Mac Pro Announced

[milozauckerman]

For those of you hoping for a mid-range tower, you're looking at it. Take the processor down from dual 2.66Ghz to dual 2.0 and the HD down from 250GB to 160, and you're looking at a $2124 machine.

So if I want a mid-range tower, I can configured it to have less RAM, a smaller HD and a completely useless graphics card, and still come in $200-300 more than a comparable machine from Dell/Gateway/etc.? Why can't Apple sell me a desktop with 2GB RAM stock and a 250GB HD for less than two grand?

Yes, the Apple is a quad instead of a dual - but exactly which apps does that matter on? Is a quad really going to be a vast improvement for Photoshop through Rosetta over, say, a single Xeon or 2.4 Conroe?

All I ask for is a moderately priced OS X desktop that isn't crippled in any way (still paying for 802.11g! $350 to get a usable graphics card!).

If using Windows didn't make my eyes bleed, I'd turn and run from Apple hardware in a heartbeat. (And that, of course, is why fanboy dreams of a retail OS X package for any computer would never happen - you'd have to be a fool to use Apple hardware.)

 

[MacBoobsPro]

Second why do you only save $300 when you opt for the 2Ghz model but the 3Ghz model costs $800 more???

Its relative to the processor you have selected. If you clicked the lower CPU the 3Ghz would be + even more.

 

[gnasher729]

First of all...it seems to me they should have offered a single dual core processor model...like a single 2.6Ghz model for something like $1599. Second why do you only save $300 when you opt for the 2Ghz model but the 3Ghz model costs $800 more???

The 2.66 GHz machine is a bargain. If you pick a different model, Apple will make a bit more money.

 

[Keymaster]

I don't understand why people are complaining about the Bluetooth and wireless not being included. These are not portables, they won't move, and in many cases professionals don't care if the keyboard is wired or want it wired for some specific reason. Wireless internet is for portable computers folks, not a big hunk of aluminum that will sit on the floor or desk permanently. Wired is also still faster than wireless...if you are in a networked office environment that can make a massive difference.

 

[Tight.E.Whitey]

I want to get one TODAY, I've been waiting since April for this. I wonder if they're available in the phyiscal apple stores. Someone else said their local apple store won't have them till later this week... but I live in NYC, so I could go to flagship 5th Ave. store, maybe they're more likely to have it today. I guess I'll have to break down and give them a call (as if they haven't already had 5,000 calls today asking the exact same question).

 

[UmaThurman]

SO in the Paris expo is where we'll most likely see updated MBP?

 

[LaMerVipere]

LAME

• $2,499 standard price of Mac Pro ($2,299 for Education)

——$2,124 is the lowest you can configure the Mac Pro ($1,962 for Education)

———To get it that low, you have to drop the processors from 2.66GHz to 2GHz and and the hard drive from 250GB to 160GB

• Airport Extreme & Bluetooth 2.0 still not standard

• Weak graphics card standard (GeForce 7300, ugh)

and as a sidenote:

• MacBook Pro & MacBook processors untouched

• iMac untouched

• iPod product line grows more stale by the day

 

[BlizzardBomb]

So if I want a mid-range tower, I can configured it to have less RAM, a smaller HD and a completely useless graphics card, and still come in $200-300 more than a comparable machine from Dell/Gateway/etc.? Why can't Apple sell me a desktop with 2GB RAM stock and a 250GB HD for less than two grand?

Yes, the Apple is a quad instead of a dual - but exactly which apps does that matter on? Is a quad really going to be a vast improvement for Photoshop through Rosetta over, say, a single Xeon or 2.4 Conroe?

We'll have to wait for some benchmarks, but I'm willing to bet that Photoshop even under Rosetta will be phenomenal.

All I ask for is a moderately priced OS X desktop that isn't crippled in any way (still paying for 802.11g! $350 to get a usable graphics card!).

Some people may not use wireless, this stamps down on prices. As for the graphics card, you have to realize not all professionals need a super-duper chip. Lots of professional apps are more processor intensive then anything.

SO in the Paris expo is where we'll most likely see updated MBP?

Yes, highly likely. Probably along with the Mac Mini, MacBook, iMac and iPod.

 

[SteveRichardson]

Yea okay so I'm leaving for Chicago on the 22nd of this month for school and I really wanted to get a MBP with merom before then.

boooo I'll have to settle for the current chips, which I'm sure are great anyway.

 

[killr_b]

Just ordered my Mac Pro!!

Quad 3Ghz, 4GB ram, 250GB HD + 500 GB HD, X1900 XT 512MB, Bluetooth+Airport, wireless keyboard and mouse, 1 Superdrive (holding out for BluRay) 30" ACD... $8264.23
Estimated Ship Time... 3- 5 Weeks

This is gonna be good.

 

[bursty]

I don't understand why people are complaining about the Bluetooth and wireless not being included. These are not portables, they won't move, and in many cases professionals don't care if the keyboard is wired or want it wired for some specific reason. Wireless internet is for portable computers folks, not a big hunk of aluminum that will sit on the floor or desk permanently. Wired is also still faster than wireless...if you are in a networked office environment that can make a massive difference.

My house is not wired for ethernet. Which means, I would have to snake a wire through 3 floors, drill holes in the ceiling, etc etc. Its sooo much easier just to have airport. I have 3meg internet service and I cannot tell a difference between wired and wifi. My wireless will hit ~10mb/s transfer if I'm moving a large file from one computer to another. Obviously, that 10mb/s is faster then my 3meg internet service. My internet service is the bottleneck, not the wireless. Therefore....no difference in speed.

Second, I have BT keyboard, mouse, and phone. I use BT all the time. Sure, I can just order the option. However, that means I cant just run to my local apple store and pick up a Mac Pro. Its absolute crap that a ~$600 Macmini has these options standard, and yet Apples $4000 top of the line machine doesnt. Unacceptable.

 

[milozauckerman]

We'll have to wait for some benchmarks, but I'm willing to bet that Photoshop even under Rosetta will be phenomenal.

Core 2 chips by themself should be very good, but I'm talking single Core 2 vs. dual Core 2 - is the Quad capability going to matter with Rosetta?

I don't know anyone who doesn't use wireless of some kind now - there are three wireless networks that I can pick up from this desk. People either don't want to run cable from their cable/DSL outlet to a desk/modem, or they have multiple machines, or what have you. 802.11g should be standard on every machine, not a $40 charge.

Bluetooth, sure. I'll order it for future-proofing, but I don't use it at all. (For one thing, if your Mac craps out, you need a USB keyboard to boot it and figure out the problem), I can understand making that an option.

Graphics - sorry, this is just inexcusable to me. Apple isn't just selling these to developers and press-ganged media workers - they're selling them to 'small business' creative types and as personal PCs and (hopefully, one would think) as alternatives to Dell and Gateway machines for the common user. A decent graphics card is a must.

 

[gugy]

Nice machine indeed.
Good job Apple.
I would buy one in a heartbeat with Adobe apps were universal. Oh well, just wait for next year. Plus is always safe to get the rev.b for this Intel MacPro.

Love Leopard!
More things coming next week?

 

[DakotaGuy]

LAME
• MacBook Pro & MacBook processors untouched

Maybe they want to make sure all of the issues with the Core Duo models are resolved before they begin a processor switch on those models.

After some of the things that popped up on the MacBook and MacBook Pro, I think they will take a bit more time before they launch the revision to make sure it is perfect.

 

[slu]

Why can't Apple sell me a desktop with 2GB RAM stock and a 250GB HD for less than two grand?

They can. It is called an iMac, and the 17 incher with 2 GB of RAM and a 25o GB HDD goes for $1674.00

 

[GFLPraxis]

LAME

• $2,499 standard price of Mac Pro ($2,299 for Education)

——$2,124 is the lowest you can configure the Mac Pro ($1,962 for Education)

———To get it that low, you have to drop the processors from 2.66GHz to 2GHz and and the hard drive from 250GB to 160GB

It's still a QUAD at $2,124. Even if it's 2 GHz, that's still utterly insane, especially when a *single* 2 GHz Woodcrest outperforms a 3.5 GHz Pentium 4 easily IIRC.

and as a sidenote:

• MacBook Pro & MacBook processors untouched

• iMac untouched

• iPod product line grows more stale by the day

The lack of iMac updates was my greatest disappointment.

 

[wildmac]

LAME

• $2,499 standard price of Mac Pro ($2,299 for Education)

——$2,124 is the lowest you can configure the Mac Pro ($1,962 for Education)

———To get it that low, you have to drop the processors from 2.66GHz to 2GHz and and the hard drive from 250GB to 160GB

• Airport Extreme & Bluetooth 2.0 still not standard

• Weak graphics card standard (GeForce 7300, ugh)

and as a sidenote:

• MacBook Pro & MacBook processors untouched

• iMac untouched

• iPod product line grows more stale by the day

ITS A DEVELOPERS CONFERENCE !!!!!!!!!! NOT A GIVE-THE-WHINY-CONSUMERS-EVERYTHING-THEY-WANT-MACWORLD-CONFERENCE!!!!!!!!

Give it a rest!!!!

Do you really need a new #%&$*%^& iPod?...

Do you wnat a CPU update in your laptop weekly?...

sheesh!!!!

go buy a Dell and enjoy!!!!

 

[shelterpaw]

My house is not wired for ethernet. Which means, I would have to snake a wire through 3 floors, drill holes in the ceiling, etc etc. Its sooo much easier just to have airport. I have 3meg internet service and I cannot tell a difference between wired and wifi. My wireless will hit ~10mb/s transfer if I'm moving a large file from one computer to another. Obviously, that 10mb/s is faster then my 3meg internet service. My internet service is the bottleneck, not the wireless. Therefore....no difference in speed.

Second, I have BT keyboard, mouse, and phone. I use BT all the time. Sure, I can just order the option. However, that means I cant just run to my local apple store and pick up a Mac Pro. Its absolute crap that a ~$600 Macmini has these options standard, and yet Apples $4000 top of the line machine doesnt. Unacceptable.

I couldn't agree with you more. I'm almost in the exact same situation you're in and it doesn't make sense to me either. I've always felt the pro machine should incorporate everything a consumer model carries, plus pro features.

However, they're still pretty slick machines and I'm looking forward to getting one.

 

[gugy]

on the Macrumors live feed Steve said new announcements coming in the week or next week. Any comments?

 

[bradc]

Just ordered my Mac Pro!!

Quad 3Ghz, 4GB ram, 250GB HD + 500 GB HD, X1900 XT 512MB, Bluetooth+Airport, wireless keyboard and mouse, 1 Superdrive (holding out for BluRay) 30" ACD... $8264.23
Estimated Ship Time... 3- 5 Weeks

This is gonna be good.

I went Quad 3Ghz, 1GB Ram, 160GB HD, X1900XT, Bluetooth and Fibre-Channel, 2-Superdrives. Then I'll buy more RAM and a bigger hd when it gets here. I am sooooooooo pumped!

 

[mrblah]

My god thats an expensive computer. It seems like they went all out to try and make the most expensive computer possible. You HAVE to buy a quad Xeon desktop? Why? Some people need a tower for its PCI slots but dont want or need a quad Xeon setup. Cant they release a model that uses a regular processor like a Pentium 4 or whatever and price it for like $1000 cheaper? I guess Apple will continue to leave us middle-end users out in the cold. Mac Minis suck, iMacs dont meet the needs of a lot of people thanks to no PCI slots, Mac Pros only come with a quad Xeon(!?) and well set you back more than a used Honda Accord. Apple went WAY overboard with this thing without offering anything to fill in the gap between iMac and Mac Pro. Freakin hell.

 

[UmaThurman]

Ugh, I know people said this alot too, but I have to go to school next week without a laptop now. But oh well, it'll be worth it once they release them, hopefully in the paris expo. Do you think there'll be a huge diff b/w MBP and MB? I'll be using it just for everyday use, and if they both came out at the same time that'd be so sweet. I'd def go for the MB.

 

[Bonte]

wow, it took a full three (3) posts till somebody complains about the GPU. that seems to be the only constant thing that survived even the intel transition.

Are these specific Mac GPU's with Mac roms or can we finally use a selection of PC GPU's? If so then the base GPU isn't an issue, just use it for the second screen.

 

[MacVault]

Is it a "true" dual processor?

I read a comment on Maccentral from someone saying they were going to wait for a "true" dual processor. What is not true about the Mac Pro configuration? Or did that poster not know what he was talking about?

 

[shelterpaw]

I went Quad 3Ghz, 1GB Ram, 160GB HD, X1900XT, Bluetooth and Fibre-Channel, 2-Superdrives. Then I'll buy more RAM and a bigger hd when it gets here. I am sooooooooo pumped!

Nice!!! Most likely you made a wise decision to purchase your addional RAM and HD from a third party. Apple requires arms and legs for their optional upgrades.