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Apple Announces Penryn Mac Pros and Xserve
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I also remember the Power Macs being affordable. In the last couple of revisions, the price has been skyrocketing upward.
This looks like an impressive update to me. Well, I'm sure it will look that way once the US store re-opens. There's still room for a "one more thing" at Macworld. But I'd buy a new Mac Pro today based on the specs we've seen.
Then again, my uses might not be as hardware intensive as others'.
Then again, my uses might not be as hardware intensive as others'.
AppleStore HK is up
Base = HK22,900 or US2,935
BTO
Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (Two dual-link DVI)
AirPort Extreme card (Wi-Fi)
320GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3GB/s
Apple Mighty Mouse
2GB (2 x 1GB)
Apple Keyboard
One 16x SuperDrive
Country Kit
AppleCare
Total = HK26,710 or US3,424
Estimated Ship: 3-5 weeks
Base = HK22,900 or US2,935
BTO
Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (Two dual-link DVI)
AirPort Extreme card (Wi-Fi)
320GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3GB/s
Apple Mighty Mouse
2GB (2 x 1GB)
Apple Keyboard
One 16x SuperDrive
Country Kit
AppleCare
Total = HK26,710 or US3,424
Estimated Ship: 3-5 weeks
Yep, at times Apple had PowerMac's starting at $1299 (or less using configurator).
The announcement today gives me more hope then ever that Apple will release a more upgradeable consumer (or as some call prosumer) machine next week as they made their product gap (in price and CPU performance) even larger since last revision they decreased the iMac top of the line and with this release they increased the entry MacPro (not counting the option to remove a processor). Or even more of a for those of use who won't consider getting a desktop machine with an integrated display (iMac) like myself. T
The previous MP baseline in Canada costs $2799 CAD. The new MP baseline costs $2799 US. Will Apple have all their products price matched by now?
From the sounds of things, I'm the only one who's happy with the announced update; the graphics option (GeForce 8800 GT) is exactly what I'd have hoped for. Sure, it doesn't have Blu-Ray, but that's not a massive problem for me personally; I'll look towards that at a later date, and since it'll be for the living room a PS3 or standalone player might be more practical anyway.
As for those hoping for a new enclosure; it's true, the enclosure hasn't changed in years now, but surely that's a sign of just how excellent a design it is? It certainly hasn't 'aged' to my eyes, and despite all those intervening years there really aren't any cases on the PC market with comparable industrial design.
I guess a fair few people commenting were hoping that updated Mac Pros might offer an expandable mid-range option for Windows switchers (something comparable in spec to the iMac, but with no integrated screen and the potential for future upgrade) but I reckon they're going to be perpetually disappointed. I doubt Apple considers them a key demographic, which is a shame.
As for those hoping for a new enclosure; it's true, the enclosure hasn't changed in years now, but surely that's a sign of just how excellent a design it is? It certainly hasn't 'aged' to my eyes, and despite all those intervening years there really aren't any cases on the PC market with comparable industrial design.
I guess a fair few people commenting were hoping that updated Mac Pros might offer an expandable mid-range option for Windows switchers (something comparable in spec to the iMac, but with no integrated screen and the potential for future upgrade) but I reckon they're going to be perpetually disappointed. I doubt Apple considers them a key demographic, which is a shame.
im sorry but that is just rubbish. this is a great update for anyone wishing to buy a mac pro: yesterday i couldn't afford what I needed, today I can...therefore excellent update. Personally i don't care for an updated case, the current design is great, all i wanted was the 8 cores, more ram installed and greater hard drive options. BT built in is a bonus too. I myself am not an apple fanboy, in fact i have been rather disgruntled by the company as of late, but for me and many others this update is just what was needed!
And lots of people need all the CPU power they can get and are happy with 8 x 2.8 GHz but don't care one bit about graphics performance. This isn't a machine for gamers, this is a machine for professionals who use it to make money.
Sorry, my fault. 5 days for default config. i imagine just like how every1 had to wait 4 weeks for the x1900 graphix card last time, its the same with the 8800 cos they know there's going to be heavy demand.
no bluray then it would seem.
maybe its phenomenon on the 16th after all. I f*&^ing hope so cos all this talk of apple giving up on it altogether and nuke taking over has got me worried.
Because the media sees Apple as the computer industry's design divas, and a new design would certainly give it more press?
Seriously, Apple can go either way. You can design something down to its most basic and efficient form and stick with that until the end of time, tweaking when something new would improve the form; or you can mix it up every few years, striking out with new designs and looks just to wow folks.
At some point though, you'll look bad for appearing to take a step back. For instance, do you really think Apple can move away from the all-in-one design of the iMac now? Back to something like the lampshade model?
Apple doesn't design for design's sake. They like to have compelling reasons for why they design the way they do. The original iMac's were the first all-in-one's since the Mac Classic, touting ease of use and setup (remember the 3-step commercial? "There is no step 3."), then the lampshade (functionality and form) and then the iMac we have today (once heating issues were resolved and it was cost-effective to incorporate side-loading slot drives). The PowerMacs went from standard boxes to easy-open sides to minimized plastics to metal. I think most design changes we'll see for the next decade or so from Apple will revolve around making a "greener" computer.
It wasn't sarcasm. I am actually happy with what Apple has updated this machine with. I may either buy it when I get home from school today and buy an apple cinema display after MWSF, or I may wait until next week. Either way, I am EXTREMELY happy with the graphics cards. The case is so well designed and a pro machine doesn't need a redesign. This machine will last me a few years at least, and i'm very happy about it.
I'm not really sure what people CAN complain about.. although the people complaining are probably the same ones who think the iMac needs a refresh or that the MBPs are obsolete. But I am happy, I just can't wait to see the student pricing.
EDIT: let me just add that I have no need for blu-ray, and i guess if i was expecting it then i would be dissapointed. also i wish the cinema displays were updated NOW so i could buy now but i am sure they will be updated next tuesday and then i can buy and have an awesome machine.
That was me, I think
I meant to say, as a Blu-ray media center. You need to have a larger screen than even 30" to get much out of high-def. You could connect your MP to a mega-large TV, but it's very large, power hungry (and probably noisy) to use as a BD-player. So why not get a standalone Blu-ray player, which would in all likelihood be cheaper, to use with your high-def home theater.
I guess, in a situation where you buy blue-ray discs for use in your home theater and you also want to be able to view the same discs on your computer for more casual viewing its not completely silly (if you're fairly rich).
The US Store is Live.
$500 upgrade for 2 extra GB of RAM -- that seems ridiculous. Guess I'll have to look at OWC, Kingston etc.
$500 upgrade for 2 extra GB of RAM -- that seems ridiculous. Guess I'll have to look at OWC, Kingston etc.
wow
I just compared some prices
if you take a basic 2.8 octocore setup
and compare it with a 3.0 octocore setup yesterday, and you BTO it with a 300gb HD, bluetooth, etc
it's a difference of grosso-modo 1500euro's, or the price of a blackbook!
wow..
wicked
I just compared some prices
if you take a basic 2.8 octocore setup
and compare it with a 3.0 octocore setup yesterday, and you BTO it with a 300gb HD, bluetooth, etc
it's a difference of grosso-modo 1500euro's, or the price of a blackbook!
wow..
wicked
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Bummer on the Blu-ray but this is a very nice and welcome update to the Mac Pro and XServe. At least from my perspective.
Bummer on the Blu-ray but this is a very nice and welcome update to the Mac Pro and XServe. At least from my perspective.
I suppose there is an 80GB hard disk so that you can start the machine without opening to see that it works, then throw out the 80GB and put one or more real hard drives in. Many people would like to order a MacPro with no hard drive and no RAM.
The US Store is Live.
$500 upgrade for 2 extra GB of RAM -- that seems ridiculous. Guess I'll have to look at OWC, Kingston etc.
Obviously you don't buy RAM from them.
Single QuadCore 2.8ghz + 8800GT for $2500 is killer