MP All Models How is the 7,1 Mac Pro Better/Worse than the 5,1?

[ZombiePhysicist]

So I thought this thread might be a good comparison of things people like and dislike over the (real) predecessor Mac Pro.

One thing I've noticed is there are little things that are just stupid in the 7,1 with regard to dealing with the machine. The 5,1 was great in that you didn't have to unplug everything or even turn it off to service items inside. I find it a huge waste of time to now have to unplug all my USB hubs, ethernet, power cord, 6 displays, just to swap a drive or something. On top of that, the J2i slides into rails and you have to screw it securely in place rather than just yank it out. Also, to remove lower PCI cards, you not only have to thumb unscrew the right side of the PCI slots (like on the 5,1) but now need to get a screw driver to unscrew it on the left side of the case.

It's just a lot of unnecessary toil which is really poorly thought through.

IMO the best case ever made for a Mac was the MacIIcx. It had 1 screw and everything else snapped in/out (and frankly you could even get rid of the one screw and it was all very well held together through snap in components).

So TLDR the daily accessibility/servicability of the 7,1 is a step down from the 5,1.

Things that I like are better, are obviously the more modern components and in particular that you no longer need custom Apple display cards to see boot screens. And all the extra power ports (despite having to overpay for the Belkin power cables). And, the sheer number of slots and luxurious spacing between the slots is a great improvement.

Overall Im really happy with this machine and glad I got it, but weird that the machine took a step back in accessibility and serviceability.

Wonder what the rest of you think?

 

[Blair Paulsen]

Both the 5,1 and 7,1 designs are so much more elegant than 90% of what's been on the market the last 15 years, I'd be happy with either one. There are certainly some head scratchers in the 7,1 that Apple deserves criticism for. That said, there's so much they got right - starting with an intra-case cooling scheme that means I don't have to listen to screaming GPU fans all day...

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

Yea agreed. Even when the fans seem to kick up, I cannot hear anything from it. The car radiator flow through cooling they got in there really seems to do the job very well.

The 5,1 I had was very quiet unless you put in some really jumbo video cards that had fan issues. But the 7,1 is on another level of even more quiet.

 

[jasonmvp]

This seems like a somewhat silly rant. "Daily accessibility/serviceability?" Seriously? How many times a week are you actually pulling your Mac apart? I'm betting: not that often at all.

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

This seems like a somewhat silly rant. "Daily accessibility/serviceability?" Seriously? How many times a week are you actually pulling your Mac apart? I'm betting: not that often at all.

Fair question. Generally. Go months between access. But when I do install something new, often it takes jostling different combinations of hardware and numerous reboots and testing. Maybe 10 times in a day to get something straight. Unplugging and replugging things 10 times that I wouldn’t have to is a pain. And then it I’ll again run for 10 months without being touched.

So it’s a fair point. It’s mostly closed until I need to do an update, but then there may be dozens of jiggering events across a few days to get something tuned, just so.

Obviously ymmv.

 

[MIKX]

I live in a 'dusty' area in Japan. Every 6 weeks or so I shut down, remove the CPU tray from my 4,1>5,1 and thoroughly de-dust everything. Only takes 20 mins or so.
The amount of accumulated dust is quite surprising.

The above routine pays off royally in Japan's hot, humid summer.

I imagine that the 7,1 will accumulate dust just as my 4,1 does.

 

[kittiyut]

Can anyone with the 7.1 please measure the height "WITHOUT" the feet?

And the feet do come off easily, if needed to later add wheels?

Sorry to be asking here, just didn't want to start a new thread.

Thanks!

 

[tommy chen]

and for all who have the computer under the table (it is a client one)

behind the backplane and the PSU was almost clean

mine are at the table!

 

[Bradleyone]

I think I'm going to be sick!

That needs an industrial grade air compressor to blast it clean.

Can anyone with the 7.1 please measure the height "WITHOUT" the feet?

And the feet do come off easily, if needed to later add wheels?

485 mm for the measurement in red.

Feet are 44 mm high.

Yes, they do come off relatively easily. I've had mine off just for kicks. You take the case off then use a longish hex driver (M5 from memory) to feel for the captive screw which attaches the foot to the stainless steel frame. Anyone with IKEA experience should have no trouble.

I just hope Apple one day sells wheel kits.

 

[kittiyut]

485 mm for the measurement in red.

Feet are 44 mm high.

I just hope Apple one day sells wheel kits.

Thanks for the measurements.

Why didn't you just ordered yours with wheels to begin with?

 

[Adult80HD]

and for all who have the computer under the table (it is a client one)

View attachment 890636View attachment 890637View attachment 890638


behind the backplane and the PSU was almost clean

mine are at the table!

I just threw up in my mouth a little. 🤢

 

[flygbuss]

and for all who have the computer under the table (it is a client one)

View attachment 890636View attachment 890637View attachment 890638


behind the backplane and the PSU was almost clean

mine are at the table!

Oh boy, has this machine been on the Titanic?

 

[tommy chen]

Oh boy, has this machine been on the Titanic?

9 years on the floor of an office

 

[defjam]

9 years on the floor of an office

What kind of an office? If the system looks like that I wouldn't even want to hazard a guess as to what the employees lungs look like!

 

[AidenShaw]

What kind of an office?

To me, it looks like an office that allows cigarette smoking.

Which makes the question about lungs quite relevant.

 

[fuchsdh]

To me, it looks like an office that allows cigarette smoking.

Which makes the question about lungs quite relevant.

Eh, as someone who has cleaned smokers' computers, it'd probably be waaaay worse in that case

I think the points about accessibility are fair. Apple clearly doesn't want people doing anything dumb with leaving things plugged in, although I imagine that was a secondary concern to dumb people trying to run the machine without the case on. I think the bigger issue is that it creates a pure compatibility issue with some capture cards/etc., because most people aren't going to open the thing up more than once a year if that.

I just hope Apple one day sells wheel kits.

I think it's more likely someone creates a third-party replacement.

 

[zephonic]

The 5,1 definitely beat the 7,1 on price....

 

[Snow Tiger]

IMO the best case ever made for a Mac was the MacIIcx. It had 1 screw and everything else snapped in/out (and frankly you could even get rid of the one screw and it was all very well held together through snap in components).

So tragically wrong ! The best case ever for a Mac was the Quadra 700 . And the start up chime was to die for !

I could tear down and rebuild those puppies in under 10 minutes .

Apple clearly was receiving guidance from techs born in the server room .

Back in the day , I loved my IIci - I had a souped up Daystar CPU accelerator in it . It was faster than a IIfx .

 

[DearthnVader]

and for all who have the computer under the table (it is a client one)

View attachment 890636View attachment 890637View attachment 890638


behind the backplane and the PSU was almost clean

mine are at the table!

Heavy smoker?

 

[curmudgeonette]

So tragically wrong ! The best case ever for a Mac was the Quadra 700 .

Back in the day , I loved my IIci - I had a souped up Daystar CPU accelerator in it .

IIcx, IIci, and Q700 are all the same case.

 

[MacPoulet]

I’m still a fan of the B&W G3 case. That thing was a pleasure to open up and install cards. It was my first Mac though, so I might be biased...

 

[fuchsdh]

So tragically wrong ! The best case ever for a Mac was the Quadra 700 . And the start up chime was to die for !

I could tear down and rebuild those puppies in under 10 minutes .

Apple clearly was receiving guidance from techs born in the server room .

Back in the day , I loved my IIci - I had a souped up Daystar CPU accelerator in it . It was faster than a IIfx .

Woah now, it's fine, but the best startup chime is the Rev. A version of the one they have now. Wasn't as low-pitched, and still had the right amount of oomph. Was around the c. 1995 PM 9500 era.

(although I'll always love that early Power Macintosh chime too. Was like the high-definition remake of the original Mac's boot chime.)

 

[tommy chen]

Heavy smoker?

no smoking (did not smell of it) > only dust and carpet fibres

 

[Snow Tiger]

IIcx, IIci, and Q700 are all the same case.

It's been 25 years ...

I think the thing that made me nervous was that some of the original Macintosh II ( the long rectangular ones like the IIx ) units used to give me really nasty pinched fingers when I tried opening their chassis . They'd snap back shut unexpectedly and actually wounded me more than once . I might not think too highly of anything with II in its name now , despite the fact they were really cool 'puters .

 

[ZombiePhysicist]

The IIcx (and updates that followed) were really VERY different from the long rectangular ones with pinch'y metal bits inside. The cx was really great and I never understood why it's design didn't inspire all machines to be as easy to work with and be as modular.