Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Do you think the new Mac Pro will be cheaper?

I

iBug2

macrumors 601
Original poster
Jun 12, 2005
4,560
892
Considering i7 processors are a lot cheaper than the ones used in Mac Pro's currently. 3.2 Ghz i7 costs 1000$ while Apple's current 3.2 used to cost 1700$.

And the 2.66 i7 costs a surprising 290$. So getting an octo 2.66 would be quite cheap, might bring the entry level MacPro to iMac price range.
 
no

not a snowballs chance in texas!
i wish though .... <sean begins to cry as he wishes that he could buy one today>
 
i7's as far as I know are not workstation class processors like the Xeon's currently in the Mac Pro. There's a reason they're cheap.

The workstation class version of the i7 heading for the MP won't be cheap. Don't expect the MP to be either.
 
Tallest Skil said:
The Nehalem Mac Pro does NOT USE CORE i7!!!

It will be MORE expensive. The standard configuration should be $3,000.
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't it use Core i7 though? Even if it uses server versions of the chips, since desktop versions are cheaper than before, server versions would be cheaper than before as well.

Compare the desktop versions of i7 to desktop versions of Penryn.

9770 Extreme edition costed around 1500$, at 3.2 GHz. i7 3.2 costs 1k. So it's obvious that the new intel processors actually cost less than the old ones, for desktop versions. Why would server versions be more costly than server versions of penryn?
 
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the i7 will not be used, simply because it is a "desktop" processor - meant to be advertised to the public. The new MacPro will definitely have Xeon processors. In fact, look at the prices on the MacPro configurator, and then compare them with prices elsewhere. The processor, so far, has been the only thing apple gives away (in my opinion).

EDIT - And another reason its more expensive - there is going to be two in there, right? :D That requires some special architecture that I assume isn't in the i7.
 
Traditionally desktop processors cannot be used in multi-processor systems.

iMac gets desktop chips - 1 CPU [Core2Duo, Core2Quad]
Mac Pro gets workstation multi-processor capable chips - 2 CPU [Xeon]
 
Dr.Pants said:
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the i7 will not be used, simply because it is a "desktop" processor - meant to be advertised to the public. The new MacPro will definitely have Xeon processors. In fact, look at the prices on the MacPro configurator, and then compare them with prices elsewhere. The processor, so far, has been the only thing apple gives away (in my opinion).
Click to expand...

Even then, why do you think the workstation versions of new chips will be more expensive than the workstation versions of old chips?
 
edesignuk said:
Traditionally desktop processors cannot be used in multi-processor systems.

iMac gets desktop chips - 1 CPU [Core2Duo, Core2Quad]
Mac Pro gets workstation multi-processor capable chips - 2 CPU [Xeon]
Click to expand...

The iMac uses laptop processors; the same ones as in the MacBook line. Apple sells no computers with desktop processors. They use nothing but mobile chips except for the Mac Pro, and that gets Xeons (workstation).

The Nehalem Mac Pro will use Gainestown, the 5500 series Xeon. I am assuming that they will use 2.8, 2.93, and 3.2.

iBug2 said:
Care to base that on something?
Click to expand...

The price of Xeon chips, that I have already STATED UP THERE?
 
The point is, workstation processors apple use in current Pro's are not that much more expensive than desktop version of the same chip. If you don't believe me, compare the prices in amazon.com. 3.2 GHz desktop chip is 1400$ where 3.2 Ghz workstation chip apple uses is 1200$, actually cheaper.
 
iBug2 said:
The point is, workstation processors apple use in current Pro's are not that much more expensive than desktop version of the same chip. If you don't believe me, compare the prices in amazon.com. 3.2 GHz desktop chip is 1400$ where 3.2 Ghz workstation chip apple uses is 1200$, actually cheaper.
Click to expand...
the 3.2 i7 is brand new, the 3.2 Xeon is old(er), of course it's cheaper.
 
iBug2 said:
The point is, workstation processors apple use in current Pro's are not that much more expensive than desktop version of the same chip. If you don't believe me, compare the prices in amazon.com. 3.2 GHz desktop chip is 1400$ where 3.2 Ghz workstation chip apple uses is 1200$, actually cheaper.
Click to expand...

And the price of two Gainestown 2.8GHz chips is $2,344. And that is what will go in the next Mac Pro. It really CAN'T be cheaper.
 
edesignuk said:
the 3.2 i7 is brand new, the 3.2 Xeon is old(er), of course it's cheaper.
Click to expand...

I didn't compare i7. I compared QX9770 vs X5482. They are same chip, QX is desktop, X5482 is workstation. 1400$ vs 1200$. Desktop is more expensive.
 
iBug2 said:
I didn't compare i7. I compared QX9770 vs X5482. They are same chip, QX is desktop, X5482 is workstation. 1400$ vs 1200$. Desktop is more expensive.
Click to expand...

I refer you to my post; the one above this one that I have quoted.

Two 2.93GHz Gainestown Xeons are $2,772.
Two 3.2GHz Gainestown Xeons are $3,200.

That's just the CHIP price, people.
 
Tallest Skil said:
I refer you to my post; the one above this one that I have quoted.
Click to expand...

Where do you get the prices for Gainestown?

Edit: And apple always gets chips a lot cheaper than retail prices. So even if those prices are correct, it doesn't give much clue.
 
Code: 
W5580 - 3.20GHz - $1600
X5570 - 2.93GHz - $1386
X5560 - 2.80GHz - $1172
X5550 - 2.66GHz - $958

E5462 - 2.80GHz - $797
 
Tallest Skil said:
Wikipedia, sourced from this leak.

W5580, X5570, and X5560 are what will most likely be in the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

Does anyone remember how much X5482 costed back when Mac Pro was released? I think it might have been more than 1600$. In that case, i7 is still cheaper.
 
iBug2 said:
Does anyone remember how much X5482 costed back when Mac Pro was released? I think it might have been more than 1600$. In that case, i7 is still cheaper.
Click to expand...

The prices haven't changed since launch. The QX9770 has a high price because it's unlocked, amongst other "because people will pay it" related issues.
 
Umbongo said:
The prices haven't changed since launch.
Click to expand...

Can anyone elaborate on why X5482 costs less than its desktop version where i7 desktops cost a lot less than Gainestown?

As far as I've read, desktop vs workstation chips don't differ much in performance. Sometimes none at all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back