Concept Imagines What a Modular Mac Pro Might Look Like

[Fishrrman]

That would make a nice "Super-Mini".
I'd buy one, if the price wasn't too outrageous.
To keep costs reasonable, ditch the modular video for a decent built-in solution.
Have 2 drive slots and user-replaceable RAM, and plenty of in/out ports (including legacy USB3 ports).
I think it would be a minor hit (a "mini" hit?).

The case would probably be too small for a high-powered Mac due to heat issues -- fans would be either too small or not properly placed to move the heat out.

 

[jblagden]

It looks so small that it will have the same issues the trash can one has.

And you won’t be able to plug in multiple monitors. If the GPU went in an an angle where the video ports were exposed, then you could plug in an extra couple of monitors, instead of only being able to use the Mac Pro’s built-in HDMI port. Besides, that would reduce bandwidth utilization on the PCIe bus.

 

[shareef777]

Here here! To hell with the laws of thermodynamics!

 

[8692574]

Now that is UGLY....

Like really really really ugly!!!

 

[yurc]

And you won’t be able to plug in multiple monitors. If the GPU went in an an angle where the video ports were exposed, then you could plug in an extra couple of monitors, instead of only being able to use the Mac Pro’s built-in HDMI port. Besides, that would reduce bandwidth utilization on the PCIe bus.

Agreed, HDMI is not too okay for workstation solution since they destined mainly for consumer electronic such console, TV or any entertainment stuff. For display connection, DisplayPort is king.

Look at middle-top end workstation GPU from Quadro/Radeon Pro (R.I.P firepro), they won't include any port instead of DisplayPort/Mini-DP.

 

[GeneralChang]

Ha, you are right, yes. But from a purely practical point of view, if you want to be able to install standard components - say, multiple double-wide GFX cards, DDR5 RAM cards, multiple HDDs or SSDs, then there is a minimum amount of space required. Which is why PC cases come in several standard sizes and layouts, and can still look gorgeous (my wife has a custom-build gaming PC which looks beautiful).

If Apple really mean modular (i.e., not a single large tower), then something stackable or rackable is required, otherwise we're back to covering our workstations with endless cables and devices, like with the current trash can design.

I would love a modular PC, as long as they're using a standard connector (TB3) instead of something proprietary. And, like you said, as long as everything slots together nicely somehow, which means the trashcan design is a write-out.

 

[nabourque57]

Mac Mini "Pro"

 

[milo]

So basically a glorified small tower? How about just shipping a tower, maybe a bit smaller than the old ones with slots for SSD instead of so many HD bays?

I'd be perfectly fine going back to the previous tower but with the latest chips inside.

 

[TimUSCA]

It's a 1000 pound foot. Like an anchor. They've essentially gone in reverse to find the heaviest metal possible that is extremely thin. It's reverse space-age technology.

If you got the right super compactor, you could crush 80 cars together and mash them until it was a half inch thick.

That might justify the $3000 price tag that'll come with it.

 

[Ploki]

issues:
- thermals (except if its liquid nitrogen cooled)

- 2.5" drives... - take a lot of space, and most of them are SATA3 with absymal 0,5gbps throughput (compared to apples new drives which are more in the 3gbps vicinity). New drives are NVME, PCIe or at least M.2. SATA3 is history

- touchbar on front - useless

- firewire?! come on. TB2 (it looks like that anyway), but 2 of these the most will make it.

- usb-c > not enough of them

- usb 3.0 > too many of them

- hdmi : useless for hires displays. full-size display port or more USB-C ports.

Neat design, but clearly with someone who doesn't do much computing.

 

[zen]

- hdmi : useless for hires displays. full-size display port or more USB-C ports..

This is almost the most hilarious part. They show the graphics cards going in vertically, apparently not realising that the card has all the display ports on the end of it (despite them being super obvious in the video). So you slide the card in vertically and... what? The ports are all hidden under the case (under the cheese grater part)?

Then the graphics card (which is a standard blower variant in their video) sucks air in from nowhere, because there is no room in the case, and blows it out the top through the grating. Which also serves as a nice BBQ and griddle after a few minutes of running.

 

[coolfactor]

I fail to see the "modular" aspect of this.

 

[9081094]

Very cool, but probably not thin enough for Apple's liking.

Love the design. Let's start the factories so it can be ready in june

 

[4509968]

These FOOLISH concept designers... if they even understood that RAM modules and graphic cards need to be plugged in ALONG the port, and cannot be slid in perpendicular, they would never have made such ridiculous concept videos.

Why do want to embarrass themselves with such display of imbecility?

 

[bluskiff]

I need pcie slots full length ones to hold avid hdx cards. I refuse to pay 1300 for a thunderbolt chassis . I can buy a whole 5.1 for that price.

 

[4509968]

issues:
- thermals (except if its liquid nitrogen cooled)

- 2.5" drives... - take a lot of space, and most of them are SATA3 with absymal 0,5gbps throughput (compared to apples new drives which are more in the 3gbps vicinity). New drives are NVME, PCIe or at least M.2. SATA3 is history

- touchbar on front - useless

- firewire?! come on. TB2 (it looks like that anyway), but 2 of these the most will make it.

- usb-c > not enough of them

- usb 3.0 > too many of them

- hdmi : useless for hires displays. full-size display port or more USB-C ports.

Neat design, but clearly with someone who doesn't do much computing.

Wouldnt say it is even a design... A design would have meant that the product is atleast utilitarian.

Why would MacRumors even choose to show such a dysfunctional concept video?

 

[ktecac]

Very late to this party.

If it looked like this but was larger that would be rad. Would buy 2 - one to use and 1 just to look at.

Monitor doesn't make sense.

 

[freediverx]

It's easy to design a modular Mac Pro when you don't have to worry about things like thermal capacity.

 

[ThunderSkunk]

I really like the anti-gravity display. Maybe it's held upright by giant rare earth magnets. You position one way back under your tabletop in one hand, while sliding the 35lb monitor around above with your other hand until they locate each other. Then put those controls on the backside where you can't possibly see them, and viola, finally the world finally has a beautiful display worthy of the Apple fashion logo.

It's just unnecessary enough an example of form over function, this could actually be the most likely concept design the current lineup might build.

 

[routine_analyst]

Just... no. LOL

NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO... NO.

These designs look like anything other than a Mac.

 

[frankiee]

Apple should have just kept the original Mac Pro case and filled it with new goodies.

Yes, I think nobody would complain about that, but hey thats too easy for Apple, apparently they need to overdesign everything. And this would be way too functional, and even "form follows function". Jony apparently does not like that, it has to be the other way nowadays ...

Maybe a _little_ shrink would make sense, since for example it may not be necessary to have room for four 3.5" drives, maybe - in the age of SSDs - two would be enough. (But still, we DO need 3.5" drives, for example for "cold storage". I mean, makes no sense to buy 4-6TB SSDs just for that purpose)

But there is one thing where the old case wasn't optimal, and that was the lack of air filters. My machine filled up with dust like there was no tomorrow ...

Another thing that may make sense is to have a "positive air pressure" design, that also prevents dust. And, maybe turn the mobo by 90 degrees, and suck the fresh air from the bottom, and exhaust it from the top. (I think even Apple knows that hot air wants to get up, so this is a pretty "natural" airflow)

The Silverstone case (this one: http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=242) that contains my hackintosh innards has all three of these features, it's a clever design which also keeps everything very cool and there is (almost) no dust anymore. I just have to clean the filters from time to time.

I also added three temperature sensors and a fan controller, so the three bottom fans are seperately controlled. For example, if the GPU gets hot, only the middle fan ramps up, if the CPU gets hot, only the right one. The fan below the drive bays always runs at low speeds. I mean I am sure Apple can do such things, too ... if they want.

 

[TraderScooter]

Neat concept, but my worry is that Apple's definition of "modular" is not what 99% of the pro computer market would agree with. I really hope I'm wrong though - I'd buy an updated 2012 cheese grater in an instant if that's the route they take.

 

[9081094]

Neat concept, but my worry is that Apple's definition of "modular" is not what 99% of the pro computer market would agree with. I really hope I'm wrong though - I'd buy an updated 2012 cheese grater in an instant if that's the route they take.

Would love to have it as a pro consumer Mac. The real pro's need more room for power. But in my opinion this beats the design of Apple. Really wish they would pull of something like this. The 4K screen would have been something like this instead of promoting LG (for branding they should've rebadged it like Apple used to do with printers from HP). Introducing it this June instead of Oktoberfest 2019.

 

[jonnysods]

And you won’t be able to plug in multiple monitors. If the GPU went in an an angle where the video ports were exposed, then you could plug in an extra couple of monitors, instead of only being able to use the Mac Pro’s built-in HDMI port. Besides, that would reduce bandwidth utilization on the PCIe bus.

You know I kind of miss the big old beast I had. 2009 Mac Pro, blazing fast, lots of space for add ons and cooling. However, the disc drive was like an airplane and frightened my children and cats when I used it.

 

[RonD69]

Well, that would take care of any thermal issues.

As some others have said already, I think this misses the mark, though it's well designed and looks nice, it doesn't really fall into line of what Apple probably wants the next Mac Pro to look like.

Also, I just had to.