Mac Pro Update ?

13

Comments

  • Reply 41 of 68
    Been looking in to upgrading my Mac Pro video card for a while now, but recently (at least the last week or two) the damn thing has been listed as 7 - 10 weeks as delivery.



    Really don't want to order it and wait that long in case they do update the cards while I am waiting for delivery.
  • Reply 42 of 68
    moochmooch Posts: 113member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    Sure, the cards will be there but DX10 wont be. Not on a Mac. It'll be driven on OpenGL 3.0



    he probably means a card that will be capable of using DX10 when dual-booting in windows
  • Reply 43 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Mooch View Post


    he probably means a card that will be capable of using DX10 when dual-booting in windows



    Ahh... One of them. I forget about them.
  • Reply 44 of 68
    messiahmessiah Posts: 1,689member
    Do you think the Mac Pro will go 8-core across the family?
  • Reply 45 of 68
    spindriftspindrift Posts: 674member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Messiah View Post


    Do you think the Mac Pro will go 8-core across the family?



    I think there will be more 8 core options, but they will still keep a lower end 4 core option for those that don't want or need to more expensive options.
  • Reply 46 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Messiah View Post


    Do you think the Mac Pro will go 8-core across the family?



    I am now convinced they will change to the new processor design. Beyond that I can not say.
  • Reply 47 of 68
    mjteixmjteix Posts: 563member
    Intel has announced price cuts for the quad Xeons (nothing for the dual-cores).



    processor_price_list.pdf



    X5355 (8M L2 cache 2.66 GHz (120W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $1,172 $744 37%

    E5345 (8M L2 cache 2.33 GHz (80W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $851 $455 47%

    E5335 (8M L2 cache 2.00 GHz (80W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $690 $316 54%

    E5320 (8M L2 cache 1.86 GHz (80W) 1066 MHz FSB 65nm) $455 $256 44%

    E5310 (8M L2 cache 1.60 GHz (80W) 1066 MHz FSB 65nm) $316 $209 34%

    L5320 (8M L2 cache 1.86 GHz (50W) 1066 MHz FSB 65nm) $519 $320 38%

    L5310 (8M L2 cache 1.60 GHz (50W) 1066 MHz FSB 65nm) $455 $273 40%



    Apple currently uses (in bold):

    5160 (4M L2 cache 3.00 GHz (80W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $851 $851

    5150 (4M L2 cache 2.66 GHz (65W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $690 $690

    5140 (4M L2 cache 2.33 GHz (65W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $455 $455

    5130 (4M L2 cache 2.00 GHz (65W) 1333 MHz FSB 65nm) $316 $316



    Note: The quad 3.0GHz is still not listed (!)

    All I can say is that you could now have 8 cores for the cost of four (almost).

    Depending on their current inventory, Apple could certainly move most models of the Mac Pro to 8 cores, before the end of the quarter.



    $2200 dual quad 2.0GHz

    $2499/2699 dual quad 2.66GHz

    $3298 current dual dual 3.0GHz

    $3997 current dual quad 3.0GHz



    All updated with 2GB of RAM standard (those are PRO machines!).
  • Reply 48 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SpinDrift View Post


    I think there will be more 8 core options, but they will still keep a lower end 4 core option for those that don't want or need to more expensive options.



    If they do (and by now they should) come out with a Mac "Semi-Pro" I think they would probably but the two dual cores in there, and move the pro line to all quad core processors.

    That sounds like an Apple move to me.
  • Reply 49 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    If they do (and by now they should) come out with a Mac "Semi-Pro" I think they would probably but the two dual cores in there, and move the pro line to all quad core processors.

    That sounds like an Apple move to me.



    If Apple comes out with a Mac "Semi-Pro", it won't be dual-dual, it'll be single-socket Quad-Core, as that'd be way cheaper for them. The Q6600, which is a 2.4 GHz quad core desktop chip is $266, and it's slightly faster brother at 2.66 GHz is like $330 or something. That's WAY cheaper than two Dual Core Xeons. Not to mention moving away from expensive 2S boards and FBDIMMs.
  • Reply 50 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    The single quad is something that totally escaped me, but your probably right. It would definitely help keep costs down too.
  • Reply 51 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    The single quad is something that totally escaped me, but your probably right. It would definitely help keep costs down too.



    Yeah, but one of the ways it might hurt costs is by creating another SKU - you'd need another CPU, motherboard, and RAM. And since you can't use RAM risers, you might need to re-design the case (although probably you could fit four slots where the 2 RAM risers are now.
  • Reply 52 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski View Post


    Yeah, but one of the ways it might hurt costs is by creating another SKU - you'd need another CPU, motherboard, and RAM. And since you can't use RAM risers, you might need to re-design the case (although probably you could fit four slots where the 2 RAM risers are now.



    They wont use the same expensive Mac Pro case for a semi pro Machine. If Apple decides to jump in with this they will use another motherboard and a different case. THe Mac Pro will remain a the BIG GUN, but this will take on iMac color design to be a cohabitant with the consumer side.



    Thats my guess.
  • Reply 53 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by onlooker View Post


    They wont use the same expensive Mac Pro case for a semi pro Machine. If Apple decides to jump in with this they will use another motherboard and a different case. THe Mac Pro will remain a the BIG GUN, but this will take on iMac color design to be a cohabitant with the consumer side.



    Thats my guess.



    Depends on if this Single Socket mac is a Mac Pro or another line. Apple has consistently mixed 1S and 2S computers in the PowerMac line during the G4 and G5 years. It's not unthinkable to have a 1S quad-core computer in the Mac Pro line. If it's outside the Mac Pro line, we're in the xMac or "headless Mac Midi" territory again.
  • Reply 54 of 68
    Could someone please sticky this? This will be the next Mac product to be updated (all other products have had one or more updates since the Mac Pro was introduced).



    Apple introduced the Mac Pro on August 7, 2006, which of course is more than a year ago. In that time, the singular update is the introduction of the quad core chips, without even a price impact on the rest of the components. In years, I can't think of a product that has seen no update for more than a year. When and what will Apple introduce, as clearly it can't keep this product going forever at this price point and feature-set? As an example, two of my company's employees, who currently use Windows machines, would like to buy Mac Pros, but they aren't going to do it until the graphics are updated at least (better QUADRO for one and better more-consumer oriented card for another).



    I'll put this out there: Apple will introduce an updated Mac Pro in the next month (make it 9/15 for good measure). I can't have total confidence in this, but there would have to be a groundbreaking introduction following for a wait that long without an update or price reduction.



    Thoughts?
  • Reply 55 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ZachPruckowski View Post


    Depends on if this Single Socket mac is a Mac Pro or another line. Apple has consistently mixed 1S and 2S computers in the PowerMac line during the G4 and G5 years. It's not unthinkable to have a 1S quad-core computer in the Mac Pro line. If it's outside the Mac Pro line, we're in the xMac or "headless Mac Midi" territory again.



    in the g4 days it one 1s with 1 or 2 cpus on the cpu card / socket. The G5 was s1 or s2 latter s1 dual core and s2 dual dual core and xeon chipsets right now use high cost FB-DIMMS later ddr2 or ddr3 ecc ram.
  • Reply 56 of 68
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by schalliol View Post


    Could someone please sticky this? This will be the next Mac product to be updated (all other products have had one or more updates since the Mac Pro was introduced).



    Apple introduced the Mac Pro on August 7, 2006, which of course is more than a year ago. In that time, the singular update is the introduction of the quad core chips, without even a price impact on the rest of the components. In years, I can't think of a product that has seen no update for more than a year. When and what will Apple introduce, as clearly it can't keep this product going forever at this price point and feature-set? As an example, two of my company's employees, who currently use Windows machines, would like to buy Mac Pros, but they aren't going to do it until the graphics are updated at least (better QUADRO for one and better more-consumer oriented card for another).



    I'll put this out there: Apple will introduce an updated Mac Pro in the next month (make it 9/15 for good measure). I can't have total confidence in this, but there would have to be a groundbreaking introduction following for a wait that long without an update or price reduction.



    Thoughts?



    Apple won't release a new Mac Pro before Leopard because of Leopard's better support for multiprocessing.
  • Reply 57 of 68
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I am of the opinion that Apple will not release a new Mac Pro until MWSF.
  • Reply 58 of 68
    royboyroyboy Posts: 458member
    Apple will not release a new Mac Pro until Steve Jobs gets damn good and ready!
  • Reply 59 of 68
    drnatdrnat Posts: 142member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by vinea View Post


    Quad core Penryn would be a nice bump across the board that would be a slight jump above incremental (depends on SSE 4 I guess how big a jump) but really with the Core 2 out we're looking at process shrinks and speed bumps. 45nm is a nice jump but also incremental...not like Pentium 4 to Core 2 (SSE4 not withstanding...which has at least one nice op for HD codecs).



    Its not like Apple is ignoring a whole new processor category yet. While slow with Santa Rosa without 802.16 (WiMAX) the new chipset is somewhat more incremental (again except for the GMA X3100 which I wish Apple WOULD hurry up and stick on the MB and Mini but doesn't impact the iMac) than was originially envisioned IMHO...not that WiMAX itself isn't still horizonish as opposed to here. Montevina is soon enough I would think.



    On the Mac Pro side there's been...Cloverton. Next up Tigerton with Clarksboro/Caneland. Until Caneland with 4 processor support what isn't just a incremental/speed bump release for the Mac Pro?



    16 cores to start...then Dunnington with the rumored 6 cores for 24 and Harpertown with 8 for 32. We'll see how Nehalem pans out.



    Really, 45mn isn't that far away and for the Mac Pro the next major change is going 4-way. A box update before doing that isn't needed and that empty space we see in the box today (which could be used for a smaller form factor) is going to get used up.



    Vinea



    I am finding it increasingly difficlt to keep up with the Intel roadmap - thanks for this but not sure I really understand it properly...



    Is it possible to do a brief summary of each new processor or chipset, when due & few details - eg 45mn/nos of cores that are likely to find their way into a MP.



    I am thinking about getting a new one & this will be helpful!



    Many thanks
  • Reply 60 of 68
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Apple Expo Paris?
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