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Would you buy the new mac pro?

Macpropro80 said:
Lets say I was to hand everyone $4000 and said buy what ever you want! who would purchase the new mac pro?

I wouldn't! anyone else?

Second question Who would buy the new mac pro without the hand out?
Click to expand...

Nope I wouldn't. I have an '07 Mac Pro v1.1 that I upgraded myself from two dual core (5130 I think) @2.66 to two quad core (5355) @2.66 and added a 3-drive RAID-0 and some RAM.

I'm under the impression that there just will NOT be any user interface speed increase AT ALL in the new mac. Rendering and multi-stream video editing might be a tad faster but almost every kind of CAD work, or userish editing will be the same. The kicker is that all new, it cost me less than $3k in all.

So in my case you're asking me if I would pay an extra 1K (and probably more) for the same system but with slightly faster rendering (1.5x faster). And the answer is....

Nope!

Now if the either the user experience were sped up significantly or if the rendering were >2.x times the speed then yes, I would think about it. When both conditions are true and prices are < $3,500 then I will buy one.
 
Macpropro80 said:
Lets say I was to hand everyone $4000 and said buy what ever you want! who would purchase the new mac pro?

I wouldn't! anyone else?

Second question Who would buy the new mac pro without the hand out?
Click to expand...

hah i'd gladly take your 4k, but the one i spec'd out was $6,449.00

i'm really annoyed about the lack of FW400. so much for my mini dv deck and 6 port hub. and the mini display adapter i'm thinking WTF where they thinking on this one???

i've got the new unibody MBP and have display problems with this adapter with millions of red pixels all over the screen.

Did they really need to get rid of a DVI port? it's just another way for Apple to nickel and dime people into buy adapters, but that has been their MO.

i also have a gripe about the $300 per 1TB drive add on? come on now.

If i didn't make a living from having to use a Mac i'd switch to PC in a second.
 
Bought it

Here it is, I bought it yesterday. So yes, I would buy it :)

Specs:

Two 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xe
16GB (8x2GB)
ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB
1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
One 18x SuperDrive
Apple Mighty Mouse
APPLE KEYBD/USERS GUIDE-ITA.
Country Kit Mac Pro-INT

Still have to wait 3 (?!) weeks for delivery... aaa

Flavio
 
Tallest Skil said:
Where are the support documents with the internal information like that? Are they posted yet?
Click to expand...
Not yet, but inferred from the graphics card information. Only one HD 4870 can be installed.

Two potential reasons:
1. Because it covers up slot 2, as it doesn't appear to be a double wide slot this time.
2. Only 2x 6 pin PCIe power connectors on the logic board.

In this case, it seems both are applicable. ;)
 
nanofrog said:
Not yet, but inferred from the graphics card information. Only one HD 4870 can be installed.

Two potential reasons:
1. Because it covers up slot 2, as it doesn't appear to be a double wide slot this time.
2. Only 2x 6 pin PCIe power connectors on the logic board.

In this case, it seems both are applicable. ;)
Click to expand...

Wait, what? No! It doesn't cover up slot two!

And again, how do we know that only that many extra connectors can be used?

Without having seen the documents, how do we know the number of ports?
 
Tallest Skil said:
Wait, what? No! It doesn't cover up slot two!

And again, how do we know that only that many extra connectors can be used?

Without having seen the documents, how do we know the number of ports?
Click to expand...
It appeared to me from photos, that slot 2 would be covered up by a double wide card.

If slot 1 is in fact a double wide, there's no physical installation issue, as a second could be dropped into slot 2. So that must mean limited connectors, as each card would require 2 of the 6 pin connectors from the board.

Unfortunately, Apple's allowance of only a single HD 4870 is the final clue. :( One card only would have to mean there's only 2 of the connectors on the logic board, as the PSU could handle it. (Same basic power input specs (12A AC input) as the previous model, so if not the same unit, similar power output).

Does this make any sense now?
 
nanofrog said:
It appeared to me from photos, that slot 2 would be covered up by a double wide card.

If slot 1 is in fact a double wide, there's no physical installation issue, as a second could be dropped into slot 2. So that must mean limited connectors, as each card would require 2 of the 6 pin connectors from the board.
Click to expand...

See attached image.

Unfortunately, Apple's allowance of only a single HD 4870 is the final clue. :( One card only would have to mean there's only 2 of the connectors on the logic board, as the PSU could handle it. (Same basic power input specs (12A AC input) as the previous model, so if not the same unit, similar power output).

Does this make any sense now?
Click to expand...

Or they could just be being idiots again. You can use two 8800 GT at once, and Apple only allowed one to be bought at configuration time.
 
Tallest Skil said:
See attached image.
Click to expand...
:cool:

First close-up I've seen. :) At least they didn't botch it by preventing slot 2 from being used with a double wide card. :p

Where'd you locate the photo?

Tallest Skil said:
Or they could just be being idiots again. You can use two 8800 GT at once, and Apple only allowed one to be bought at configuration time.
Click to expand...
Possible, but in this case, I don't think so. As cramped as it is, they may not have even had the board real estate to fit them. ATX & SSI CEB (my guess they stuck with this one), is rather small. Difficult to fit a DP system, but not impossible, and the LGA 1366 socket made it even harder, as it required more board area. Even using the daughter card as a solution. Limited board area means sacrifices somewhere. ;)
 
nanofrog said:
:cool:

First close-up I've seen. :) At least they didn't botch it by preventing slot 2 from being used with a double wide card. :p

Where'd you locate the photo?
Click to expand...

Um...

http://www.apple.com/macpro/design.html

Click the PCI-Express tab or just look at the picture on the page that comes up.:D:p;)

Possible, but in this case, I don't think so. As cramped as it is, they may not have even had the board real estate to fit them. ATX & SSI CEB (my guess they stuck with this one), is rather small. Difficult to fit a DP system, but not impossible, and the LGA 1366 socket made it even harder, as it required more board area. Even using the daughter card as a solution. Limited board area means sacrifices somewhere. ;)
Click to expand...

Ah, well. The Radeon 4870+GT 120 combo is fine by me...
 
galstaph said:
I'm on the verge of ordering it.... just dealing with the naggin thought of how much better the 2.26 octo (3299 [edu discount] for me in canada) is vs the 2.8ghz octo (2399 at apple store in calgary [clearance plus edu discount]) of old....:confused:
Click to expand...

really, for this price, grab the old one instead. having said that you don't need to pay pst in calgary.
 
Tallest Skil said:
Well, the max draw on the PCI bus is still 300w, and I assume that that combo comes under that, right?
Click to expand...
300W is the spec (75W per slot). Additional power has to come from elsewhere.
Each 6 pin PCIe power connector provides an additional 75W, so the max draw the card is designed to have, is 225W (based on 75W * 3).

Fortunately, some PSU's with higher output exist, and provide the extra power via the 6+2 (typically) connectors. :D

Apple just had to be weird and place the connectors on the board. ;) OK, it can make for a neater installation, especially in a cramped case. But they could go with a larger one, and solve kill two birds with one stone. :eek: :p
 
Did some comparisons between the Mac Pro I would likely buy now if I hadn't bought mine 11 months ago. Essentially, as close to similar configurations now vs then.

Now, with the 8core 2.26, 8GB of RAM, 640GB hd, base nvidia video, Wi-Fi, keyboard, wireless mouse, apple care, it would cost me $3723 with taxes using the discount I get through my employer.

The one I bought last year, 2.8GHz 8 core, 2GB of RAM, 340?GB hard drive, nvidia 8800 (not the base), wifi, wireless keyboard/wireless mouse, applecare cost me about $3310. I then bought an additional 4GB of RAM for about $160.

I don't know how the video compares performance wise, but I would probably get somewhat better performance out of a new one, and extra RAM, for the additional $230.

So I guess it is a wash. Worse sticker shock at one time this year vs last, vs a more powerful computer.
 
I am going to wait until the next mac pro...

I think the prices will come down, they will redesign the body, and do a bigger overhaul on the computer and the way its built...

there hasnt been a huge overhaul on the mac pro since the switch to intel (i realize nehalem is a huge leap in computer science, but from a marketing standpoint, not so much). Apple is a business driven by consumers who arent so much tech savvy as they are apple fans...

I am confident the next mac pro will be in line with the marketing scheme (fastest desktop computer in the world)
 
ManukM said:
Congratulations. Maybe I'm not thinking this through but I don't see the need for wireless Wi-Fi for a machine that's sitting in one place all the time.
Click to expand...

I agree especially when Ethernet is faster than any wifi and for such a beast I'd get the Ethernet.
 
i have the previous gen mac pro at work and the 2.66 at home and i wouldn't buy the new model. Only because the 2.66 is way more than i need and I would rather spend the extra money on 30in monitors.
 
Waiting for Snow Leopard

I have the cash in the bank, but I'm waiting to buy Mac Pro when it is bundled with Snow Leopard.

I use Mac at home mainly for desktop publishing, and I do some development work in Xcode. I already have a relatively new (6-months) MacBook Pro 15" which is just fantastic. So I'm not feeling pressured by work considerations.

My current desktop at home is a G4 733 Digital Audio that has been upgraded to 1.4 GHz. In fact, my notebook up until the new purchase was a PowerBook G3 400 MHz -- lasted 9-years! So whatever I get, I'm ready to feel a *real* bump!

That said, I think I will wait because I want to get a machine that is tuned for Snow Leopard. I think retro installs of Snow Leopard may include flashing system ROMs and such, which is not a big deal, but whatever.

Also, I found out that ATI is rewriting all their drivers for Snow Leopard.

Maybe by June the 4870 X2 will be supported -- either by ATI/Apple, or by hackers.

Hopefully, 3.2 GHz Gainestowns will be in supply at that point. With Turbo Boost to what, 3.6 GHz?

And who knows, maybe even BluRay will arrive.

That's my thinking, anyway. :apple:
 
Meeee

Apple don't do price drops, even tho it should really be 20% less for a kick off.

2.93/6Gb/4870 will be ordered later this month :)

(No rush as the 6Gb kits are taking their time)
 
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