Apple Announces Penryn Mac Pros and Xserve

[petersays]

What does this indicate when it comes to my high hopes of new screens at MacWorld?

Kinda odd to launch the beast which will use the screens and not launch new ACD at the same time no?

Apple cant seriously mean that we're gonna have to stick with these overpriced displays for another year or so? Or are they hoping to get rid of some of the old ones by releasing the MacPro a week prior to the screens and thus causing major hatred in a week when everyont wants them exchanged for the new ones?

Who lives knows.

 

[Peace]

Hello,

Can't find hard data, but I'm sure the standard (not base) Mac Pro first generation was 2499$ The standard Mac Pro 2nd gen is now 2799$. (Only found evidence of this in old Macrumors threads!)

That's 300$ more for the standard config. Sure you can lower it, but you could also lower the original Mac Pro.

Maybe, as someone suggested, they're making room for an intermediate. Don't think so, but 300$ is significant nonetheless.

Nisaea

The first gen Mac Pro base model only had 4 CPU's.The new base system has 8.You do the math.

 

[MacsAttack]

And apparently Apple doesn't have any special relationship with IBM with regards to getting the first Penryns.

I would have been surprised if any kind of relationship with IBM would have got Apple Penryns any faster...

.. given Intel are the people who manufacture them.

Not only was the old Mac Pro very long in the tooth, but it's at least 2 months late, judging by most of the posters on this board. Look back at what ppl were saying in Octobre/November!

Nisaea

Ahhh... But those who keep their ear to the ground would have picked up rumors...

1. Intel may be having problems with the new process - which delayed the launch.

2. AMD have blown it - so Intel has no pressure to launch a new product when they could milk the old one a bit longer.

What ever way you cut it - Apple are not at fault. They got this stuff to market as quick as they could.

 

[chris.stone]

Yah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As a Mac user in Film and TV editing, I love absolutely love the new Mac Pro specs.

-It would have been nice to see a bigger processor speed jump, but we can't always get what we want...

-a 15,000 RPM hard drive is great for uncompressed HD in 4:4:4 RGB (along with a 1.5Gb graphics card and 8Gb RAm). I think this is what Apple were waiting for last year to accompany FCS 2. This will really make a difference in Post allowing for Full HD, 2k and now very likely 4k workflow on a FCS possible in realtime!!! I need to get my hands on a RED One and a moderately specced Mac Pro (Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
8GB (4x2GB), NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 1.5GB GDDR3, 300GB 15,000-rpm SAS 3Gb/s x4), just to see

-The only problem I can see is over heating with all that power...

-For the gamers...are you having a laugh...what game requires more than a 1.5Gb graphics card? Get real, 1.5Gb is more than enough for any game now and in the future...Anyway, a Mac Pro was never designed for gaming...its workstation meant for Creative Industries and artist to use

-No Blu-ray isn't an issues. I guessed there wouldn't be a drive in there yonks back. And here is the big fat clue that has been in everyones face for a few years...

...Apple does support Blu-Ray by being part of the Blu-Ray Disk Association etc. BUT SINCE DVD STUIO 4 FIRST APPEARED, IT CAN PRODUCE HD-DVD'S. Apple won't start putting a HD Optical disk drive in any computers until a clear winner between Blu- ray and HD DVD can be seen or a Dual format drive exists to read, write and re-write.

As for the pricing- its well worth the increase for my money (well, not my money but my bosses ) I think I will be placing an order very soon, if I can convince him.

 

[50548]

Utter bull. I can build you a 3ghz quad core machines, 4 gig of ram, 8800 GT for a third of that. The words 'inexpensive tower' and 'mac pro' are about as opposite as can be.

Now, as a workstation, for video, photo etc - it makes quite a lot of sense. It's a mighty, mighty machine.

But at £320 for 2 extra Gig of Ram which should be about £60 - Apple have reach a new low in terms of BTO Rip off. Utterly disgusting. What's strange is that the graphics card options are actually not that bad in terms of price.

What they need to do is sort of XP64 and Vista 64 drivers for bootcamp - then I'd have one of these in a second.

Doug

So you must be really new to the Apple camp...Apple memory prices have ALWAYS been as high as possible, simply because selling RAM is NOT a "native" or core Apple activity...they don't make them and could not care less whether their prices are the highest in the market...third-party providers surely profit from that.

 

[Egon777]

Only $100.00 more in Canada

Finally the fact that the US and Canadian dollar are at par means we aren't getting ripped off up here in Canada. Glad we have the largest oil reserves in the world, well that is right here in Alberta.

2799 us and 2899 cdn

 

[iSee]

Speaking as one who picked up the 8-core machine shortly after it was announced, I'm still happy with my choice. But I look at the new ones and I'm very impressed, the larger caches, the PCI Express 2.0 and faster RAM with an increased upper limit would be attractive to many. Waiting wasn't really an option for me anyway, and I've got plenty of power for what I need to do, and will hopefully see gains from more multi-threaded apps when they come out.

Still part of me will envy the ones that get these new machines...

Is this right? I thought the RAM still is pretty much the same, they just uped the clock speed from 667 to 800...

I didn't think of that, but you make an important point for people who already have MPs (especailly 8-core, but also 4-core): A big bottleneck on taking advantage of eight cores is the lack of software to do so. It takes an investment on the part of developers to optimize for many cores. These updates will surely further encourage developers to take more time to develop algorithms that scale up to eight (or more?) cores...

In a way, existing MP owners are getting a speed bump their own: on the performance of future software purchases...

 

[Sceneshifter]

Man, if I were rich, I'd buy one instantly, how nice!

 

[HornetOSX]

It clearly says one on the Tech Specs page!

and it also CLEARY Says OPEN also


for gods sake READ THE WHOLE THING AND THINK BEFORE YOU POST!!!!!!!!!


where do you think the graphics card plugs in ?? .. probably to the OTHER slot.. you know the one thats NOT open....

 

[milo]

Between the two options, I would go with the 8800 Gt over the 8-Core...the 2.8 Quad-Core is more than capable for what you want to do.

As a logic user, I wouldn't agree. Logic can take advantage of all 8 cores, and it can use all the CPU power it can get. Logic is a perfect poster child for these new machines.

Can't find hard data, but I'm sure the standard (not base) Mac Pro first generation was 2499$ The standard Mac Pro 2nd gen is now 2799$. (Only found evidence of this in old Macrumors threads!)

Each of those is a model in the middle of Apple's line.

If $2799 is too expensive, you can still buy a quad core machine for $2299, same as yesterday. If you do go with the 8 core, you can get it for $2799...yesterday 8 cores cost $3599.

Apple didn't raise prices on comparable models, they just changed the way their product line is laid out.

But where are the bells and whistles?

Such as??

And apparently Apple doesn't have any special relationship with IBM with regards to getting the first Penryns. Not only was the old Mac Pro very long in the tooth, but it's at least 2 months late, judging by most of the posters on this board. Look back at what ppl were saying in Octobre/November!

How could these machines be two months late? Intel just announced these chips a couple days ago, and as far as I know apple isn't apple the first company shipping them? Could you buy a PC with these chips before today?

 

[mdriftmeyer]

Gamers, please, shut up. You are lame. Wow you can run Quake 4 at 300 fps? Nobody cares. The human brain can't distinguish frame rates that high anyway. Wasted power. 60 fps is fluid. Most DVD's are in the 30-fps area. I really hope the person what whined about the 1.5 GB video card was being sarcastic, because that is an incredible card.

****: I'm a Mechanical Engineer and Computer Scientist. I could give two tit's whether or not the Gaming World explodes all over the Mac.

The 8800GT isn't an Engineering Card. The 5400FX is an Engineering Card, but it's the Top End and there are no other options. As I stated in an earlier thread, this card is phenomenal but who gives a rat's ass when I can't utilize it in this machine without switching to Linux or Windows?

Apple has to start partnering and catering the Engineering worlds and not just play best buds with the Music/Video industry.

Apple's a complete joke in the worlds of Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Structural, MEMS, Materials Engineering fields.

 

[Umbongo]

I didn't think of that, but you make an important point for people who already have MPs (especailly 8-core, but also 4-core): A big bottleneck on taking advantage of eight cores is the lack of software to do so. It takes an investment on the part of developers to optimize for many cores. These updates will surely further encourage developers to take more time to develop algorithms that scale up to eight (or more?) cores...

In a way, existing MP owners are getting a speed bump their own: on the performance of future software purchases...

Multi core is the way of the future as far as Intel are concerned, expect 32 core mac pros in 2 years time. While this will surely encourage developers, there are still alot of limitations as to what we willsee software wise, most articles on the subject seem to point to the fact that many developers just arent capable.

 

[ziggy90127]

Finally the fact that the US and Canadian dollar are at par means we aren't getting ripped off up here in Canada. Glad we have the largest oil reserves in the world, well that is right here in Alberta.

2799 us and 2899 cdn

What? The currency is the same, and we're paying $100 more for the same machine? Yes, Canadians are getting ripped off. Dear Apple Canada, u suck.

 

[rezenclowd3]

Damn, the Xserve I just ordered 2 weeks ago finally arrived...today. AND I neeeded it 1 week ago.... Since there is no more time crunch for getting the Xserve in, I have to see if Apple will let us exchange it for the newest 2.8Ghz. IF our 2.0 xserve was already in place, I wouldnt mind this announcement at all, but this new one may help the school out for quite a bit longer due to quite a few programs not being updated to the Intel OR 10.5 architecture...and once they do, I am quite positive they will require more than a 2.0GHz xserve....bad bad timing for us here.

 

[V.K.]

Mac Pro (early 2008)

This is probably nothing but I find it interesting that Apple site consistently refers to the new Mac Pro as Mac Pro (early 2008) as opposed to simply Mac Pro (2008). Does this maybe mean that another Mac Pro update will happen later this year?

 

[takao]

-For the gamers...are you having a laugh...what game requires more than a 1.5Gb graphics card? Get real, 1.5Gb is more than enough for any game now and in the future...Anyway, a Mac Pro was never designed for gaming...its workstation meant for Creative Industries and artist to use

if it's such a great workstation why does it have gaming video cards in stock configuration and available as BTO

that said no gamer will get a quadro since it's most likely based on an older architecture with more conservative clock speed and vram...

 

[Loa]

The first gen Mac Pro base model only had 4 CPU's.The new base system has 8.You do the math.

Oh come on. It's been what, 16 months? Isn't Moore's law predicting a doubling in performance every 18 months? In effect, it's just an update.

And of course the standard config of a new system, especially one that was so overdue???

I do the math?

Nisaea

 

[Umbongo]

How could these machines be two months late? Intel just announced these chips a couple days ago, and as far as I know apple isn't apple the first company shipping them? Could you buy a PC with these chips before today?

Not to my knowledge. The Harpertown processors were relaced on november the 12th (or 11th/13th I forget), but these 1600MHz processors then recieved a due date of 0-45 days after that. I have only seen Dell offering 3GHz 1600MHz processors for a very short time (few days) back in december.

These aren't late by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[mdriftmeyer]

This is probably nothing but I find it interesting that Apple site consistently refers to the new Mac Pro as Mac Pro (early 2008) as opposed to simply Mac Pro (2008). Does this maybe mean that another Mac Pro update will happen later this year?

BTO options most likely will be changed, but unless Nehalem comes out this Fall by Intel then don't expect the CPU to bump to that 32nm chipset before Jan 2009.

 

[iSee]

...Well they could have gone SAS for the HDD (my HP xw8400 supports it) and the 8800 Ultra (the Quadro is already top-of-the-line) and added Sony's new Blu-Ray player (or a Blu-Ray burner), but honestly...you can likely add them all (maybe not the 8800GT) yourself via third-party channels for less money and likely quicker shipping (notice the delay to get the 8800GT card).

The new MPs do support SAS...
http://www.apple.com/macpro/technology/storage.html

 

[Decrepit]

Apple is taunting me.

I just got an email from Apple about the new Pro.

I had just closed my browser because I was preparing to spend a whole lot of money that I don't have on something I don't need.

Close the browser, and Mail makes that "new mail" sound. And there's the ad.

It's a conspiracy I tell you.

 

[Bababasjd]

Macs != gaming machines.

If anybody is buying a mac to game professionally they are making a huge mistake. The BTO cards for the Mac Pro are more than adequate enough.

Listen Im a lawyer so im going to be rough. Apple overcharges for everything. The only reason why they became popular is through their ipod and iphone. Now the macbook and imacs are popular. macbook pros are starting to get popular but no where near as much as the macbook. Apple has been horrible at selling macpro they are so over priced, my desktop is not much slower in fact it has more ram, a much faster video card i mean like 80% nvida 8800ultra and it has a very nice design for a fraction of the price. Apple still over charges here, it is very sad because if they want 15 % markete share they wont get it by those current prices. I understand it is for people who do video editing but they should make the macpros with core duo and more afforable ram + faster video card.

 

[philoye]

ATI Radeon HD 3870 is coming

I'm posting this on page 25 so no one will ever see it probably, but the AU apple store shows that the ATI 3870 was a late scratch from the lineup. Plus, there is a bunch of placeholder text. Someone above mentioned the Belgian store having the same issue. It is amusing that they translated the text before finalising it.

If you go to the Mac Pro page and configure it. Click on the Learn More link for the video cards, you get this:

A 16-lane, double-wide PCI Express 2.0 graphics slot supports the latest graphics controllers for up to 8 GBps of data throughput, twice that of a previous-generation PCI Express slot. And by supplying up to 300 watts of total power to all PCI Express slots, the Mac Pro provides the headroom for high-performance, next-generation graphics cards.

Choose among these graphics card options.

ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
For excellent all-around performance in creative and productivity applications, choose one or more ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT cards.. This card features a 256MB GDDR3 frame buffer and two dual-link DVI ports, making it capable of simultaneously supporting two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays. This PCI Express 2.0 graphics card provides up to XX performance claim.

ATI Radeon HD 3870
If you’re working in motion graphics, animation, or 3D design and visualization, the powerful ATI Radeon HD 3870 with 512MB of dedicated GDDR4 memory may suit your needs perfectly. It offers two dual-link DVI ports that can simultaneously support two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays for an incredibly large widescreen workspace. We need performance numbers to position this card relative to 8800 GT. Also, a PCIe2.0 card.

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
. We need performance numbers to position this card relative to 3870. Also, a PCIe2.0 card.

NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600
Featuring a massive 1.5GB frame buffer of GDDR3 memory, the NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 is the ultimate workstation-level graphics card. It’s ideal for industrial-strength 3D design work, modeling, animation, and stereo 3D visualization. One of the most advanced graphics cards available, it has an integrated stereo 3D port, so you can use stereo goggles for stereo-in-a-window visualization applications. With two dual-link DVI ports, you can connect two 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Displays. Featuring amazing performance up to XXX performance claim.

Dual-Display Modes
Each graphics card offers built-in dual-display support in two modes. Extended Desktop mode allows you to work on two monitors at once for increased desktop real estate and enhanced productivity. Video mirroring mode is useful when presenting to groups — the same image that you see on your local display also appears on a projector or auxiliary display. Simply attach two monitors and the Mac OS will recognize both displays. Use the Displays system preference to configure your monitors in either extended desktop or video mirroring modes.

You can attach multiple Apple flat panels with DVI connectors to your Mac Pro graphics card directly. If you have an Apple flat panel with an ADC connector, the optional Apple DVI to ADC Adapter is required (sold separately

 

[Umbongo]

This is probably nothing but I find it interesting that Apple site consistently refers to the new Mac Pro as Mac Pro (early 2008) as opposed to simply Mac Pro (2008). Does this maybe mean that another Mac Pro update will happen later this year?

Probably not, Nehalem Xeons may come out in 2008, but everything Apple will want for an upgrade probably won't be ready until 2009. There are likely to be faster Harpertown processors ranging from 3.4-4GHz this year though.

 

[valdore]

I just got an email from Apple about the new Pro.

I had just closed my browser because I was preparing to spend a whole lot of money that I don't have on something I don't need.

Close the browser, and Mail makes that "new mail" sound. And there's the ad.

It's a conspiracy I tell you.

I got that same email!