No, it's $1,501. Pricing does sometimes differ from day to day, but it's still $1,501 today, see attachment. Be sure you're selecting the Xeon W3520, and not the 55xx series, which is only used in the dual socket mac pros...
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Is the Mac Pro WAY overpriced?
- Thread starter Hookflash
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No, it's $1,501. Pricing does sometimes differ from day to day, but it's still $1,501 today, see attachment. Be sure you're selecting the Xeon W3520, and not the 55xx series, which is only used in the dual socket mac pros...
I don't really understand the perceived market for the single quad MP. To me it's a product without a market.
This is true but, I don't want the old model. Its old. The two models are different enough that its worth the $500. For example, over the life of the new machine, maybe I will get some of that $500 back in lower power usage.
Apple/OSX enthusiasts who want expansion and more performance than Apple's line of laptops and/or iMacs provide?
Not arguing the dell isn't cheaper, but you have a few things wrong in your quote... you'd need vista ultimate to have the os be "on par" with what comes in OSX, you need to pick the engery start compatible power supply (base mac pros are energy star 5.0), add the 1394 option, and you need to bump up that hard drive(I picked 750). when I quoted it out, came to ~$1900 vs Apples $2499...
Seems this was already done quite a bit over here: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/684958/
That's closer to what I got. It's also debatable on whether you should add the GigE card as the Mac Pros have dual Gigabit.
Even then we're talking a larger chassis (aluminum at that) that holds 2 more 3.5" drives before we start encroaching on space shared by an optical drive.
I'm putting Apple's premium over Dell at about $200 (my own value system) I'm not really keen on plastic cases and 4 drive bays (tool less at that) is nice.
The Dell can hold four drives with one optical drive. If you want SAS drives the Dell can add a controller for far less than the Mac Pro raid card (though it is not a proper raid card). The Dell has six RAM slots to the Mac Pros four so to add 12GB is cheap whilst the Mac Pro requires expensive 4GB sticks. The case is steel, not plastic though it does have plastic bits in it. It only has one ethernet port but it has an eSATA port which I'd say was more useful than a second ethernet port.
But the Dell does have a smaller power supply (only 525W), the case is smaller.
Pricewise the sensible approach with both Apple and Dell is to buy the cheapest base model (for hard drive and ram) and upgrade yourself. Also Dell will knock at least 10% off their web prices (in my recent experience). On this basis the Dell is much cheaper for the quad. I think you need to go to some effort to reduce the margin by selecting Dell options and ignoring where the Dell has features the Mac Pro doesn't. The difference in the UK is of the order of £1000 ($1600) if you got a base Dell and added RAM and a hard drive yourself.
It doesn't let me configure 4 drives and 2 optical drives.
I don't like that 4 slots on the Mac Pro. I don't know what Apple was thinking here considering triple channel memory options.
The Dell is certainly cheaper. From what I'm seeing the Mac Pro should be 2299 at the most. I'll give Apple kudos for a gorgeous chassis that it well done and durable but missing RAM slots are an annoyance.
I also think Apple need to be a bit more flexible. Dell does attempt to spur sales via promotions and more and I think Apple should employe similar incentives ( I know...fat chance)
I'm guessing that Apple's milking their current pricing until a we have Gulftown systems next year with 6 and 12 core computers.
Well I'm not talking about comparing the previous gen to current model as of right now comparing feature by feature.
I mean when the 2008 2.8GHz 8 core base model was first released, it had all the new technology/features as well at the time but priced at $2799.
And now the 2.26GHz 8 core base model is out and it has the new technology but it costs $500 more for some reason. So is Apple charging a premium now for the newer technology from here on out? Will the next Mac Pro be charged another $500 on top just because they came out with new features?
My complaint is that pricing is not consistent. Because new technology ALWAYS has better features/technology but should be the same price.
NO. it definetely IS NOT! a lot of people still think that it is, but it really isnt. if done properly you will be able to do EVERYTHING the same as a "real" mac... except far far cheaper and normally with a tad more performance
how does Phenom II compare to the i7's Xeon's?? i didnt think that they were near workstation "grade", i was under the impression they were more desktop grade.
the xeon part mightnt necessarily be the thing that is making the MP cost so much. apple did do quite a major upgrade to this revision, they added a daughter board with the RAM, added some new ports etcetcetc and had to chance the whole design of the case. this might add up to some of the extra added costs (the new chips would of course add even more to that).
NO. it definetely IS NOT! a lot of people still think that it is, but it really isnt. if done properly you will be able to do EVERYTHING the same as a "real" mac... except far far cheaper and normally with a tad more performance
how does Phenom II compare to the i7's Xeon's?? i didnt think that they were near workstation "grade", i was under the impression they were more desktop grade.
the xeon part mightnt necessarily be the thing that is making the MP cost so much. apple did do quite a major upgrade to this revision, they added a daughter board with the RAM, added some new ports etcetcetc and had to chance the whole design of the case. this might add up to some of the extra added costs (the new chips would of course add even more to that).
I dont know imho just moving parts around (redesign) on the Mac Pro's internals is no different than moving around the same furniture in a living room so that the living room looks better/more efficient from the arrangements.
Sure it might have a new daughterboard and etc.. but I dont think that would cost $500 more. What about the 1st gen to the 2nd gen mac pro? New technology always have newer materials swapped out from the older materials and it should cost the same.
it wasnt a redesign, it was a modification. moving parts means they have to change the manufacturing process, meaning changing machines/bringing in new machines/training employees to put this there instead of over there. it all adds up!
But its done in China!!!
Well by now I would think the price should drop as its manufacturing process has been implemented for over 6 months now. Apple should have recouped their costs from the new arrangements by now!
But what I dont get is that the new unibody mbp is a totally new manufacturing process yet the mbp costs a little cheaper than before!! Am I missing something here??
We've been through this... the economy is in the tank. In order to make the product line profitable this year based on reduced sales units, the price had to increase. The other choice was likely to moth-ball the product line.
Adding to this is the fact that Apple doesn't operate on the same thin margins that Dell does. Dell is a mail-order company. Apple offers a premium experience that goes well beyond the product to include their retail centers and their support and training.
Also, doing industrial product design to the degree Apple does is not cheap. For example, there's the case internals redesign (have you ever seen a cleaner case inside?)... this translates into improved cooling which means less noise. Which reminds me, there's the cooling system redesign which is much more sophisticated than a single exhaust fan running at jet like speeds. And then there's the motherboard... which is obviously not just an Intel reference design like Dell is probably using. It's a custom Apple designed board with integrated I/O, SATA backplane connectors, integrated power for a PCIe graphics card, etc. This stuff doesn't come for free!!!
I cry at the lack of appreciation for what goes into making a stellar product here.
yay someone who agrees with me!! thankyou! you just said it in a way that made sense
We've been through this... the economy is in the tank. In order to make the product line profitable this year based on reduced sales units, the price had to increase. The other choice was likely to moth-ball the product line.
Adding to this is the fact that Apple doesn't operate on the same thin margins that Dell does. Dell is a mail-order company. Apple offers a premium experience that goes well beyond the product to include their retail centers and their support and training.
Also, doing industrial product design to the degree Apple does is not cheap. For example, there's the case internals redesign (have you ever seen a cleaner case inside?)... this translates into improved cooling which means less noise. Which reminds me, there's the cooling system redesign which is much more sophisticated than a single exhaust fan running at jet like speeds. And then there's the motherboard... which is obviously not just an Intel reference design like Dell is probably using. It's a custom Apple designed board with integrated I/O, SATA backplane connectors, integrated power for a PCIe graphics card, etc. This stuff doesn't come for free!!!
I cry at the lack of appreciation for what goes into making a stellar product here.
I wonder if the new carbon tax that has been passed will drive up future macbook/macbook pro/mac pro prices even further.
I mean carbon is in everything, even the air we breathe. Its just a tax that Al Gore's company wants to collect.
Also there are talks about a VAT (20%) tax coming to the United States on top of the Carbon Tax (20%), after social security, income tax it adds up to 73% tax that the average U.S. citizen pays. Talk about slavery.
Geez sounds like a fascistic answer. Something said from one of Hitler's minions.
I hope you can make enough lemonade to pay the taxes.
The constitution begs to defer.
You managed to invoke Godwin's Law!!!
Fastest I've seen, usually takes a couple hundred posts.
195, i guess thats about right .
Uh yea sure, freedom isnt free.
Since when did the United States come to that conclusion? Not that I've ever known of, maybe in North Korea..?? Or is there a Godwins law on North Korea too? How about Soviet Union? or Communist China? Its the most brainwashed or uneducated answer I've heard in decades.
Uh yea sure, freedom isnt free.
Its the most brainwashed or uneducated answer I've heard in decades.
Very similar to this thread. At least my brain is clean and I don't know what I don't know so who cares?
I really believe ignorant is NOT bliss but actually very harmful.
Its more of harmful but not knowing it is which is even deadlier!