iMac Pro?

[Mago]

The Xeon E3 isn't any faster than the i7 used in the current top-end iMac... Only real plus here is ECC memory, the rest is marketing.

E3 xeon are moreless an i7 with ECC support running at lower clock, thus being more stable in very long executions, another plus.

An Xeon iMac wont be faster than an i7 iMac but will be much more stable running long task, (also Apple should improve its thermals, current iMac isnt quite good dealing with heat).

 

[sn1p3r845]

Because a lot of people don't need 300 watt GPUs or 12 cores - and many of them are buying the 27" Imac today.

An Imac with more RAM support, more cores, better graphics and more storage would satisfy a lot of people who find the MP6,1 too expensive but don't want to move to a more popular operating system.

Hell, an Imac 27" in a slightly larger case with better cooling would satisfy a lot of people.

What are you talking about? The iMac's spec'd out decently on their site is just fine, the jump up from that WOULD naturally be the Mac Pro. We just recently got two new higher spec'd iMacs and they're very fast and handle the pro tasks we throw at them very well. If you were to make a "pro" iMac what would it be spec wise? I bet you would have just configured the next higher end iMac model.

 

[BB8]

No one is going to buy an iMac Pro unless you can show it performs better. I would much rather see better graphics options.

 

[Thunderbird]

If they are going to market it as a 'Pro' machine, they would probably throw in a workstation grade mobile graphics card, maybe a larger storage option, and maybe even a 30" screen.

 

[deconstruct60]

The Xeon E3 isn't any faster than the i7 used in the current top-end iMac... Only real plus here is ECC memory, the rest is marketing.

That is presuming the case stays the same. Apple could do like they did with the iPad. An iMac and iMac Pro. They wouldn't have to have the same case.

iMac -- core i5-i7 , more high end mobile GPU, and current design.

iMac Pro -- Xeon E3 , beefier 'desktop midrange class' GPU (like full clocked, full die Polaris 10 or magical 'small' Vega) with different parameters on enclosure design.

The price points on the iMac Pro would be higher. The next iteration (or two) of Xeon E3 could pick up 6 cores as gen-8 ( Coffee Lake) trickles down.

The whole iMac line up going to E3 is highly dubious. The 21.5" entry model doesn't need that.

 

[Zarniwoop]

No one is going to buy an iMac Pro unless you can show it performs better. I would much rather see better graphics options.

Some rich kids do. Then they can feel becoming part of the creative people. Just as Apple has advertised...

But now that the Creative class is fleeing from Apple, they had to react quickly, in order not to loose the rich kids too, because the Cool aid wont work any more...

 

[Thunderbird]

This looks like an almost certainty now with a possible December launch. And new regular consumer iMacs probably in October.

For me, the iMac Pro will mostly depend on the graphics card. I wonder if they will use a workstation card, and I wonder if it will be AMD?

 

[aaronhead14]

Not interested in an iMac Pro in the slightest. It wouldn't have the expandability that I need. Tower-style Mac Pro with PCIe, or bust.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Not interested in an iMac Pro in the slightest. It wouldn't have the expandability that I need. Tower-style Mac Pro with PCIe, or bust.

You can have a Thunderbolt expansion tower on the side. And you can use that tower with other Macs or PCs in your flow.

 

[Chicane-UK]

No one is going to buy an iMac Pro unless you can show it performs better. I would much rather see better graphics options.

I guess if they can switch to a Xeon chip with a lower TDP, then that leaves "thermal overhead" in the enclosure for more hardcore graphics perhaps?

 

[Zarniwoop]

I guess if they can switch to a Xeon chip with a lower TDP, then that leaves "thermal overhead" in the enclosure for more hardcore graphics perhaps?

Current 27" iMac has a place for 3.5" harddrive in it. Apple could use its volume for cooling - even for a liquid one. And yes, they could allocate some TDP from CPU to GPU if they see it a good trade-off.

 

[Chicane-UK]

Current 27" iMac has a place for 3.5" harddrive in it. Apple could use the volume for cooling - even for a liquid one. And yes, they could allocate some TDP from CPU to GPU if they see it a good trade-off.

3.5" HDD should have been dead and buried ages ago, but now is the time. Bin that off, switch to an NVME SSD and use external storage for anything else.

 

[aaronhead14]

You can have a Thunderbolt expansion tower on the side. And you can use that tower with other Macs or PCs in your flow.

Not interested in that. I want a tower-style computer with a separate monitor. Crossing fingers that the 2018 Mac Pro will meet my needs.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Not interested in that. I want a tower-style computer with a separate monitor. Crossing fingers that the 2018 Mac Pro will meet my needs.

Hehhh

That would be a tower and separate monitor. In fact you can do it now.

 

[aaronhead14]

Hehhh

That would be a tower and separate monitor. In fact you can do it now.

Only with a 5,1 or a hackintosh. Neither are very good solutions.

 

[SoyCapitanSoyCapitan]

Only with a 5,1 or a hackintosh. Neither are very good solutions.

I'm saying you can connect an expansion tower with GPU and storage to an iMac today. Your only argument is that the CPU should be in the tower. There's no reason it should be. That's why an iMac Pro with an external tower module could make sense. Being able to use that same expansion tower module with your desktop and laptop computer is a win-win situation.

 

[aaronhead14]

I'm saying you can connect an expansion tower with GPU and storage to an iMac today. Your only argument is that the CPU should be in the tower. There's no reason it should be. That's why an iMac Pro with an external tower module could make sense. Being able to use that same expansion tower module with your desktop and laptop computer is a win-win situation.

No. What "makes sense" is to not have a dumb computer with a bunch of external crap. A tower should enclose all the computer's internal components.

 

[irked]

I'm saying you can connect an expansion tower with GPU and storage to an iMac today. Your only argument is that the CPU should be in the tower. There's no reason it should be. That's why an iMac Pro with an external tower module could make sense. Being able to use that same expansion tower module with your desktop and laptop computer is a win-win situation.

My mac pros drive projectors and LED walls. Any 'local' display is trunked 400' down fiber to get to me. An iMac of any kind would be worse than useless for my purposes.