Yes, Xeon and FirePro do mean higher starting costs.
XEON E5 Family
The Xeon also is a choice of very few options in this new Xeon list by Intel.
We know its E5 based from Apple and configurations up to 12 cores. Either a 6 core or 12 core option. There are no longer dual sockets. It's a single socket board.
Now with an agreement to purchase say 100k of these Apple can move the price point down, but nowhere near the levels you hope like they could with the iMac.
Why do you think Apple would scrap dual processor options and then only use CPUs that have huge price premiums because they intended for DP systems? What kind of logic is that? The uni-processor Mac Pros obviously outsell DP ones, very few users buy high-end Mac Pros as evidenced by the average unit price of $1,300 for Apple's desktop sales. This is all happening because high-end units don't shift, the 12-core option is a compromise. Why would they not use a $300 3.7GHz 4-core CPU and $550 3.4Ghz 6-core CPU when these are obviously the most popular choices (or those they replace) in their existing line?
Are you suggesting they would use these?:
Xeon E5-2630L V2 6 Core 2.4Ghz is $701.01
Xeon E5-2650 V2 8 core 2.6Ghz is $1335.85
Xeon E5-2643 V2 6 core 3.5Ghz Pricing is N/A
Why would Apple use a $600 2.4GHz 6-core CPU when they can use a $550 3.4Ghz CPU? Why would they pay more for the E5-2643 V2, at least $300 probably more. Why would anyone want that?
FIREPRO
Dual GPU standard.
The 4096 Shaders mentioned in the Keynote, while mentioning each GPGPU can hold up to 6GB GDDR5 means up to 12GB GDDR5 solution.
More to the point, the FirePro dual set up is a unique design to Apple.
They are GCN 2.0 based cards either using the upcoming 20nm/14nm FinFET or the last run of the 28nm line. Their PCI-E 3.0 interfaces are unique to Apple's model. They aren't going to be built for any other brand or OEM.
Apple can reduce the cost by investing into the co-development of the new designs to meet their new Core design and most certainly they have done so.
Yet, either way you shake it, this WORKSTATION isn't starting at $1999.
They emphatically stated up to 12-core, dual FirePros producing 4096 shader cores.
The FirePro W10000 provides 4096 shader streaming cores at 6GB GDDR5
The FirePro W9000 provides 2048 shader streaming cores at 6GB GDDR5
It is a reasonable assumption that this new design is a dual W9000 level GPGPU design for up to 12GB GDDR5.
This system will be unique to Apple and that adds in cost. Apple can absorb some of that cost by sharing the development [and has done so], but not to levels where you think you're getting the baseline at $1999 or even $2999.
No, being unique to Apple drives down the costs. Whether Apple pass those on or not remaisn to be seen. They currently sell a sub $1,500 workstation for $2,500 and the line died. It was much more popular in 2006-2007 when they sold a $2,500 workstation, that cost $3,000 from other vendors, for $2,500. That relied on big discounts from Intel though, but perhaps the AMD deal lets them do something similar again.
You clearly state this is up to 12 cores and 4096 shader cores, why on earth do you think that means they won't start at the low end? Why use the words up to. Not saying they will, but why would you think they won't when high-end systems don't sell anywhere near as lower end ones? Not in Apple's lines, not in the PC industry, not in the workstation market. Making this even more niche than the old ones would be so ridiculous I don't understand why people think Apple would even consider it.
This is all about cutting costs and increasing growth.
