Intel details new batch of i9 processors, none destined for Apple's iMac Pro
Intel has expanded its Core series of processors with nine new X-series models, but none of them are likely to be in the iMac Pro, given what Apple has said about the system.
On Monday, Intel detailed a range of 12- to 18-core processors in the X-series processor family. Intel declares that the chip is the ultimate platform for content creators, with up to 20 percent better performance for VR content creation.
The processors released range from the four-core i5-7640x running at 4.0GHz with a boost speed of 4.2Ghz to the 18-core i9-7980XE running at 2.6GHz with a boost speed of 4.2GHz.
However, none of the processors support ECC RAM. All of the new i9 processors use DDR4-2666 RAM, rather than ECC.
When announced during the 2017 WWDC Keynote, the iMac Pro was declared to have 32GB of ECC RAM at its starting price of $4999. As a result, none of these chips will be used in the iMac Pro.
Prices for the new chips range from $242 for the i5-7640X to $1999 for the 18-core i9-7980XE. The entire range is desktop or workstation-oriented.
Intel revealed the first batch of "Purley" Xeon processors that do support ECC RAM in July. Purley effectively allows for up to 28 cores to run on a single LGA3647 motherboard socket, with support for up to 8 sockets to work together in the same computer.
While the iMac Pro chip is still unknown, it is more likely in the Purley family, than the Core i9.
On Monday, Intel detailed a range of 12- to 18-core processors in the X-series processor family. Intel declares that the chip is the ultimate platform for content creators, with up to 20 percent better performance for VR content creation.
The processors released range from the four-core i5-7640x running at 4.0GHz with a boost speed of 4.2Ghz to the 18-core i9-7980XE running at 2.6GHz with a boost speed of 4.2GHz.
However, none of the processors support ECC RAM. All of the new i9 processors use DDR4-2666 RAM, rather than ECC.
When announced during the 2017 WWDC Keynote, the iMac Pro was declared to have 32GB of ECC RAM at its starting price of $4999. As a result, none of these chips will be used in the iMac Pro.
Prices for the new chips range from $242 for the i5-7640X to $1999 for the 18-core i9-7980XE. The entire range is desktop or workstation-oriented.
Signs point to Xeon, not i9
High Sierra code found in June points to Apple's future use of Intel's LGA3647 socket, the server-grade component reserved for the Purley Xeon platform. Purley is the evolution and consolidation of the Haswell-based Xeon E5 and E7 platforms and supports the new high-end Skylake class Xeon silicon.Intel revealed the first batch of "Purley" Xeon processors that do support ECC RAM in July. Purley effectively allows for up to 28 cores to run on a single LGA3647 motherboard socket, with support for up to 8 sockets to work together in the same computer.
While the iMac Pro chip is still unknown, it is more likely in the Purley family, than the Core i9.
Comments
ECC stands for Error Correcting Code. Most memory sticks involve four, eight, or 16 RAM chips on the stick. ECC adds more chips (for a total of five, nine, or 18) to store error checking data for every bit of RAM.
DDR4 is a memory access bus type. It specifies certain clock rates for the memory bus and certain transfer rates per clock pulse.
These two can be combined. This article probably should have just said "non-ECC" instead of "DDR4" in most places.
as far as memory is concerned, ECC RAM can be of whatever latest technology is around, be that DDR 1, DDR 2, DDR 3, or DDR 4. It just requires an extra chip on the board plus the ability to do the error corrections using the bits on that chip (to simplify the explanation).
The way display technology is changing, you won’t want a monitor longer than five years, maybe a lot less if you get caught between technology advances. If You had a display right before the 5k DCI-P3 would you really still want it?
In short -- lighten up about what we choose to cover. More knowledge is better than less.
Mac Pro
A similar modular case like the old Mac Pro "cheesegrater" Mac Pro -- but one that is about an inch shorter that has "ears" that can be attached to the top and bottom and rack mounted in a standard 19" Rack.
CPU options would consist of 1 or 2 Xeon Processors starting at 6 cores, ECC Memory. Have 4 accessable PCIe slopts with enough size to fit two premium graphics cards, and have 2 slots left over with full speed (The Mac Pro 2008 had 4 slots but 3 were taken up by 2 graphics cards -- leaving one slow crippled PCIe slot for everything else). Memory options for at least 128GB of Memory, several U.2 slots for SSD drives (with enough room for air cooling so the larger SSDs don't throttle). It does not need internal hard drives since the PCIe slot would allow for an outbound SAS controller where you could add another 24 "spinning rust" drives easily (less cost than having thunderbolt from PCIe bus to PCIe bus then another SAS controller in another case etc. (pretty standard in the enterprice world). Also, it does not need an in case DVD drive slot (would not be great if it was rack mounted anyways). That would leave one last slot for things like a TPU board etc. A 2 Xeon Processor option would allow for more PCIe lanes for more bandwidth -- as well as having a monster for a desktop when it came to CPU processing.
Mac Mini
A refresh of the Mac Mini line with new processors (similar configuration to the MacBook Pro 13" lineup).
Mac (Developer VR Edition) (Mac Mini quad-core replacement)
I had originally thought that bringing back the quad-core Mac Mini might be a good option (based on the MacBook Pro 15"), but after WWDC I figured that the "upgraded" internals would not meet any niche as well as it should. I would like to see Apple fill the gap between the Mac Mini and Mac Pro lineup with one small "cube" box that would be bigger than the Mac Mini -- but less than a Mac Pro. A box that would maybe have one PCIe slot for a Radeon 580 or Vega 56/64, CPU based on the Intel i7-7700K, and 6/8 core i9. I figure that small option would be a better solution than having an eGPU box along with a laptop for VR development -- where you would not have to fiddle around with getting the eGPU working. If a repurposed "trash can" Mac Pro could handle the thermals - that case would not be a bad option. It would also be a good midpoint for things like workgroup server for doing builds (where more cores don't necessarily give you better results).
Santa, I have been good this year (so far) so if you can whip Apple into filling my christmas wish list... I would be very thankful and put out cookies and milk for you when you stop by at Christmas.