Apple Announces New Mac Pros With Up to 12 Cores, SSD Options

[Atkins]

Well, in my case two USB MIDI controllers, wired Apple keyboard (those itty-bitty cursor keys and the lack of numpad on the wireless = no-go for a DAW), a Logitech mouse (the Magic Mouse looks great on coffee tables, but that's about it), a SpaceNavigator, two USB dongles for software. That's 7. My old Dell desktop had 8 USB ports. I want to avoid hubs if I can, they're ugly and they suck.

I was just thinking that I would gladly have at least one more Lol

 

[xStep]

Who buys these things? Workstations are a niche that is getting even tinier every year. The Mac Pro is becoming a hobby. I bet they are already making more money with the iPad than with this behemoth of the last millenium.

There are plenty of people who can use all the horse power that their money can buy. As long as Apple is making good coin off of these things, they will continue to supply them to those who need, or want them.

 

[deconstruct60]

Wow! I just checked and the E5620 is only $389.99 at newegg. I'm interested to see how the 6-core (W3680) MP option is priced. Amazon sells the chip for $1,107.15.

The W3580 in the current top end "QUAD Core" goes for about the same price. ($999 in 1K unit pricing). The W3680 and W3580 have the same price which makes it quite likely Apple will price it at $3699. Same price as the 3580 box is set at now. In other words, the low end 8 core box (with 2 E5620s ) will cost less than the 6 core box (with the single W3680) .

 

[reel2reel]

I don't own a Mac and to be honest don't care for their computers... BUT... I love the MacPro, I wish I had the cash to get one, I have no use for 12 cores. Is the video card removable? (if I wanted to goto NVIDIA instead) MacPro is probably the best desktop computer made.

I don't think you contradict yourself enough.

 

[hbryan]

Who buys these things? Workstations are a niche that is getting even tinier every year. The Mac Pro is becoming a hobby. I bet they are already making more money with the iPad than with this behemoth of the last millenium.

People like me.

I could care less where Apple is making their money, I need more computing power than what is in an iMac.

I don't buy them all that often (I am on a 5 year cycle), but for what I do, the iMac simply doesn't do the job (3D rendering, no I am not a professional, I am a rank amateur, but I hope to get better).

I'll get one of these for my birthday in Feb. My current MP (1,1) will become the media server (8TB raid 5 for movies) and the G5 drops to the renderfarm; hopefully, by the time I make my hardware purchase, my software will get closer to catching up with the hardware.

 

[jerry333]

I was thinking that for those people who want more than 8 cores, why not just buy cheap mini's and setup a render farm? I would think that a base 4 core machine (for the edit) along with a couple of mac minis would be cheaper and faster for rendering. I can't think of any reason to buy 12 cores in one machine when you have options to setup external renders. What I think would be the best solution is to have fast CPU on the edit machine, and multiple external cores to send the final file out to. Why would anyone want to keep the whole process confined to one box? Please enlighten me.

!. Some people aren't doing rendering with their Mac Pros.

2. Some programs use a single memory footprint which can't be split up among machines.

3. Some programs spawn multiple processes. The more cores/CPUs you have on a system the faster the programs will complete.

Yes, there are some things that can be done with a bunch of small systems, but there are some that can't. You select what will best to do your jobs. Sometimes this is a bunch of Minis and sometimes it's a 12 core.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

I think that you are overreacting. People just don't need expandable towers that much today. I don't see the problem for people who used G3s G4s and G5s for Photoshop to switch to iMacs. It is a perfectly capable machine, costs nothing (for a business I mean) and, yes, it is not very upgradeable, but so what? You sell it, you buy another one. You use an external HDD, etc. I am certainly not saying it's the perfect choice, but times change. Ten years ago I wouldn't even try to do 3D on my laptop. Today it's perfectly ok. For many professionals MBPs and iMacs are largely enough.

I think you and I have different ideas of what I need.

 

[LillDrutten]

Mr Moore will cry. His famous price/performance curve is not working any more. Performance boost for the same money is very poor for this 500 days newer machines.

 

[SamuraiArtGuy]

Hear that.

It was Apple's fault, not Adobe's.
We are replacing all of our PMG5s/MPs with the latest 27" i5 iMacs in our Art Dept within the next 3-4 weeks. Mainly because of the cost differences vs. actual performance. We do not crunch any hard core video here, predominately print and web work. And with that upgrade we are moving to CS5 finely.

Exactly Right. The support for legacy code and processors was inevitable. But the timing is just... inconvenient, to put a neutral spin on it. And if apple follows the current arc of MP updates, which I'd characterize as benign neglect, we may have to wait till the Spring of 2012 for newer tech already out there to turn up in MPs.

+1Back in the day you knew who was a true graphic designer by whether or not they had a PowerMac. Today, a veteran professional can get away with using the high end iMac. Make no bones about it, if Apple could... they would kill the Mac Pro and force everyone to iMacs.

Agreed. I still think rather fondly after the Power Mac days, the G4 when it was released actually WAS a Supercomputer by the standards of the day, and was a fantastic value, and many designers got years and years of service out of them, and the G5s that followed. But in those days, the machines were actually cutting edge tech, and not just rough parity with PCs. While I still feel that the OS and the build quality is worth a fair premium, THAT'S what we're paying for now, not top of the line tech.

I did note the slippage of the NVIDIA cards... and the firmly in the middle of somewhat mediocre ATI offerings. I do believe that the high end NVIDIA cards will still be compatible. They do mention high end Mac Pro cards on their website. Note the site is almost entirely built in FLASH, a nice raised middle finger to Steve. Both Apple and NVIDIA will selll you the Quadro FX 4800 .. at about $1,800... And you'll have to buy and install them yourself, and figure out what to do with the low-to mid-level ATI card you yanked.

I don't think that the MP is slated to be discontinued... this round. But it's painfully obvious that it's definitely not in the front part of Steve's brain. Apple is also enjoying far too much success with the iMac and MacBooks. They seem to have a Pro line just to say that they do service this audience. But Apple (read Steve Jobs) is focused on the iThings and a lesser degree MacBooks and iMacs to their new primarily consumer computing audience. To make a point, I just got a promo email from Apple crowing about the iMac, LED Displays and Magic Trackpad. No mention of the Pro. In my local Apple store there was ONE lonely Mac pro in the corner.

At the moment, I have been recommending the 27" iMac to my design colleagues, precisely because as you say "cost differences vs. actual performance". Mac Pros at the current pricing are not good values unless you truly NEED the performance and level of expandability. And frankly, my clients don't much care what class machine I work on, just as long as they get their projects done to their satisfaction.

 

[you39]

Now let's look at the stuff that's less than perfect. The power socket way up near the top? Dum-de-dum. I don't care where the power supply is - get that thing moved. 3 USB ports on the back? Are you kidding me? Is this an entry-level laptop or a professional desktop? Try 6. Two FW ports on the back and two on the front? Um, few if any need two temporary FW ports and nobody wants a permanent setup with ugly cables hanging off the front. Try 3 back, 1 front. Now, what about those giant handles? They're great when you need to lift it once a year, but for those 364 other days a year they're in the way when you want to place peripherals on top of the machine. It's like having a suitcase with a giant handle that won't fold away. Inventors solved that stuff 500 years ago. You can do it too. Finally, aesthetics. Any chance of throwing the customers a bone here? Perhaps a black Apple logo and some black trimmings to bring it in line with every other Mac in the lineup? How about those ghastly CD tray squares, they look positively retarded, any chance of slot-loading drives or do you still have to cater to the 0.000002% who have this mini-CD they simply must insert every day?

These are just suggestions and you might not agree with them at all. But please don't suggest that the Mac Pro can't be improved or that a fresher look would come at the expense of function. The Pro has just as much room for improvement as the old Mac Mini did. The difference is that Apple hasn't stopped caring about the latter.

Common, moving one of the FW port to the back, slot-loading superdrive... that's not a redesign! And about the handles... I'd say dropping and killing a Mac Pro once a year is still once too much...

 

[MacsRgr8]

I'm sure the hidden under the desk aesthetics of the Mac Pro will be appreciated over 6 cores, 12 threads and a GTX 470.

Windoze

Ugly outside, and worst OS.

The car analogy can start. "I can buy a faster Kia for less money than your slower <insert any German car here>"
Sure, but driving it suks.

 

[relimw]

Waiting Patiently for the Haswell architecture Mac PRo (2014?)

In the meantime I will stick with my 06 model. Nothing compelling so far. Best to wait for major architecture changes when upgrading.

I see Zero reason to change the Mac Pro case. It is great as is already. Why ruin it.

Only change to the case I'd make is make the handles move out of the way, after all, how often do you really move a computer? At most I move it twice a year to clean the dust out.

My early model works for everything I do, yeah, more cores would definitely speed things along, but $5k+ for it is a bit steep. (Even if you don't buy the ram and extra hard drives from Apple.)

 

[THX1139]

Sigh, if you want to run your business on some hacked together machine with NO technical backup what so ever, go ahead. I am not using any hackintosh in any argument for that reason, no business uses them with any common sense.

Actually, I'm going to argue for the opposite even though I don't own a Hackintosh. First off, if someone goes to the trouble to build their own Mac, chances are they know what they are doing and don't need technical support. Even so, without Apple Care, and say your video card dies, you are pretty much out of luck when it comes to Apple. If any component dies on a Hackintosh, it's a relative cheap and easy fix. Not everyone owns a large studio and can afford to pay premium for repair service from Apple. Once Apple Care runs out, you're pretty much on your own unless you hire a third party to come and fix it. Expensive! Several years ago, my video card died and my Mac Pro was out of warranty. I took it to Apple and they would ONLY agree to swap out with the exact same card even though it was outdated and not cheaper in cost. I had to hunt around for a new card and do the repair myself. If I were on a Hackintosh, I would have had more options for less money.

If you are a small studio or individual free-lancing, you can't always afford to have Apple repair your stuff, unless you replace your equipment every 3 years and buy expensive Apple Care. A Hackintosh give you more options for a lot less overhead.

 

[Dana Beck]

+1 I wish more would get it

+1

 

[cult hero]

If by "blow the doors off" he means a computer that will outperform a Mac Pro at the vast majority of tasks ... then yes he can. Server class parts are great for the extraordinarily small group of high-caliber professionals who actually need them, but for 99.99999% of users the Xenons offer nothing beyond what the i7 provides.

I don't disagree. I think I made that pretty clear in what I said. However, workstation parts are workstation parts and desktop parts are desktop parts. They have their own prices and that's that.

Performance isn't the only measure of a computer either. Do I care about having fully buffered ECC memory? No. Not ever. However, the stuff exists for a reason.

I'm not an Apple apologist. The lack of eSATA is a constant thorn in my side for some of the things I would LIKE to do with Macs but ultimately look elsewhere. (Would bringing back ExpressCard slots to MacBook Pros and iMacs be too much to ask? And, obviously, the answer is yes.) However, what I tire of is this sense of entitlement may of the posters here display or the apples to oranges comparisons. I don't care if you don't need a workstation. The Mac Pro IS a workstation. If you don't need a workstation then who cares what the Mac Pro is sporting this year?

Apple clearly does not want to cater to the configurable desktop at this time. I wish they would. However, it appears that the guys who continue to make decisions that continue to increase profit margins have decided they don't want to go there.

 

[THX1139]

Windoze

Ugly outside, and worst OS.

The car analogy can start. "I can buy a faster Kia for less money than your slower <insert any German car here>"
Sure, but driving it suks.

So, I'm guessing here... but you probably haven't used Windows 7? Welcome to 2010 where the OS playing field has been pretty much evened out. Your comment is pretty much outdated.

 

[powers74]

Boo-hoo Apple doesn't make computers anymore!

SSHHHUUUUUTT UUUUUUPP!

I see Zero reason to change the Mac Pro case. It is great as is already. Why ruin it.

Some people just don't get it.

 

[MacsRgr8]

So, I'm guessing here... but you probably haven't used Windows 7? Welcome to 2010 where the OS playing field has been pretty much evened out. Your comment is pretty much outdated.

Yes, I have.
I have even bought it (Ultimate 64 bits, after Vista Ultimate 64 bits, and XP Pro before that). Sure, it works. But come on... no way in Hell does the usability even compare to OS X.

EDIT: I know there are different point of views, like there is difference in taste. I will not take part in any Windows vs OS X war in this thread. Seen enough of it.

 

[Yaboze]

You can build a Windows 7 x64 desktop PC for much less.....and with a Nvidia GTX 480 or ATI 5870 or 5970.

It won't run OSX, unless it's a hackintosh, but still.

Also, as much as I like the enclosure, it's time for an update.

At least the new iMac's got some nice love in the GPU department.

 

[globalhemp]

Nice workstation, but still "missing" a few things

Nice workstation, but still "missing" a few things:

- BluRay (play/burn)
- USB 3.0
- Intel WiDi (Wireless Display)
- High-Def 3D Viewing*

* NOTE: With NVIDIA® 3D Vision technology, you can transform PC games, photos and 3D movies into a truly immersive experience like no other!
Yes, as a workstation, how about creating 3D content (e.g., Pixar, now owned by Disney, for example)? 3D playback likely requires BluRay as well.

 

[GroundLoop]

I read that the specs on the 5870 are identical to the 4870; only a model number change. I'd check.

Actually the 5870 is about the same as TWO 4870's in crossfire.

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/radeon-hd-5870,2422-11.html

I wonder what they are going to charge for the card alone?($499?)

GL

 

[jerry333]

If you are a small studio or individual free-lancing, you can't always afford to have Apple repair your stuff, unless you replace your equipment every 3 years and buy expensive Apple Care. A Hackintosh give you more options for a lot less overhead.

That's true as long as you count your time as being worth nothing. A big reason for choosing Apple is to avoid spending half the time doing system administration. Hackintoshes are fine for hobbyists who like to fiddle but not for folks that make their living with the computer.

 

[Atkins]

Originally Posted by markosb
I don't own a Mac and to be honest don't care for their computers... BUT... I love the MacPro, I wish I had the cash to get one, I have no use for 12 cores. Is the video card removable? (if I wanted to goto NVIDIA instead) MacPro is probably the best desktop computer made.

I don't think you contradict yourself enough.

LOL. made my day!

 

[mosx]

As I said in the iMac thread, these prices show Apple's contempt towards customers. Its hilarious that they would charge such outrageous prices for their hardware.

Whats even worse though is that theres tons of people ordering these systems right now thinking its a fantastic deal.

 

[Atkins]

You can build a Windows 7 x64 desktop PC for much less.....

And how much less would that be?