that .34 Ghz extra, and are also really willing to pay for it.
If MS word would open up in 2 seconds, or in 1.6 seconds, you will not notice the difference. BUT, when you do a Vue Infinite Render of 8 hours straight, like I'm doing nowadays with my Dual G5 2 Ghz, I will see a theoretical speedbump of:
2xG5 2GHZ = 4 Ghz
2x 8core 3Ghz= 24Ghz
6 times!!!
So my render will be finished in 1 hour and 20 minutes, instead of 8 hours.
Whiiiihaaaaa...
A simple form of calculation for what the speed advantage "could" mean for some of us:
4-Core at 3Ghz: 4x3000= 12000 Ghz
8-Core at 3Ghz: 8x3000= 24000 Ghz
But THIS is highly software dependend!
Most of us would not even notice the difference. Only if you use Final cut Pro, and more specific "Compressor" to render video to Mpeg 2, or if you do high end 3D animation (I use E-on's Vue Infinite a lot for example) Then you will see the speedbump.
That's also the reason why apple did not put in any effort to make custom 2.0Ghz 8 core's, or 2.66 Ghz 8 core's. People who REALLY need 8 core machines, also can use that .34 Ghz extra, and are also really willing to pay for it.
If MS word would open up in 2 seconds, or in 1.6 seconds, you will not notice the difference. BUT, when you do a Vue Infinite Render of 8 hours straight, like I'm doing nowadays with my Dual G5 2 Ghz, I will see a theoretical speedbump of:
2xG5 2GHZ = 4 Ghz
2x 8core 3Ghz= 24Ghz
6 times!!!
So my render will be finished in 1 hour and 20 minutes, instead of 8 hours.
Whiiiihaaaaa...
Time for Penryn
I would like to see some reviews or benchmarking of this 8 Core Mac Pro. If performance isn't as good then I could wait till Penryn is released which should be in couple of months.
I would like to see some reviews or benchmarking of this 8 Core Mac Pro. If performance isn't as good then I could wait till Penryn is released which should be in couple of months.