Kentsfield + G80 = ...

[Erasmus]

... A very nice computer.

Firstly, I must insist everyone likely to howl this down as the dreams of a lesser sub-species of human, keep your temper in check! I realise that Apple has demonstrated time and time again its disdain for high end graphics cards or hot cpus in anything but their Mac Pro, and don't even acknowledge the existence of super high end graphics cards. But you have to admit it would be nice...

...For Apple to release a rig with a 2.40/2.66 Ghz Kentsfield (Released today, or within a few hours, I do believe) and a Geforce 8800 GTS (Formerly known as G80, of course. I'm not too picky, so no super hot (literally) GTX) (Released I believe next week).

Of course, this could take the form of our pizza box mac, or Mini Mac Pro. But in any form it would be fantastic.

I really hope Apple choose to stick something (Perfect for Uni students actually, with a quad core fast processor for running Matlab, and a neat GPU for keeping us entertained) between the 8 core Clovertown Mac Pro and the dual core Merom iMac. That gap looks a little large to me.

I would call it the MiniBeast...


Off Topic, Here's to Merom Macbooks Tomorrow!

-Erasmus

 

[Erasmus]

So basically this is hopefully the new thread for people really hoping for a Mini Mac Pro or similar.

What I would hope for:
Quad 2.66 Ghz Kentsfield
Geforce 8800GTS
2 Gb RAM, with four slots (faster bus speed?)
1 or maybe 2 HD bays (Who wants a Terabyte?)
Two PCI Express slots removed from that that the 8800 fits in (Allowing for possible SLI)
And anything else cool I might have missed.

People who want something like this, or have ideas as to make these (insanely unlikely) specs more realistic, or better, post here!

 

[prostuff1]

I don't think you will ever see a kentsfield mac mini pro (or whatever it might be called).

If anything is released (and i kinda hope something will be) I would love to see something based around Conroe.

I have wanted a mac that I could upgrade but buying a mac pro is way overkill for me.

Ideally I would love to see:
1. Conroe CPU ranging from the 2.13 to 2.40 Ghz with an upgrade to the
2.66 model.
2. Regular 3.5 inch HD (only need one and no place for another)
3. Space for a superdrive (again no extra slot for another)
4. 3 PCI slots (one for the graphics card (needs to be double wide) and 2
ones that can be used for whatever). I guess if need be this could be
only two (i.e. one double wide for the graphics card and one expansion
slot).

I think this would keep the thing fairly small and not cut into sales of the MacPro to much.

I would love for something like this and a 13.3 in MPB to be released sometime around leopard cause apple would have my money for both things. I think there is a market in the mac community for an upgradeable tower that is "half" of what the MacPro is, lets just hope apple hears or cries.

 

[Umbongo]

Which market is this product aimed at?

 

[prostuff1]

Which market is this product aimed at?

Well, i think games would be interested in it if the price was right. It would give them upgrade paths like so many want. And i dont see the point of a 4 core gaming machine.

 

[Erasmus]

Well, i think games would be interested in it if the price was right. It would give them upgrade paths like so many want. And i dont see the point of a 4 core gaming machine.

Thats true, but you would want a quad core for other things than games.

I think Apple needs something using a quad core chip, because as soon as Clovertown is released, and is put into a Mac Pro, we are going to have a difference in speed between the high end; the Mac Pro, and the middle; the iMac. One will have eight very fast cores, the other will have two much slower ones, when you take into account the fact they use Merom, and a laptop designed chipset.

So yes, a Conroe would be good, especially if it could be upgraded later when Intel bring out quad core processors with low TDPs.

You are probably right. A four core mac would probably eat into sales of Mac Pro. But it would be nice!
Cut the extra HD bay and we separate it from the Mac Pro even more.

If a 2.4/2.66 Conroe was used, it would probably be quite inexpensive as well.