Apple Quietly Adds 3.33 GHz Quad-Core Option to Mac Pro

[MH01]

$1200 gets you top dog bragging rights again. $550 for the 2TB just proves you have no common sense... ouch that is expansive.

I hope that this speed bump does not mean they are not going to update the mac pros in Jan.

The i7 imac is looking the best cost/performance option in the entire line up, well maybe i5.

 

[alphaod]

Why no 8-core 3.3GHz? 550$ for 2TB drive is a rip off IMO, much cheaper from 3rd party

I'd imagine they would need to charge like $5000 for it. Which wouldn't look good.

 

[smacman]

Until Apple fixes the major thermal issue that is currently plaguing the 09 Mac Pro, I would steer clear of any of these machines...

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2228019&tstart=30

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/795966/

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/2009_mac_pro_cputemps/2009MacPro_cpu_temps.html#storytop

 

[Cynicalone]

$550 for a 2TB HDD?

 

[azentropy]

The price to upgrade a $2499 machine from a $284 processor (W3520) to a $999 (W3580) processor is only $1200 from Apple!!! Nice Job!!!

/sarcasm

Intel® Processor Pricing

 

[alphaod]

Until Apple fixes the major thermal issue that is currently plaguing the 09 Mac Pro, I would steer clear of any of these machines...

http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=2228019&tstart=30

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/795966/

http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/feedback/2009_mac_pro_cputemps/2009MacPro_cpu_temps.html#storytop

No idea what those posts are talking about. I play music almost 8 hours a day; no issues like that.

 

[tezro]

The price to upgrade on a $2499 machine from a $284 processor (W3520) to a $999 (W3580) processor is only $1200 from Apple!!! Nice Job!!!

/sarcasm

Intel® Processor Pricing

Sarcasm aside, those pricings are per 1000, not per piece.

 

[azentropy]

The price to upgrade a $2499 machine from a $284 processor (W3520) to a $999 (W3580) processor is only $1200 from Apple!!! Nice Job!!!

/sarcasm

Intel® Processor Pricing

Sarcasm aside, those pricings are per 1000, not per piece.

That is per unit in trays of 1000. You don't think Apple buys in even larger quantities and receives even larger discounts? I'm missing your point...

Newegg has it for $1089

 

[tezro]

That is per unit in trays of 1000. You don't think Apple buys in even larger quantities and receives even larger discounts? I'm missing your point...

Newegg has it for $1089

I see what you mean. I misread it.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Ouch this is not good news in the slightest. The 2009 Mac Pros were overpriced when released, they're now insanely overpriced for the parts therein and instead of *dropping* prices or massively increasing the value (i.e. faster processors at cheaper price points) they add even more overpriced options.

I think this now makes it clear if the early 2009 release prices didn't. Apple is obviously making their consumer models as affordable as possible and to keep their profit margins the same overall, they're jacking up the prices of the Mac Pros which are often bought by businesses who won't be bothered by the jacked up prices as much.

 

[jetjaguar]

If they are going to be jacking up prices for the mac pros .. then this isnt good news for the 12 core systems after the update .. I am holding out for one of these but not if the base 12 core system is going to be 4k+

 

[Wild-Bill]

I hope Apple doesn't consider this an "update" to the Mac Pros. It's a spec bump and nothing more.

Of course while the engineers thought of this they once again ignored the video card side of things.

Hey Apple: this is NOT an update to the Mac Pro. And you can keep your 200% marked up 2TB hard drives.

 

[jetjaguar]

If this truly is the update and they are postponing the 12 cores for another 6 months or so .. i might just end up buying an 08 or 09 refurb

 

[Umbongo]

The Intel Xeon's are outrageously priced. Ok, if you want the 8-core Mac Pro, you can have the Xeon, but with the quad-core, Apple could slash the price of the Mac Pro by almost $1000 if they dropped the Xeon quad-core and replaced it with the i7 processor. Its just as fast, but its not a "server" processor.

Give me a i7 based Mac Pro for around $1800 - $2000, I'll whip my credit card out now.

The Xeons used in the single socket Mac Pro are the same price as the Core i7s.

 

[Thomas2006]

Would there be any significant noticeable difference between a 2.66 GHz and 3.33 Ghz Xeon? I'm thinking paying $1200 for 670 more Mhz isn't really worth it. i'm glad its' there as an option, though, along with 2TB drives, I'm suprised they weren't there before...

If you are doing calculations then I can see there being a noticeable difference, but for most people, probably not. By "calculations", I am referring to things like astrophysics, quantum mechanics, DNA, genes, et-cetera.

 

[Weepul]

Well, that's an update all right! Should be good to go for another year. *cough*original8coreMacProintroduction*cough*

At first, I misread the news post as saying that the 8-core was now 2.66GHz standard with 2.93 and 3.33 options. Lame that it is an additional, higher-priced option, not a slide of the scale, and only for the quad.

 

[Umbongo]

If this truly is the update and they are postponing the 12 cores for another 6 months or so .. i might just end up buying an 08 or 09 refurb

I doubt this has any impact on the next Mac Pro release. Likely more to do with the iMac. Hence no 3.33GHz on the 8 cores. The whole thing is baffling really because 3.2GHz processors were available at launch and 3.33GHz came out 4 months ago.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Since Apple have bothered to do this, it strongly suggests that there won't be a Mac Pro update for at least another six months. WWDC 2010 looks to be far more likely now.

Apple Mac Pro 3.33GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (Nehalem) with 3GB RAM, 640GB HDD, GeForce GT 120 - $3699.
Dell Precision T3500 3.33GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (Nehalem) with 3GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Quadro NVS 295 - $2564

Nice. Apple is doing its best to kill the Apple tax in the consumer lines but they're doing their best to eek every penny out of the Mac Pro line.

 

[Wild-Bill]

$550 for a 2TB HDD?

Um, yeah..... that is not an option. It's an insult to well-informed consumers everywhere.

BTW, I just priced out 2TB drives on Newegg. They have 7 different models, ranging from the "greenpower" up to the ones that spin at 7200rpm all day long. The price range is between $169.00 to $299.00. So even if Apple is using the Caviar Black or the Seagate "XT", they are still making a $200.00 profit over retail. Pathetic.

 

[adder7712]

Guess the new i5 and i7 iMacs were simply too powerful.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

Jesus, that's a lot of coin for a 4 core computer.

With an educational discount, it's only $1080 to upgrade to the new hotness. SOLD!

 

[iMacmatician]

Guess they're trying to extend the current Mac Pro's shelf life. So no new ones for some while?

Exactly what I'm thinking. My guess is mid-2010.

Just wait until Nadav35 gets on here…

 

[reallynotnick]

Apple Mac Pro 3.33GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (Nehalem) with 3GB RAM, 640GB HDD, GeForce GT 120 - $3699.
Dell Precision T3500 3.33GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (Nehalem) with 3GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Quadro NVS 295 - $2564

I remember when the original MP was a steal compared to the Dell counter part, too bad the last update ****ed that all up.

I hope Apple adopts the i9 for the MP line and drops prices pretty soon. But I guess I should never expect to be able to afford a Mac with an upgradeable GPU...

 

[Eidorian]

These silent processor updates mean no new GPU options for BTO either.

An 8600GT in 2010? Only with Apple.

 

[Voltaic]

Seriously folks, Apple is losing it completely. Greed out of control this is. Oh, I assume this also means there will be no real updates on the Mac Pro for another 6-12 months? What a joke.