Apple's next Mac Pro may sport six-core processors - Page 2

Originally Posted by Mario

And it won't matter what video card you put in it, because it will perform worse than $50 video card in a windows PC.

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

Please direct us to the last pro-Apple comment you've had. Or for that matter, please point us to the last thread you haven't mentioned:

a) lack of matte screens on iMac's
b) the heat of the ATV and no on/off switch
c) the iPhone not running more than one app at a time
d) the iPhone not running flash
e) how stupid the LP format is
f) some mention of koolaid, fanbois, juice, etc

The list can go on and on.

Originally Posted by Roc Ingersol

Because the average person has been over-supplied with compute resources since before the end of the megahertz races. The vast majority of mini and iMac users wouldn't notice the difference between a dual, quad or hexacore processor.

Originally Posted by NonVendorFan

Here's Paul Thurrott Super Site for Windows home page. Good site and normally very good informative writing.

http://www.winsupersite.com/

Originally Posted by mitchelljd

not so. i have a perfectly good mac pro with a high end card. it works great.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

If you come on an Apple fansite to constantly provide dissenting opinion at every turn, you're a Windows troll. If you provide dissenting opinion at every turn just for the sake of it, you're even worse.

Originally Posted by hmurchison

I'd love to see Gulftown Mac Pro come with a redesigned case. Make it smaller and perhaps they should think about moving to 2.5" drives seeing as how SSD will be becoming more and more prominent in the next 5 years.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

Sure is!

Mac OS users have made a conscious technology choice and are therefore typically better informed than their peers. -- Paul Thurrott, winsupersite.com, December 06, 2004

Originally Posted by mitchelljd

not so. i have a perfectly good mac pro with a high end card. it works great.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

If you come on an Apple fansite to constantly provide dissenting opinion at every turn, you're a Windows troll. If you provide dissenting opinion at every turn just for the sake of it, you're even worse.

Originally Posted by Joe The Dragon

so now the mac pro can start at $3000 with a carp video card

Originally Posted by Mario

Works vs performs are not the same things. Perhaps you should do some benchmarks in OS X and Windows on that Mac Pro to see a difference a well optimized video card driver makes to performance.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

It's Apple. Why wouldn't I be? And this is an Apple fansite. My question is, why are Windows trolls camping an Apple fansite? Now THAT would be most amusing if it weren't so sad.

Originally Posted by newbee

One theory is : they're a paid shill for "somebody" so they can spread fud.

Another theory is: they don't know how to find the elusive M$ fansite.

The more popular theory is: Rather than enjoy the wonder of Apple, they would like to "destroy" the experience for others. pathetic, when you stop to think about it.

Originally Posted by ediedi

The 'Pro' label has been demoted since the 'introduction' (read: rename) of the macbook pro 13".

That being said, I don't deny that the Mac Pro deserves its name, and is one of the most desirable pieces of hardware. For me, it is the quintessential mac (power, quality and design). I agree that if you run a small/medium business (especially in the graphic design field) you have no excuse for not using a Pro.

Originally Posted by BenRoethig

Well, $2699 going with the mandatory $200 increase. But look on the bright side, a laptop based dual core all in one with a 8GB ram ceiling (and only if you want to pay another $1000) is good enough because Apple says so. If you're doing anything beyond iLife, you obviously have an unlimited budget and spending under $5000 is just being cheap.

Originally Posted by newbee

The more popular theory is: Rather than enjoy the wonder of Apple, they would like to "destroy" the experience for others. pathetic, when you stop to think about it.

Originally Posted by Postulant

Anyway... back on subject. I'm due an upgrade, but 128 mb of memory? $$$$

Originally Posted by Gazoobee

Nicely put!

I noticed this also in that teckstud is pretty much all about calling everyone "fanbois," judging them, categorising them, etc. but here he criticises people for doing just that.

IMO (and I've been on a lot of these forums or many years), the minute you call someone a "fanboi" in a post, you should go back and erase it and think of a more concrete criticism. It just shows that you don't have an argument when you resort to such name calling. It's juvenile, meaningless, and reflects more on the person using the term than it does on whomever they are accusing.

It's like saying "I don't actually have an argument, so I'm just going to assume that you are biased."

There are valid, logical reasons for liking or preferring one product over another, or one companies products over another. Just because someone is always or mostly in favour of a product or company doesn't necessarily mean there is any bias involved.

Ending an argument, (or trying to), by saying "oh well, your just a fanboi anyway" is just so childishly dumb (and lame). While most of us use may that term in extreme cases, IMO it's always a mistake. If that's all someone has for an argument, they just don't have one.

Originally Posted by DKWalsh4

Please direct us to the last pro-Apple comment you've had. Or for that matter, please point us to the last thread you haven't mentioned:

a) lack of matte screens on iMac's
b) the heat of the ATV and no on/off switch
c) the iPhone not running more than one app at a time
d) the iPhone not running flash
e) how stupid the LP format is
f) some mention of koolaid, fanbois, juice, etc

The list can go on and on.

Originally Posted by Postulant

Anyway... back on subject. I'm due an upgrade, but 128 mb of memory? $$$$

Originally Posted by jocknerd

I need to replace my aging PowerPC Dual 2.0ghz G5. But I see nothing from Apple to replace it with. An iMac is a downgrade even if it is faster. But I can't justify spending $4k on a Mac Pro. Come on Apple. I'd be happy with the Mac Pro with the single processor, but leave it to Apple to cripple it with the lack of memory slots.

Originally Posted by jocknerd

I need to replace my aging PowerPC Dual 2.0ghz G5. But I see nothing from Apple to replace it with. An iMac is a downgrade even if it is faster. But I can't justify spending $4k on a Mac Pro. Come on Apple. I'd be happy with the Mac Pro with the single processor, but leave it to Apple to cripple it with the lack of memory slots.

Originally Posted by teckstud

And if you can't think for yourself and need to classify people trolls by various degrees just because they might disagree with something, anything Apple than what are you? No one on are here constantly does what you accuse them of- THAT'S only coming from your own warped fanbot imagination.

Originally Posted by DanielDecker

Just because you don't demand one, doesn't mean there is no demand at all. A mid-level tower is likely the MOST questioned absence in Apple's lineup. I would love a Mac Pro, but they are pricey. I love my 2006 vintage 24" iMac, but I'd love to be able to upgrade it even more. Mid-level tower with maybe 3 slots and 2 HD sleds would be the shiznit. Look beyond the nose on your face. The world is larger than what you seem to perceive.

Originally Posted by geekdad

Thurrott is the ultimate MS supporter and not that kind to Apple or Mac OS X since that quote.....

Originally Posted by newbee

Not trying to be sarcastic or anything, but specifically what specs in an Imac make it a "downgrade"? Is it just you don't like the all in one form factor?

Originally Posted by geekdad

Yeah I like his site for some of his info on Windows stuff.
He has some very good info for Windows.

Originally Posted by FuturePastNow

The wonder of Apple? Did you really type that?

It's a computer company.

Originally Posted by teckstud

Do you have your finger poked in your cheek as you write that?

Originally Posted by teckstud

I've never used the term "fanboi"- fanbot maybe, but never fanboi- much too elementary.

At least I don't write these long whiney diatribes like you do. Eeeewwwww.

Originally Posted by MacTripper

Never had a Mac Pro huh?

A iMac is a serious downgrade from that bad boy, believe me.


1: You can replace the hard drives for faster and bigger ones. The machine is open for you to do what you need to do and Apple even sends you new drives if your factory one dies for self-install.

2: You can RAID 0 your boot drive with the fastest drives available, making applications boot nearly instantly on screen. Boot times in under 20 seconds.

3: You have access to faster drive interfaces. Install more or faster RAM. Third party cards and toys.

4: You can upgrade the video card for more performance or add more.

5: Want a larger monitor? Matte screen? No problem. Want a half dozen 30" monitors? No problem.

6: You want to edit HD video in real time, render 3D, ray trace etc. No problem.


A Mac Pro is a dream machine for the general consumer geek, I had one, spent nearly $15,000 in machine, upgrades and software over the years, but used it mostly to 3D game (two at once on my PPC dual 2) Unnecessary now with the cheaper PS3 and loads of titles and online players.


It's going to be tough goings with future third party and specialized upgrades for Mac Pro's, the demand for that sort of machine is falling in the consumer market because of cheaper consoles, then the economy naturally... pro's will be paying a lot more.

Originally Posted by sequitur

With the Mac Pro so far beyond the average users needs, the desktop field shows up even more distinctly as the Mini and the iMac. One minimal computer and the other an AIO, neither really serviceable, and neither what a lot of desktop users need or want. How can anyone deny that Apple has zero consideration for Apple users who want a real choice?

Originally Posted by auxio

So basically, you want a cheap computer that you can throw whatever bargain basement hardware you can find into, and also be able to take it in to an Apple Store for service when one of those cheap components causes problems?

That's the real problem here. If you let people modify a computer which has a great warranty/service plan, then inevitably, you're going to get a lot more people using that service plan due to their own negligence and/or the shoddy 3rd party components they install. Thus, it costs much more money to support that computer in the long run and so it's impossible to sell that computer at a low cost and still give the same level of service.

For PCs it's not a big deal because most PC service plans suck compared to Apple's (scripted ESL phone service reps and long RMAs anyone?). And I'm sure most will tell you where to go if you've installed any components yourself (aside from maybe RAM).

And with the Mac Pro, it's not as big a problem because:

• There is a larger profit margin on it and so you can afford to provide that level of service
• It's generally being used by people for whom the savings of buying cheap components is largely outweighed by the loss of productivity if/when those components fail (i.e. people purchasing computers for business). So they'll tend to opt for higher quality, Apple-certified components installed by a professional whom they can go back to if something fails.

As for general consumers, contrary to what you think, computer owners who install/replace components themselves are not in the majority. Computers are a lot like cars for most people: you buy one, and if something goes wrong, you take it to the dealer (if you're under warranty) or the repair shop (if you're not and you can't afford qualified service). You use it for a few years (a few more years for cars than computers) and then eventually you sell it or recycle it (based on it's condition/value) and buy a new one. That's the extent of your involvement with it.

You wouldn't expect a car company to build a cheap car which supports easy owner-serviceability and provide a long warranty which covers that car for free service no matter what the owner does to the car. That car manufacturer would soon be out of business due to the high cost of honoring those warranties. The same goes for computers.

Originally Posted by Quadra 610

It's hardly meant for general home use, hence the "Pro" label.

If you're a "Pro" you wouldn't be paying for it out of pocket. In most cases it can also be written off, too, if you can demonstrate it's for work/business/home-as-regular-business-establishment use.

Originally Posted by Postulant

Anyway... back on subject. I'm due an upgrade, but 128 mb of memory? $$$$

Originally Posted by jocknerd

I need to replace my aging PowerPC Dual 2.0ghz G5. But I see nothing from Apple to replace it with. An iMac is a downgrade even if it is faster. But I can't justify spending $4k on a Mac Pro. Come on Apple. I'd be happy with the Mac Pro with the single processor, but leave it to Apple to cripple it with the lack of memory slots.

Originally Posted by ChrisManuel

Blu-ray uses H.264 or MPEG2 for compression. Both CODECs have been supported in FCP and Compressor for a long time. What's missing is any ability to author Blu-Ray compatible discs (add menuing or any other value-added feature) from Apple's "pro" apps. Of course Apple responds with the statement that Blu-ray isn't a finalized standard so they are going to wait to support it when it's final. It's enough of a standard that Blockbuster rents and sells the discs but maybe that isn't mass market enough for the iPhone company.

Originally Posted by mdriftmeyer

It means Apple Mac Pros will no longer be crippled and hold the standard 128GB capacity of typical Intel Server/Workstation boards.

Xeon systems have been ready to run 128GB for several years.