Widespread Availability of Hexacore Xeon Processors for Mac Pro Not Slated Until Late June?

[Wild-Bill]

So, by the time the 2010 Mac Pro actually makes it to market, it will have been over 500 days since being updated.

Anyway, if they don't offer the ATI 5870xt it would be a huge disappointment. I really hope the Apple engineers aren't stupid enough to put those nVidia spaceheaters in there (Fermi). The 5870xt is the better card overall.

 

[MRomine]

Totally bummed about this, I was hoping to have a new machine before June with the latest chip set.

 

[fourthtunz]

There is no $2199 option anymore. The low end today costs the same as the mid-range did in 2006.

I don't remember paying $2499, but my memory could be spotty. Either way the Mac Pro was more affordable back then, and I think they should return it to that level of affordability.

You are spot on about Making the Mac Pro more affordable!
I don't remember prices either, but the last tower I bought was in 2005, the dual 2 gig, I bought it as an apple refurb and I think it was $1899?
Even 2K these days for a computer these days is way out of line, now that everything is made in China.
I think with the pile of cash that Apple has made from all of us it can afford to take a risk and put in a loss leader Mac Pro with a last generation intel?
I think they'd actually sell more!
$2500 for the low end mac pro doesn't make sense to most people.

 

[parakiet]

There is no rumor. Intel just said simply end of 2nd quarter before larger availability on the 6 core xeon parts. Nothing more.

exactly.. that's why i file it under 'rumor'

everytime intel releases something we all wake up 'mac pro part, mac pro part, ==> mac pro is comming!'

intel side is a fact, mac pro side is just another rumor

 

[xgman]

exactly.. that's why i file it under 'rumor'

everytime intel releases something we all wake up 'mac pro part, mac pro part, ==> mac pro is comming!'

intel side is a fact, mac pro side is just another rumor

we're getting a bit desperate with all of this waiting . . . . Need to get my mind on something else for a while.

 

[bzollinger]

While those with G5s join the obsolete and unrepairable with no option but to purchase 'old' technology - cheers Apple!

+1 WTF ?

 

[bzollinger]

There isn't any new or good news about the outdated, overpriced Mac Pros today but there is lots of news about this stuff!! Sacarsm intended..

"Apple announces iPad will launch in 9 more countries on May 28
The iPad will be available in Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Switzerland and the U.K. on Friday, May 28, Apple has announced [Updated with pricing]. ( 57 comments )"

 

[greenmeanie]

I want to see all you people that say your buying to come back with PICS when you do LOL.
With this economy I can't see many people dropping 3K+ on a new computer and Apple knows that.
Most people on here like to pretend they make films when we all know you make Youtube videos of your friends doing stupid things at school.

 

[Houston]

I wonder if AMD will partner with Apple in June?

NO. I sure hope not.

 

[mattbatt]

While those with G5s join the obsolete and unrepairable with no option but to purchase 'old' technology - cheers Apple!

I agree, and let me say once again what has happened to me:

I'm on my third motherboard for a June 2003 Dual G5 2.0. Apple won't repair it (I didn't want it repaired anyway, just some compensation for a problem that should of been recalled).

I did some research: 35-40% of early G5 motherboards failed.

After talking with various Apple reps, managers and sales over 4 months, they offered me $100 off my next purchase . . . then called to let me know they couldn't even do that after all, since I work at a college.

I think I will write Steve, I'm a graphic designer and could make something creative. It has all just been pretty lame

 

[PeterQVenkman]

With this economy I can't see many people dropping 3K+ on a new computer and Apple knows that.

Oh, how I wish you were right about this. Have you checked Apple's prices lately?

 

[alent1234]

So, by the time the 2010 Mac Pro actually makes it to market, it will have been over 500 days since being updated.

Anyway, if they don't offer the ATI 5870xt it would be a huge disappointment. I really hope the Apple engineers aren't stupid enough to put those nVidia spaceheaters in there (Fermi). The 5870xt is the better card overall.

how is apple supposed to update it if there is a shortage of the new CPU's? even HP has a lead time for xeon 5600 servers and workstations

 

[bzollinger]

I agree, and let me say once again what has happened to me:

I'm on my third motherboard for a June 2003 Dual G5 2.0. Apple won't repair it (I didn't want it repaired anyway, just some compensation for a problem that should of been recalled).

I did some research: 35-40% of early G5 motherboards failed.

After talking with various Apple reps, managers and sales over 4 months, they offered me $100 off my next purchase . . . then called to let me know they couldn't even do that after all, since I work at a college.

I think I will write Steve, I'm a graphic designer and could make something creative. It has all just been pretty lame

That is lame!

I'd like to see the creative piece that you end up sending Steve!

 

[afrowq]

So wait, what, Apple is somehow a horrible, evil company for discovering a new, far more viable business model in 1998 (which was when iMacs were introduced, FYI): split lines of professional-grade and home user products? And then implementing it? Turning them from a company barely hanging on to one whose market capitalization is within spitting distance of Microsoft's (they topped Microsoft briefly last week and lead them outright in float-adjusted market capitalization) and dominates every other computer company out there, including even Sony? Hell, they're bigger than Walmart.

And technically, I fit into your 'pro' and 'core user' categories, but do you know how I was introduced to them? My brother is disabled and in high school, was forced to acquire a laptop and digital camera to keep taking notes with when he could no longer hold a pen or pencil. He talked the parents into buying an iBook G3. Before that, I'd been quite happily poking along on Windows systems, despite fitting the profile of a 'core' Apple user.

Eh, not sure I'd say a horrible evil company. Although they're DEFINITELY not the same company that railed against the Man in their 1984 spot. They are the Man now.

But the itoys have definitely hurt their computers. Hell, they're not even Apple Computer anymore. Steve-o himself is quite open about the fact that they're now a "mobile devices" company.

There's professionals like myself with thousands of dollars invested in Apple infrastructure that is being ignored and quickly falling by the wayside. I have to either invest in a new infrastructure, convert to Avid, etc., or continue waiting for them to update their pro line of software and desktops.

 

[PeterQVenkman]

I agree, and let me say once again what has happened to me:

I'm on my third motherboard for a June 2003 Dual G5 2.0. Apple won't repair it (I didn't want it repaired anyway, just some compensation for a problem that should of been recalled).

I did some research: 35-40% of early G5 motherboards failed.

After talking with various Apple reps, managers and sales over 4 months, they offered me $100 off my next purchase . . . then called to let me know they couldn't even do that after all, since I work at a college.

I think I will write Steve, I'm a graphic designer and could make something creative. It has all just been pretty lame

Similar experience here. I burned through 2 G5s (2nd one was my old work machine given to me by my company when we upgraded), my coworker went through 3 on her quad G5. Meanwhile, my G4 iMac pixar lamp, 1st gen, is still running. My co-worker is still running her snow white iMac (solely for an old kick ass printer!). The G5's were donated to a local artist who is making something out of the cases. Good riddance.

Apple don't build em like they used to.

 

[MacFanJeff]

So, by the time the 2010 Mac Pro actually makes it to market, it will have been over 500 days since being updated.

Anyway, if they don't offer the ATI 5870xt it would be a huge disappointment. I really hope the Apple engineers aren't stupid enough to put those nVidia spaceheaters in there (Fermi). The 5870xt is the better card overall.

That is certainly an incorrect statement as it all depends on what you are using your computer for. As I stated in my previous post, I MUST have an nVidia card due to the HIGH-END 3D art programs I use that take advantage of CUDA. There are several 3D art programs that are specifically coded to take better advantage of nVidia cards. Therefore, if an nVidia 480x or better card is not offered by Apple and it is only ATI, it will be my last Mac Pro as I simply can not do without it.

If you are talking in terms besides the HIGH-END 3D art programs, then yes, for most things the ATI 5870 or 5970 is plenty good enough. It's just not OK for my use.

As to them being "spaceheaters", it is true they run hot and take up a lot of power, but anyone serious about a really high-end workstation it's a non issue for because it certainly can be cooled properly as many reviews point out. Also, I wouldn't consider anything below a 1KW power supply now days so I am sure the new Mac Pro will be at least that good (or hope so).

 

[robains]

"Pros" never were Apple's "root customers". The non "pro" boxes were always outsold by the rest of the Mac line. The mainstream Mac market was always the "root customers" from day one till now.

Wrong, the "Pros" spend on average about 100X more than the "average" Mac consumer. So for every 1 Pro that's about equal to 100 average Mac users. And then there is "advice" chain, Pros can easier sway average user one way or another. So it would VERY much be in Apple's best interest to establish a healthy relationship with the "Pros" ... that's the real core of their market.

Rob.

 

[macuserx86]

Wrong, the "Pros" spend on average about 100X more than the "average" Mac consumer. So for every 1 Pro that's about equal to 100 average Mac users. And then there is "advice" chain, Pros can easier sway average user one way or another. So it would VERY much be in Apple's best interest to establish a healthy relationship with the "Pros" ... that's the real core of their market.

Rob.

While I agree with your sentiment, I don't agree with you randomly making up data. Can you please site your sources?

 

[hoj]

Still, Apple could have sold more of the current Mac Pros had they lowered the price or upped the RAM or, well, did something.

Agree. Even if they didn't sell more, a lot of us would feel much better that some attention was being paid to this product line.

It confuses me why the $1000 Gulftown i7 980x chip could not have been used in or at least announced for a Mac a month ago. Is this hexcore not good enough for a large number of users? Actually the heap of intel part part names, numbers, family names confuses me no matter how many times I stare at those tables. My math education did not prepare me for marketing set theory!

Apple could spin off the phone and mobile stuff in a separate company and that would be fine.

 

[Umbongo]

Agree. Even if they didn't sell more, a lot of us would feel much better that some attention was being paid to this product line.

It confuses me why the $1000 Gulftown i7 980x chip could not have been used in or at least announced for a Mac a month ago. Is this hexcore not good enough for a large number of users? Actually the heap of intel part part names, numbers, family names confuses me no matter how many times I stare at those tables. My math education did not prepare me for marketing set theory!

Apple could spin off the phone and mobile stuff in a separate company and that would be fine.

They don't announce early because it kills sales of current models and they wouldn't announce just one processor replacement. Delays or not I expect Apple have known the date of the release for a long time and I doubt it has changed.

 

[hoj]

They don't announce early because it kills sales of current models and they wouldn't announce just one processor replacement.

Call it "accepting preorders" ? Yes, I agree it would kill the 2009 machine's orders, but I really wonder how sales of the current MacPro are going at this point in its life. I imagine not super-wonderful.

If I recall correctly, they have announced new MacPros where the fastest model was not immediately available.

 

[twoodcc]

i sure hope apple can have these new mac pros out by or at WWDC

 

[rragle]

I want to see all you people that say your buying to come back with PICS when you do LOL.
With this economy I can't see many people dropping 3K+ on a new computer and Apple knows that.
Most people on here like to pretend they make films when we all know you make Youtube videos of your friends doing stupid things at school.

Believe it or not 3D artists, motionographers, video and other professionals read these forums just like everyone else. In all honesty, 3K isn't squat next to the cost of the software we use to create. We can justify spending that kind of money for top performance to improve render times and UI response. When the next iteration comes out, and the specs show 2x or 3x faster, that's the difference between taking a week to render vs 2-3 days, which in the professional artists world, is everything. Of course if I had a big house in the burbs instead of a tiny apartment in the city, I would just build out a 10+ node render farm with PC parts. Like a lot of people in this thread Apple's lack of pro updates is making me think about going back to the dark side... god forbid.

 

[Octobot]

Believe it or not 3D artists, motionographers, video and other professionals read these forums just like everyone else. In all honesty, 3K isn't squat next to the cost of the software we use to create. We can justify spending that kind of money for top performance to improve render times and UI response. When the next iteration comes out, and the specs show 2x or 3x faster, that's the difference between taking a week to render vs 2-3 days, which in the professional artists world, is everything.

What he said.
For those who use these towers to make a living.. the cost is small and justified.

 

[deconstruct60]

It confuses me why the $1000 Gulftown i7 980x chip could not have been used in or at least announced for a Mac a month ago. Is this hexcore not good enough for a large number of users?

One, it won't do dual hex. The i7 are like the 3xxx series Xeons and don't do dual processor package. Second, it is a $1000 chip. Why pay for 6 processors when you can have 8 ? [ two $500 quads gives you more cores, more memory slots, and more memory bandwidth for the same amount on money. ] Third, the i7 980x doesn't support ECC memory. So now have yet another configuration variably in line up. [ Always rather curious when folks assert need "Pro" machine, but ECC is grossly unnecessarily for their work. "Pro" but data integrity is a optional frill; yeah OK. ]


I'd be surprised if apple does a single hex processor package version (unless Intel changes their 3600 line up). Seems more likely it will be quads , dual quad , and dual hex that would be offered. A single 6 between the 4 and 8 is useful for what large group of folks ? Gamers maybe but don't think Apple is tweaking mac pros at gamer rigs. There are more folks who have saturated 8 cores than need "cheaper than 8 with higher clock rates on a smaller number of cores".

With the baseline pricing of the Mac Pro without the CPU putting a i7 980x would put the Mac Pro in the $3,501 range ( W3520 in entry Mac Pro costs $284; ... that's without the 40% mark up on processors that Apple tacks on. So $2,499 - $398 + $1,400 = $3,501 ). That will buy you an 8 core with more main memory. Similar effect for 3.33 single quad which is $999 and sits in a Mac Pro priced at $3,699. in short a i7 isn't going to get the "cheaper" MacPro that many are clamouring for in this forum.


More than likely Apple would use a 3680 for hex at 3.33 in the top end of the single processor core box. However, that too is $999 so still would be approximately a $3,699 box.

What Apple is using in the current Mac Pros ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_Xeon_microprocessors#.22Bloomfield.22_.2845_nm.29_2)

3520 $284
3540 $562
3580 $999

There is nothing like the range of prices in the new 3600 series; just one 3680. Maybe Intel will intro some follow ons when have ramped up 32nm capacity ( a 3620 and 3640) , but for now would need to switch to 5600 alternatives for those kinds of prices and the clock rate would drop a bit (although the cache sizes would go up.) and perhaps would have empty CPU processor package slot. The latter conceptually allows for an upgrade in future (as opposed to single processor models now which are stuck without an entire daughtercard swap and buying two new CPUs. ).


Proposing an i7 980 is really more along the lines of saying Apple should do an iMac without the display as opposed to doing a follow on to a Mac Pro.