Predict the entry price of the new Mac Pro.

$2899 - quad core entry xeon, 256gb ssd, 8gb ECC ram. Seeing as GPU isn't a soldered mobile chip but a (proprietary?) card style I would expect them to have a lower end option for the base model seeing as the firepro cards they are showing cost a few grand each. Maybe either a low end workstation or a midrange gaming gpu as the bottom rung (really crossing fingers for nvidia option). Don't know if they will offer a single GPU option, dual GPUs might be what allows 6 thunderbolt ports.

 

You missed an option of "Too much for OP to afford but will whine about subjective faults!"

 

The "price of entry" doesn't seem relevant.

The Mac Pro is not some mass consumer product that people lust after and get in on the base model when they they have enough pennies saved. It is a device that professionals will add peripherals to and configure to meet their needs. The cost effectiveness of the whole system that the Mac Pro is a component in is more important.

 

Range options in the poll seem far too wide, but I'm guessing a base price of ~$2,999.

 

Price will remain the same as current entry points imo.

 

Based on past models, entry level has been 2499.99 for most, so I would assume the New Mac Pro or xMac is going to be priced around that.

 

Entry point price? I think it will start lower than the current $2499.

The entire unit is 1/8th the volume of the old one. That's a lot less material. It also takes up less space, which is a factor is warehouse and transit costs.

It will be logically less than half the weight of the old one. It's a lot cheaper to ship.

This machine will be made in the US, where the big centers for media production are. Not shipping them all from China will reduce costs as well.

Some of the changes will also cut materials costs. Not housing/including 4 HDD's, not including an optical drive and the reduction in types of IO will all cut costs. Those will largely be made up for in the new components, but it's not like they're sticking the new stuff on top of the old.

I think once most buyers factor in all the upgrades they want they'll see similar pricing on the high end models to what we see today, but a somewhat lower entry point wouldn't surprise me at all.

 

Agree with all you've said here. I would not be surprised by a $1,999 cost at all. At the same time I think the chance of it being the same price as the top iMac's base price probably isn't going to happen.

As well as the components looking like they will be pricier, there is also the US production cost differences to consider. I think there is a fair chance it'll be in the $2,499-$2,999 range assuming E5-1620V2, 8GB RAM, 2xFirePro W5000s, 128GB SSD.

 

I predict the entry price will be somewhere in the 3000-4000 range and that will be for a system that is on par with a $2000 PC. I think it will definitely be higher than the current entry price based on the graphic card config. FirePro cards are way more expensive than the current entry level cards. Not only that, but the PCI flash drive isn't going to be cheap either, definitely a lot more than the base drive offered in the current gen. What they're describing sounds like a Revo X2 drive which goes for about $1K at 480GB.

But lets be honest here. Who wants an entry level Mac Pro? We all want the kind of blazing performance that Blackmagic and The Foundry have been raving about, otherwise whats the point, right? I can pretty much guarantee that the systems they've been testing feature two 6GB FirePro cards which go for about $3K a pop. Put in a pair of those and you'll get performance on par with a pair of $1K GTX Titans.

Don't let the small form factor fool you. This thing is not going to be cheap.

 

I like to get the entry level - and then upgrade as needed - hopefully they will leave us a couple option

 

Price point is the deciding factor for me. I don't need the super power of most of you, nor the expansion capabilities.

I have a great professional color calibrated monitor since I do critical color work for a home side business.

The mini is okay but barely enough for what I need (not what I look for when purchasing a new computer). The future mac pro seems overkill. The imac is perfect power wise (I have one at my job) but why pay for a monitor that I don't need?

There is a huge gap in the product line up for people not wanting to buy a monitor. Feature and money wise. 900$ for a mac mini, or 2.5K for a mac pro. Give us a little wiggle room please!

I'm excited about the new mac pro. I don't care about the form factor and the complaints. I do think apple is looking to the future and don't want to put them down for that and don't see the need to nitpick. I just really hope they are considering the real needs of people like me. I ignore the hype and complaints, and visual appeal is much appreciated as long as it doesn't compromise function. Form follows function--they have applied that principle quite well in the past with the iphone. Love my iphone after having another brand.

I don't think my situation is unusual. I am currently working on a 2006 mac pro. It's not upgradable. But it still works for now.

I hope apple is listening. The only reason I post. One can dream.

 

The top end Mac Mini sells for $799. The top end iMac sells for $1999.00. The 2013 Mac Pro starting at about $2295.00 would sit well in the current price structure.

 

You are missing a price range which is $2k-up. I think there is a not unlikely possibility the bottom end will come down to the "prosumer" range.

 

If there was a 2000-2499$ I would have voted there.