I've had no interest in Mac pros since the days of the powermac G4/G5. they priced them selves out of reach after that. iMacs became a much better value. now they screwed up the iMac and I don't even know what to buy.
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Mac Pro Enthusiasts Raise Concerns Over Upgrade Limitations of Apple Silicon
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I can understand the like for integrated components for the speed, thinness and light weight aspect of it, but from an IT perspective, it's horrible. If one part breaks or you want to upgrade it, you have to replace the whole thing. Also concerned about the amount of RAM. Going from up to 1.5 TB regular RAM plus an additional 64 GB RAM on the GPU to 192 GB total seems like a very big downgrade. I don't personally use that much, but I'm sure there's a bunch of people who do.
I really wish they'd add 3rd party GPU support so people can upgrade or add more GPU power. Also want to see some spots for storage so we can add more *internal* storage. Hopefully a standard connector like M.2 or U.2 and not a proprietary one. If Apple does include slots, they'll probably still use its proprietary connector just to price gouge us under the guise of "quality assurance". Also like to see PCIe slots. I know we could use external devices, but those clutter up my desk.
I really wish they'd add 3rd party GPU support so people can upgrade or add more GPU power. Also want to see some spots for storage so we can add more *internal* storage. Hopefully a standard connector like M.2 or U.2 and not a proprietary one. If Apple does include slots, they'll probably still use its proprietary connector just to price gouge us under the guise of "quality assurance". Also like to see PCIe slots. I know we could use external devices, but those clutter up my desk.
It'll absolutely need to get to 1+TB of memory for it to be a pro machine for engineering apps. Memory size is the important core limit here.
I doubt Apple would do something dumb like limit memory to 192GB on a Pro machine.
I doubt Apple would do something dumb like limit memory to 192GB on a Pro machine.
What’s the point of the enormous chassis if you can’t add anything to the pCie slots?
Because keeping around X86 on the Mac Pro means they have to keep around a version of macOS for X86, and… Apple will absolutely not under any circumstances do that.
I expect in 2025, five years after the last Intel Mac was introduced, the very first ARM only version of macOS.
Apples not gonna go backwards for their least popular, most niche, doesn’t even sell in the millions product.
Exactly, the tweet itself is just Gurman trying to keep people's attention. That said, I feel pretty confident that the upcoming Mac Pro won't support a dedicated GPU or upgradable RAM. Will that mean the end of the line for the Mac Pro? Perhaps, but sadly I don't think Tim Cook's Apple particularly cares.
They should just put the SoC on a "compute card", so people can at least upgrade that way. Want more RAM, more GPU cores, or an upgrade to M3? Just buy a new compute card and swap them. Would be the most elegant way of combining upgradability with the unified architecture of Apple Silicon.
This really makes no sense….Gurman is generally reliable, but he got confused last time between the Studio and the Mac Pro…hopefully this is the same issue and this is just the studio again (which would make sense).
Having the Mac Pro just with PCI-E expansion with no other benefits seems like an odd product.
Also, Apple has been so strong with supporting the Pro market the past few years, and it seems odd they would screw this machine up yet again…however…Apple did kill off the large iMac when they is a market there…so who knows.
Having the Mac Pro just with PCI-E expansion with no other benefits seems like an odd product.
Also, Apple has been so strong with supporting the Pro market the past few years, and it seems odd they would screw this machine up yet again…however…Apple did kill off the large iMac when they is a market there…so who knows.
Something has changed with apple, nothing is exciting anymore no keynotes or products even wwdc has been dissatisfied, what has happened, maybe they have hired people that don’t know the best stuff and let people go that did, something is very odd it’s just catch up now with small changes which can be even worse, the Mac Pro was a con
Concerns are all reasonable. Mac Pro needs to be more than just a Mac Studio in a giant case. But we won't know for sure until they release details. Apple are not stupid, although sometimes they do make decisions that are... perplexing.
All along, this has been the big question about the AS Mac Pro, and why so many of us have been so curious about it: given the M-series chips integrated architecture, *how* were they going to adapt it to the needs of a worthy Mac Pro? These rumors are suggesting that they simply didn't, which would really be a tremendous disappointment, both for the small group of folks how actually would buy these things, and also for the Mac fans in general, who were looking to be wowed by some new display of technical prowess.
I hope they will just release it soon so we can get the answers already.
All along, this has been the big question about the AS Mac Pro, and why so many of us have been so curious about it: given the M-series chips integrated architecture, *how* were they going to adapt it to the needs of a worthy Mac Pro? These rumors are suggesting that they simply didn't, which would really be a tremendous disappointment, both for the small group of folks how actually would buy these things, and also for the Mac fans in general, who were looking to be wowed by some new display of technical prowess.
I hope they will just release it soon so we can get the answers already.
This may be a fine strategy for regular apple consumers…(think the iMac) but would be a mistake for professionals who depend on upgradability. if you slap the “Pro” moniker onto a product, people expect PRO features. But i think with the iphone & iPad Apple has watered down the meaning of the word. Perhaps that is why they are shifting to the moniker “ultra” for their high end mobile devices. But when it comes to it’s PRO desktop computers, non upgradable is a term that should not come to mind. Apple made that mistake before with the infamous trashcan design, and Professionals rejected it.
I have stopped buying them. Simply because I can no longer afford them. Financially and justifiably.
Admittedly, that's in part because my work over the years has shifted from doing heavy-duty 3D work, to light(er) 3D work and a lot more 2D hybrid work. That said, even if I was to move back into heavy-duty 3D work I still wouldn't buy a Mac Pro if it didn't A) have user replaceable GPUs that can compete with nVidia's best, B) have user upgradable RAM and storage, and C) provide the aforementioned at reasonable prices (ie. no Apple tax).
So realistically speaking, I'd have to look elsewhere.
It's really sad that Apple continues to refuse to give power level 3D artists a chance.
ps. Also, Apple needs a much better reputation at supporting 3D DCC app developers over the long term than it currently holds. They're working hard on supporting Blender's Metal integration and AS optimisations, but I suspect that once that's done, they'll pull the devs and abandon Blender support too,.. likely forever.
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Sometimes I wish Apple would split into 2 companies, one making Phones, Tablets, Watches, etc. Consumer focused devices focused on high margin. The other company would be focused more on the Professional and Enthusiast portion of the market building the best Computers out there. One could imagine how amazing a Mac Pro from such a company would be.
I think that's a possibility. It's technically (in the "technical" sense of the word) possible. Be able to add more (Apple) RAM, additional/alternate (Apple) GPUs, and CPU upgrades. There are ways to get the benefits of Apple Silicon and allow for upgradability.
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Probably better just to keep x86 going at the pro end, until they come up with a means of supporting pro users, who need to be able to swap out CPU, GPU, Memory and storage. If you need an on premise, expensive professional machine then you will need to be able to upgrade it.
Quick! Bring 🍿 and 🥤! It's show time!
Buy cool wheels?
I doubt that would be cost effective comparing with swapping a Mac Studio for a newer model. And it wouldn't be that elegant because you would have to remove and reinstall all the cooling setup.
There would be a small problem though, one of those companies would be hugely profitable… The other would not.
Also, if they were two separate companies, you’d lose all of the fantastic integration between the phone, tablet and computer
I might not buy one for me specifically, but I work in IT, so I might eventually have to support them. Hopefully that justifies at least some of my complaints.
There's a difference between *won't* and *can't*. If Apple products are good enough for you where you don't have to customize them after the fact, great! For me, I'd at least like to have the option to replace components. Both to upgrade and for repairs. I love Apple products, but hate the idea of having to replace the entire computer should the RAM or SSD goes bad.
Yea there will always be users who will pay to get the upgrades done, but let the ones who know how and feel comfortable do it themselves
Except for the "logical" part. 😄
"Popular with Creative Professionals"
I'm wondering who the market is for $20-50,000 Mac Pros, outside of Pixar and Marvel Studios.
Graphic Designers? Print Publishing? Web design? software development? Photographers? Audio rendering? 3D modellers?
There's nothing in those workflows that a Mac Studio or M2 Pro Mini can't handle easily, with spare capacity left over. And they've been shown handling video editing effortlessly.
An M2 Pro Geekbench-marks above a 16-core 2019 Mac Pro. The M2 Ultra Studio is going to be insane. For which creatives is that not enough?
I'm wondering who the market is for $20-50,000 Mac Pros, outside of Pixar and Marvel Studios.
Graphic Designers? Print Publishing? Web design? software development? Photographers? Audio rendering? 3D modellers?
There's nothing in those workflows that a Mac Studio or M2 Pro Mini can't handle easily, with spare capacity left over. And they've been shown handling video editing effortlessly.
An M2 Pro Geekbench-marks above a 16-core 2019 Mac Pro. The M2 Ultra Studio is going to be insane. For which creatives is that not enough?
Wow back in December Gurman wrote this on his newsletter:
”Instead, the Mac Pro is expected to rely on a new-generation M2 Ultra chip (rather than the M1 Ultra) and will retain one of its hallmark features: easy expandability for additional memory, storage and other components.”
On January 8 he wrote this:
“It will also lack one key feature from the Intel version: user-upgradeable RAM. That’s because the memory is tied directly to the M2 Ultra’s motherboard. Still, there are two SSD storage slots and for graphics, media and networking cards.”
And today he wrote this?
“The next Mac Pro may lack user upgradeable GPUs in addition to non-upgradeable RAM.”
Where is his signature “I’m told”?
”Instead, the Mac Pro is expected to rely on a new-generation M2 Ultra chip (rather than the M1 Ultra) and will retain one of its hallmark features: easy expandability for additional memory, storage and other components.”
On January 8 he wrote this:
“It will also lack one key feature from the Intel version: user-upgradeable RAM. That’s because the memory is tied directly to the M2 Ultra’s motherboard. Still, there are two SSD storage slots and for graphics, media and networking cards.”
And today he wrote this?
“The next Mac Pro may lack user upgradeable GPUs in addition to non-upgradeable RAM.”
Where is his signature “I’m told”?