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I think we need to wait for next weeks event to understand what AS is capable of and if they really can reduce the size in half ... I mean this in the context of upgradeability, slots etc and thermals ... AS should not need as much cooling as Intel, but, why through this design out when you could use it to further kick performance ...
 
I feel bad for the people that dropped over 50K for one of the Intel models.
You know if that money was spent on the machine is has already earned it back and more and will continue to for years to come. The ARM Macs aren't going to suddenly make the 'old' machines stop functioning. In fact some sound guys will be holding onto these things for years to come while they wait on native obscure plug-in's being ported.
 
You know if that money was spent on the machine is has already earned it back and more and will continue to for years to come. The ARM Macs aren't going to suddenly make the 'old' machines stop functioning. In fact some sound guys will be holding onto these things for years to come while they wait on native obscure plug-in's being ported.

And if it hasn't, they shouldn't have bought a 50K machine, Intel or otherwise.
 
I would take one at half the size for $2999 if it spec'd out as the following:
8x DIMM slots max of 1TB RAM
2x GPU slots
2x Full-Length PCI Express Ten 3 slots
1x 512GB Apple SSD module base
4x Thunderbolt 3 ports
2x 10Gb Ethernet ports
 
Will Apple repeat the mistake they made in 2013?

That mistake being: stopping the sale and upgrade of the old cheese grater, and REPLACING it with the Tube?

I really hope not.

That said, I can't wait to see what they come up with.

It's a new decade, so I say Apple: revamp EVERYTHING!! :p

Ah, but now the new design language would be a cylindrical cheese grater(Which admittedly would look pretty cool).
 
If this is a new model for pro-sumer‘s who don’t need a $6000+ base system but something closer to previous Mac Pro’s then this news will have made my day!

I wouldn't call the previous (4,1 and 5,1) Pro-sumer, maxed out they were serious workhorses, 192GB RAM 2.93, 12 core Xeon, 4 drive bays...in 2010 was pretty hefty...at $12-15K. NFL Films is still running them for 4K
 


As part of the transition to Apple Silicon, Apple is designing a new Mac Pro that has a smaller form factor, reports Bloomberg. The new Mac Pro is said to have a design that looks like the current design, but in a more compact enclosure that's "about half the size."

2019-mac-pro-side-and-front.jpg

It is not known if the new Mac Pro will replace the current model or will be sold alongside the current Mac Pro, which was introduced last year. From Bloomberg:The new Mac Pro is not set to come out in 2020 and will presumably be released in 2021 or 2022. Apple is planning to move all of its Macs to Apple Silicon chips instead of Intel chips, but the company expects that process to take two years.

Next week's event is expected to see Apple unveil a 13-inch MacBook Pro, a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and 13-inch MacBook Air, all of which will be equipped with Apple Silicon chips.

Article Link: Apple Working on Redesigned Mac Pro With Smaller Form Factor and Apple Silicon Chip
I know these are just rumors but....a smaller, cheaper, consumer centric desktop might not be that bad of an idea. All of the components are already accounted for...just need the new skin!
 
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Well, so much for committing to a platform. If the Mac Pro is actually not going to get an update that‘s just a board swap, good luck to all other developers that bought one for iOS development.
 
Third redesign in a row with no updates in between? Great job, Apple.

I really don't know where their heads are at with the Macs these days. Why can't they make a modular desktop with internal expansion capabilities (drive bays, PCI slots, and memory) and a CHOICE OF GRAPHICS CARD VENDOR that doesn't cost an arm and a leg? Seriously, $6k for a nearly empty chassis??

The Mac Pro used to be a be-all-do-all machine. An enthusiast could get one for an attainable amount ($2500 to $3k for a mid-range, anyone?) and know they could upgrade a component in a couple years to keep it relevant, while a pro (or a rich person) could configure one out the wazoo and have the fastest computer in their county for the next six months. Further, they could be configured for any use case -- gaming, music production, video production, 3D rendering, high performance CPU, or any combo of those. Now, unless you are a video pro, forget it, there are much more cost-effective options on the PC side.

And the iMac (pro or regular)? Not an option. 1/3 of the cost of those machines is the expensive screen that is going to get thrown away in three years because the other components are obsolete.

So frustrating. This is why I haven't updated since my cMP 4,1 (flashed and CPU upgraded).
 
Wonder how the price and performance is going to compare?
When they say "Pro", that generally means way beyond the Consumer level ....
That’s what “Pro” used to mean, then it changed in 2009 to mean a MacBook with an SD card slot and aluminum enclosure.
Nothing “Pro” about the iPhone models or the AirPods Pro.
 
I feel bad for the people that dropped over 50K for one of the Intel models.

I wouldn't. If they dropped that amount of money on an Intel Mac Pro it is because they are generating multiples of that in revenues.

The X-Mac finally draws near

And for the final troll of those asking for one since 2013, it is not Intel and won't run Windows (games).

Will Apple repeat the mistake they made in 2013?

That mistake being: stopping the sale and upgrade of the old cheese grater, and REPLACING it with the Tube?

I really hope not.

Apple spent a fair bit of coin to bring the 2019 Mac Pro to market when they could have just updated the iMac Pro in 2019. I believe they did so with the intention of supporting it for many years to come as there are workflows that will require Intel and that power.

If those workflows move to ASi over the next few years, then this ASi Mac Pro may become the only Mac Pro. But that is down the road a fair bit, I would imagine.
 
What does a whopping big tower have that a mini doesn't? Card slots, 12 DIMM slots, up to 4 GPUs, a pair of SSD modules, a 1.4 Kw power supply, and the cooling fans necessary to cool it all.

So yes, it's possible to build a down-sized Pro, but down-sizing the chassis isn't going to save folks a lot of money - assuming it still carries Pro-level CPU and GPU (or SOC), it still going to be priced accordingly. I think this is more about how much under-desk space is required or whether, like a mini, there can be room for it atop a desk. Besides, not every pro requires all the capabilities of the big Pro.

The thermal design of the mini is inadequate for Pro-level performance, with or without Apple Silicon, so I think this would fill a niche, and if the performance is also dialed-down a bit from the big Pro, it falls closer to the iMac Pro in performance.

Maybe the iMac Pro continues with Apple Silicon, maybe this is intended to replace the iMac Pro as well?
 
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