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Apple Offers Developers a Closer Look at the New Mac Pro

Sad you didn't get a meaningless update?

Someone call the waaaa-ambulance.

It's not what you wanted true, "BUT WHO CARES" as Ruby Rod put it in the movie, The Fifth Element.

The R2-D2 comparison is funny at first yet thought provoking when you think about it...movies of the past becoming realities today.

Funny how a trashcan still looks better than PC.

Deal with it.
 
capuzino said:
I just don't really understand all this complaining..

"Nobody wants cables and external stuff around their places....."

What's the real difference from a drive to 4?
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There was a time when Steve Jobs made fun of such computers and most people on this forum laughed their butts off:


apple-imac-dell-xps-410.jpg


And now, all of a sudden, it's okay when a desktop with a Mac Pro on it is going to look like this?

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ZoellerSystem said:
Funny how a trashcan still looks better than PC.

Deal with it.
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Yes, the new Mac Pro looks nice. But some of the forthcoming Steamboxes (also known as PCs) have a similar size, can be hidden behind the display (Vesa mount) and are not uglier either:

xi3-2-580-75.jpg
 
Mums said:
It looks like the future.
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Maybe yours, not mine. In good old Apple fashion, this thing will come at a ridiculously high price and will be out-dated after a few months. If you have money to burn, be my guest. I rather buy something that's uglier but can be upgraded and buy dog food from the rather impressive price difference.
 
As a side note, when it comes to desktops they always go under the desk not on top so front ports are handy.
 
Xiroteus said:
As a side note, when it comes to desktops they always go under the desk not on top so front ports are handy.
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Always? Tell me more about how you locate your iMac or Mac mini under the desk.
Or even any other small-sized or all-in-one desktop?
 
I love the design, amazing to see such fundamental change after about 10 years of the existing design. It's soooo tiny.

I do worry though, that it kind of 'falls between 2/3 stools'.

I wanted a cool looking, affordable mini-tower with upgradable graphics. It certainly looks great, but I doubt if it's affordable if or the graphics can be swapped out - I don't need pro graphics cards.
Pros probably wanted more internal expansion options. Some may be perfectly happy to move, but it could be very difficult for many. I wonder if it could result in a lot of pros moving to PCs as it's an easier/cheaper migration than the new Mac Pro?
And for those who wanted a rack-mountable Mac again....

I'd still love one. Anyone want to buy me one? Anyonnnnnne.....
 
Winni said:
Maybe yours, not mine.
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Then go away.

Meanwhile, It seems like the GPUs are swappable.

http://forums.cgsociety.org/showpost.php?p=7601739&postcount=88

The Graphics cards in this new macpro are swappable. But they are bespoke and a new form factor it seems. Ram / GPU and the Main drive is all updatable - it does seem that there is the possibility of installing 2 or more of these PCIe drives + 2.5" SSDs they have just not shown us that yet. 3.5" are definate 'NO'

The product will launch with ATI and perhaps Nvidia / OEM will have a form factor later or at launch.
 
If Mac Pro can be reduced by this amount, I wonder what they could do with Mac Mini.

Also, although most likely expensive, how about using it as a HTPC?
 
bedifferent said:
Explain this to my clients who request Blu-Ray media for the HD film work I do. I suppose I should just give them HDD's then. Blu-Ray is far from dead for many professionals, and the "1080P" material on iTunes is a joke; no DTS audio, and the film is closer to 720P than 1080P. Until wireless networks can put out at least 54Mbps transfer
rates, not to mention downloads, Blu-Ray media hits "iTunes HD" out of the park.
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I don't understand what you're complaining about. If you use a Mac currently then you are already burning Blu-ray from an external drive. Just use that same drive.
 
The coolest part about this design is that it's super compact while exposing all its innards for user replacement. Everything seems to be facing outwards around the, uh, cylinder. :D I wouldn't be worried about upgradabilities. It actually looks unusually easy to upgrade it. I mean -- there's nothing on the inside you aren't "getting to" -- the core is just the aluminum block leading away the heat.

I also don't think Blu-ray support is very important. Yes, of course, to some, but that stuff really needs to be digitalized ASAP for any form of convenience as a professional. You just don't juggle Blu-ray discs while remaining productive. Make some guy(s) in the organization responsible for working with clients externally in a gateway role, install Blu-ray drives there, and you're done. This is a special need the entire organization shouldn't need. I'd treat Blu-ray discs like envelopes.
 
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rodedwards said:
Pretty enough, but not practical and not professional.

I need space for four internal hard drives, a dvd / cd / Blu Ray drive as my clients still want stuff on disc.

I don't want cables taking over my workspace. If anything it looks back to front and what the hell do we do with the empty space inside ? Maybe we can use it as a trash can ...

I just hope it's user expandable as i like to upgrade parts as and when rather than the whole darned unit.

Been a G3 / G4 / G5 and two Mac Pro user for years but all in all a bit disappointed and now what computer will i buy ?
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You will buy this. And at the same time, you will buy the matching and cool looking third party external that houses a few bays for hard drives and a dvd/cd/blu ray. Given that Apple has announced the form factor many months before shipping, all third party peripheral makers started designing to match this form factor this morning. And to fill in the two obvious wholes you mentioned. They should have no trouble having a simple device like I mentioned above ready to ship in 4 months or so.
 
Love it!

Nice design and very interesting mechanical engineering.

I am confused by some of the comments about the lack of expandability. Short of a NAS this seems pretty complete for the semi-pro to pro range market niche.
 
capuzino said:
Always? Tell me more about how you locate your iMac or Mac mini under the desk.
Or even any other small-sized or all-in-one desktop?
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More details, I meant always on a personal level, of course one large reason for that could be that my desktop was the size of a tank.


RedWeasel said:
Yeah, that's why we call 'em Deskunders, right?
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See above.

This is small enough it could easily go on top of desk, to date all my desktops have always gone under because the things were huge.
 
cosmichobo said:
Now... either way, I'm looking at having to get an external multi bay hard drive enclosure... And unless the new Mac Pro's price is massively slashed from the previous models, there's really no choice - it's an iMac. (and I don't like the new iMac either...)

IMO... The only thing that would save this, would be if Apple themselves offered a matching tower for your hard drives etc... as an optional extra... at a descent price.

Apple obviously want to push their Thunder, so they should offer the extras themselves - not wait for 3rd parties.
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Should be pretty easy for a third party to offer that matching external drive bay. I've got a brushed silver external HD on my desk. "Coincidentally" it perfectly matches my iMac's silver. I think Apple giving everyone a heads up and a good look at the Pro should mean that externals will be available around the launch date. For your use, one thunderbolt cable to the external sounds like all you will need.
 
The problems with the new Mac Pro

I'd hope that someone releases an expansion box - raid 5, room for a blu-ray drive, along with a few USB and FireWire ports.

Apple typically doesn't release peripherals like this, but they should, instead of relying solely on 3rd. party support.

BTW, let's see some 4K cinema displays!

I wish Apple mentioned what the price was. It's either going to be outrageous, or a cheap starting cost (by cheap, I mean $2499).

I keep reading how the internals are upgradable - I'd like to see Apple "think different" and provide upgrades to the internals - after they've been sold.

I'm not too worried about a dual CPU core, or a second internal drive. I wouldn't be surprised if those were options to come into play later on.

I'm mostly concerned about thermal problems - I'm taking a wait and see approach.
 
Winni said:
There was a time when Steve Jobs made fun of such computers and most people on this forum laughed their butts off:

And now, all of a sudden, it's okay when a desktop with a Mac Pro on it is going to look like this?

Yes, the new Mac Pro looks nice. But some of the forthcoming Steamboxes (also known as PCs) have a similar size, can be hidden behind the display (Vesa mount) and are not uglier either:
Click to expand...


First you contradict yourself when you dismiss the form factor then in your next paragraph say it "looks nice"

Second, Steve made fun of things when it suited his aims. Also in the instance you speak of he was referring to consumer machines, but the Mac Mini can become a rats nest of cables too, so it's hardly an issue Jobs "owned".

Finally those steam boxes are neither as powerful nor elegantly designed as the new MP, so inaccurate comparison. The steam boxes require tools to upgrade & have poor, noisy ventilation. The new MP is said to be nearly silent because of the cylindrical design. Silent and can run 3 4K monitors... Say what you want, I doubt you could build a more efficient & accessible case.
 
A big "phew" on my side that I picked up one of the very last 2012 Mac Pros in my country after watching the announcement of this machine. No matter how much the value of these machines will rise here in Europe on the second-hand market now, I won't let go of it for sure.

Long time I thought I'd best fit into Apple's semi-pro sector with a maxed-out iMac. Turns out that for Apple I seem to have been a "pro" actually because the Mac Pro gave me what I wanted. Now, they seem to think the real pros were semi-pros. It's ridiculous they still call it Mac Pro. Should have called it Mac Mini Plus or something like that and let the Mac Pro stay the Mac Pro.

I would expect the price for the base models will stay the same.
But with only Thunderbolt ports aside from USB, one will need fitting new PCIe card enclosures, hard drive enclosures... which will be neither cheap nor immediately available. In the end, you pay more to get what you need but still are left with a mess.
Consider the amount of cables and at least 3 more separate things on or under the desk.

If Apple continues to follow this trend of eff-ing with pros and semi-pros, I'll probably really have to switch to a hackintosh or back to Windows after my Mac Pro will have served me for 6-8 years even though I'd hate that. Seems like Apple has had their peak, just a short time period where they acutally fully satisfied me with their hard- and software.
 
jca666us said:
I'd like to see Apple "think different" and provide upgrades to the internals - after they've been sold.
Click to expand...

Why? 3rd party upgrades will be less expensive. I don't expect upgradability to change with this new model or they wouldn't have made it even easier than the current MP to get into.
 
$3200 retail for the GPU? This could price at $5000 to start!

G4DP said:
Ha ha, add a couple of $1,000.

The GPU's are $3,200 each retail, so say Apple get a 50% discount buying in mass orders, that's your $3,000 already, then there are the RAM modules, CPU, all the other little extras. Let alone the cost of it being made in the US.
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