Apple finally rolls out 8-core Mac Pro

[AppleInsider]

Apple Inc. on Wednesday quietly introduced a version of its Mac Pro professional workstation that sports 8 processor cores via two Intel Xeon quad-core microprocessors.

When purchasing a Mac Pro through the company's online store, customers can now choose to build their machines with a pair 3GHz quad-core "Clovertown" Xeons.

The 8-core Clovertown option adds $1,498 to the Mac Pro's base price of $2,499. The base system continues to offer quad-core computing via two 2.66GHz dual-core Intel Xeon “Woodcrest” processors. Woodcrest Mac Pro systems are also available for configuration with 2GHz and 3GHz chips.

Customers can configure the Mac Pro with over 4.9 million build-to-order options including: up to 16GB of 667 MHz DDR2 fully-buffered ECC memory; up to four 750GB Serial ATA hard drives running at 7200 rpm; up to two 16x SuperDrives with double-layer support; ATI Radeon X1900 XT and NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 graphics cards, both with 512MB of GDDR3 SDRAM; AirPort Extreme module, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR module; Apple USB Modem; Apple Wireless Keyboard and Apple wireless Mighty Mouse; Mac OS X Server Tiger; Apple Xsan; and Apple Fibre Channel PCI Express Card.



AppleInsider first detailed the 8-core Mac Pro in an exclusive report back in October.

[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]


[ Digg this story]

[digitalclips]

NAB maybe ... 16 Core + Blu-Ray?

[Zandros]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

NAB maybe ... 16 Core + Blu-Ray?

Don't think Intel have released any MP Core-based chips.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by Zandros

Don't think Intel have released any MP Core-based chips.

I meant 4 x '3 GHz Intel 5300' ... and only kidding But then again ...

[sthiede]

finally some news on the Macintosh front!

[Darth_Apple]

They also lowered the prices of all cinema displays... but so far no one has notcied nice news gathering

New Prices:

20" $599.00
23" $899.00
30" $1,799.00

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...=AppleDisplays

You guys took about 45 minutes longer than most and couldnt even add this lol

[caliminius]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

I meant 4 x '3 GHz Intel 5300' ... and only kidding But then again ...

And after that, they could give a sneak peak at an upcoming project called SkyNet which was originally set to be released August 4th, 1997 but was delayed to unforseen "setbacks."

[sthiede]

Originally Posted by Darth_Apple

They also lowered the prices of all cinema displays... but so far no one has notcied nice news gathering

New Prices:

20" $599.00
23" $899.00
30" $1,799.00

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPL...=AppleDisplays

You guys took about 45 minutes longer than most and couldnt even add this lol

haha it did take them awhile to notice, there was another thread already started about it, anyways that still isnt a good pricerange, 600 dollars for a monitor, pshht and it doesnt even have hd in the 20 inch.

are they waiting for leopards resolution independance to release new displays?

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by caliminius

And after that, they could give a sneak peak at an upcoming project called SkyNet which was originally set to be released August 4th, 1997 but was delayed to unforseen "setbacks."

I'd settle for BTO Blu-Ray player / burner with the 8 Core at NAB.

[aiolos]

finally they released them, guess they were waiting for the 3.0ghz quad-cores instead of the 2.66ghz most people thought they would get? that's pretty cool, I'll be interested to see what apple's stock does in the next couple days, and what that, coupled with cs3 release, will do for the mac pro's sales.

[melgross]

Well, so much for the "Apple Tuesdays".

This is nice, but obviously isn't anything new, as far as the machine itself goes. Just an update.

I can't see new machines coming out at NAB now, though. Biut, it's still possible for the Dev Conf in June. However, I'm getting the feeling that it won't be until January.

[Zandros]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

I meant 4 x '3 GHz Intel 5300' ... and only kidding But then again ...

As the 53*0s aren't MP capable, it's impossible.

I can only see the 8-core MacPro on the US site though. Any reason for this?

I'm beginning to wonder if Jony Ive really does anything to deserve that $1 million per annum...

[melgross]

Originally Posted by aiolos

finally they released them, guess they were waiting for the 3.0ghz quad-cores instead of the 2.66ghz most people thought they would get? that's pretty cool, I'll be interested to see what apple's stock does in the next couple days, and what that, coupled with cs3 release, will do for the mac pro's sales.

Yeah, I had thought that 3.0 FGHz was a given.

[TekMate]

That is a nice upgrade. I wish I had the money I would definately get one.

[palex9]

Originally Posted by sthiede

finally some news on the Macintosh front!

second that

[The Sage]

I have been waiting for this since last October (or whenever it was that Anand Tech got these things going). I will be ordering today!

The Sage
HeySage.com | Mac Tutorials and Reviews

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by melgross

Well, so much for the "Apple Tuesdays".

This is nice, but obviously isn't anything new, as far as the machine itself goes. Just an update.

I can't see new machines coming out at NAB now, though. Biut, it's still possible for the Dev Conf in June. However, I'm getting the feeling that it won't be until January.

Don't give on on NAB yet for another Mac Pro or at least a seriously tricked out one. There has been talk of a $10,000 HD machine to take on high end Avids. The BBC in UK just announced they were moving their HD department over to FCPro... maybe they know something we don't yet.

[onlooker]

Originally Posted by TekMate

That is a nice upgrade. I wish I had the money I would definately get one.

I have the money now, but there is no change graphics options at all, yet there are many new graphics card offerings from vendors. ATI has a better card, and Nvidia has a much better cards.
I'm glad about the displays, and I was planning on getting one anyway, but without a free upgrade to leopard, and better graphics cards I'm going to take my chances and hold out a little while longer.
Is anyone (ATI - Nvidia) selling EFI cards anywhere other than from Apples site?

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by onlooker

I have the money now, but there is no change graphics options at all, yet there are many new graphics card offerings from vendors. ATI has a better card, and Nvidia has a much better cards.
I'm glad about the displays, and I was planning on getting one anyway, but without a free upgrade to leopard, and better graphics cards I'm going to take my chances and hold out a little while longer.
Is anyone (ATI - Nvidia) selling EFI cards anywhere other than from Apples site?

I agree. I am thinking this is a short lived, interim Mac Pro (albeit a nice machine) to be replaced soon with the real next generation Mac Pro... (Mac Pro HD maybe?) and that maybe only when Leopard is shipping.

[Leonard]

Great to see the 8-core Mac Pro is finally here, but I expected a bit more. Another newer graphics card option would have been nice. I wasn't really expecting SLI.

Good to see they lowered the cost of the Apple Cinema Displays.

Now to cost out a Quad 3.0Ghz and a Octo 3.0Ghz and choose one or the other. I wonder what the ship times are. Can't wait to start burning DL DVDs, I've been stuck burning SL DVDs only.

[Bacillus]

Is the slower FSB a big drawback ?!?! I would think it does...but to what degree?

[IQatEdo]

You turn your back for a minute and wham, you get hit in the back of the head by an Apple core (8 of them in fact)!

It is Wednesday after all, thought that I could look the other way until next Tuesday at least.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Darth_Apple

They also lowered the prices of all cinema displays...

This tells me that new Cimena Dispalys w/ an iSight camera and IR receiver are coming soon.

Originally Posted by melgross

Well, so much for the "Apple Tuesdays".

My sentiments, too. I miss the consistency.



PS: Is anyone actually planning on getting an 8-core Mac Pro? Scratch that! Is anyone planning on using any PC with a Clovertown CPU in it. I don't think I have any programs that can come close to dealing with a 4 core processor.

[Joe_the_dragon]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

I agree. I am thinking this is a short lived, interim Mac Pro (albeit a nice machine) to be replaced soon with the real next generation Mac Pro... (Mac Pro HD maybe?) and that maybe only when Leopard is shipping.

There is a new chip set coming and to add quad-cores you just drop them in with out having to update the rest of the MB.
But way no price drops on the low end dual dual-cores ?
No upping the base ram to 2gig?
No video card updates?
No mid-range head less mac?

[onlooker]

Originally Posted by Joe_the_dragon

No mid-range head less mac?

Shut up! This is a Mac Pro thread.

[Leonard]

Originally Posted by Bacillus

Is the slower FSB a big drawback ?!?! I would think it does...but to what degree?

What slower bus? The bus is still 1.33Ghz the same as on the last Mac Pros.

[solipsism]

Originally Posted by Darth_Apple

You guys took about 45 minutes longer than most and couldnt even add this lol

In Apple Insider's defense, we already had a huge announcement on Monday about higher bitrates and no DRM on iTunes and we passed "Apple Tuesday" as Melgross put it. I don't htink anyone was expecting anything else new coming this week.

[onlooker]

Does anyone think there is a chance of better graphics card offerings at NAB? This is a drop in Quad core update. I could have done that with an old one. I'm pretty disappointed. I was really wanting to buy one. This is the same thing that happened to me when I decided to buy my Alienware instead of a Mac. I'm probably not going to do that again just yet, but I did expect a real upgrade when they released it.

[BEatMaKeR]

So for someone using mostly Photoshop CS3 will upgrading to an 8-core be overkill? Ok to stay with 4-cores? Or should I hold out until NAB and see what ends up happening with a new config?

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by onlooker

Does anyone think there is a chance of better graphics card offerings at NAB? This is a drop in Quad core update. I could have done that with an old one. I'm pretty disappointed. I was really wanting to buy one. This is the same thing that happened to me when I decided to buy my Alienware instead of a Mac. I'm probably not going to do that just again just yet, but I did expect a real upgrade when they released it.

YES! I expect a high end Mac Pro HD with BTO Blu-Ray and higher end graphics cards at NAB.

[onlooker]

Originally Posted by digitalclips

YES! I expect a high end Mac Pro HD with BTO Blu-Ray and higher end graphics cards at NAB.

Thank GOD. Oh Happy day! I've never been so excited about a speculation before.

[ecking]

Wow this was the most random rollout ever. A wednesday and NAB is less than 2 weeks away. And a silenr one none the less. So random.

[solipsism]

Anyone want to do a new price comparison to Dell. I did a quick one (but not a thorough one) and found that despite Dell's lack of 3.0GHz quad-core processor, that even the 2.66GHz quadcore Clovertown is priced well above Apple's offering.

I've got some work to do so If someone could confirm this, that'd be great.

[digitalclips]

Originally Posted by onlooker

Thank GOD. Oh Happy day! I've never been so excited about a speculation before.

DON'T shoot me if I am wrong ... but I have to believe this! Also new FCPro Suite.

[SpinDrift]

Originally Posted by BEatMaKeR

So for someone using mostly Photoshop CS3 will upgrading to an 8-core be overkill? Ok to stay with 4-cores? Or should I hold out until NAB and see what ends up happening with a new config?

I'm still waiting for NAB. If this Clovertown update was considered significant by Apple, they would have kept it for an announcement. I'm guessing (hoping) that there will be something even more significant in the works for NAB.

[ecking]

Good to see a monitor drop but they're still way to expensive as much a I want one to match my mbp. I wanted the 20 inch but at 699 canadian that's wayyy too much even if it offers a firewire and usb hub. It should be more like 549 or 499 canadian imo. I'm thinking of getting the 22" benq since I don't need all the pro colour calibration and I could get 2 benqs for that price. (22" benq 314.99, 22" acer 319.99).

Lower it more apple, I can get a small hdtv for my bedroom for your 20" monitor price.

But then again maybe I can finally get a decent price on one from ebay.

On another note: The first new mac of the year (4 months in wtf!!) is also the most borning upgrade apple could have gone with.

[ecking]

Originally Posted by SpinDrift

I'm still waiting for NAB. If this Clovertown update was considered significant by Apple, they would have kept it for an announcement. I'm guessing (hoping) that there will be something even more significant in the works for NAB.

My bet is fcp 6 studio and a new shake running on completely pimped out mac pros.
I don't really know if I buy into the need for a new higher end studio bundle if they just add the right new features to fcp.

Murch and Finchers guy seem to get along fine.

[Mooch]

I was hoping this would come with a price drop on the other processor configs. Oh, well.

[Abster2core]

Great new addition.

Important info missing for those who just don't appreciaate the chicken and egg adage.

"The 8-core Mac Pro gives pro software developers a platform to prepare new versions of their applications for the future, when 8-core technology is more prevalent on the desktop," an Apple spokesperson told Macworld.

[Zandros]

Originally Posted by Mooch

I was hoping this would come with a price drop on the other processor configs. Oh, well.

Did we not get a price drop on memory though?