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iMac Pro?

Thunderbird

Thunderbird

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Dec 25, 2005
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I just noticed all of the 4-core Kaby Lake Xeon processors are only going to be around 74-78W. Not sure about the 6 core or 8 core.

http://wccftech.com/kaby-lake-xeon-e3-1200-v6-lineup/

Is it possible that Intel has reduced the TDP enough on the Xeons to be able to put them in an iMac? Could an iMac also have double workstation GPU's?
 
cube said:
Xeon does not make something Pro.
Click to expand...
Actually, a Xeon CPU more or less does move a system from "consumer/gamer" to "pro".

Simply because the Xeon SKUs support ECC memory. I buy a lot of workstations, and I don't buy anything without ECC memory.

If a system has a memory error, I want it to blue screen with "memory error". I don't want to play games for weeks with diagnostics - when a Xeon will say "uncorrected memory error on DIMM 3".

Screw around for weeks wasting everyone's time - or replace DIMM 3. No Brainer.

And, for what it's worth, I have a Dell Precision T3610 that I bought for my home system - because I want the same memory confidence at home. It's more likely that I'll be hit by an asteroid than I'll have an undetected memory error.
 
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Thunderbird said:
I just noticed all of the 4-core Kaby Lake Xeon processors are only going to be around 74-78W. Not sure about the 6 core or 8 core.

http://wccftech.com/kaby-lake-xeon-e3-1200-v6-lineup/

Is it possible that Intel has reduced the TDP enough on the Xeons to be able to put them in an iMac? Could an iMac also have double workstation GPU's?
Click to expand...

Sure, if it was three inches thicker with an adequate thermal solution.
An iMac Pro is not out of the realm of possibility if the trash can is not upgraded or replaced.
 
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AidenShaw said:
Actually, a Xeon CPU more or less does move a system from "consumer/gamer" to "pro".

Simply because the Xeon SKUs support ECC memory. I buy a lot of workstations, and I don't buy anything without ECC memory.

If a system has a memory error, I want it to blue screen with "memory error". I don't want to play games for weeks with diagnostics - when a Xeon will say "uncorrected memory error on DIMM 3".

Screw around for weeks wasting everyone's time - or replace DIMM 3. No Brainer.

And, for what it's worth, I have a Dell Precision T3610 that I bought for my home system - because I want the same memory confidence at home. It's more likely that I'll be hit by an asteroid than I'll have an undetected memory error.
Click to expand...
AMD consumer CPUs have ECC. It is not a pro feature.

Not even the nMP is Pro.
 
andyyau said:
iMac Pro will be great if Apple has courage to remove the LCD.
Click to expand...
I would be a happy camper if Apple would have at the very least put all the components that are in the 5k iMac in a silver box without the screen. If you don't need a monitor, your options are really limited. Limited in the sense that you spend a lot for what you get in a Mac Mini, or you spend a whole lot more for an obscenely expensive 2013 Mac Pro. No in between, which kinda sucks.

For my needs I just want a Mac that runs World of Warcraft decently. A relatively beefy video card so I can turn graphics settings up. I don't need a 5k panel.
 
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I am fine with the 5K panel of iMac, unless the mainstream moves to 8K. However, I do hope that iMac can drive an additional 5K monitor, so I don't have to trash my current Dell 5K.

For what I do, an iMac Pro should be able to have 128 GB of RAM. With 96GB of RAM, my current MacPro 5,1 runs out of memory every once a while. I can't imagine my next computer to have less than 128 GB or RAM.
 
whwang said:
For what I do, an iMac Pro should be able to have 128 GB of RAM. With 96GB of RAM, my current MacPro 5,1 runs out of memory every once a while. I can't imagine my next computer to have less than 128 GB or RAM.
Click to expand...
I currently have 128 GiB on my home PC (Dell T3610 hex core with 8 DIMM slots and 256 GiB known to work).

I can't imagine my next home computer not being able to support at least 1 TiB of RAM.
 
Roykor said:
U mean iMac Pro in a way that it must replace a headless mac pro machine?
Click to expand...

Yes, in the sense that the nMP might be discontinued, and all pro hardware would be rolled over to a new iMacPro line, complete with Xeon chips, ECC ram, workstation graphic cards, more I/O ports, larger capacity SSDs, etc.

Now that Xeon processors are approaching ~70W TDP, it might be technically possible. But not being technically savvy, I'm just tossing the question out there.
 
Thunderbird said:
Yes, in the sense that the nMP might be discontinued, and all pro hardware would be rolled over to a new iMacPro line, complete with Xeon chips, ECC ram, workstation graphic cards, more I/O ports, larger capacity SSDs, etc.

Now that Xeon processors are approaching ~70W TDP, it might be technically possible. But not being technically savvy, I'm just tossing the question out there.
Click to expand...

I can not see that will work. An iMac is a big laptop. With a cooling problem. Mine is running at 70 dregrees minimum. And it hits the 86c too and stutters. My new superfast work PC is running 31c. Thin as possible, shiny screen, all for the looks. The i7 in the iMac makes it a nice computer for all kind of proceses. But if you need real performance, the iMac is not your partner. What if I want to use 3 x 34" curved screens as a single desktop? Good luck with that with a mobile AMD gpu. Cause an desktop GPU will not fit and i am sure Apple would charge you BIG time for an good GPU.

A Xeon in a iMac doenst make it a Pro machine. But i will work awesome for the Apple marketing department to sell more iMacs for those who are sensitive for the product naming.

Xeons are great CPU's, but on their best when you go for a pair. Something i will not expect to see happen in a iMac as well. And with the small form factor of the nMP it inst there too.

So no, an iMac is by far not an interesting device to replace his big brother. If you need real musscles, you need to go to an monster PC or put your cash on a old nMP or even older 5.1, which is kinda a bad investment, if you ask me.
 
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Roykor said:
...
Xeons are great CPU's, but on their best when you go for a pair. Something i will not expect to see happen in a iMac as well. And with the small form factor of the nMP it inst there too.
...
Click to expand...
For me, I buy some systems with a single Xeon with a big enough core count for the tasks.

Often, though, I'll buy a dual system with the same core count (say dual 8-core instead of a single 16-core) because the dual system gives me:
  • More than twice as many usable PCIe lanes
  • Twice as many DIMM slots (sometimes I get twice as much RAM, sometimes I save money by getting twice as many DIMMs but smaller and cheaper per GiB DIMMs)
 
Apple could remove the hard disk and give the space for water cooling and a bit bigger PSU. Some tweaking for the fan and ventilation and there we have iMac Pro. :p

Of course the real selling points for iMac Pro would be a HDR display. And Space Gray casing.

iMac Classic with iGPU.
iMac Pro with dGPU, HDR display, more external IO options and user upgradeable memory.
 
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