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Evidence! New Mac Pros's or BTO Options on the way!

C

Chaos123x

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jul 8, 2008
1,698
34
Check it out, we all know that ATI offers the 3870 card as a after market solution with this blue version of the card with it's small fan.

hd3870mac-sb.jpg



But now OWC has a new Apple OEM version with a huge double slot heat sink and fan.

apl630ati3870.jpg


It's pretty clear that Apple will be selling these (since it's made by Apple).

So is it going to be a new BTO option? Or or new Mac Pro's on their way?



The part number is APL630ATI3870.

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/ATI Technologies/630ATI3870/


Should I sell my old one now? :D
 
It looks like a silent revision of the 3870. It's supposed to be dual slot anyways given how much heat it generates. Apple plans on doing a silent revision on the current MacBook as well.
 
Eidorian said:
It looks like a silent revision of the 3870. It's supposed to be dual slot anyways given how much heat it generates. Apple plans on doing a silent revision on the current MacBook as well.
Click to expand...

No the previous version was made and sold by ATI.

The new one is made and sold by Apple.
 
So Apple made a version of the card that ATI already sells for no reason?

:confused:



I think it will be offered as a BTO option in 8 days, maybe we will see a small Mac Pro bump/ price drop too.



The NEW Apple OEM version will not work in older Mac Pro's. (the Ati retail version will)
 
they gimped it? Really? There goes half the market.

Not that it needed saying or that it matters, but that is one ugly card. :p
 
well i don't see crossfire on the card??
is there a picture on the other side of the card??

and a question please, if there is cross fire on the card, will it work crossfiring with my old ati 2600XT??
 
m1stake said:
they gimped it? Really? There goes half the market.
Click to expand...

They did the same thing with the Nvidia 8800, and Nvidia would not make a solution, so people had to wait forever for a Apple version that worked with older machines. But luckily the ATI version that came out this summer works with all Mac Pros.

So the question is, why did Apple make these new ones? unless a update is eminent.
 
Looks like the cooler is based off the ones for the PC versions of the much better 4870 cards.

amd-radeon-hd-4870.jpg


Looks like the same fan, and same fan placements, even the dual slot grill looks the same.

Maybe they are also coming to the Mac when this thing hits.
 
Chaos123x said:
They did the same thing with the Nvidia 8800, and Nvidia would not make a solution, so people had to wait forever for a Apple version that worked with older machines. But luckily the ATI version that came out this summer works with all Mac Pros.

So the question is, why did Apple make these new ones? unless a update is eminent.
Click to expand...

it lists that card in particular ONLY works on 10.5.2 and above and on Early 2008 models only.
 
Chaos123x said:
I think it will be offered as a BTO option in 8 days, maybe we will see a small Mac Pro bump/ price drop too.
Click to expand...

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Apple doesn't lower prices during a line's lifetime. No updates until Nehalem, no price drops on the current model until they're in the refurb store.

Does anyone else think that they'll raise the base configuration price AGAIN with Nehalem?
 
Tallest Skil said:
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Apple doesn't lower prices during a line's lifetime. No updates until Nehalem, no price drops on the current model until they're in the refurb store.

Does anyone else think that they'll raise the base configuration price AGAIN with Nehalem?
Click to expand...

They did it many times with the Displays, Powerbooks and the Powermac G5s. If the Nehalem is waaay off for the Mac Pro they might do something like shift the whole line down in price and get rid of the single chip quad setup.


They could just add the current gen 3.4ghz Xeon chip to the top of the line, make the 3.0ghz the default config, and offer the octo-core 2.8ghz as the low end machine.

It's called a stop gap update, and apple has done it over and over again, just not recently.
 
Chaos123x said:
So Apple made a version of the card that ATI already sells for no reason?
Click to expand...

If it is doing well or customers are asking for it then it makes sense for Apple to step in and sell it if there is money to be made.

Tallest Skil said:
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...

Apple doesn't lower prices during a line's lifetime. No updates until Nehalem, no price drops on the current model until they're in the refurb store.

Does anyone else think that they'll raise the base configuration price AGAIN with Nehalem?
Click to expand...

I'd hope they keep it the same but I see a $3,000 2.66GHz 8 core on the horizon based on all the current information.

Chaos123x said:
They did it many times with the Displays, Powerbooks and the Powermac G5s. If the Nehalem is waaay off for the Mac Pro they might do something like shift the whole line down in price and get rid of the single chip quad setup.

They could just add the current gen 3.4ghz Xeon chip to the top of the line, make the 3.0ghz the default config, and offer the octo-core 2.8ghz as the low end machine.

It's called a stop gap update, and apple has done it over and over again, just not recently.
Click to expand...

Not a chance. The processors arent changing in price and I doubt the 3.4GHz is in demand for Apple to bother. At the end of July 2007 quad core prices fell to near those of dual core yet Apple didn't take the opportunity to offer 8 core systems for the same price during those next five and a half months.

Mac Pro sales are likely one of the most stable and Apple don't really need to do much to sell them. They don't need to offer incentives, new "wow" features, or offer stop gap discounts. Workstation prices and configurations don't change much from any big vendor until a new platform arrives and Apple appear to be sticking to that.
 
AdiosVista said:
It's likely those will be options on the next Mac Pro. I wouldn't be surprised if the 3870 is the base card, replacing the 2600.
Click to expand...

I think we're more likely to see the 4670 replace the 2600 due to it's low power consumption (less than 10W when idle!). The 3870 is old tech now, Apple have gone with current graphics card choices when the Mac Pros came out.
 
jbrenn said:
it is already out
Click to expand...
Only the desktop parts, so only Core i7 ATM. :(

Umbongo said:
I think we're more likely to see the 4670 replace the 2600 due to it's low power consumption (less than 10W when idle!). The 3870 is old tech now, Apple have gone with current graphics card choices when the Mac Pros came out.
Click to expand...
It also happens to be quite an inexpensive choice, making it a good candidate for a base model Mac Pro. ;)

Apple seems kind of strange to me on the Green power issues. They want low power consumption devices, yet they use sloppy PSU's (low efficiency). :eek:

I calculated it in the current model to be at 71%. Perhaps not the worst, but just doesn't seem to fit with going Green to me. :(
 
So no one can explain why Apple created this card that only works with 2008 Mac Pros, when Ati already have one that works in all Mac Pros.


Also when do you think this will show up in the Apple Store?
 
Chaos123x said:
So no one can explain why Apple created this card that only works with 2008 Mac Pros, when Ati already have one that works in all Mac Pros.


Also when do you think this will show up in the Apple Store?
Click to expand...
Even if it isn't listed as a BTO currently, it may find its way there. Perhaps even for the next Mac Pro as a mid-range option.

No way to really be certain though, as the information has yet to be announced. :(
 
nanofrog said:
I calculated it in the current model to be at 71%. Perhaps not the worst, but just doesn't seem to fit with going Green to me. :(
Click to expand...

I assume it would be possible to swap out the PSU for something a little better. 80+ PSUs aren't rare or expensive. It seems like more and more Apple delivers half of what is not only expected, but standard. (See iPhone 3G, EFI 1.1, FW & silver book, etc).

I can't really see myself doing that though, I just don't feel like plugging any more god damn molex connectors. "Fortunately," the current Mac Pro delivers on pretty much everything (Except the expensive AND terrible RAID card, which I suppose is a feat in itself), and hopefully that will carry over. If apple decided to do something on the same level of stupid as taking out FW from the silver book or lack of copy and paste on the iPhone, etc.

Vista already supports EFI 2.1, so Windows 7 will obviously do the same. I guess that's my only hope that may be a bit far out.
 
m1stake said:
I assume it would be possible to swap out the PSU for something a little better. 80+ PSUs aren't rare or expensive. It seems like more and more Apple delivers half of what is not only expected, but standard. (See iPhone 3G, EFI 1.1, FW & silver book, etc).
Click to expand...
No, not really. :(

You'd have to hack the living daylights out of the thing. If you pull the optical bay out, you'll see a bunch of custom connectors to the PSU. All non standard. So unless you, or someone else considering it has the skills, inclination, time and patience, it's by no means easy.

Apple would have to improve the specs given to the OEM/ODM that produces their PSU's to get an 80+ rating. :rolleyes:
m1stake said:
I can't really see myself doing that though, I just don't feel like plugging any more god damn molex connectors. "Fortunately," the current Mac Pro delivers on pretty much everything (Except the expensive AND terrible RAID card, which I suppose is a feat in itself), and hopefully that will carry over. If apple decided to do something on the same level of stupid as taking out FW from the silver book or lack of copy and paste on the iPhone, etc.
Click to expand...
As it is Apple, anything that qualifies as blatantly stupid could happen. :(
m1stake said:
Vista already supports EFI 2.1, so Windows 7 will obviously do the same. I guess that's my only hope that may be a bit far out.
Click to expand...
I would love to see this happen. :) If only PC mother board makers would switch to UEFI 2.1. :rolleyes: I'd be a happy camper! :D
Even UEFI 2.0, or EFI 1.10 would do at this point. ;) :p
 
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