Apple Planning 'Something Really Different' for New Mac Pro

[Xiroteus]

Just Troll Comments, no real PRO still uses CD/DVD in any workflow, Pendrives does de job 10x faster and much more reliable w/o waste.

And Why somebody is worried about CD/DVD on a 5000$ Mac? Who Spend 5000$ to burn CD/DVDs all the day, thats idiotic, troll questions.

If there still people requiring to burn a lot of CD/DVD, a Mac Mini with an external HEAVY DUTY EASY TO REPLACE CD/DVD/BD BURNER WILL DO for about 800$ or about 1/6 the value of an Mac PRO.

When it comes to computers I am completely serious about the optical drive, I imagine others are as well depending on their ends. I do not personal burn data to dvd's, never did with flash drives. Some do because of cost and they have make it clean they want it internal.

And that could be one of the points, if you spend $5,000 on a computer it should have everything you want.

 

[Mago]

No it's not. I refuse to use an external to a desktop, it is completely ridiculous.

Not that hard for Apple to have options for internal hardware. I imagine many people would rather use that space for other things, that is a win win when we have the correct options of choice.

As I said, CD/DVD is legacy, NO REAL PRO USES THAT FROM YEARS ON ANY WORKFLOW, ITS NOT PRODUCTIVE, AND IS NOT REQUIRED BY ANY SERIOUS WORK.

Apple cant compromise the Mac Design just to still suporting an dated technology that really is used as much 1 or 2 times a year by real pros.

For those really worried about, can buy external units for 20-120 $ better targeted to their workflow and that dont need to be attached when not in use (or about 364 days a yr on 99% of REAL PRO USERS).

Only old fashioned domestic user worried about to burn music CDs for they old car stereos are worried about the CD/DVD fate..

 

[greenmeanie]

with "no internal expandability"
Did you people not read that part?

 

[flux73]

The return of the cube. This time in brushed stainless steel.

 

[Mago]

When it comes to computers I am completely serious about the optical drive, I imagine others are as well depending on their ends. I do not personal burn data to dvd's, never did with flash drives. Some do because of cost and they have make it clean they want it internal.

And that could be one of the points, if you spend $5,000 on a computer it should have everything you want.

I dont Want to Spend money and desk space on technology I dont Want/Need (as 99% of pro Users).

----------

The return of the cube. This time in brushed stainless steel.

I Hope, but seems we could end with something like an iMac PRO or an mini Mac Pro.

I Deam with an NeXT like Cube an Alluminum unibody, with dual Xeon E5 16 Cores, 5 Fusion Drives in Raid, and 3 Quadro 5000 Cards or an Intel Xeon-Phi Board, but some info point on other directions.

 

[greenmeanie]

Ever hear of External Devices?
Buy one.

Oh I do hope they don't scrap the optical drive in the only machine that doesn't need to be made thinner and lighter...

Fair enough, CD's are going out of fashion as software is becoming more download-able. I like the concept. But what about media producers who need to burn discs, and would like to do so conveniently and directly on their Mac Pro ?

'£65 and you can have your (external) superdrive back!'...

 

[Xiroteus]

As I said, CD/DVD is legacy, NO REAL PRO USES THAT FROM YEARS ON ANY WORKFLOW, ITS NOT PRODUCTIVE, AND IS NOT REQUIRED BY ANY SERIOUS WORK.

Legacy based on Apple, still a current format that people do use, in a work environment I'm not too sure, likely has to do with giving things away because dvds are cheap, flash drives are not cheap enough for that yet.

Apple cant compromise the Mac Design just to still suporting an dated technology that really is used as much 1 or 2 times a year by real pros.

Which really just means, Apple cannot make it the size of a pea. It's a desktop.

For those really worried about, can buy external units for 20-120 $ better targeted to their workflow and that dont need to be attached when not in use (or about 364 days a yr on 99% of REAL PRO USERS).

No externals on desktop computers.

Only old fashioned domestic user worried about to burn music CDs for they ond sterios ar worried about the CD/DVD fate..

Using DVD's or CD's for burning has been dated for a LONG time on a personal level, useful on another entertainment level. They have taken away the optical drive on the mini, the retina Macbook Pro and maybe the Mac pro? I think they could leave at least one alone to give people some options.

I dont Want to Spend money and desk space on technology I dont Want/Need (as 99% of pro Users).

Now people are worrying about minimal space on desktop computer? That area could be used for extra storage if not used for an optical drive.

Ever hear of External Devices?
Buy one.

There needs to be a huge posting - It is a desktop machine and many people do NOT want to use an external drive on it.

The only time I could see an external being somewhat okay if someone had several systems that were streamed lined and just used one external optical drive for all the systems when it came up.

 

[DPUser]

As I said, CD/DVD is legacy, NO REAL PRO USES THAT FROM YEARS ON ANY WORKFLOW, ITS NOT PRODUCTIVE, AND IS NOT REQUIRED BY ANY SERIOUS WORK.

Apple cant compromise the Mac Design just to still suporting an dated technology that really is used as much 1 or 2 times a year by real pros.

For those really worried about, can buy external units for 20-120 $ better targeted to their workflow and that dont need to be attached when not in use (or about 364 days a yr on 99% of REAL PRO USERS).

Only old fashioned domestic user worried about to burn music CDs for they old car stereos are worried about the CD/DVD fate..

I agree, and disagree Mago... am a pro and yet I simply must burn CD's for certain clients. OTOH, I use an external CD drive (which sits silently at my studio desk when not in use), having replaced the MP's internal burner with three SSDs. Much handier, since my MP sits in a machine room, churning away unheard, and the burner is within arm's reach.

 

[Mago]

Legacy based on Apple, still a current format that people do use, in a work environment I'm not too sure, likely has to do with giving things away because dvds are cheap, flash drives are not cheap enough for that yet.

What do you realize is what people does on a Mac PRO ? edit tunes?

Mac Pro is targeted to be used on Heavy Photoshop, 3D Modeling/Rendering, 3D CAD/Science (heavy simulations) and Advanced Video Editing, none of those areas still use a CD/DVD from YEARS, NO SINGLE ONE.

Which really just means, Apple cannot make it the size of a pea. It's a desktop.

No externals on desktop computers.

No Poblem, NO EXTERNAL BECAUSE NO CD/DVD IS REALLY REQUIRED.

Large organizations foresee only one or two external CD/DVD and only on hands of support personnel, not for Worksation users.

Using DVD's or CD's for burning has been dated for a LONG time on a personal level, useful on another entertainment level. They have taken away the optical drive on the mini, the retina Macbook Pro and maybe the Mac pro? I think they could leave at least one alone to give people some options.

And call IT THE FOREVER ALONE CD/DVD DRIVE ...

So, why not to load the MAc with 3.5"Floppy Drives? I hear ther still people at the USPTO using such thing...

LOL

Now people are worrying about minimal space on desktop computer? That area could be used for extra storage if not used for an optical drive.

There needs to be a huge posting - It is a desktop machine and many people do NOT want to use an external drive on it.

REAL MAC PRO USERS DONT USE AN CD/DVD SO THEY WILL NOT NEED AN EXTERNAL CD/DVD UNIT.

An Smaller Mac, measn more desktop Space for... An Ipad Mini ... just to name an thing...

 

[samcraig]

No they can't. Hype is a the over promotion of something tangible. Rumor is pretty much the Antithesis of hype.

First day at English class?

That might be your definition. But it's not accurate. Movies can be overhyped before they even start filming just based on casting and who is directing it. If all the blogs are posting rumors and speculation about a product before it's released - it's being hyped.

The word "antithesis" isn't usually capitalized. OH! LOOK AT WHAT I DID! TURNED YOUR POINTLESS SNARK AROUND ON YOU!

Anyway, hype isn't only the over promotion of something tangible, it can also be used to describe the building anticipation within a fanbase. Like being "hyped" (imagine me doing air quotes here) for a new album by your favorite band or something similar. In this latter case, rumors play into the hype and help build it.

We really get into some pedantic arguments around here, don't we?

Word.

Your Capitalised snark line was ironic as I was just rebutting against the poster being rude. Also typing on a mobile. Hyped is a horrible Americanism and bastardazation of the word. Still incorrect. Oh and yes we do. Better than listening to all the paid Samsung posters that live on here now in any case.

Wrong use of the word ironic. You meant coincidence. Not the same. See what I did there?

Who is a paid samsung poster on here?

But you still have to use windoze...

Also you realise the single CPU alone in a Mac Pro are about $700

Ahhh. Nevermind responding to me. You are one of "those" posters who insist on silly name calling (Windoze, for example). That speaks volumes. Especially since I obviously hit a nerve. I was clearly being tongue in cheek when I asked if this was your first day at MR because this site is often filled with hype from either the articles and/or the posters here.

 

[AidenShaw]

molasses in January

Three Mac minis duct taped together.

...with slow duct tape.

Like I've been saying. Thunderbolt might make it possible to ditch the old "box full of components" idea.
Thunderbolt is fast enough to act as a bus between CPUs, GPUs, and storage, for a modular approach.

No, T-Bolt isn't fast enough to do any of that. Maybe for a limited way in storage - although two SSDs can saturate a T-Bolt link.

I'm currently prototyping an app with dual 40 Gbps Ethernet links with a couple of $1400 Dell workstations. That's 160 Gbps total (two 40 Gbps full duplex links) - for which T-Bolt would be a colossal fail.

 

[Mago]

I agree, and disagree Mago... am a pro and yet I simply must burn CD's for certain clients. OTOH, I use an external CD drive (which sits silently at my studio desk when not in use), having replaced the MP's internal burner with three SSDs. Much handier, since my MP sits in a machine room, churning away unheard, and the burner is within arm's reach.

Certains, actually less and less people uses CD/DVDs, dated, while more often is used the Cloud Storage and the reliable onmiprescent pendrive for such rare users that use to move multi-GB files so often, if moved on CD/DVD will requite dozens CD/DVD burned (and a % lost)....

So, let it Go...

RIP CD/DVD (1983-2013)

 

[12dylan34]

What do you realize is what people does on a Mac PRO ? edit tunes?

Mac Pro is targeted to be used on Heavy Photoshop, 3D Modeling/Rendering, 3D CAD/Science (heavy simulations) and Advanced Video Editing, none of those areas still use a CD/DVD from YEARS, NO SINGLE ONE.

I work as a professional 3D/2D animator at a motion design studio, and we burn probably 20-30 DVDs per month between archiving backups of old projects (DVDs are more archivable than HDD storage), and overnighting clients large files that would take just as long to transfer over the Internet....

So you're not quite correct in that respect.

 

[SeattleMoose]

1) No I/O ports (all wireless)
2) No replaceable parts (everything glued or soldered down)
3) HW optimized for Facebook and iCloud integration
4) Fold out coffee cup holder
5) One side solar panels
6) Price is "in the clouds"

Hope you "Pros" enjoy it!!!

 

[DUCKofD3ATH]

[/center]Somewhat corroborating Baird's phone call, Lou Borella -- administrator of the 'We Want a New Macpro' Facebook group -- wrote on the page that he heard the new professional Mac would be "heavily reliant on Thunderbolt" with "no internal expandability", and would have support for dual-GPU's and no FireWire or optical drive.

"heavily reliant on Thunderbolt" with "no internal expandability"​

I'm getting a picture of an iMac Pro with 27" screen; three 20Gbs Thunderbolt ports; the latest Intel Xeon processor; a 2-TB drive; and 512 GB SSD.

 

[Xiroteus]

What do you realize is what people does on a Mac PRO ? edit tunes?

Mac Pro is targeted to be used on Heavy Photoshop, 3D Modeling/Rendering, 3D CAD/Science (heavy simulations) and Advanced Video Editing, none of those areas still use a CD/DVD from YEARS, NO SINGLE ONE.

I don't have much information on those fields of work. I hear some still use optical media of a range of reasons.

So, why not to load the MAc with 3.5"Floppy Drives? I hear ther still people at the USPTO using such thing...

This is one thing people jump to rather often and it is not all that valid because floppies are not like DVD's blu-rays etc... limited data, unstable yet I did not even start using them until after apple removed them. I was still in the present while Apple was too far in the future.

Flash drive costs were still high and was thrilled when I could get rid of those horrible floppies. DVD's etc.. are still current tech, floppies were just annoying. People do live in the present and that is someone Apple sometimes almost forgets about yet they still have 5400 drives.

REAL MAC PRO USERS DONT USE AN CD/DVD SO THEY WILL NOT NEED AN EXTERNAL CD/DVD UNIT.

Some do, I have seen many on here alone and among the internet.

An Smaller Mac, measn more desktop Space for... An Ipad Mini ... just to name an thing...

That really just seems like you are reaching a bit too far for that one, it is a desktop and it would likely be vertical height of almost nothing. It should be okay for Apple to have one system that is not not overly worried about every little inch of space.

 

[iSee]

Can we stop with this nonsense already? Go visit Mac Pro subforum, you can read a lot about Thunderbolt there. There's at least one similar post made like this every day and it has been disproved every time. There is not enough bandwidth, OK? TB can carry video signal OK (should be 4K with Haswells) and some data, but piping bits from GPU at full speed? Forget it.

Also, why everyone is insisting it should be a cube? A modular cube. Bunch of modular mess on my desk, you are all creating problem that does not exist. It's perfectly fine for workstation to have everything in one box. It is very practical.

Unless they're aiming with this "pro" desktop at completely different demographic.

Well, I did say it was a wild prediction.

Also, the bandwidth argument can be overblown. Ultimately you've got to be sending all those tens of billions of bits per second to or from somewhere, so it's not always that easy to saturate a 20Gbps channel. It's not like it would make GPUs useless.

However, I'll double the craziness of my prediction and claim that Apple is going to do some of its proprietaty magic and double up the bandwidth of TB again!

Ugh...sounds like a recipe to end up spending over $10k when all is said and done...

Yes, that's the point. (for Apple.)

do you see it being user friendly stackable like a bunch of mac-mini form factors?

.

Please, NO, not "thinner". Not for a desktop -still, they did it with the iMac :-(

So, Apple doesn't like cables eh? So why the speculation that the new MacPro will need external this and external that?

I bought my MacPro because I wanted everything in one tidy, well designed, accessible box without having to get shedloads of plug sockets for external add-ons.

I know it's big, I know it's heavy (so leave it alone then!) but it does a good job of keeping it all (reasonably) tidy.

Please let the fabled new MacPro do the same.

...If this new Mac Pro turns out to be a bunch of component cases connected by Thunderbolt cables, I'm done.

LEGO! The modules will click together like Lego. You don't need cabels to connet Legos do you? Come on guys, pay attention

...total ignorance...you guys have completely fabricated the idea... based on a new, proprietary technology nobody's seen before...

Yes! Finally, someone who gets it

 

[Glideslope]

Wow...

with "no internal expandability"
Did you people not read that part?

Only 353 posts till it was mentioned. Well done.

 

[MacDav]

All good news, but I think we can realistically say that this will be the last upgrade before it's killed off.

Why?

 

[Magrathea]

Please - the facts ....

Do your homework here people.

The Mac Pro is for professionals - we need the fastest graphics card we can get. As someone stated Thunderbolt is not yet fast enough. We also need to be able to chain these cards high end cards together. We need (v4.0: ) the 31.51 GB/s (256 GT/s) for PCI 4. A modular design is probably not going to work Thundebolt2 is only 20Gbps to be launched late 2013.

The iMac with a nice 2Gb graphics card may cut it for some but we need graphics card several orders of magnitude more powerful.

Please do your homework and just buy an iMac if you don't understand the facts laid out here.

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Thunderbolt won't suffice with external high eng GPUs. We need ePCIe (external PCIe) cables/adapters/plugs for full bandwidth. They can be built into Macbook Pros/Airs and even Minis for more expansion and desktop like performance.

 

[ASKendrew]

Looking forward to seeing what they'll do with this.

 

[Mago]

I work as a professional 3D/2D animator at a motion design studio, and we burn probably 20-30 DVDs per month between archiving backups of old projects (DVDs are more archivable than HDD storage), and overnighting clients large files that would take just as long to transfer over the Internet....

So you're not quite correct in that respect.

So you organization can live with an external DVD burner while adopt new STD.

Actually mani large organization move CD/DVD libraries to removable HDD knows as "Data Tanks" stored on plastic cases and only used when said libraries need to be recovered, Safers, Relaible, Faster, and use to resit enviroment conditions for longer time, saving a lot of money.

Ahh the old fashioned TapeBackup still provide the safest long term large data storage (and optical tape is on the way)

 

[inlandtange]

As somebody said elsewhere on this topic, "pros don't need something different, they need something capable". What really scares me is that something similar to Brook's comments were made prior to FCPX being released a couple of years back. Now, while I still remain in the naysayer camp on X I think even fanboys would admit it was released way too early, not at all capable of doing what its predecessor did.

To me the release of X meant nothing really, but when they simultaneously dropped support and upgrades for 7 it was like a kick in the throat. Typical of Apple's self-important "we know better than the user". Now while you might get away with that with a consumer, them's fighting words for a pro.

The timing is really bizarre too. Many in the video industry, thanks to FCPX or the lack of a new macpro or both, have given up on Apple and moved on, in both hardware and software areas. The horse has largely bolted yet as the dust fades on the horizon they now seek to try and bring us back! Weird. It would want to be a lot better than "something really different" Mr. Brooks. it had better be something that "really works". We are in the business of smoke and mirrors every day of our lives, don't try that tactic on us with the new macpro.

 

[mike fix]

Can you imagine the look on Steve Jobs face if he was presented a computer with a bunch of boxes attached to it with cables running all over the place?

Yeah, external expandability is so Apple.