Mac Pro Update Now Possible with New Xeon E5 Chips Next Week

[Cristian123]

Geezus, this is getting ridiculous. For months I have been ready to drop nearly 10 grand on a Mac Pro, itching to get working on 4TB worth of video footage, but will not make that investment in a 2010 model.

With Z820s shipping, Apple really is really falling behind the curve here.

 

[dasystem]

True

i feel lonely and lost.

Hahah. I'm so cold...


But honestly Apple clearly doesn't care anymore. The focus is to keep their iClients happy and we are just has been stepping stools. Glad we could help!


And when they do come out with the next Mac pro release which at this point wouldn't be a surprise, I'm sure they will boast a clever way to promote how the best things come to those who iWait ala Heinz


A once loyal user IIci era / quark alien

 

[Cristian123]

But honestly Apple clearly doesn't care anymore.

So true, they don't seem to care about the high end users or the product. Why would anyone want to buy a 2010 Mac Pro when you can't even use the latest Thunderbolt display?

 

[xgman]

Every day that goes by with no announcement makes it seem less and less likely.

 

[rezwits]

I think they have release a Mac Pro because:

I think they have to release a new Mac Pro/server because they just killed the Xserve line a year or so ago.

I think business wise this would be too much of their core severed off. Like some have people said about FCP/Logic users etc.

But getting rid of Xserves and then saying good buy Mac Pros would make the only way to have a really nice server is get a Mac Mini?

In all earnest you have to a system for professional creation and to have "some" server possibilities, a new Mac Pro should be made every 2-3 years when intel updates the chips. I mean it's not that hard of a product.

Most of us could make a hackintosh if need be, so how hard would it be for Apple to slap a system together, and write some drivers.

Then you have a product that could sell X units at $5000~ a piece? I mean intel does quite a bit of work to make the chips... vs iPads for $500~ I understand they probably sell well over 100x the iPads vs Mac Pros, but a Mac Pro for creatives doesn't just get rid of the computer it gets rid of the Pro Apps that Apple needs just as much as the next guy to get work done...

 

[AidenShaw]

... the new 1 Infinite Loop reality ...

Then you have a product that could sell X units at $5000~ a piece?

You realize that selling ten Iphone 4S phones is more than $5000 for Apple, right?

To the bean counters (and MBA Tim is a bean counter), the Mac Pro does not make sense.

 

[cubeover]

To the bean counters (and MBA Tim is a bean counter), the Mac Pro does not make sense.

I knew it was a mistake to appoint Tim .
Johny Ive is da best. Passion. Products. Design.

 

[Lestdog]

The good news is that there's isn't any news... There's No doubt in my mind that apple would announce the end of the mac pro is some form... they told us after about a year or so from the last xserve update that they were finished with that market.

That move to kill the xserve made a lot more sense than killing the mac pro and Apple has always produced a high end machine so for it to suddenly stop would be the biggest diversion apple has made in years.

They must announce it and now it's been 620 + Days. I have the feeling we're closer to an update than an end of life announcement.

 

[AidenShaw]

I knew it was a mistake to appoint Tim .
Johny Ive is da best. Passion. Products. Design.

To be fair to MBA Tim, the Mac Pro didn't get much lovin' during the last few years of the reign of the turtlenecked overlord.

It hasn't had a significant change since March 2009, and is basically the same system that it was in August 2006. The case hasn't changed much since the PowerPC days when it was introduced (June 2003). (and even then, it was a box designed to look like a cheese grater....)

 

[iSayuSay]

I knew it was a mistake to appoint Tim .
Johny Ive is da best. Passion. Products. Design.

I don't think that would make any difference. For example Ive does not care about MacPro design anymore. It's the same design since 2006. Ive could've done something about that. But he doesn't. So, why would it be any different for MacPro, should Ive was the new CEO?

They tried a headless mid-range desktop and it was a massive failure in terms of sales.

What is that? Apple Cube, wow it's not exactly mid range desktop, it was a Macintosh with Mac Mini quality but Mac Pro's price point. Nobody with common sense would want that, unless it's just for a showcase. Yeah it was a darn sexy computer. Still, if it sold well, I would have been surprised.

 

[Inconsequential]

I don't think that would make any difference. For example Ive does not care about MacPro design anymore. It's the same design since 2006. Ive could've done something about that. But he doesn't. So, why would it be any different for MacPro, should Ive was the new CEO?

Have you ever considered that Ive thinks the Mac Pro is designed properly and he can't make it any better given the cooling, expansion and storage constraints?

I don't want it re-designed, it does the job. It's a tool not a fashion icon and find something else out there that looks half as good as my Mac Pro does on my desk.

All I want is the Xeon E5-s and the X79 chipset put in with a 7970. Design? I care less not.

 

[reiniervandijk]

All I want is the Xeon E5-s and the X79 chipset put in with a 7970. Design? I care less not.

I totally agree, just plugin the new xeons and all the mac pro users are good to go for the next 4 years or so, the cheesecrater is still perfect designwise,
how hard could it be... really want to replace my 2008 mac pro as soon as possible, not going to invest in a 2010 model right now...

 

[iSayuSay]

Have you ever considered that Ive thinks the Mac Pro is designed properly and he can't make it any better given the cooling, expansion and storage constraints?

I don't want it re-designed, it does the job. It's a tool not a fashion icon and find something else out there that looks half as good as my Mac Pro does on my desk.

All I want is the Xeon E5-s and the X79 chipset put in with a 7970. Design? I care less not.

If you don't really care about the looks or design of a MacPro, you wouldn't choose a MacPro. Because you can always build or buy another Xeon workstation, customize it more freely, you can always Hackintosh it and it would do the same things a real MacPro could. It's just a tool, not a fashion icon, remember? Chassis design and outer looks is not important at all.

I personally care about MacPro design. Appearance wise, it's the best looking workstation out there. The inside is just as good, neat, almost no cable and you can always swap HDD or RAM just as easy. Okay, maybe it does not need a redesign or complete overhaul. But you can't deny the fact that current MacPro is 2 years old, and they keep the price point for 2 years old hardware. I don't like it.

In my previous post I just want to make a statement that nobody in Apple really care about MacPro anymore. You don't have to like it but it's just the fact. So I doubt if Ive would change anything about the MacPro even if he was the CEO.

 

[thekev]

I knew it was a mistake to appoint Tim .
Johny Ive is da best. Passion. Products. Design.

Wasn't there a rumor on here that he turned it down? I'm not going to claim that as I have no idea if it's true, but for someone like that it's entirely possible that the money is enough for whatever he wants and he gets to keep designing products rather than deal with the duties of a CEO. I also don't know his family situation or if his current position is better suited to it. Anyway there are many reasons it could have gone this way.

To be fair to MBA Tim, the Mac Pro didn't get much lovin' during the last few years of the reign of the turtlenecked overlord.

It hasn't had a significant change since March 2009, and is basically the same system that it was in August 2006. The case hasn't changed much since the PowerPC days when it was introduced (June 2003). (and even then, it was a box designed to look like a cheese grater....)

I've mentioned this before, but they initially just started with a high cost of entry and didn't really address budget configurations. Now they've plugged what would be the budget configuration for other companies into the old price point. Some of the ones who do go imac suffer buyer's remorse or realize that something won't work and end up returning it, but the gap from top imac to bottom mac pro isn't as great as it was. That has probably hurt its volume quite a lot. Also the gains are there but not always appealing enough. Assuming you're looking at similar price points, the potential upgrades don't make a lot of sense if you own a 2008 or 2009 machine today. Businesses that use several of these sometimes have it a little easier as they can cycle down the hardware with staggered purchases.

If you don't really care about the looks or design of a MacPro, you wouldn't choose a MacPro. Because you can always build or buy another Xeon workstation, customize it more freely, you can always Hackintosh it and it would do the same things a real MacPro could. It's just a tool, not a fashion icon, remember? Chassis design and outer looks is not important at all.

Not everyone considers a hackintosh a fully viable option, and in terms of the mac pro, it is a tool. If it's under your desk, you don't look at it most of the time anyway.

 

[iEdd]

Is anyone here from a sizeable company using hackintoshes for work?

I'd find any answer but "no" hard to believe...

 

[gabicava83]

Is anyone here from a sizeable company using hackintoshes for work?

I'd find any answer but "no" hard to believe...

Is a Hackintosh legal or illegal?!

You'll find that most legit businesses will not risk being sued. Have a look at the Apple EULA.

Additionally, most businesses want to buy a product that "works" and purchase the support packages, if there are any issues, they should get resolved by the manufacturer. Building a Hackintosh could be more trouble that it's worth and thus, not beneficial for the business apart from cost savings on the hardware, but time is money.

If anyone on here does use a Hackintosh for their business, I am not sure they would admit to it.

It's up to the business owner in the end, whether it's right or wrong to create a Hackintosh, it's up to you. But is the risk vs reward worth it for a business, normally no.

 

[Inconsequential]

If you don't really care about the looks or design of a MacPro, you wouldn't choose a MacPro. Because you can always build or buy another Xeon workstation, customize it more freely, you can always Hackintosh it and it would do the same things a real MacPro could. It's just a tool, not a fashion icon, remember? Chassis design and outer looks is not important at all.

I personally care about MacPro design. Appearance wise, it's the best looking workstation out there. The inside is just as good, neat, almost no cable and you can always swap HDD or RAM just as easy. Okay, maybe it does not need a redesign or complete overhaul. But you can't deny the fact that current MacPro is 2 years old, and they keep the price point for 2 years old hardware. I don't like it.

In my previous post I just want to make a statement that nobody in Apple really care about MacPro anymore. You don't have to like it but it's just the fact. So I doubt if Ive would change anything about the MacPro even if he was the CEO.

1. I don't have a Mac Pro for its looks, I have it as it is the most powerful Mac you can buy. (I.e. I can use OS X.)
2. If you think running a Hackintosh in a production/work environment is sensible then I hope to god your not a sys-admin, but given your comments, your almost certainly not.
3. I didn't deny the fact it needed a component upgrade, hence "All I want is the Xeon E5-s and the X79 chipset put in with a 7970."

 

[gabicava83]

1. I don't have a Mac Pro for its looks, I have it as it is the most powerful Mac you can buy. (I.e. I can use OS X.)
2. If you think running a Hackintosh in a production/work environment is sensible then I hope to god your not a sys-admin, but given your comments, your almost certainly not.
3. I didn't deny the fact it needed a component upgrade, hence "All I want is the Xeon E5-s and the X79 chipset put in with a 7970."

Well said.

And additionally, believe it or not, a MP MacPro is actually just about cheaper compared to the Dell or HP DP Workstations.

 

[nigelsmith]

Well said.

And additionally, believe it or not, a MP MacPro is actually just about cheaper compared to the Dell or HP DP Workstations.

I agree with all earlier points, but this last one is just not true, although I hear it a lot.
I have spent all morning looking at Mac Pros, HP and Dell systems that meet Avid's qualified system specs, and while HP and Apple prices are broadly similar, Dell machines are a bit cheaper. This is based on comparing like-for-like specs, not comparing the most expensive HP system to the cheapest Mac Pro. Of course what you save in money you lose in looks ;-).
I'm really fed up because I need to replace 7 "original quad core" machines by the summer, and can't face paying top price for 2 year old machines

 

[gabicava83]

I agree with all earlier points, but this last one is just not true, although I hear it a lot.
I have spent all morning looking at Mac Pros, HP and Dell systems that meet Avid's qualified system specs, and while HP and Apple prices are broadly similar, Dell machines are a bit cheaper. This is based on comparing like-for-like specs, not comparing the most expensive HP system to the cheapest Mac Pro. Of course what you save in money you lose in looks ;-).
I'm really fed up because I need to replace 7 "original quad core" machines by the summer, and can't face paying top price for 2 year old machines

Multi Processor MacPro's..... not single processors.

Unfortunately, I should have mentioned that it cannot be compared at the moment, as the specs for the HP's/Dells have all changed and the MacPro's are still the same (which of course, is inferior)

Anyhow, come on Apple, let us know one way or the other

 

[ogh]

Gadgets break down or I end up breaking them, some way or the other. MacPro lasts for ages. Well, actually it does not, but the design lets you think it will last forever. And that is part of the reason why I want a Mac Pro rather than an HP or Dell.

 

[xgman]

Apple is really ticking me off right about now by their silence on this. They have have wind of at least the frustration we feel about the lack of any info. I find it to be a bit of a snub.

 

[gabicava83]

Apple is really ticking me off right about now by their silence on this. They have have wind of at least the frustration we feel about the lack of any info. I find it to be a bit of a snub.

You have a Hex, that should keep you for a while, excellent machine.

 

[Ciclismo]

... Because you can always build or buy another Xeon workstation, customize it more freely, you can always Hackintosh it and it would do the same things a real MacPro could...

Hackintoshes are great for those who have the time to trouble-shoot whenever an update breaks something. But if you need to rely on a workstation for anything serious, then you can't really afford to hold off on a critical update until someone figures out how to fix any side-effects. Hackintosh = hobby machine.

 

[xgman]

You have a Hex, that should keep you for a while, excellent machine.

Which is going to help pay for the upgrade, hopefully.