A base MacPro (minus monitor) costs as much as the 15" 2.4 C2D MBP. If the entry level 8-core penryn comes in at the same price you might as well get that. Even though 8 cores may be overkill now, your computer will last much longer without upgrading. Plus, while programs like photoshop don't currently utilize 4-core processors, it won't be too long before they do, causing a nice speed increase.
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POLL: Mac Pro Penryn to all be 8-Cores?
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A base MacPro (minus monitor) costs as much as the 15" 2.4 C2D MBP. If the entry level 8-core penryn comes in at the same price you might as well get that. Even though 8 cores may be overkill now, your computer will last much longer without upgrading. Plus, while programs like photoshop don't currently utilize 4-core processors, it won't be too long before they do, causing a nice speed increase.
This is basically why I'm waiting until January 15th. I can't usually afford to drop $2000+ on a computer (I've been a PC guy my whole life, and always make incremental upgrades on a homebuilt machine), but I'm ready to switch to a Mac now
Buying what should be an 8 core Mac Pro along with about 6 or 8 extra gigs of RAM (I use Photoshop and Lightroom most of the time), should stretch this computer's useful life to 5-8 years at least for me. And whenever I do decide to sell it to get something new, I figure I should be able to get maybe $800-1000 out of it, at the very least (who knows what will be available in 6-8 years?)
-Bryan
It would be sad if Apple spends the entire time talking about iTunes and that b***h a** iPhone. Sorry, just got a thought about the last worthless keynote where Jobs did just that, and ever since then Apple has been a sub par computer company.
It seems to me that Apple hasn't offered 1,000 gig hard drives (which I'm told are better performers) & an up-to-date graphics card, so it seems rather odd to me (particularly since the hard drives are showing up in iMacs) unless they're waiting for an event to 'make it special' (i.e.: MacWorld). And it seems bizarre they'd leave the MacPro languishing till August.
Quite some time back I read a review of the MacPro linked off from TomsHardware.com and as I recall, the extensive review was complimentary in some ways but basically could be summarized as 'over-priced out-dated hardware that was a good value when first introduced, long ago.'
Even if one assumes they'd have to write drivers to introduce a new video card, it's very peculiar the AppleStore isn't offering the terabyte hard drives as a BTO option, considering the target audience of the MacPro.
When an iMac customer can get a larger hard drive than a MacPro customer, something's weird.
Richard.
Quite some time back I read a review of the MacPro linked off from TomsHardware.com and as I recall, the extensive review was complimentary in some ways but basically could be summarized as 'over-priced out-dated hardware that was a good value when first introduced, long ago.'
Even if one assumes they'd have to write drivers to introduce a new video card, it's very peculiar the AppleStore isn't offering the terabyte hard drives as a BTO option, considering the target audience of the MacPro.
When an iMac customer can get a larger hard drive than a MacPro customer, something's weird.
Richard.
I wouldn't be at all surprised at this either. In the UK flagship store (ie Regent Street) the single MP is relegated to a side show yet London is supposed to be a centre for many of the MPs core markets ie creative industries. Apple seems to be forgetting that:
a) users have a choice of platform
b) most, if not all, of the software you would get a MP for is available on other platforms thus the user is not tied to a Mac if they want to work on high end video, 3d modelling etc etc
Whilst the core parts of the MP (cpu, mobo etc) have not changed over the last 15 months, 'peripheral' components have eg HDDs, optical devices, and graphics cards. Prices have also changed, downwards, of most of the machines components. There seems little to justify the price being charged today and it seems strange that new graphics cards, HDD options etc are not introduced at more frequent intervals. Overpricing and lack of embracing newer components suggests to me a lack of interest in, and/or degree of contempt for, the market your product is addressing. Commodore took its eye off the ball in its business/professional sector and ended up losing out to other players. Could this be a repeat? Why shouldn't I use Premier or Photoshop on an XP or Vista machine?
Hackintosh?
I agree completely: Apple is demonstrating a profound contempt for the Mac Pro slice of its market. Already a fact, the situation becomes intolerable if there's no new Mac Pro release very soon.
What I'd like to know is how much progress might be expected on the Hackintosh front? And what are the main barriers to a proliferation of Hackintoshes?
Alternatively (and sorry to be ignorant about this) what Linux OS, if any, can run Mac programs such as Sound Track Pro?
I agree completely: Apple is demonstrating a profound contempt for the Mac Pro slice of its market. Already a fact, the situation becomes intolerable if there's no new Mac Pro release very soon.
What I'd like to know is how much progress might be expected on the Hackintosh front? And what are the main barriers to a proliferation of Hackintoshes?
Alternatively (and sorry to be ignorant about this) what Linux OS, if any, can run Mac programs such as Sound Track Pro?
Chances are dwindling
My hopes have taken another battering this morning after ready Arn's new article.
With "clear details" supposedly starting to come through regarding laptop updates, taken with the crap that will no doubt only effect the US iTMS, the usual 15 minutes of how wonderful Apple is etc etc. That only leave what 10 seconds for a MacPro announcement.
Obvioulsy to tell us it's being discontinued wil only take 10 seconds.
Time to mourn the end of the Pro Mac Desktop.
My hopes have taken another battering this morning after ready Arn's new article.
With "clear details" supposedly starting to come through regarding laptop updates, taken with the crap that will no doubt only effect the US iTMS, the usual 15 minutes of how wonderful Apple is etc etc. That only leave what 10 seconds for a MacPro announcement.
Obvioulsy to tell us it's being discontinued wil only take 10 seconds.
Time to mourn the end of the Pro Mac Desktop.
And in that ten seconds, I convert. I've waited twelve years for a professional Mac workstation to call my own. I've been waiting since the first time I saw a Performa 640CD and thought, "I want one." Since then I've followed every professional Mac lineup up to the Mac Pro and known that some day I'd have one of the most powerful single computers on the planet. Well, this summer I will. It'll either be a seven-month-old machine or a two-day-old machine with seven-month-old tech, but I'll get one. And NO ONE will tell me that my dream has been discontinued.
Yes, I realize you were probably joking. I don't care. I wants me a Mac Pro.
Sound like a movie "NO ONE will tell me that my dream has been discontinued." Hey just think the Mac Pro and Final Cut will do a wonderful job editing it
*Don LaFontaine*
In a world where workstation updates come every 512 days...
One man. Has the audacity to keep his dream alive... "I've been waiting twelve years!"
But when a keynote brings a message of disaster... "Thank you all for coming, the Mac Pro has been discontinued!"
He must find his way to reconciliation... "It's on, Your Jobsness!"
*action music and clip montage break*
"I WILL HAVE MY MAC PRO!"
The Dream Is Alive: Mac Pro Edition
Coming January 15, 2008 to a MacWorld near you.
In a world where workstation updates come every 512 days...
One man. Has the audacity to keep his dream alive... "I've been waiting twelve years!"
But when a keynote brings a message of disaster... "Thank you all for coming, the Mac Pro has been discontinued!"
He must find his way to reconciliation... "It's on, Your Jobsness!"
*action music and clip montage break*
"I WILL HAVE MY MAC PRO!"
The Dream Is Alive: Mac Pro Edition
Coming January 15, 2008 to a MacWorld near you.
I don't see how it's possible that Apple would discontinue the Mac Pro entirely (or even delay it much longer, really) - it's not like Final Cut Studio users are going to be buying iMacs.
You're right, I won't buy an iMac. I hate them so much. They are stupid looking. haha. I need a MacPro with superior power, that and an iMac cannot support 16 or 32 GB of Ram or a better graphics card.
Or any dsp cards and only has 1 firewire 400 port, and can have only one hd, they are other major factors for me.
