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What will the mMP look like? Show us!

s-hatland

s-hatland

macrumors regular
Original poster
Feb 4, 2014
150
98
So everyone seems to be in a pretty good mood this week, i thought we could maybe get creative! I'd like to see your visions of what you think the new mac pro might look like, or how you'd like to see it. you know apples gotta put a little style into it, so lets get crazy. from 3d renders to sketches on a napkin, let's see it! I don't even care if they're LOGICAL (mine probably isn't) lets throw it at the wall and see what sticks. who knows, maybe someone at apple might get a few ideas seeing how they're basically just starting?

I'll break the ice with this one. i'm no good at 3D, so these are just photoshop drawings, and a basic layout was done in indesign. Basically, i took the "modular" term (which seems so popular these days) and leaned toward the more literal side of the definition. basically, you get a "base" system with 1 CPU, 1 GPU, 4 m.2, 4 DDR4, PSU and an extra PCIe slot for whatever you like. then you can stack (likely TB) modules such as a PCI cage or a RAID/storage module. perhaps 3rd party vendors could come up with even more? The layout pic has a few more specifics and a comparison to the cMP



mMPcolored.jpg
mMPstack.jpgmMPlayout.jpg


your turn.... :)


EDIT: took my "layout" plans and photochopped what it could look like, all stacked and... shiny.

mMPinsidesstacked.jpg
 
Last edited:
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You know Apple Engineers fallow these sites, you might of just showed them what its going to look like. xD
 
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I think the problem is HOW are these going to Link together? What type of connection.. I think the PciE type Interconnect, with gold foil won't fly. I think Apple will really PUSH TB3. So in that case the modular, might be more a bunch of cubes on a desk. Or they stack on top with TB3? Also bandwidth wise PciE is still 3x faster than TB3. So you will only be able to do 1 thing at a time.. like TB3 to one high bandwidth device like a GPU.
 
jjjoseph said:
I think the problem is HOW are these going to Link together? What type of connection.. I think the PciE type Interconnect, with gold foil won't fly. I think Apple will really PUSH TB3. So in that case the modular, might be more a bunch of cubes on a desk. Or they stack on top with TB3? Also bandwidth wise PciE is still 3x faster than TB3. So you will only be able to do 1 thing at a time.. like TB3 to one high bandwidth device like a GPU.
Click to expand...

But using TB3 and the talk about single big GPUs just doesn't jive. Its got to be a box with slots to an extent here. It might just be that Apple cooks up some cute PCIe - GPU module similar to the CPU trays of the cMP. Maybe with some PCIe extenders to allow for things to get slotted in on top of or next to each other.
 
jjjoseph said:
Or they stack on top with TB3? Also bandwidth wise PciE is still 3x faster than TB3. So you will only be able to do 1 thing at a time.. like TB3 to one high bandwidth device like a GPU.
Click to expand...

yes, TB3 for this particular idea. thinking that storage and a pci chassis could each take up one channel. the idea on the PCI chassis was for things like audio cards, or general upgrades for later on (i.e. USB3 on cMP) or whatever else people use PCIe for, etc.

wallysb01 said:
But using TB3 and the talk about single big GPUs just doesn't jive. Its got to be a box with slots to an extent here.
Click to expand...

exactly, that's why i suggest two PCIe x16 in the "base" for your big GPUs. or if you only need one GPU, you have an extra slot for whatever else.

i thought about have a "connector" on the top of each module to plug into, but then there'd be a "hole" on the top-most box and figured apple would never go for that... so i digressed to TB3
 
gpu_4k.jpg


I think the mMP will be at some point between the tMP and this concept with few corrections:

GPUs in case Apple decides to use std ISA gpus they should use some interposer to drive the DP1.4 signals to the Thundernbolt 3 controllers, even Apple may order GPUs with propertary PCIe socket (most likely but very close to STD GPUs).

Another are Storage: no room for spinners neither SATA SSDs, as much Apple will offer m.2 PCIe NVMe or propetary, but surely removable.
 
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This isn't what I'd personally want, but I do like this guy's renderings:

mac-pro-2-storage_d39e9108b992239c6737c430999ded56-m.jpg


It is an expandable and upgradeable computer, with a huge nod to the style and beauty of the 6,1.

See this link for more.
[doublepost=1491596797][/doublepost]
Mago said:
I think the mMP will be at some point between the tMP and this concept with few corrections:
Click to expand...

Dangit, Mago beat Mango by a few seconds. ;)
 
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i do like mr. eggert's renderings. might have to flip those gpus right-side-up, but pretty solid idea.

also, where's the CPU on that thing?
 
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ActionableMango said:
This isn't what I'd personally want, but I do like this guy's renderings:

mac-pro-2-storage_d39e9108b992239c6737c430999ded56-m.jpg


It is an expandable and upgradeable computer, with a huge nod to the style and beauty of the 6,1.

See this link for more.
[doublepost=1491596797][/doublepost]

Dangit, Mago beat Mango by a few seconds. ;)
Click to expand...
I really, really like the look of that thing.
 
ActionableMango said:
This isn't what I'd personally want, but I do like this guy's renderings:

mac-pro-2-storage_d39e9108b992239c6737c430999ded56-m.jpg


It is an expandable and upgradeable computer, with a huge nod to the style and beauty of the 6,1.

See this link for more.
[doublepost=1491596797][/doublepost]

Dangit, Mago beat Mango by a few seconds. ;)
Click to expand...
It's quite unclear how the video ports are connected to the GPUs.
 
jeanlain said:
It's quite unclear how the video ports are connected to the GPUs.
Click to expand...
Yep, but i kinda like the basic shape, but with a slight modification, keep the thermal core in the front and use it for CPU, DIMM and NVMe drives (maybe even optane), and put a compartment behind the thermal core with a more traditional horisontal PCI slots, that compartment could even be the full height of the computer, should fit atlest 5-6 PCI slots
 
Technology has advanced a great deal in the last decades, but the large components still need a lot of room and decent airflow. So either "reinvent" cooling to cram everything in the smallest footprint possible or go with the trusty classic Mac Pro case.

The new Mac Pro can be placed on the desk, but considering all the external peripherals and cables it's still not that clean. A big case can largely prevent that and sits neat underneath the desk; nothing wrong with that.

Making the case round with one big fan like the new Mac Pro seems to be pretty efficient; can this be scaled up? Maybe just a larger diameter instead or the twin nMP design from the renders mentioned before? I'm not so sure about sticking with that design, they specifically where going to reimagine the modular Mac - so no classic Mac Pro and no new Mac Pro.

Will be giving this some more thought.
 
AidenShaw said:
Those 90° Display Port connectors could go to the Alpine Ridge controller. ;)
Click to expand...
Its cheaper for Apple just to request Slightly modified Reference GPU designs with only the PCIe and DP signals relocated to a custom proprietary connector, as the GPU wont depart from a the reference design, is an predictable and controlled modular design available almos as soon as new reference designs are ready, quick clean and simple, plug a DP wired back to the motherboard is not Apple Style.
 
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