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So Apple believes in desktop Macs, which is good. But how about something that has the same horsepower as a top end iMac but in a package that allows for multiple optical drives, a card or two, built-in power supply, etc.? Basically something to compete horsepower and functionality-wise with the majority of Windows PCs at a price point much lower than a Mac Pro? Call it a Mac semi-Pro? I'd love to buy that new Mac but I'm not going to buy a new Mac Pro (assuming it continues to occupy the same price point in the market) and I'm not going to buy a new iMac or a Mac Mini because I need a chassis that has room for add-ons. I don't want to clutter up my desk with external drives and other things that should be inside the computer. Are there really so few of us with this kind of interest that Apple has no interest in filling this hole in their lineup?

People have been asking for a 'headless iMac/mini tower' since the Bondi Blue CRT version.

Apple will NEVER just give people what they need/want. It's Apple's job to tell you what you need.
 
Tim's reply gives hope.

But, if Apple keeps delaying the Mac Pro, no one will want one, and then they can easily say that they will discontinue it because there was no demand.
 
I would be happy if Apple just allowed the OS to support GPUs newer then 2010 for the MP. That is one of the best arguments to invest in a Pro - easy upgrades to the individual hardware. New GPU's, a blu-ray ODD, SSD, more RAM. But a current GPU is a major part of that upgrade approach to giving a MP longevity.

Apple seems to be intentionally thrwarting GPU compatibility. What other PC option ONLY works with either AMD or Nvidia, and subsequently supports zero upgrade options with either (including the one they supposedly supported). Very frustrating indeed.
 
Apple really dropped the ball here.

I'm not one of those "pros" waiting for this anymore - I built my own Windoze machine a few years ago. I was at one point in my life, though, and I still would like to think that Apple does make the best pro machines, but this doesn't look like it is the case any longer.

Already a 3 year old graphic card? Not a big deal to me - I'm a music guy, not a graphics guy. Not good, though, for those who would want it.

No thunderbolt on the pro machine, but it is on the new laptop? Unexcusable, and that easy connection and massive throughput is exactly what I would have wanted. And easy multiple monitors? I could get used to that, too. Not on my stinking laptop, though - on my desktop!

C'mon! This wasn't poorly thought out - it wasn't thought out at all. That is clear. I hate to say it, but I'm glad I started shifting platforms a few years ago.
 
Don't abandon the desktops!

Apple, not everybody wants to work on a little screen and keyboard. Some of us users want some serious screen view and a full sized keyboard. And no, its not the same as getting a little laptop and then spending another $1k for an big monitor, keyboard, and mouse. At least update the iMac. Don't kick us desktop users to the curb (or worse, Windows).
 
I'd really like to know who Apple is losing their Pro users to?

I read a lot of people's frustration about the Mac Pro. And I understand. But when they talk about Pro users jumping ship to the competition, I wonder who?

Is Windows 7 really that much better that Pro, OS X users are dropping their Macs for a better spec'd Windows machine, or is the hackintosh community gaining a lot more attention lately?

HP, Dell, BOXX and hundred of boutique builders.

W7 works fine. Doesn't have some neat features of OSX, though.

The Hackintosh community gets bigger and more mature every
year Apple neglects their meager desktop line and continues
to leave gaping holes in the model lineup.
 
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Or they are waiting for Ivy Bridge Xeons due in 2013 to include native USB 3.0.

No excuse for still shipping that video card in this "update.". None.

Both QFT.

Yes, I'm sure Apple is waiting for Ivy Bridge IF that's what will get them USB 3.
But, why can't they have at least updated grfx cards..??? What was the problem with that? There were references of new drivers already?
 
On the new MacBook Pro's 'Performance' page, the heading reads:

title.png


'With great power comes great capability.' From a misspent youth reading comics, I assume that's a play on the old Stan Lee line—often shortened to, 'With great power comes great responsibility.'

greatpower.jpg


Interesting that Apple should trade out the word 'responsibility' for the word 'capability'… 'Capable' certainly describes Apple at the moment—they're not lacking for the resources to produce the fastest, most expandable, most incredible machines on the planet if they choose to. But what if they choose not to? What options do we have—those of us with OS X in our blood? Not all that many as it turns out! Apple has all the power, but as evidenced by this very disappointing upgrade to the Mac Pro desktop, they don't feel a lot of responsibility to the pro community.

I am lucky—the MacBook Pro caters to my needs very well. But I really do feel for you guys who could be significantly more productive in your work with a modern Pro desktop. I think you deserve better than a vague promise of something new in another year or more.
 
Did I read the "lack of thunderbolt" correctly in the specs!?

...and only USB 2?

And don't forget only SATA II. It's a $2499 machine and no way to connect one of the faster SSDs at full speed without spending more and eating up a PCI slot.
 
Both QFT.

Yes, I'm sure Apple is waiting for Ivy Bridge IF that's what will get them USB 3.
But, why can't they have at least updated grfx cards..??? What was the problem with that? There were references of new drivers already?

They do not need Ivy Bridge for USB 3. They haven't updated the graphics card for the same reason they haven't updated any of it. They haven't put any money in to this update. These models don't cost them any more to produce and no R&D has been spent on them.
 
It's been 13 months since the last iMac refresh. I can't imagine it being another year for what has carried their desktop sales.

Granted, the current iMac is quite capable. It doesn't have the latest and greatest, which all tech-geeks want, but it's still a very capable machine.

What has me wondering in all of this iMac/Mac Pro update stuff is where the current technological limitations fit in. I mean really, computers just aren't getting faster and faster every 6 months like they were in the last decade. Not to mention that a Mac still out lasts its PC counterpart. Heck, I'm on an iMac from the Mid-2007 update (2.4 Core2 Duo, 4G RAM), and it's still running like a champ.

Does it bench like the most current model?

No.

Do I notice that it doesn't bench like the current model?

Nope.


So while there are new parts available, what does it really do to noticeable performance? I could see where saving an hour on a 12 hour video project would be nice, sure, but I'm guessing most people (outside of forums) really wouldn't notice or care.


I don't think this is an excuse for lagging behind, but I'm more curious if/how this could come into play as one potential "reason" for Apple to not be running themselves sick over every tiny potential update.

That being said, I was really, really hoping for the non-reflective glass to show up. Hopefully soon, since I could get a new iMac and a MBP for what I'd spend on just a Mac Pro. :D
 
So Apple believes in desktop Macs, which is good. But how about something that has the same horsepower as a top end iMac but in a package that allows for multiple optical drives, a card or two, built-in power supply, etc.? Basically something to compete horsepower and functionality-wise with the majority of Windows PCs at a price point much lower than a Mac Pro? Call it a Mac semi-Pro? I'd love to buy that new Mac but I'm not going to buy a new Mac Pro (assuming it continues to occupy the same price point in the market) and I'm not going to buy a new iMac or a Mac Mini because I need a chassis that has room for add-ons. I don't want to clutter up my desk with external drives and other things that should be inside the computer. Are there really so few of us with this kind of interest that Apple has no interest in filling this hole in their lineup?

Sign me up for one of those. I'm a freelance illustrator/graphic designer, been using Macs for close to 20 years. Sadly, Apple have stopped catering to my needs. I've no need for the iMac display/mirror and the Mac Pro is overpriced. I've been waiting to upgrade since the end of last year, and now I'm seriously considering moving to Windows for the first time.
 
Is that it? The only thing you can come up as reason to update from a two years old mac pro to a newer one is USB port? Is that worth a rant-thread this long? There are third party PCI Express that can fix that up.

Is anyone else can stop ranting and actually writing something more on how the current/previous Mac Pro fairs compare to competition?

Also on geekbench the Mac Pro 2010 12-cores scores around 40,000 and the HP Z820 16-cores scores the same on Windows.

Are you sure? There is a lot of machines called MacPro5,1 on the top list, but if you go to the dedicated Mac Benchmarks page the top MacPro only recieves 24000 which is about the same as a single Intel Core i7-3960X on the processor benchmarks page

I agree that the feel on OSX is faster, but when it comes to number crunching that is a minor factor - the major factor is the compiler
 
iMac and MacPro upgrade disappointment

When making the last Mac purchase it was an iMac. It had enough power for what was needed. MacPros no longer represented a value for my needs.

The portable market is growing and will be the foundation. It makes complete sense.

The MacPro users are the ones who should be the most upset and will cost Apple business. They buy more than just the machine too. The upgrade they put out there should not be. It's really no better than what is out there now. Why waste the resources on something that received minimal though?

The iMac has not seen an upgrade in over a year and with the arrival of the Ivy Bridge processors it made sense for Apple to wait until they came out.

Clearly a lot of resources went into the redesign of the MacBook series, and it shows. But Apple couldn't handle an upgrade to the MacPro and iMac? They touted their frequent upgrades during the keynote even! So why not energize the entire Apple community and do it right?

Yes, I realize a computer is obsolete as soon as you open the box. You can always wait for the next upgrade forever.

So late next year for the MacPro? Huh? What about the iMac?

My iMac is long in the tooth and I'm just not sure what to do. If it is going to be six months or more, maybe I just get the current model. Honestly I need to look at when mine was first released and relate that to purchase date. The new laptops are neat, but I've grown fond of the larger screen and these would be a step back for me.

:confused::mad:
 
Let's ignore the Mac Pro, neglect it for a few years, fail to update it, which leads to professionals and businesses losing interest and faith in Apple's pro-line, then claim "desktops/workstations are dead" as sales fall due to Apple's neglect. Yeah, that makes sense.

Honestly, the only comparison that comes to mind is when Netflix hiked prices on DVD by mail and was going to split it off and rename it - the only logical explanation anyone could think of was that they planned to kill off that part of the business but needed to make it fail first so they had an excuse to shut it down.

Unless you're a high-level Apple exec (unlikely if you're posting here), you have absolutely no idea what will happen to the Mac Pro.

...


It seems more likely to me that they gave the Pro a little bump and price drop because it is rather outdated, keeping it around until the new design ships.

So let me get this straight...you whine about someone speculating about Apple's plans...then you speculate about apple's plans?

Pot, I've got a kettle I'd like you to meet...
 
Apple could solve themselves and their customers problems if they modularised the Mac Pro further, make it more upgradable.

Easy CPU and GPU swaps, maybe even motherboard upgrades, coupled with better drivers from AMD/nVidia to allow the latest hardware.

That would make it a truly excellent workstation.
 
They do not need Ivy Bridge for USB 3. They haven't updated the graphics card for the same reason they haven't updated any of it. They haven't put any money in to this update. These models don't cost them any more to produce and no R&D has been spent on them.

They don't need Ivy Bridge for USB 3, but it's probably far cheaper to wait for the Ivy Bridge instead of changing the logic board to support it now.

IMHO, having a Radeon 7970 option would have been cheap too! No reason why any hardware had to be changed, and having this card in the store makes this "update" seem more reasonable.
 
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