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Apple's Revamped Mac Pro to Launch in 2019
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There is a proverb that says in essence, when you have dug yourself into a deep hole, quit digging.
Yeah, there's nothing really wrong with the cheese-grater design, I suppose. Obviously, it can be a bit smaller these days as components are smaller and there isn't the need for as much internal storage, etc. But the fundamental design is fine.
No doubt, unless maybe they have 1 person working on it, or something... and even then? It is kind of hard to imagine what they could possibly do that would require a ton of design effort. The Mac Pro (cylinder) was one of the more radical re-designs recently, and even it shouldn't have taken years unless they only work on it 1 day each month.
I think you're right about the iOS'ification that that is going on as well. I *HATE* all the tricky dialog boxes trying to get people to accidentally apply updates and such.
Common sense?
I don't need such a machine either (though I had a PowerMac at one point and loved it), but the pro users do. They don't care so much about how big or heavy it is, but what it can do and how it can be expanded.
And, when I say expanded, I don't mean in terms of saving a few bucks by upgrading the RAM themselves... but in terms of upgrading the GPU (or putting a real GPU in in the first place), or adding specialized cards or drive arrays, etc.
Yes, the hobbyists and pro users are considerably different groups, though both probably prefer a more 'cheese-grater' type setup.
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Yeah, it's actually a pretty big deal to make a platform switch, especially depending on the software used (ie: if you just use Word, or maybe Adobe product, a switch is relatively easy... but with more specialized apps and workflows, it is complicated). And, then there is the matter of the other side of the fence not having greener grass too.
OK, if that's your situation, I suppose I can understand a platform jump. But, I don't get your comments about the new mini. IMO, it's THE machine I've been waiting for, and at a pretty reasonable price for what it is. If you bump up to the i7, it's like the 2nd fastest Mac made for well under $2k.
I abhor fashion, but IMO, the new mini was more a sign of Apple getting back on the right track again.
It also goes beyond that, too, if you're doing certain things like audio or video. From everything I hear, unless all the software/hardware is just right, everything doesn't work smoothly. Or, even simple stuff like GUI and font rendering or mouse-movement/interaction isn't as smooth as the Mac.
The closest analogy I can think of is the world of kit-cars and hot-rods vs something like a Porsche or BMW. Sure, you can build/design some really wild or faster things (at least along some particular performance axis), but you generally aren't going to have the overall experience or refinement.
I've also worked for decades with Windows (and DOS / Novell before that... and have built everything from servers to workstations, hundreds of them!), but every time I use it, I'm ultimately underwhelmed and have kind of a 'yuck' feeling. It isn't that I'm not technically competent enough to do so.
The new Mini is a great machine for a lot of people (especially now that Intel is putting more cores in their consumer chips), but I do a lot of GPU compute work and I can't do anything with the Intel integrated graphics. It's a non-starter to me without a dedicated GPU. It doesn't even have to be that powerful of one - I ended up building a custom Windows PC with an RX 580 with 8GB of VRAM. Far from the top of the line, but plenty of power for my needs. With an 8 Core CPU, 16GB of DDR4, and a 1TB NVMe SSD - I came in at right around $1200. To build a Mini with those specs plus an eGPU would make the mini far too expensive for me.
It's bigger, louder, and uses more power than a Mac mini ever will be - but a custom Windows machine is the right machine for me at the right price. I live in the Adobe suite so switching was dead simple with Creative Cloud. I use Affinity Photo for my personal photography, and will miss it on the Mac - but they have a Windows version that I might purchase.
That's simply not true. Where did you hear that?
Even on the 2018 MBP 13" I tried, GUI and most apps I use were running smoother under Windows than under macOS. And that's on hardware that was designed and optimized to run macOS.
Windows can also be stable and smooth on a mix of parts built by a variety of manufacturers and then selected by amateurs who have no idea what they are doing. You can't say the same thing about macOS.
I still consider macOS's architecture, look and feel to be superior.
Yeah, I hear you there. I, too, thought about building a hackintosh or trying to jump platforms. In the end, it was just too much unless I am sure Apple is done-for (at least for the Mac).
Your best Mac solution would probably have been an iMac or the new mini with a cheaper eGPU (puck or box), not the Black Magic, etc. as you're making do with noisy and such anyway. But, yea, that would be a few hundred $ more. If you're mostly in Adobe and your workflow isn't too tied to the Mac platform, I get it (I'm a bit surprised you didn't go nVidia for the GPU).
I don't think that makes the mini a bad machine though, given how easy it is to add that eGPU. I think mini users are a mix of people who just don't need more GPU than that, with those who can easily add it. The market it misses, are more home users wanting to do some gaming and professionals with a bit higher GPU needs and lower budgets. But, that isn't their target market for it. I do still wish Apple would make such a machine.
My understanding is that it's nearly opposite... you have to know somewhat what you're doing and pick the right hardware, not any 'ol hardware. I'm a fairly active participant in the podcasting community, and have also gotten into video stuff. This is what I mostly hear from those around me. It doesn't surprise me, as audio-routing and compatibility and such shouldn't be assumed.
As for the GUI, I'm not talking about frame-rates and such. The rendering and pointer interaction in Windows has always been sloppy. I haven't put in a lot of time on W10 yet, but it didn't seem fixed to me for the time I have. Maybe improved in some ways a bit, but not a match for the Mac.
I have a hard time explaining this to people who don't see it. The best analogy I can come up with is if you're familiar with using Unix apps like GIMP, or maybe driving a GM vs a BMW (road feel). There's just something not right, like you're a couple steps disconnected from actual control.
You mentioned font rendering being less well done in Windows, and that is true.
I was thinking of switching to a Windows machine about two years ago and I started the "transition" by purchasing a Dell laptop (13" Inspiron with i5). The font rendering was clunky and it quickly became apparent that my vast font library would not easily transfer to Windows.
In fact, the ugliness of the font rendering was probably the biggest factor that changed my mind about switching to Windows. I still use some Windows stuff (using Parallels) on my Mac Pro 5,1, but as a designer, having good reliable font rendering is important to me, and for my purposes, that only happens on a Mac, sadly.
I'm pretty sure I won't be able to afford the new Mac Pro when (and if) it ever appears. I'll probably be running with Sierra and a 5,1 MPc until it's time to retire and downgrade to a mini.
We have all been waiting for the elusive mid-tower Mac for a long time.
I went AMD because in my research, Adobe apps on Windows use OpenCL for GPU acceleration, and AMD has optimized their platform for OpenCL. I'm sure I would have been happy with an nVidia GPU as well, at a higher cost.
I upgraded from a 2015 iMac 5K that I was already outgrowing. Needed something that could grow without being a surgeon or using a 10-port power strip for external boxes.
So far the biggest hiccup in switching, after using a Mac for more than a decade (since Panther)...training myself that my keyboard shortcuts have changed. Muscle memory is difficult to overcome.
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…by installing updates early‽
Are you sure you didn't mean to respond to the person who "figured out" they can set their connection to metered in order to indefinitely postpone updates?
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Here it is!
One of those would actually come in handy for me at work. Every once in a while I have someone ask for equipment to read a ZIP disk.