Same here although I am out of HD space now. Shame we can't get some sort of exchange / upgrade on the processors.
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Mac Pro Xeon Processors 'Imminent'
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Same here although I am out of HD space now. Shame we can't get some sort of exchange / upgrade on the processors.
Fair enough, but then Apple shouldn't charge the same god damn price for the system when it's using one year old tech. That's a joke and exactly why people say Apple systems are so expensive.
Initial Apple pricing is usually fair, but once they let the tech linger for a year or more (see: Mac Mini) there's absolutely no incentive to buy a system because you're just getting ripped off at that point.
They could at least keep the price point but do things like adjust the amount of RAM and HD space on the default config.
I don't know what the obsession is with faster processors in the Mac Pro. Sure, 5 or 6 seconds less in a 3 minute processing task would add up eventually, but the real drawbacks to Mac Pros are:
1. Lagging video card tech
2. Expensive and/or useless RAID options (Apple's is too expensive, 3rd parties are scary due to their possible lack of future driver support and lack of SMART/boot capability)
3. Overpriced, overly-hot, sluggish RAM
4. Lack of Blu Ray (who cares about support, a burner would be nice)
To me, any one of those problems being solved is going to be worth more than a few more megaflops. I mean how fast is the MP nowadays? 8 Core 3ghz? HOLY $#@%!!
And yes, I know you all are going to "blame the 3rd parties" and Intel for problems 1-3, but that's beside the point. I'm just saying: probably more important than a slightly faster proc are these things.
1. Lagging video card tech
2. Expensive and/or useless RAID options (Apple's is too expensive, 3rd parties are scary due to their possible lack of future driver support and lack of SMART/boot capability)
3. Overpriced, overly-hot, sluggish RAM
4. Lack of Blu Ray (who cares about support, a burner would be nice)
To me, any one of those problems being solved is going to be worth more than a few more megaflops. I mean how fast is the MP nowadays? 8 Core 3ghz? HOLY $#@%!!
And yes, I know you all are going to "blame the 3rd parties" and Intel for problems 1-3, but that's beside the point. I'm just saying: probably more important than a slightly faster proc are these things.
1. Yes, lagging in keeping with the gaming market, I'll agree.
2. Use ZFS.
3. 4GB of 800mhz ECC is $97.
4. Buy a blu-ray burner and put it in the spare bay.
The fact that you are questioning the "obsession" over faster processors, means you are not a candidate for getting a Mac Pro at all. You should know by now the frequency of the processor has little to do with it's actual efficiency and overall "speed". A single core of the latest processor technology is much faster than a comparably clocked last generation. The number of cores is irrelevant unless the application takes advantage of them.
just hoping this comes out sooner rather than later... tired of the speculation and waiting
I want to see exactly how much better it will be (direct comparison)
I want to see exactly how much better it will be (direct comparison)Absolutely!
Who is going to spend $800 for a 2 GHz machine with 1 GB and a 120 GB drive? If no one is buying the mini, its because its a 2 year old machine that is underpowered and overpriced. (not because every apple product is overpriced, but because every apple product that hasn't been upgraded is overpriced)
1) The chip was release in August 2006 and the retail price has dropped $100 since.
2) A 320GB laptop drive is $70-$80, only $30 more than a 120, and a lot less than a 120GB drive was 2 years ago when the mini came out.
3) 2 GB of Ram is $30 on crucial -apple wants $75 for the upgrade.
It seems almost certain that apple is completely abandoning the mini, because they have abandoned its customers and the product line. Anyone with an old mini waiting for an update has likely already bought something else. When will apple should just kill it and pull it from the store?
When the new Pros come out, you will see the usual $100 or so drop on the old inventory - its a joke.
Couldn't agree with you more. The Mac Pro keeps the exterior design that worked so well for the G5 and fixes some of the internal layout issues like HDD bays that the G5 failed at. No reason to update. Especially since I never see my tower. It's in my "machine room."
Why? The Mac Pro case is one of the best designs I've ever seen in the history of computer cases.
Why mess with something that works so well? It still looks fresh even years after it was first introduced with the G5, even.
I'm glad that I don't have a need to upgrade my Mac Pro for at least another two years. And even if, I wouldn't have to buy a new machine but could simply replace my two Dual Core Xeons with off-the-shelf Quad Core versions. That's the beauty of the Intel architecture.
In other words: There's no need to wait for a new model, if you want to use a Mac Pro. Unless you run complex weather simulations, you probably won't ever need that additional bang that the new CPU series might bring.
In other words: There's no need to wait for a new model, if you want to use a Mac Pro. Unless you run complex weather simulations, you probably won't ever need that additional bang that the new CPU series might bring.
Hopefully a full range of professional video cards from ATI and Nvidia and not just one super expensive one.
Mini Display port? Don't you think they'll add a full sized "Display Port" and update the cinema displays as well? Seems pretty stupid to me that someone walking into a store with a heavy wallet can't purchase a 24" LED with his "new" Mac Pro as of today. I see a big change in Apple's Pro Displays coming at the same time as the Mac Pro release.
full size makes more sense
Since the full size Display Port (which is still much smaller than a DVI connector) can have a latching mechanism, it's much more appropriate for a desktop or workstation.
You don't want the monitor cable falling out just because you moved the machine slightly, or the power strip moved when you plugged another cord in.
Since the full size Display Port (which is still much smaller than a DVI connector) can have a latching mechanism, it's much more appropriate for a desktop or workstation.
You don't want the monitor cable falling out just because you moved the machine slightly, or the power strip moved when you plugged another cord in.
Yeah. Now, why did we ever leave IBM & PowerPC?
They weren't willing to develop the G5 much further
So, what do y'all think, will we see MacPros use the Westmere-Gulftown 6-core or the Westmere-Clarkdale 2-core?
I have to say, a 12 core Pro would be very nice indeed.
For the same reason Intel changed architecture with Nehalem and will change again with Sandy Bridge.
Perhaps there will be another vendor change in the future. It will be while but it certainly is possible.
No one really changes workstation pricing, component prices there tend to be the same throughout their lifecycle. The Xeons haven't changed in price and make up the biggest portion of the price (over 50%). What they could have done is add new graphics card options, but then it appears that developing drivers isn't worth it, they don't even have the most optimized and stable they could for the current cards. In the end if the systems are selling they don't need to change them.
Yes Mini DisplayPort. The Mini display port was created to allow Apple to utilise the DisplayPort standard across all devices without the need for varying port sizes eg Full Display Port vs Mini DisplayPort. It makes more sense to use one connector throughout their entire range of computers (which they said they intend to do so themeselves) rather than to flipflop between different connectors on different devices. I would guess it allows them to be very flexible and not worry so much about having to fit in different connectors to their design. I would guess the new iMac, Mac Mini, Mac Pro and Apple TV will all have the new Mini DisplayPort. And a really wild stab in the dark, the new iPhone may even support mini DP through a dock?
So I highly doubt we will see a full size DisplayPort connector on the Mac Pro. I would even go so far as to say that Apple will ditch DVI comletely from the Mac Pro in favour of the space saving Mini DisplayPort. Maybe new custom built cards from nVidia with 4 DisplayPorts per card? Just a guess.
Very interesting. Thank you. Now what about the displays themselves? Will we see LED glossy 30" ? What about a size between 24" and 30"? Seems like there's a lot of people who find the 30" a bit too big but want higher res than 1920x1200
I am not sure. I would guess they will all receive the same treatment as the LED 24" with mini DisplayPort connectors being added and options for Matte instead of gloss. One of the problems lies in that the cinema displays all utilise fixed cables to connect to the computers at the present moment, so I am unsure how Apple will resolve this without having a spaghetti junction of wires trailing from the cinema display, unless they choose to drop that method and opt for female connectors on the cinema displays.
As for the resolution, I really have no idea. I haven't personally seen a display smaller than 30" running a 2560x1600 res panel, although maybe the LG + Apple deal will allow them to obtain some new panel designs?
I don't care if they don't ship until April, I just need to be able to place an order
I'm sitting on a pile of money that's going to turn into a pumpkin if I don't place an order before the end of February. I've been holding out, knowing that an update is imminent, but I can't last much longer. Shipping dates don't matter, but 'announcement' dates (after which Apple will start accepting orders) do.
Does anyone think it's likely that apple will announce these new machines before they're ready to ship?
I'm in the same boat at home, where I've been waiting since November to place an order for a new iMac, but have been holding out for the long-overdue update.
I really wish Apple would get on the case WRT keeping their hardware up-to-date.
Cheers
I'm sitting on a pile of money that's going to turn into a pumpkin if I don't place an order before the end of February. I've been holding out, knowing that an update is imminent, but I can't last much longer. Shipping dates don't matter, but 'announcement' dates (after which Apple will start accepting orders) do.
Does anyone think it's likely that apple will announce these new machines before they're ready to ship?
I'm in the same boat at home, where I've been waiting since November to place an order for a new iMac, but have been holding out for the long-overdue update.
I really wish Apple would get on the case WRT keeping their hardware up-to-date.
Cheers
I don't really NEED a Mac Pro, but what I do need is support for my 30" ACD and 8GB RAM... Currently, the only machines that do that are the MacBook Pro 17" and the Mac Pro... I would settle for an iMac, but the iMac won't do what I need.
Can you say... MiniTower?
Can you say... MiniTower?