The Intel Powermac / Powermac Conroe / Mac Pro thread

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  • Reply 401 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Somebody ban this guy's IP.
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  • Reply 402 of 946
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,720member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    Somebody ban this guy's IP.



    The problem is that they move the IP's around. It could be coming from robot machines.
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  • Reply 403 of 946
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,720member
    Now we're talking! finally some news about Woodcrest, and it's good. A big reason why these chips could (should) find their way into the new towers.



    http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31789
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  • Reply 404 of 946
    drboardrboar Posts: 477member
    Time to start to bite fingernails and hold the the plastic card tightly. Tell self "wait for second revison", repeat8)
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  • Reply 405 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    If its an " almost bug free" die wouldn't prices possibly come down? That is good news. "runs faster than expected, and takes less power" Also great news. 20% less power.
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  • Reply 406 of 946
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    I've actually stopped myself from ordering a MacBook so that I can tough out another year with my stinkin' ThinkPad (the laptop itself is great, the OS on it is not ) in anticipation for dual-Woodcrests goodness (saving money for the top-end Pro towers, yeeeehaw). Looks like dual-Woodcrest can become a reality without massive cooling if the 65-watts bit is true.
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  • Reply 407 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I was going to start putting $100 a month away to get a PS3, but I'm leaning towards putting $400 a month away to get a substantial amount out of the way on a dual woodcrest machine with the new QuadroFX in it. The $400 a month for 3 months is for the QuadroFX, but it's something I need, and I'm getting totally excited about these Workstations. I know they are going to rock like no other.
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  • Reply 408 of 946
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    I was going to start putting $100 a month away to get a PS3, but I'm leaning towards putting $400 a month away to get a substantial amount out of the way on a dual woodcrest machine with the new QuadroFX in it. The $400 a month for 3 months is for the QuadroFX, but it's something I need, and I'm getting totally excited about these Workstations. I know they are going to rock like no other.



    At first I thought "what the hell am I gonna do with 2 dual-core processors" but I've been recently planning to make my next Mac a monster entertainement center that'll do everything from basic Front Row stuff to PVR to Skype as well as a bunch of other stuff...and I'd like all of it to happen simultaneously in real-time without having to worry about the load on the computer.



    I think it'll be important that I get at least quad for all of it to work simultaneously...and since dual-core is going mainstream, we're going to start seeing a lot of apps and games that start optimizing for SMP benefits.



    If the entire Pro lineup goes dual-dual-core...I'll be more than happy...if not, I've saved up enough money to get the top-end.
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  • Reply 409 of 946
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,720member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kim kap sol

    At first I thought "what the hell am I gonna do with 2 dual-core processors" but I've been recently planning to make my next Mac a monster entertainement center that'll do everything from basic Front Row stuff to PVR to Skype as well as a bunch of other stuff...and I'd like all of it to happen simultaneously in real-time without having to worry about the load on the computer.



    I think it'll be important that I get at least quad for all of it to work simultaneously...and since dual-core is going mainstream, we're going to start seeing a lot of apps and games that start optimizing for SMP benefits.



    If the entire Pro lineup goes dual-dual-core...I'll be more than happy...if not, I've saved up enough money to get the top-end.




    The better the computer you get, the longer you can go before you have to get another one. It can average out, over the long run.
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  • Reply 410 of 946
    kim kap solkim kap sol Posts: 2,987member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    The better the computer you get, the longer you can go before you have to get another one. It can average out, over the long run.



    That's true...I bought my 2x800 G4 Quicksilver 5 years ago...it was, IIRC, the best computer you could get from Apple. It lasted me, well, 5 years. Of course, I had to upgrade to a Radeon 8500 and my burner and HD died out of warranty a little over a year ago, so I put maybe 500 on it since I first bought it...not bad, IMO.



    I plan on doing the same...I'm gonna buy the top-end Pro tower. Should last me another 5 years.
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  • Reply 411 of 946
    northgatenorthgate Posts: 4,461member
    I agree with melgross.



    I always buy the top end machine. But I always buy the Rev B. Every one of my PowerMacs have lasted over three years each. My Quicksilver went the longest before an upgrade, 4 years.
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  • Reply 412 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Looks like we have a few people anxiously awaiting the Mac Pro arrival. I'm actually hoping it has two -16X full speed PCI-E slots. I'll throw two quadro's in there without thinking twice about it.

    If your wondering what you would do with those extra cores. Any type of rendering should see almost double the performance. Most 3D rendering is done from the CPU not the GPU, but with Apples core image, and core video I think some is offloaded to the GPU. (like it needs it). All I really do know is my Mental Ray render times should be pretty impressive. And with two quadro's I should be able to work, and move models, and scenes around with billions of polygons without any fuss. {end of excited rant mode]
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  • Reply 413 of 946
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,720member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    Looks like we have a few people anxiously awaiting the Mac Pro arrival. I'm actually hoping it has two -16X full speed PCI-E slots. I'll throw two quadro's in there without thinking twice about it.

    If your wondering what you would do with those extra cores. Any type of rendering should see almost double the performance. Most 3D rendering is done from the CPU not the GPU, but with Apples core image, and core video I think some is offloaded to the GPU. (like it needs it). All I really do know is my Mental Ray render times should be pretty impressive. And with two quadro's I should be able to work, and move models, and scenes around with billions of polygons without any fuss. {end of excited rant mode]




    Yeah, I'm waiting. I was going to buy a Quad after Macworld, because I never buy them when they first come out, and I had just the slightest suspicion that Jobs might announce an accelerated schedule.



    Since I sold my business, I don't really need it, so I can afford to wait. It's really tough, if you do need it though.
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  • Reply 414 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    August seems like an eternity away, but I think I can save about $2,500.00 by then. That should take a big chunk out of my credit card payment.

    I wonder what Apple actually has in store for us by then? They could conceivably have a larger range of base systems to choose from by then.

    Knowing they have windows available for gamers, and 3D game developers. and modelers that can use both platforms in one box alone could possibly open them to a range of systems. And that range also goes the other direction for the windows world as well. I'm thinking of 3 unique motherboards, or possibly 4.
    • Hardcore Performance

    • 1 dual socket (woodcrest) regular



      Hardcore Performance, and Hardcore Graphics

    • 1 dual socket (woodcrest) 2 full speed 16X PCI-E (SLI capable)



      High Performance

    • 1 single socket (conroe) regular



      High Performance, and Hardcore Graphics.

    • 1 single socket (conroe) 2 full speed 16X PCI-E (SLI capable)

    This would give them the broadest range of possible users. But I think they can still do it with two motherboard designs. A single socket, and dual socket. Apple now, and in the past always seems to have 2 motherboards, a single socket, and dual socket. They could just keep that and have two full speed 16x PCI-E slots in all of them. that would keep them with two motherboards. It's not like SLI is a mandatory thing. It all depends on if you have 2 full speed 16X PCI-E lanes, and it's up to you if you use the second for a graphics slot, or not. You can still put anything in there.
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  • Reply 415 of 946
    The latest rumors point to Woodcrest having a real release date - June 19th.



    http://techreport.com/onearticle.x/9978
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  • Reply 416 of 946
    amackamack Posts: 19member
    With the speed that apple have been changing over to intel, surely they are not going to wait until august to release a woodcrest based system (if thats what they are going to use in the MacPros). If intel are releasing woodcrest 19th june would that not mean companies like Dell, Hp, Apple will have their hands on woodcrest now to test and prepare sytems before the big launch?



    By the way the woodcrest looks like good value.
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  • Reply 417 of 946
    wmfwmf Posts: 1,164member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    I'm thinking of 3 unique motherboards, or possibly 4.



    That seems like a lot to me. I would guess only 2 motherboards (Conroe and Woodcrest).
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  • Reply 418 of 946
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by wmf

    That seems like a lot to me. I would guess only 2 motherboards (Conroe and Woodcrest).



    As I said. I think they could do it in two. But will they have two Full Speed 16X PCI-E lanes? How hard is that? The first true 2x16X PCI-E machines were from nvidia's Nforce design for the Opteron, and they were using two motherboards in one box to get it. I'm hoping that now there is a more reasonable alternative which could put them in all of them, but I have no info on this.



    [edit]



    But I do now. The nForce4 SLI X16 chipset is the way to go. Wicked stuff.

    It's hard to know if Apple having intel as a partner with the Pro machine motherboard design is going to hurt them, or not. I have a feeling intel wants to be as hands on as possible with their own graphics in this. I think it would be better for us to see them be more for the Mac user, and less for themselves if that were the case. Although they can't complain. Apple gave them the graphics in the MacBook, and Mini. The nForce4 SLI X16 chipset is the ultimate graphics setup available right now.
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  • Reply 419 of 946
    macroninmacronin Posts: 1,174member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by onlooker

    As I said. I think they could do it in two. But will they have two Full Speed 16X PCI-E lanes? How hard is that? The first true 2x16X PCI-E machines were from nvidia's Nforce design for the Opteron, and they were using two motherboards in one box to get it. I'm hoping that now there is a more reasonable alternative which could put them in all of them, but I have no info on this.



    [edit]



    But I do now. The nForce4 SLI X16 chipset is the way to go. Wicked stuff.

    It's hard to know if Apple having intel as a partner with the Pro machine motherboard design is going to hurt them, or not. I have a feeling intel wants to be as hands on as possible with their own graphics in this. I think it would be better for us to see them be more for the Mac user, and less for themselves if that were the case. Although they can't complain. Apple gave them the graphics in the MacBook, and Mini. The nForce4 SLI X16 chipset is the ultimate graphics setup available right now.




    Obviously they wouldn't go with GMA950 or the like in a Pro machine, but I guess your query is more towards Intel working on a Main Logic Board with a nVidea chipset as opposed to an Intel chipset?



    Unless they could actually BTO a real choice of graphics cards, and more importantly, 'after the purchase' cards from Apple, at a decent price point for the consumer; then they could include a basic integrated graphics subsystem into every Mac Pro?



    GMA950 or later is a shoe-in for the MacServe (?) refresh?



    So, those bastards better make with the SLI on Mac Pros?!



    And I will bitch about it not being enough, and want an Apple with that new-fangled quad SLI, with the octo dual-core option?!



    (running a monster 42" 4k ACD with interactive touchscreen capabilities, and feeding a 6U rackmount Apple blade server renderfarm?)



    ;^p
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  • Reply 420 of 946
    placeboplacebo Posts: 5,767member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by jackbauer

    The latest rumors point to Woodcrest having a real release date - June 19th.



    http://techreport.com/onearticle.x/9978




    And yet they're still going to wait for WWDC to release the towers.
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