Apple's next Mac Pro rumored to be mountable with a custom CPU
A new unverified report claims Apple's next-generation Mac Pro will feature a custom CPU and have a rack-mountable "server" version.
MIC Gadget reported Monday that the forthcoming refresh for the Mac Pro will "look different in appearance" and include a mountable server model meant to replace the discontinued Xserve line. According to the report, the new desktop will add the Thunderbolt I/O and make the transition to the Sandy bridge architecture with a "unique CPU" developed for Mac and "not seen in PC."
The updated Mac Pro is said to be "significantly faster with the updated processor" and "good for enterprise," though further details about the custom CPU were unavailable. While it remains unclear what exactly Apple's plans for a custom Mac Pro CPU would entail, MacNN speculates that Apple may receive early access to the Xeon E5 processor. The report reiterated a July or August timeline for the refresh.
Rumors emerged over the weekend that Apple has developed "all new" next-generation Mac Pros and Mac Minis. It was suggested that Apple would add Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt and plans to launch the new Macs in August.
Last week, AppleInsider reported that Apple plans to hold back releases of new Mac refreshes until the Mac OS Lion operating system is ready. Lion will be available only on the Mac App Store sometime in July.
MIC Gadget also reported Monday that the rumored next-gen Mac Mini will see a price drop because of savings from switching to Intel HD integrated graphics from Nvidia's graphics chips. Apple will reportedly save $40 per unit, though gaming performance will suffer as a result.
The report also mentioned updates to Time Capsule and Airport Extreme. The new Time Capsule is rumored to have a better design for heat dissipation and may include a 3TB model, while the Airport Extreme will feature extended range and better heat dissipation. According to the report, the base station will be able to create three networks, including a limited guest network that can be switched on or off. Both products are expected to add a "secret feature" of caching updates for iOS and Mac OS X.
However, it should be noted that these claims remain unverified. The site has leaked info from sources within China in the past, but it's unclear where exactly its current info is from.
MIC Gadget reported Monday that the forthcoming refresh for the Mac Pro will "look different in appearance" and include a mountable server model meant to replace the discontinued Xserve line. According to the report, the new desktop will add the Thunderbolt I/O and make the transition to the Sandy bridge architecture with a "unique CPU" developed for Mac and "not seen in PC."
The updated Mac Pro is said to be "significantly faster with the updated processor" and "good for enterprise," though further details about the custom CPU were unavailable. While it remains unclear what exactly Apple's plans for a custom Mac Pro CPU would entail, MacNN speculates that Apple may receive early access to the Xeon E5 processor. The report reiterated a July or August timeline for the refresh.
Rumors emerged over the weekend that Apple has developed "all new" next-generation Mac Pros and Mac Minis. It was suggested that Apple would add Sandy Bridge and Thunderbolt and plans to launch the new Macs in August.
Last week, AppleInsider reported that Apple plans to hold back releases of new Mac refreshes until the Mac OS Lion operating system is ready. Lion will be available only on the Mac App Store sometime in July.
MIC Gadget also reported Monday that the rumored next-gen Mac Mini will see a price drop because of savings from switching to Intel HD integrated graphics from Nvidia's graphics chips. Apple will reportedly save $40 per unit, though gaming performance will suffer as a result.
The report also mentioned updates to Time Capsule and Airport Extreme. The new Time Capsule is rumored to have a better design for heat dissipation and may include a 3TB model, while the Airport Extreme will feature extended range and better heat dissipation. According to the report, the base station will be able to create three networks, including a limited guest network that can be switched on or off. Both products are expected to add a "secret feature" of caching updates for iOS and Mac OS X.
However, it should be noted that these claims remain unverified. The site has leaked info from sources within China in the past, but it's unclear where exactly its current info is from.
Comments
And I wonder why you would need THREE networks on an Airport basestation. One full network, one limited 'guest' network are what most people would need. What would be the purpose for the third? Hmmm.
The report also claimed that the hot swappable drive and interchangeable power supply features will be removed from the Mac Pro, while reiterating a July or August timeline for release.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
Internal drives on Mac Pros are NOT hot swappable.
A new unverified report claims Apple's next-generation Mac Pro will feature a custom CPU and have a rack-mountable "server" version. ...
Here you say rack-mountable, then later you say "mountable."
Mountable makes sense, but rack-mountable makes almost no sense at all.
A rack mountable computer is rotated 90 degrees from a desktop tower.
The ports would be on the top or bottom of the tower (neither orientation being very handy).
Wait a minute, this wouldn't mater if the shape was Steve's favourite ... the cube is back!
Internal drives on Mac Pros are NOT hot swappable.
Oh, good. Then Apple won't have any trouble removing that feature, then.
Wait a minute, this wouldn't mater if the shape was Steve's favourite ... the cube is back!
He has finally one-upped himself.
Introducing the Mac Pro Tesseract. Take your Mac to a new dimension.
OOH!
Introducing the Mac Pro Menger Sponge. The ultimate in cooling systems.
Feb: New MacBook Pros
May: New iMacs
July: OS X Lion
Summer: New Mac Pros(?), new Mac Minis (?) and new MacBook Airs (?); new Time Machine(?)
Fall: iCloud
They're only giving us new hardware, new software, and new services!
This source has never been wrong before, so you can count on it - and remember, you read it on AI first!
Maybe people will stop complaining about the lack of attention given to Macs. This year, we're only getting:
Feb: New MacBook Pros
May: New iMacs
July: OS X Lion
Summer: New Mac Pros(?), new Mac Minis (?) and new MacBook Airs (?); new Time Machine(?)
Fall: iCloud
They're only giving us new hardware, new software, and new services!
Yes, but in the same time Dell could have given us 10 variants of just the Air alone. Not so nice, not ones we'd actually want to buy, but 10!!!
Yes, but in the same time Dell could have given us 10 variants of just the Air alone. Not so nice, not ones we'd actually want to buy, but 10!!!
Minor variation on the same thing does not equals to true choice.
Yes, but in the same time Dell could have given us 10 variants of just the Air alone. Not so nice, not ones we'd actually want to buy, but 10!!!
$hit comes in all shapes and sizes ... but it's really all one flavor. So I've heard.
I don't think Apple is that stupid or clumsy.
A very dependable insider tells me that the new Mac Pro tower will be shipping in a quad-A6 configuration, each CPU having its own 1GB of RAM and the latest 32-bit ARM instruction set for a total of 4GB or RAM and 8 1.2 GHz cores - and will be able to stream full-HD video to an attached monitor using its integrated GPU.
This source has never been wrong before, so you can count on it - and remember, you read it on AI first!
Nah, they're bringing back the PowerPC G5! And remember, you read it on AI first!
Nah, they're bringing back the PowerPC G5! And remember, you read it on AI first!
IBM's on PowerPC G7 now, though.
If this were true, it would be pretty stupid of Apple to discontinue the Xserve before a rack-mountable MacPro was announced. Nothing like pissing off a bunch of existing customers who then spend a lot of time (and maybe money) working on a migration plan, possibly buying new (non-Mac) hardware if they needed to upgrade/expand their server room. And then have to win back those customers and hope they trust you enough to buy back in.
I don't think Apple is that stupid or clumsy.
*blink* *blink*
That's exactly what Apple did. The XServe has been discontinued since January, with no rackable replacement available. They've already started losing enterprise customers, and they need to win them back with a rackable Mac Pro. What's stupid and clumsy is that they didn't have one ready in January.
I wondered what servers Apple would use for their data center. Does Apple use its own wares?
I wondered what servers Apple would use for their data center. Does Apple use its own wares?
We have pictures that say otherwise.
I wondered what servers Apple would use for their data center. Does Apple use its own wares?
*blink* *blink*
That's exactly what Apple did. The XServe has been discontinued since January, with no rackable replacement available. They've already started losing enterprise customers, and they need to win them back with a rackable Mac Pro. What's stupid and clumsy is that they didn't have one ready in January.
I'd say they underestimated the impact, but I'd also imagine that they didn't have the product they needed yet.
I don't think the marketplace would be too accepting of a MacPro that just fits into a 19" rack at 5U. They must have been at a point where they needed to discontinue the XServe... although I don't know why as they never bothered updating it anyway.
Will be interesting to see what they do. Might restore some of the faith I lost in their interest in the enterprise market.
Before WWDC, the lion's share of the rumors were software focused. Now, with OS X Lion, iOS 5, and iCloud out in the open, all the rumors are focused on new hardware. Next should be an invitation to select press (Dalrymple, Gruber, etc.) for an unveiling by Apple of what these rumors are all about!
Welcome to the new media. It's the wind beneath our wings!
I love how that photo makes it look like tiny Steve Jobs is standing in a room full of 15-foot tall racks!