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Yeah, that is what i was getting at. the system that they use does not determine if they are a Pro or a amateur, The final product does.

THANK YOU! Just what I was stating earlier, and great analogies. Whether sports cars or nerds with their tripped out computers, does any one really NEED it? No.
 
I run an app on a quad xeon tower, and I run the same app on an i7 tower. How specifically does the quad xeon tower do a better job of running the app than the i7? A job needs to be done, both machines do the job. Specifically, what advantage does the xeon provide? Conversely, if apple released a quad machine with i7 and the same specs otherwise (ram slots, bays, ports, etc), how would that be worse for the end user than the xeon they are shipping now?

I'm eager to hear your explanation.

Erm? Your now expecting me to answer a Windows versus Mac question then? Seeing as the i7 tower has to running Windows.
The quad Xeon does a better job cause it's a Mac :D otherwise how can I answer a Windows versus Windows when my argument is the Mac Pro versus a Windows i7 machine?
And if you want a i7 tower Mac, they don't make it, simple as. What's your point?
 
Actually, I've seen quite the contrary. The real pros don't need the latest and greatest, it's usually the amateurs that fork over wads of cash in order to make themselves look better.

It's not just a computer thing. Look at the total noobs that can barely run a mile at 3 mph without getting worn out, yet they're wearing top of the line running apparel with 300$ shoes. All the while, the lone runner with 10$ jogging pants and a Wal-mart t-shirt and 20$ shoes on the other side of the road is on his 10th mile that morning and he's keeping a 6.5 mph pace.

i used to be one of the fastest runners when i was in the military and would buy the $150 nike running shoes. i've seen people who used to complain about back pain that went away when they switched to the nice running shoes.

proper technique is important but equipment matters a lot unless you want stress fractures
 
Does Porsche change the 911 just to please the Toyota loving crowd?

Does Apple change a classic case design that is lights ahead of the current deliverings out there?

Nopes. And they BETTER not. Cuzz there is a chance they may screw it up and everybody will scream GO BACK TO THE TIMELESS DESIGN of 2003.
 
Westmere-EP vs. The i7-980X

So why the more pricey Westmere-EP vs. The i7-980X?

It looks as though the Westmere-EP is pretty much identical to the i7-980X except for having memory capacity of 288MB vs. 24MB

http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=47916,47932,

Name Intel® Xeon® Processor X5680 (12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) Intel® Core™ i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition (12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)
Code Name Westmere-EP Gulftown
Status Launched Launched
Launch Date Q1'10 Q1'10
Processor Number X5680 i7-980X
# of Cores 6 6
# of Threads 12 12
Clock Speed 3.33 GHz 3.33 GHz
Max Turbo Frequency 3.6 GHz 3.6 GHz
Cache 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache 12 MB Intel® Smart Cache
Bus/Core Ratio 25 25
Bus Type QPI QPI
System Bus 6.4 GT/s 6.4 GT/s
# of QPI Links 2 1
Instruction Set 64-bit 64-bit
Instruction Set Extensions SSE4.2 SSE4.2
Embedded Options Available No No
Supplemental SKU No No
Lithography 32 nm 32 nm
Max TDP 130 W 130 W
VID Voltage Range 0.750V-1.350V 0.800V-1.375V
1ku Bulk Budgetary Price $1663.00 $999.00
Memory Specifications
Max Memory Size
(dependent on memory type) 288 GB 24 GB
Memory Types DDR3-800/1066/1333 DDR3-1066
# of Memory Channels 3 3
Max Memory Bandwidth 32 GB/s 25.6 GB/s
Physical Address Extensions 40-bit 36-bit
ECC Memory Supported Yes No
Graphics Specifications
Integrated Graphics No No
Package Specifications
Max CPU Configuration 2 1
TCASE 78.5°C 67.9°C
Package Size 42.5mm x 45mm 42.5mm X 45.0mm
Lithography 32 nm 32 nm
Sockets Supported FCLGA1366 FCLGA1366
Advanced Technologies
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology Yes Yes
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology Yes Yes
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) Yes Yes
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology Yes No
AES New Instructions Yes Yes
Intel® 64 Yes Yes
Idle States Yes Yes
Enhanced Intel® Speedstep Technology Yes Yes
Intel® Demand Based Switching Yes No
Thermal Monitoring Technologies No No
 
configure something similar from Dell or HP and compare the price. Intel charges a lot of money for Xeon's. and then they will sell you the "premium" version of an ATI or an Nvidia card. which is the exact same thing as the consumer version except with a different BIOS and drivers and a huge premium since businesses are buying.

Agreed on the processor, but saying that FireGL or Quadro cards are "premium" without explaining the differences is a tad misleading. They are workstation graphics cards, and while the underlying hardware is the same, considerable time was spend by ATI and NVIDIA to optimise for OpenGL (CAD, etc.) performance. On those fronts specifically, Anandtech has shown sizeable performance improvements.
 
I'll remember this the next time someone here tells me they need new shoes.

unlike computers, new shoes are important if you're running 10 miles a day.... however, in either, expensive shoes aren't important.

I was a big iron guy for 30 years... often squeezing all the computing power out of the thing, by getting down into the object code and tweaking the bits. I now have a Mac Mini (and I really $200 24" dell monitor). I survive;-).
 
It should.

Putting this up front would be just embarrassing.

Yah, apple usually puts a new product on the front page to say "Hey looky here at this flashy new product that's a lot cooler looking than the previous model." This looks exactly the same... I guess they could put a big ZOMG 12 CORES! next to it, but still... It looks EXACTLY the same...
 
So why the more pricey Westmere-EP vs. The i7-980X?

It looks as though the Westmere-EP is pretty much identical to the i7-980X except for having memory capacity of 288MB vs. 24MB

http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=47916,47932,

Name Intel® Xeon® Processor X5680 (12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI) Intel® Core™ i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition (12M Cache, 3.33 GHz, 6.40 GT/s Intel® QPI)
Code Name Westmere-EP Gulftown
Status Launched Launched
Launch Date Q1'10 Q1'10
Processor Number X5680 i7-980X
# of Cores 6 6
Max Memory Size
(dependent on memory type) 288 GB 24 GB
Memory Types DDR3-800/1066/1333 DDR3-1066
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology Yes No
Intel® Demand Based Switching Yes No
I assume that you meant GB, not MB. Look at the specs, there is your answer. You can install more than 24GB of ram in these new Mac Pros so why limit yourself to 24GB? Why limit yourself to the slower DDR3-1066?

These are not cheap gaming boxes. Mac Pros are workstations. If you want a cheaper gaming box, buy a windows PC.
 
You guys know that Intel sets the prices for these 12-core chips pretty high right? There is an Apple premium but there is also an Intel premium for its top-end server-grade chips.

I would think the Apple premium, which lies in it's design, would be much lower, considering how old it is.
 
...and ECC memory isn't needed by many types of user ...

I need ECC, and there are many products that I don't buy because.... I don't need the features they have. Unlike the vast majority of posters here, and I'm including you, I don't go around and pollute the forums for those products by saying things like....

"That pick up truck is so overpriced! :eek: I mean, who needs that big empty space in the back!! :confused: I'd buy one in a nano-second if it was cheaper!!! What a waste!!!!!!! :mad::mad::mad: I could make my own truck for half the price, starting with a shopping cart!!!! REaLly!"
:D

@ iClique.com
So why the more pricey Westmere-EP vs. The i7-980X?

It looks as though the Westmere-EP is pretty much identical to the i7-980X except for having memory capacity of 288MB vs. 24MB

Yep, identical - except that one is ECC, and the other isn't.
Max memory bandwidth of 32 vs 25.6 GB/s
Physical Address Extensions of 40bit vs 36bit
And a few other things, like thermal monitoring, etc.

But other than they are identical. Like a 4 door Ford is identical to a 4 door BMW.
 
It's just you. Don't you realize that Mac Pro's and iMac's are for different purposes? As a composer, I can't use the iMac. I need 3-4 internal harddrives, PCIe-slots for DSP/soundcards and a more flexible design overall.
Same here. I need a card slot for UAD-2 and a minimum of 4 firewire ports (on a minimum of 2 busses) for outboard audio gear and storage, plus a minimum of 3 hard drive bays. The iMac may have sufficient processing power and video capabilities but that's where the fun ends.

bedifferent said:
THANK YOU! Just what I was stating earlier, and great analogies. Whether sports cars or nerds with their tripped out computers, does any one really NEED it? No.
Except that it's the iMac that is the sports car in any such analogy. Fast and sleek but the boot barely holds a shopping bag and it's useless for towing a trailer. We don't need tower computers for geeking out on speed, bells or whistles, we need them because we need workhorses. They're not sports cars, they're pickup trucks. They get you from A to B with whatever equipment you need for a job. Mac Pro is for the plummers and construction workers of the digital domain, iMac is for the Paris Hiltons.
 
Yah, apple usually puts a new product on the front page to say "Hey looky here at this flashy new product that's a lot cooler looking than the previous model." This looks exactly the same... I guess they could put a big ZOMG 12 CORES! next to it, but still... It looks EXACTLY the same...
Uh... yeah. I assume that you don't work in the business world and I certainly hope that if you do that you are not responsible for any technology purchase decisions.

Lenovo has not changed the look of their workstations in years. In fact, they use the same basic design as what IBM used back when they sold the PC division to Lenovo.

Should they have included "go faster racing stripes" or flames on the side?
 
fugly.......... truly no design sense........

What happened to "the case doesn't matter?" Pros don't need to worry about it if it's under the desk?

Ah, I see. It's because it shames the base Mac Pro in everything that matters.

and windoze? you enjoy son!

yuk! :eek:

Yuk, I agree. But I'll enjoy getting more work done at significant cost savings. It's money I can put towards other tools, like SoftImage.
 
Still Waiting

I wonder what in this update justifies the long time we had to wait for it. they could have upgraded the processors back in april!

I agree that this update isn't that "amazing". I think that there will be another "update" in January or possibly March for the Sandy Bridge processors, which will be significant. I plan on waiting until then. I prefer a tower and a separate monitor rather than an "all in one". I wish the Mac Pros would have more options to choose from, also.
 
Uh... yeah. I assume that you don't work in the business world and I certainly hope that if you do that you are not responsible for any technology purchase decisions.

Lenovo has not changed the look of their workstations in years. In fact, they use the same basic design as what IBM used back when they sold the PC division to Lenovo.

Should they have included "go faster racing stripes" or flames on the side?

Hey noob, thanks for the comment, but i was just talking about why they chose to not plaster it all over the front page. I really don't care that much about them not changing the design, i kinda like it actually. So how about instead of insulting me, you go find something more useful to do. Like bashing your head into a concrete wall.
 
Same here. I need a card slot for UAD-2 and a minimum of 4 firewire ports (on a minimum of 2 busses) for outboard audio gear and storage, plus a minimum of 3 hard drive bays. The iMac may have sufficient processing power and video capabilities but that's where the fun ends.
I/O is what is killing the iMac for certain professionals. Lynnfield provides processor options that are can surpass the single quad Mac Pro.
 
Who the hell needs 12 cores even if you are doing video processing? Surely 6 is more then enough unless this machine is going to be a server for many users? Well at least they've exceeded the HP Pavilion 390t which only has the i7 6-core option.
 
Does Porsche change the 911 just to please the Toyota loving crowd?

Does Apple change a classic case design that is lights ahead of the current deliverings out there?

Nopes. And they BETTER not. Cuzz there is a chance they may screw it up and everybody will scream GO BACK TO THE TIMELESS DESIGN of 2003.

The 911 (997) ain't the same car that was around in 2003 (996).:D
 
I know Apple is all about having the fastest stuff in their machines, but come on, 2 Firewire 800 ports on the front? Why can't they just put 1x400 and 1x800 on the front. And at least 1x400 on the back? Machine is big enough. Tired of buying converters for all my old externals.
 
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