Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple 'Questioning' the Future of its Mac Pro Line?
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
OK, let's think different...
Why wouldn't Apple license Mac OS X to Cray? Check something small like this:
http://www.cray.com/Products/CX/Systems.aspx
It should not interfere with any of Apple product lines and creative professionals could be very happy.
Any thougths on that?
Why wouldn't Apple license Mac OS X to Cray? Check something small like this:
http://www.cray.com/Products/CX/Systems.aspx
It should not interfere with any of Apple product lines and creative professionals could be very happy.
Any thougths on that?
Again, you are 100% WRONG and simply do not know what you are talking about when stating:
"Yes, but again, some of these 3D rendering/engineering modelling tasks are peeking and not requiring Mac Pro hardware-level anymore."
If you read my prior posts in detail, you will see that not only does the software I use take full advantage of the most current hardware, but it effects the art itself. When you make the statement quote above, that is not true because it is no where close to peaking and never will be. For example, I am limited on certain scene constructions based solely on current hardware limitations, not software. The more advanced the hardware becomes, the more high-resolution models can be made and inserted into the scene. That means better more realistic looking models for still art, animations and video games. Also, scenes can be bigger, have more models in them at one time, etc.
----------
Agreed and well stated.
I believe that all of us in support of the Pro should be letting Apple know this. Perhaps email? Perhaps Tim Cook? They need to at least hear from us.
Pro Audio
Hi Guys,
The vast majority of Pro Audio users are on Mac Pros primarily due to RAM requirements, internal drive slots and PCI expansion. So while you could call this a niche, the global pro audio business is pretty significant in terms of profile with well known companies developing (some exclusively) for the Mac Pro platform.
So it's a big statement if they discontinue and will leave musicians, composers, producers and studios essentially with little choice but to consider switching to another platform.
I'm exactly in that position as I had been waiting for the new Mac Pro for my studio and now am a little confused as to what to do. I either have faith and wait for a new release, buy one of the existing models (although was hoping for 6GB HDD / SSD compatibility in new model) or finally my other option which would be totally the last straw would be to go PC for my studio given that if Apple discontinue the MP then I have to think about forward compatibility.
I await Apple's decision with baited breath but any views / advice welcome.
Hi Guys,
The vast majority of Pro Audio users are on Mac Pros primarily due to RAM requirements, internal drive slots and PCI expansion. So while you could call this a niche, the global pro audio business is pretty significant in terms of profile with well known companies developing (some exclusively) for the Mac Pro platform.
So it's a big statement if they discontinue and will leave musicians, composers, producers and studios essentially with little choice but to consider switching to another platform.
I'm exactly in that position as I had been waiting for the new Mac Pro for my studio and now am a little confused as to what to do. I either have faith and wait for a new release, buy one of the existing models (although was hoping for 6GB HDD / SSD compatibility in new model) or finally my other option which would be totally the last straw would be to go PC for my studio given that if Apple discontinue the MP then I have to think about forward compatibility.
I await Apple's decision with baited breath but any views / advice welcome.
I hope they don't do this. This is what has made Apple, Apple, since the Power Mac. Actually, since the Mac IIfx.
An iMac can do today anything you need it to. The Mac Pro can just do it faster. Same with 5-7 years from now.
This is very true. They've been moving in this direction for the last couple of years... I guess the Pro stuff wasn't as profitable? Dunno.
An iMac can do today anything you need it to. The Mac Pro can just do it faster. Same with 5-7 years from now.
This is very true. They've been moving in this direction for the last couple of years... I guess the Pro stuff wasn't as profitable? Dunno.
What pissed me off is they would discontinue because percentage wise it is a lower market, not because it is in less demand. In fact what Apple would be doing is ignoring their most loyal customers, the one who've always chosen Apple back when they could have gone PC for performance machines. But the same demand is there--they just have more new generation low performance users who may not be as loyal.
I can't think of any situation where increased power would not benefit engineering runs or 3d rendering. Care to elaborate?
Every thing I have done model wise has had to use compromises on grid size, use of parameterizations, and relatively course time steps. This is solely due to not having fast enough computer for even the most basic modeling jobs
Quick thing that comes to mind, 3D modelling for in-game use. You can't go all out on the model since you'll have to run it on lesser platforms, especially if your project is targetted to mobile devices.
Again, there are some tasks in these niches where computer hardware has caught up and passed the capabilities of the software. And there are also some tasks where the software will always require faster/better hardware.
The point is understand when Apple will find that the Mac Pro just doesn't serve their bottom line anymore and decide to send it the way of the XServe. Without prior notice (except maybe a 3 months grace period). If you don't start thinking about this and your exit plan today, you might be left hanging like the XServe folks were.
I have some time to post while im waiting for an none hour render on my Mac pro.
The people that need a Mac Pro, very often really need just that and people not in that position can't seem to grasp that.
HD cameras keep going way beyond 1080 HD, and I need a lot of horse power to eal with that. Laptops or iMacs can't deal with that in the foreseeable future.
I don't think they will abandon it just yet, but I have no idea of course.
The people that need a Mac Pro, very often really need just that and people not in that position can't seem to grasp that.
HD cameras keep going way beyond 1080 HD, and I need a lot of horse power to eal with that. Laptops or iMacs can't deal with that in the foreseeable future.
I don't think they will abandon it just yet, but I have no idea of course.
Note the sources the Appleinsider quotes: "people familiar with the matter".
Who the hell are those people? Could be anybody, and their intellectually disjointed sister.
Apple cannot do without a high end model.
The iMac is not a replacement with its heat issues and its bad screen. The Mac Mini is a joke.
If Apple dropped the MacPro, high end users would leave Apple in droves, and would never come back. And Apple would have to change its name to "iApple, a silly gadget company". Love can turn to hate, and this Apple doesn't need.
Also, the high end users are those who propagate the brand. The average Joe Blow consumer will buy an iPhone today and a Samsung tomorrow, an iPad now, and a Windows tablet tomorrow.
One day, the heat of the gadgets would dissipate, and what then?
The Mac Pro is a core product. It shows how good Apple products can be at the high end.
And there is no need. Apple still makes a profit with the Mac Pro. And it has so much money it would be idiotic to ax a good product.
In short, I think this rumor is 100% BS with high mental cholesterol values. It will die of a stroke, and hopefully soon.
iSteve, may he rest in peace, was the driving force of the main street-ization of Apple. I think there are more enthusiasts at Apple than at most other companies (discount the retail chief, who's departing for the Pizza Man or J C Penney or whatever), and they will have a say in this matter.
PS: Microsoft is so much hoping that this rumor is true. Their marketing department is already bossing out headlines "Need a powerful computer? Apples are for juicing, but Windows is for serious computing" But, again, I think they will get disappointed and will have to stick these headlines next to their greeting cards and cartoons in their cubicles.)
Who the hell are those people? Could be anybody, and their intellectually disjointed sister.
Apple cannot do without a high end model.
The iMac is not a replacement with its heat issues and its bad screen. The Mac Mini is a joke.
If Apple dropped the MacPro, high end users would leave Apple in droves, and would never come back. And Apple would have to change its name to "iApple, a silly gadget company". Love can turn to hate, and this Apple doesn't need.
Also, the high end users are those who propagate the brand. The average Joe Blow consumer will buy an iPhone today and a Samsung tomorrow, an iPad now, and a Windows tablet tomorrow.
One day, the heat of the gadgets would dissipate, and what then?
The Mac Pro is a core product. It shows how good Apple products can be at the high end.
And there is no need. Apple still makes a profit with the Mac Pro. And it has so much money it would be idiotic to ax a good product.
In short, I think this rumor is 100% BS with high mental cholesterol values. It will die of a stroke, and hopefully soon.
iSteve, may he rest in peace, was the driving force of the main street-ization of Apple. I think there are more enthusiasts at Apple than at most other companies (discount the retail chief, who's departing for the Pizza Man or J C Penney or whatever), and they will have a say in this matter.
PS: Microsoft is so much hoping that this rumor is true. Their marketing department is already bossing out headlines "Need a powerful computer? Apples are for juicing, but Windows is for serious computing" But, again, I think they will get disappointed and will have to stick these headlines next to their greeting cards and cartoons in their cubicles.)
See how well that turned out ?
It's not really comparable, Xserve was part of an effort to break into enterprise and high performance computing. Apple have a much larger presence with mac pro and an existing market that goes back to the very beginning and with software to make use of it.
Move on
The Mac Pro will die. Move on. I do find a Quad core i7 (with 8 virtual cores for rendering and encoding) iMac readily handles pro level video work and I can't imagine it can't handle your audio needs on a power level. You can have gobs of RAM, plenty of harddrive expansion, and through thunderbolt, specialized add on cards. With neatly stacked external hardrives, it still takes up less space and you get an amazing 27" IPS display. Add on a second monitor just for fun.
Is the current high end iMac more powerful than your current 'Pro' system?
I suffered from the death of Final Cut Pro and moved to Adobe. However I didn't need to leave the platform.
The Mac Pro will die. Move on. I do find a Quad core i7 (with 8 virtual cores for rendering and encoding) iMac readily handles pro level video work and I can't imagine it can't handle your audio needs on a power level. You can have gobs of RAM, plenty of harddrive expansion, and through thunderbolt, specialized add on cards. With neatly stacked external hardrives, it still takes up less space and you get an amazing 27" IPS display. Add on a second monitor just for fun.
Is the current high end iMac more powerful than your current 'Pro' system?
I suffered from the death of Final Cut Pro and moved to Adobe. However I didn't need to leave the platform.
I have an older MP and was planning to upgrade, as it would be nice to have a system that can play footage from my camera. I'm really curious, does your iMac handle 4K footage well in Premier?
My MP chokes on my RED EPIC footage, and you tell me an iMac can handle it?
I would be happy then to get an iMac
They might as well cancel it. If people really want a desktop the iMac is the way to go. Besides the real money is in the iDevices not the PCs.
Steve said we are living in a post-PC era and I guess it is time people start to move on. If the Mac Pro is cancelled they will still offer iMacs and laptops.
Steve said we are living in a post-PC era and I guess it is time people start to move on. If the Mac Pro is cancelled they will still offer iMacs and laptops.
It's funny though, for almost as long as I can remember, the argument against introducing a cheap, expandable consumer desktop Mac was it would kill the profitable Pro Mac sales upon which Apple depended.
If that revenue is not significant any more, what's the argument against such a Mac? It's unlikely to detract from Macbook/iPad sales, all it MIGHT do is offer Mac gamers the option of staying on the Mac platform instead of buying a gaming PC.
If that revenue is not significant any more, what's the argument against such a Mac? It's unlikely to detract from Macbook/iPad sales, all it MIGHT do is offer Mac gamers the option of staying on the Mac platform instead of buying a gaming PC.
The argument is that the investment in time, money and ressources required to make, market and support such an endeavour are best spent on more profitable ventures.
No, but I think you failed to understand what I meant with High Performance Computing (HPC).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-performance_computing
http://www.apple.com/ca/science/profiles/colsa/index3.html