Apple Says New Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR Are Coming in September [Updated]

[Freida]

As outstanding as the MP and Display are I feel that because of this we won't see another display from Apple for prosumers. I expect that Apple doesn't want to have more displays in the lineup so those of us that were looking to have a nice apple display for our MBPs, Minis or additional ones to iMacs will have to look elsewhere, unfortunately.
I used to have the 12 core 2010 MP + 30"ACD which was amazing setup and the display was beautiful.
The current display is an overkill for me which is a shame. I was really looking forward to have a nice display again.

Or you think that we might see another one that is more for average person? Unlikely, right?

 

[ElectricPotato]

How is a three year old "meh" GPU and a mid-tier processor for 6K not a terrible deal?

It is a bad deal because no sane person would buy that configuration. Once you get to $20K to $30K configurations, it becomes more defensible.

 

[Abazigal]

What’s the justification for the $999 monitor stand? I understand that if you’re spending almost $10000 on a monitor and computer together, another $999 isn’t a killer. But there’s nothing else special with that stand, right, other than being designed specifically for that monitor?

The people who want one are going to get one. They don’t need to justify their purchase to anyone.

 

[Kier-XF]

One thing people should learn is that the pro display does come with a monitor stand in the box. They won’t sell it to you without a stand... but it’s a basic stand. If you want the pro magnetic stand then you’ll have to pay extra.

They won't sell it without a mounting solution, the choices of which are the Pro Stand or the VESA adapter, but there's nothing to suggest that there is a third option out there.

This is a Pro Display at a ground-breaking price point for those who actually need a reference monitor, and Apple won't be attempting to pitch it to the consumer market with an alternative mounting solution. That's simply not to whom they're aiming this thing.

 

[hanser]

What’s the justification for the $999 monitor stand? I understand that if you’re spending almost $10000 on a monitor and computer together, another $999 isn’t a killer. But there’s nothing else special with that stand, right, other than being designed specifically for that monitor?

I you look at the official introduction video at 4.15 minutes, you will get a glimpse into the mechanics inside the stand, that may explain the price at least partially.

(

)

 

[Parzival]

I'm a plastic surgeon in a major metropolitan where image is everything. I want the shiniest, latest and greatest (and most unattainable) Mac sitting on my desk. My motives for getting the new MP aren't traditional but I don't care because I can afford it.

Damn, wish I was a plastic surgeon

Its certainly a unique computer so in that respect its a good choice.

 

[macpro2000]

One thing people should learn is that the pro display does come with a monitor stand in the box. They won’t sell it to you without a stand... but it’s a basic stand. If you want the pro magnetic stand then you’ll have to pay extra.

Wrong.

 

[quietstormSD]

I’m surprised it’s September. When Apple gives a general time frame like “fall”. It usually means the last possible week or 2 during that time frame. In this case beginning to mid December.

 

[jgross78]

iPhone XI keynote confirmed for December! In case there was ever a doubt

Confirmed by who? Definitely not Apple. iPhone events are in September every years. Apple starts Q1 for their year around December. They have never and will not this year be launching a new phone during a new quarter. They compare new phone sales to the previous years sales of that quarter every year. So, theres' not only doubt about "December" but a lot of evidence pointing otherwise.

 

[Eightarmedpet]

That assumes someone (including Apple) releases new MPX modules. If not, you’re in the same boat as with the Trash Can which /also/ had upgradeable dual GPUs, but a new one never came out. You could just upgrade to the top tier which kept its price 5 years later because it was still the current sku.

The new Pro can take normal GPU's too...

 

[5105973]

3 more months for us to sell our kidneys.

(Okay, okay, I know that this product is not for us and is for the real pros )

Truly. My husband and I realized we would not even want to try and budget for the electric bill increase!

We have a pool pump that consumes about the same amount and we are glad to have to run that for only 3 months out of the year and only during select hours.

 

[MacLawyer]

Great news for tens of dozens of people who will actually buy these. A vast majority of the creative individuals like video editors, musicians, photographers and graphic designers is priced out of the Mac Pro market.

Luckily you can build out an iMac Pro to your specs.

 

[BvizioN]

The base model is a terrible deal, no matter which way you look at it.

I agree it is stupid, yes. But still aimed to Pros, who would probably not bother with the base model.
[doublepost=1560177031][/doublepost]

Confirmed by who? Definitely not Apple. iPhone events are in September every years. Apple starts Q1 for their year around December. They have never and will not this year be launching a new phone during a new quarter. They compare new phone sales to the previous years sales of that quarter every year. So, theres' not only doubt about "December" but a lot of evidence pointing otherwise.

Corrected. Menat September.

 

[coolfactor]

What’s the justification for the $999 monitor stand? I understand that if you’re spending almost $10000 on a monitor and computer together, another $999 isn’t a killer. But there’s nothing else special with that stand, right, other than being designed specifically for that monitor?

The mechanics in the hinge are quite sophisticated, allowing for effortless adjustment of what is likely a very heavy monitor. The engineering that went into that piece alone was likely significant.

 

[jicon]

Aren't there cheaper and better rack mount options for the videocentric target? I keep reading the specs like this is a server class piece of kit (Without a server OS mind you..), but... with an aging GPU. Surely there are other rack mount options out there to have a multiple Xeon processors, 256GB of RAM or higher, and some sort of rack mount GPU processing solution?

Yes to the swappable RAM, and good to see it is expandable... but I fear processor and board spec bumps won't happen in a yearly fashion, and surely there can be some sort of compromise for other pros at a bit of a reduced starting price who do not need the GPU.

 

[elvislives]

I bet the First day in a Apple store... Someone takes a LARGE block of cheese to it Haha

 

[ToneWilliamsUSA]

I want to like the new Mac Pro. I've waited since the cheese grater for a replacement and was willing to part with my hard earned money for a prosumer machine. Unfortunately, once again, Tim Apple has let me down. That's all he does any longer. I'm not sure how much more disappointment I can withstand without jumping ship altogether. I've gone from decades of passion for (nearly) everything Apple to meh and beyond to ain't nobody got time for this. At about double the price for a cheese grater, the base new MP is an utter ridiculous value proposition. Period. The new MP only makes sense when upgraded and I have no doubt that Apple will gouge. Yep, you heard me right. Apple no longer charges a modest premium for its products, AKA, the Apple tax. Instead, for most product categories it reaches extortion levels, gouging in its purest sense. Quite frankly, I don't get it. Apple has destroyed decades of customer goodwill for short term profits. Shareholders are giddy with the insane profits, but unless they plan to cash out before the fall they will be sorry. The tech landscape is littered with corpses of behemoth corporations that are but mere shells of its former glory if even still around, and those that fell from the mountain might be hanging on but they have nearly the customer base and market power it once did. I miss my passion for Apple, and it saddens me to think jumping ship might be the only way to move past my grief. Why, Apple; why do you show such arrogance and disdain for your customers who demand excellence, the very best user experience possible for a modest premium? You know, those that Steve Jobs satisfied and excited over his lifetime?

 

[needsomecoffee]

Steve Jobs: "...individuals can now do things that only large groups of people with lots of money could do before."

 

[Chambers McMac]

I’m going to get two of them. One for me and one for my butler. But seriously can anyone lend me a few bitcoins?

 

[AlexJoda]

If you recall from the keynote, the types of companies that this is targeted for (companies like Pixar, high-end colorist houses, etc.) certainly will be buying these. For the companies you are referring to in your post, a PC makes more sense. Apple isn't really targeting them. Apple's target market are the companies that want to work on a Mac, but didn't have a viable option beyond the iMac Pro and trash can, both of which are not what they're looking for in 2019/2020.

I understand your argument about the target market for this workstation but Apple never produced a real high-end workstation for this small target market (even the two former Mac Pros are no high-end workstations in that sense). Because of that there is no macOS software for these special use cases and the market is too small to develop it for an additional platform. Also the risk for developers and customers is very high the Apple loses interest in that machine again like they did with the trash can and Apple is the only possible vendor for macOS workstations...

 

[hagjohn]

In order to afford this, I'd have to go on a ramen noodle diet.

 

[cableguy84]

Still deciding whether to upgrade my phone or buy the 1k stand

 

[DrJohnnyN]

I want to like the new Mac Pro. I've waited since the cheese grater for a replacement and was willing to part with my hard earned money for a prosumer machine. Unfortunately, once again, Tim Apple has let me down. That's all he does any longer. I'm not sure how much more disappointment I can withstand without jumping ship altogether. I've gone from decades of passion for (nearly) everything Apple to meh and beyond to ain't nobody got time for this. At about double the price for a cheese grater, the base new MP is an utter ridiculous value proposition. Period. The new MP only makes sense when upgraded and I have no doubt that Apple will gouge. Yep, you heard me right. Apple no longer charges a modest premium for its products, AKA, the Apple tax. Instead, for most product categories it reaches extortion levels, gouging in its purest sense. Quite frankly, I don't get it. Apple has destroyed decades of customer goodwill for short term profits. Shareholders are giddy with the insane profits, but unless they plan to cash out before the fall they will be sorry. The tech landscape is littered with corpses of behemoth corporations that are but mere shells of its former glory if even still around, and those that fell from the mountain might be hanging on but they have nearly the customer base and market power it once did. I miss my passion for Apple, and it saddens me to think jumping ship might be the only way to move past my grief. Why, Apple; why do you show such arrogance and disdain for your customers who demand excellence, the very best user experience possible for a modest premium? You know, those that Steve Jobs satisfied and excited over his lifetime?

You gotta get out more.

 

[djcerla]

Great news for tens of dozens of people who will actually buy these. A vast majority of the creative individuals like video editors, musicians, photographers and graphic designers is priced out of the Mac Pro market.

Tens of dozens per firm.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Most Mastering monitors that Apple either referenced or alluded to during the WWDC Keynote come with feet as opposed to a stand. The also come with the ability to take a standard 100mm VESA mount. While one can quibble about the cost of the monitor stand, most of the target market are simply going to add the VESA mount to their shopping cart and attach it to the the articulating arm they already own and go about their business.

The XDR monitor is incredibly light at 16.49lbs, which means it will work with the vast majority of monitor arms out there today. I have a Dell WFP-3007-HC display that weighs in at 25.07lb, finding a suitable monitor arm for something that heavy takes a bit of research. For reference, the Flanders Scientific 31" Mastering Monitor model XM311K weighs 52.5lbs and the Sony BVM-HX310 weighs in at 63lbs 15 oz.

I honestly believe Apple priced the stand so high because they know that outside of a few boutique customers that will buy the stand and monitor to put in a conference room to show off for potential clients, most working pros are going to opt for the VESA mount and put it on an articulating stand or arm that they already own or upgrade. Their manufacturing cost will probably end up fairly high relative to the tooling that they need to produce them at the highest quality. For $1000, that stand had better be flawless.

It is the savvy monitor arm company that designs an arm to compliment the XDR display, sells it at a decent margin and enjoys the ROI without pissing off their customers.

Frankly, if I was in the market for a new Mac Pro, I would wait until the reviews and testing for the XDR monitor are conducted to see how it compares to other monitors at a similar price point and to more expensive mastering monitors. There is zero infrastructure or accessories for this thing right now and I would take a wait and see attitude. Definitely if you are also looking at the BMD Teranex Mini 8K to go with it...the combination together with a VESA mount is $7,500.00, which is a bargain if that combo can displace a 31" mastering monitor, as the Sony and the Flanders are $31,000 and $35,000, respectively.

That being said, there are also some excellent Thunderbolt 3 and Display Port monitors out there for those who cannot justify the XDR monitor cost.

Suffice it to say, if your bread and butter business is shooting 4K and above and you're outputting to an Atomos recorder as a matter of course, you are probably taking a long hard look at the XDR monitor right now, because while you might be considering a mastering monitor, you may not have pulled the trigger yet due to the high cost. The Pro Display XDR may just be the ticket.

My 2¢.