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New Mac Pro: Simultaneous Real-Time 4K Effect Rendering, +900MB/s Read/Write
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crossifixio
macrumors regular
Piggie
macrumors G3
I think it's quite accurate really to call it a computer built like a games console
Think about a PC.
A computer built, from a variety of parts perhaps by the owner picking items, running an OS which has to be able to handle a MASSIVE mix of hardware, and then run on it some software made by someone else, again designed to run on a MASSIVE array of hardware.
That is a normal general computer PC that the vast majority of the world uses.
A Games console, is also a computer. but a custom designed one by one company. The games console runs a OS finely tuned for it, to get the best out of it. The Console itself is pretty custom also, May contain some stock parts but put together in a very specific way to maximize performance.
The the same company has their own software that again is tuned and tweaked to run at it's best of the machine.
End result is a more custom, more closed down system, but one that gives better performance than a general open system running a more general open array of soft and hardware.
Seems quite a reasonable analogy to make.
One could say anyone COULD make a ultra fast PC is they specifically designed it to be from the ground up and controlled the software/OS for it (again like a console)
Not means to be a put down, just how it it.
Read it on the FCP site - 8 core 64gb d700 from memory.
http://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/art...th-apple-s-new-mac-pro-and-final-cut-pro-10-1
Spinland
macrumors 6502
I'll go out on a limb and say I can see it, too. It's not a put-down as I see it, just acknowledging that the "general purpose" PC of yore, built Lego-style from a mixed bag of commodity parts, might be seeing its twilight years. As tasks get more and more demanding, especially "pro" level work, specialized hardware becomes more and more attractive.
ETA: more than specialized hardware; in fact, rather, specialized systems as a whole.
monokakata
macrumors 68020
I agree with Piggie, and I'm not an nMP hater at all. Bundled with FCP X it does have more in common with a console than with a general-purpose computer.
Who could possibly be surprised that the thing's a demon with FCP X? The surprise would be if it wasn't -- Apple even trumpets that FCP X 10.1 has been optimized for the nMP. And again, why wouldn't they?
I'm anxious to see how it does on Avid or Premiere, especially the latter, in order to see whether Adobe really did the OpenCL optimization they say they did. If they did, it ought to rock on Premiere also. Avid, who knows?
This is a fascinating machine and a fascinating introduction also. I don't think I'm going to buy one anytime soon. It's tempting, though, especially when I price out PCIe SSD setup and a modern video card for my 5,1.
Who could possibly be surprised that the thing's a demon with FCP X? The surprise would be if it wasn't -- Apple even trumpets that FCP X 10.1 has been optimized for the nMP. And again, why wouldn't they?
I'm anxious to see how it does on Avid or Premiere, especially the latter, in order to see whether Adobe really did the OpenCL optimization they say they did. If they did, it ought to rock on Premiere also. Avid, who knows?
This is a fascinating machine and a fascinating introduction also. I don't think I'm going to buy one anytime soon. It's tempting, though, especially when I price out PCIe SSD setup and a modern video card for my 5,1.
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blackhand1001
macrumors 68030
Why do these sites continue to post only the seqential read/write speeds. Let's see the random read/write speeds. That's where the real world performance advantage of ssds comes into play.
Great stuff, what I hoped it could be. Pretty much the config I want exactly, though I won't have 64 gigs of ram for out of the gate.
This is an example of what is possible with the hardware. Its up to other software developers to actually make use of it. Adobe has pledged to use OpenCL on several of its apps (AE, Premiere, PS).
Apple of course is leading by example here. FCP, Motion, compressor all got updates.
This is an example of what is possible with the hardware. Its up to other software developers to actually make use of it. Adobe has pledged to use OpenCL on several of its apps (AE, Premiere, PS).
Apple of course is leading by example here. FCP, Motion, compressor all got updates.
yoak
macrumors 68000
As for the game console, FCX is not the only pro software this thing can run. Davinci Resolve for grading is expected to run great, Maria ( or whatever the 3D software is called apparently runs extremely well.
A lot of RED users ( me included are ) are very exited about this so called toy of yours
4K editing looks great on this machine
A lot of RED users ( me included are ) are very exited about this so called toy of yours
4K editing looks great on this machine
Piggie
macrumors G3
Exactly
It would be like saying Sony built the PS4, they created the OS to run on the PS4, and then wrote the software to run at it's very best specifically on the PS4 (known hardware and software tuned directly to get the best out of it)
Then saying OMG WOW look it's faster than some general machine, running a general OS with a general program running on it.
Well Durr, yes, we'd dam well expect it to be fast would we not.
Naturally it contains some high end (high for the typical consumer) hardware inside it. so it's going to run quick anyway (or how you would expect that mix of hardware to run) but it's going to run it's best with software tuned for it's own hardware.
Unlike a, dare I say it "normal" computer where the customer may mix and match the hardware to suit their needs.
The Mac pro will be excellent if what it does fast is what you want to do, and overpriced if you want to do something with it, that it's not built for. Hence it's not really a general all round machine like a PC is/would be/can be.
You are stuck with what Apple gives you.
Which is a shame, as, another world, another time. the Mac Pro COULD be the best entertainment machine on the planet right now for the consumer, but from what I here, and I hope this is wrong, it could be a bit lacking in that area. which is a shame.
It would be amazing if Apple DID make a version of the MacPro for that market also, but again, it would mean another specific design I would guess.
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Ezlivin
macrumors member
imamacperson
macrumors regular
I have a Mac Mini with 2 striped SSD drives that gives me 1000MB/s read and writes speed with Quickbench but of course the Mini can't touch the graphic capabilities of the new Mac Pro. Do I need to say that the Mac Mini is MUCH more affordable than the Mac Pro!
Appliances generally serve only a single purpose and don't give access to the underlying operating system. While this workstation is definitely not for everyone, it is far from an appliance. What's the difference between one of these machines and another PC-style workstation that a professional may use and never open up other then to add ram or replace a faulty disk? (which are both doable with this machine).
Many years ago my desktop was an SGI O2. While you could pull the motherboard, graphics card and the single hard drive there really wasn't any upgrade options. I don't remember anyone calling that an appliance, or console.
Fantastic stuff, but in my mind the inclusion of a stock 256gb drive nagates any of the internal write speeds. You'd barely have enough for all your apps and etc on a drive that small. Even 1TB is a compromise. Really looking forward to the second or third iteration of the nMP when it comes with stock options of 2 or 3 tb. That's a fun drive to use for rendering, but currently you'd need external HD's and really you'd want those to be as fast as the internal, or close to it, in order to experience the benefits. I'm probably wrong about that, but either way I'd still want a much larger internal to match all this performance...
No doubt many of the filters and the decoding are making heavy use of OpenCL. So how it performs will be dependent on your GPU. Since you probably don't have two GPU's with what, 2048 stream processors, and 6gb of vram, it probably wont perform exactly the same ;-)
Rogifan
macrumors Penryn
So cnet has a review up and under "the bad" they say:
This makes no sense to me. That's like dinging an HP workstation because it doesn't appeal to a Chromebook buyer. Plus it's not like Apple doesn't offer computers for home consumers (iMac, MacBook Air/Pro, Mac Mini come to mind). Why are some tech sites treating the nMP as if it's something that should be suitable (and thus cheaper) for the average Joe who owns an iPhone or iPad? To me this is really scraping the bottom of the barrel to try and come up with something negative.
It's the latest Apple product and obviously all Apple products are strictly consumer and home based. It's like giving the average joe tech reporter a RED Epic or Arri and then the review stating that they are way over priced compared to a Canon G20.
How about a requirement for any tests/videos: You list the specs!
Also, I just want to see the point at which it starts dropping frames. Very impressive that it got that far, but I want to know the limits.
Also, I just want to see the point at which it starts dropping frames. Very impressive that it got that far, but I want to know the limits.
GSPice
macrumors 68000
I stopped caring what cnet says when they replaced text articles with video and audio, trying to be hip
Rocketman
macrumors 603
It's form factor is appliance. Plug and play. The fact it is a Swiss army knife on steroids, notwithstanding.
Compare to a PC? Yes they make redundant any old hardware, and that sucks, but then sometimes they make a product that is breakout capacity, volume and useability. You can't do every single thing with it but very close.
Rocketman