Review: Apple's powerhouse iMac Pro wows with stellar performance and design

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  • Reply 21 of 53
    keithwkeithw Posts: 168member
    I'm lucky.  I just got my iMac Pro.  I opted for the 10-core version with the Vega 64, 64 GB of RAM and the 1TB SSD.  

    The iMac Pro is understated and deceptive.  Except for its beautiful space gray color and black accessories, the iMac Pro looks and feels like any other iMac I've owned.  In this way it almost disappoints.  But, put on your seatbelts this thing is a rocket.   The iMac Pro simply obliterates tasks that would challenge my late 2015 iMac 5K.  See my Geekbench 4 results below.

    And, it can game.  I am partial to War Thunder ground forces.  My late 2015 iMac Pro struggled to maintain 40-60 frames at modest settings.   The iMac Pro thumps.  It's pushing 70-80+ frames at 4K on high settings and 110-120 frames at 1440.   And, this is in macOS.  I can't wait to see how it performs in Windows 10.  

    I'm glad I waited for the iMac Pro.  But please Apple, let me enjoy it for a bit.  Do NOT release the new modular iMac in February!!!!!!



    This means the iMac Pro 10 core is 52% faster than my 8 core 2013 Mac Pro "Trashcan" on the GB 4 multi-core score. and 41% faster on the single core score. Very impressive.
    edited December 2017
    williamlondonwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 22 of 53
    Maxter said:
    Nope! Bring the headless Mac Pro and Apple Thunderbolt display. We need thousands for our University.
    Appex, is that you? Banging that AIO Macs are an aggression to the environment BS drum again, are you?
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 23 of 53
    macxpress said:
    Maxter said:
    Nope! Bring the headless Mac Pro and Apple Thunderbolt display. We need thousands for our University.
    Okay...Apple will design something specifically for your University. Because thats how it works! lol
    They might do it for Stanford.
    xzu
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  • Reply 24 of 53
    MacPromacpro Posts: 19,873member
    macxpress said:
    Maxter said:
    Nope! Bring the headless Mac Pro and Apple Thunderbolt display. We need thousands for our University.
    Okay...Apple will design something specifically for your University. Because thats how it works! lol
    He didn't mention that is was being made for his University.  He said 'Bring' as in  'we are waiting for the fully expected Mac Pro and new Display Apple have already said is coming'.  I too am waiting for that and I don't think for one moment Apple are making it just for me ... or are they?  ;)
    xzurandominternetperson
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  • Reply 25 of 53
    Upgradability sounds great and it is. But how much is it worth? Buying extra DRAM or SSD at today's prices is a modest premium of about $1 a day over two or three years. In exchange you get a system that Apple can warranty and can handle workloads for years with just downloadable upgrades of Apple and 3rd party software. 

    With the appliance model, Apple can provide better support because the configuration options are finite. This benefits both the majority of users and Apple. If you're a super competent hacker, take the DIY approach and void your warranty. For some people that's perfect.

    Other "pros" such as carpenters, plumbers, real estate agents (who lease expensive cars), financial traders, photographers, spend much more on their tools. Real estate agents lease news cars for two or three years and never 'upgrade' them. Pimps do upgrade their rides.
    chiaStrangeDayswilliamlondonlarryaRayz2016baconstangbigpicswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 26 of 53
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,161member
    wozwoz said:
    Nice review

    >  iMac Pro now has four (Thunderbolt 3) ports

    And there immediately is the first problem with the iMac all-in-one design:  if you have four Thunderbolt 3 connections + USB thingies in and out ... + ethernet etc ...  the wires going into this thing will start looking mayhem on your desk, elevated from the back of the monitor. That's another reason why a modular design, like the R2D2 Mac Pro is just a better design for the pro market. You can have all the wires either on the floor, or at desk level to the side ... and just a single cable running to your monitor.
    Your ignorance really shows here.  Not even worth the effort.

    Come back when your business depends on doing real work instead of playing "Candy Crush".
    williamlondonmacplusplusbaconstangdewme
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  • Reply 27 of 53
    xzuxzu Posts: 139member
    sflocal said:
    wozwoz said:
    Nice review

    >  iMac Pro now has four (Thunderbolt 3) ports

    And there immediately is the first problem with the iMac all-in-one design:  if you have four Thunderbolt 3 connections + USB thingies in and out ... + ethernet etc ...  the wires going into this thing will start looking mayhem on your desk, elevated from the back of the monitor. That's another reason why a modular design, like the R2D2 Mac Pro is just a better design for the pro market. You can have all the wires either on the floor, or at desk level to the side ... and just a single cable running to your monitor.
    Your ignorance really shows here.  Not even worth the effort.

    Come back when your business depends on doing real work instead of playing "Candy Crush".
    wozwoz is not wrong. I have done more 6 million dollars worth of architectural fees on Macs. Your crass comment and insult adds nothing to the discussion. https://imgur.com/JbwHSSM

    The iMac Pro is great AIO, but doesn't fulfill every pros needs, even Apple has stated that.
    edited December 2017
    williamlondon
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  • Reply 28 of 53
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,161member
    xzu said:
    sflocal said:
    wozwoz said:
    Nice review

    >  iMac Pro now has four (Thunderbolt 3) ports

    And there immediately is the first problem with the iMac all-in-one design:  if you have four Thunderbolt 3 connections + USB thingies in and out ... + ethernet etc ...  the wires going into this thing will start looking mayhem on your desk, elevated from the back of the monitor. That's another reason why a modular design, like the R2D2 Mac Pro is just a better design for the pro market. You can have all the wires either on the floor, or at desk level to the side ... and just a single cable running to your monitor.
    Your ignorance really shows here.  Not even worth the effort.

    Come back when your business depends on doing real work instead of playing "Candy Crush".
    wozwoz is not wrong. I have done more 6 million dollars worth of architectural fees on Macs. Your crass comment and insult adds nothing to the discussion. https://imgur.com/JbwHSSM

    The iMac Pro is great AIO, but doesn't fulfill every pros needs, even Apple has stated that.
    What the heck does your "fees" have to do with this conversation? Is that supposed to somehow validate something in this context?  I too have also charged quite a bit of "fees" in software-design using Macs for 10+ years but I don't need to flaunt it like you are doing.

    Woz, and people like hime troll about how folks like him know what the "pro" market needs without actually knowing what the pro market needs.  Countless articles already posted about how real "pros" use machines like the iMac to do "real" work, and then folks like Woz come in and tells everyone how wrong they are.  

    The next time you want to flaunt your "fees", make sure it's to someone that cares.  
    pscooter63StrangeDaysbb-15Rayz2016baconstangMacPro
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  • Reply 29 of 53
    Sure it "wows"...until you experience a power failure in the middle of a software update (or other "certain circumstances" that Apple does not specify), and it becomes a paperweight until you have another Mac with High Sierra to perform the reset required by the T2 chip. I can't believe that didn't at least make the "con" list. It's a deal-breaker for me, even if I could afford it.
    edited December 2017
    williamlondon
     0Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 30 of 53
    macwill said:
    Sure it "wows"...until you experience a power failure in the middle of a software update (or other "certain circumstances" that Apple does not specify), and it becomes a paperweight until you have another Mac with High Sierra to perform the reset required by the T2 chip. I can't believe that didn't at least make the "con" list. It's a deal-breaker for me, even if I could afford it.
    Uhhh what the hell are you talking about? Most Professionals I hope would have their Pro whatever on a battery backup so this wouldn't ever happen. In fact, I recommend this to anyone who has a computer. Put the damn thing on a battery backup. 
    StrangeDayswilliamlondonbb-15baconstangMacProrandominternetpersonmike1
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  • Reply 31 of 53
    I'm lucky.  I just got my iMac Pro.  I opted for the 10-core version with the Vega 64, 64 GB of RAM and the 1TB SSD.  

    The iMac Pro is understated and deceptive.  Except for its beautiful space gray color and black accessories, the iMac Pro looks and feels like any other iMac I've owned.  In this way it almost disappoints.  But, put on your seatbelts this thing is a rocket.   The iMac Pro simply obliterates tasks that would challenge my late 2015 iMac 5K.  See my Geekbench 4 results below.

    And, it can game.  I am partial to War Thunder ground forces.  My late 2015 iMac Pro struggled to maintain 40-60 frames at modest settings.   The iMac Pro thumps.  It's pushing 70-80+ frames at 4K on high settings and 110-120 frames at 1440.   And, this is in macOS.  I can't wait to see how it performs in Windows 10.  

    I'm glad I waited for the iMac Pro.  But please Apple, let me enjoy it for a bit.  Do NOT release the new modular iMac in February!!!!!!



    Thanks for this! Would you mind posting OpenCL and Metal scores? Curious how that Vega 64 stacks up against a 1080 Ti (in a Mac Pro 5,1).
    edited December 2017
    watto_cobra
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  • Reply 32 of 53
    StrangeDaysstrangedays Posts: 13,172member
    macwill said:
    Sure it "wows"...until you experience a power failure in the middle of a software update (or other "certain circumstances" that Apple does not specify), and it becomes a paperweight until you have another Mac with High Sierra to perform the reset required by the T2 chip. I can't believe that didn't at least make the "con" list. It's a deal-breaker for me, even if I could afford it.
    What your describing sounds so bizarre, random and unlikely I couldn’t consider that a reason not to buy it. Especially since my employers and myself personally have uninterrupted power supplies. 

    Congrats on making up some nonsense for your first post. 
    edited December 2017
    williamlondonbb-15macxpressbaconstangmike1watto_cobra
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  • Reply 33 of 53
    macwill said:
    Sure it "wows"...until you experience a power failure in the middle of a software update (or other "certain circumstances" that Apple does not specify), and it becomes a paperweight until you have another Mac with High Sierra to perform the reset required by the T2 chip. I can't believe that didn't at least make the "con" list. It's a deal-breaker for me, even if I could afford it.
    I’m not “pro” enough to use this machine yet my household has 3 Mac. What the problem again?
    randominternetpersonwatto_cobra
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  • Reply 34 of 53
    As Steve would say, this iMac is "dead on arrival".

    Steve Ballmer?
    baconstangchiadewmeStrangeDaysrandominternetpersonorthiconbigpicswatto_cobra
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  • Reply 35 of 53
    longfanglongfang Posts: 539member
    As Steve would say, this iMac is "dead on arrival".

    Steve Ballmer?
    or Steve Buschemi? Might be the space dimentia talking though.
    watto_cobra
     1Like 0Dislikes 0Informatives
  • Reply 36 of 53
    welshdogwelshdog Posts: 1,924member
    foggyhill said:
    Often, pros, even those that are by themselves, keep the old computer around and just buy new ones. If your billing a million dollar a year, spending $7000 on something you'll use for 3-4 years (or less if you resell it) isn't so bad is it?
    That's what the post house where I worked always did. I had all manner of Macs throughout the facility doing all manner of things.  Serving, transcoding, FTP server, client email/web machine, Quicktime streamers etc.  Those machines worked one way or the other for many, many years.  We had a few older HP Windows machines, but they were less useful as they aged.  Plus as a full-on Mac house, nobody wanted to use Windows for anything.
    chiamarkacetowatto_cobra
     2Likes 0Dislikes 1Informative
  • Reply 37 of 53
    Marvinmarvin Posts: 15,554moderator
    xzu said:
    sflocal said:
    wozwoz said:
    Nice review

    >  iMac Pro now has four (Thunderbolt 3) ports

    And there immediately is the first problem with the iMac all-in-one design:  if you have four Thunderbolt 3 connections + USB thingies in and out ... + ethernet etc ...  the wires going into this thing will start looking mayhem on your desk, elevated from the back of the monitor. That's another reason why a modular design, like the R2D2 Mac Pro is just a better design for the pro market. You can have all the wires either on the floor, or at desk level to the side ... and just a single cable running to your monitor.
    Your ignorance really shows here.  Not even worth the effort.

    Come back when your business depends on doing real work instead of playing "Candy Crush".
    wozwoz is not wrong. I have done more 6 million dollars worth of architectural fees on Macs. Your crass comment and insult adds nothing to the discussion. https://imgur.com/JbwHSSM

    The iMac Pro is great AIO, but doesn't fulfill every pros needs, even Apple has stated that.
    Those pictures showing the back of the Mac Pro never make sense. The same bunch of cables would be there on any Mac Pro. It has a power cable (same), two display cables (same), two audio cables (same), ethernet cable (same).

    The only difference could come from 1 USB/TB cable for internal vs external storage. How does 1 cable make the difference? If it's about the machine sitting on the floor, put it on the floor and it still takes up less space. Here's a typical Mac Pro setup and you can see the same mess of cables coming out the back:



    Both these images demonstrate why the iMac Pro is better. It has built-in speakers so no audio or speaker power cables, built-in webcam so no extra camera cable, power cable is shared with the display and no display cable needed at all. If you want to be clutter-free, this is the best solution:

    First look Apples powerful iMac Pro
    edited January 2018
    chiawilliamlondonthtGG1patchythepiratewatto_cobra
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  • Reply 38 of 53
    wozwozwozwoz Posts: 265member

    Use a hub. There, it is modular now.
    Lol - funny.
    So your point is ... Get rid of all the unnecessary ports on the rear stuck up half way with wires drooping from them, and use a hub. I agree. But that also means - as others keep on saying - that this is an inherently confused machine. It is a consumer design, with lots of ports added (pretending to make it Pro) that make no sense. As you say: less ports, and get a hub.
     
    edited January 2018
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  • Reply 39 of 53
    wozwozwozwoz Posts: 265member

    macxpress said:
    As Steve would say, this iMac is "dead on arrival".
    Who gives a shit? Steve is dead...he's not running Apple anymore. Its not his company, this is a fucking pointless post. Get the fuck over it. Stop it with this Steve this, Steve that shit!
    While he physical embodiment of Steve may be gone, ... his ideas, work, and inspiration live on in the Mac, OS X and Apple ... they are Apple. If you don't understand this, or why people 'create' in the first place, then you understand nothing. Apple is his company.  

    [ macxpress, you should also try find more polite ways to express your opinions, such as they are. ] 
    amarkap
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  • Reply 40 of 53
    nhtnht Posts: 4,522member
    wozwoz said:

    Use a hub. There, it is modular now.
    Lol - funny.
    So your point is ... Get rid of all the unnecessary ports on the rear stuck up half way with wires drooping from them, and use a hub. I agree. But that also means - as others keep on saying - that this is an inherently confused machine. It is a consumer design, with lots of ports added (pretending to make it Pro) that make no sense. As you say: less ports, and get a hub.
     
    Troll elsewhere. TB3 Dock for regular connectivity stuff and a tb3 cable to the raid array and a power cable.  Done for 90% of Pros.

    The other 10% will have an expansion chassis or other tb3 gear and will want the other ports.
    StrangeDayswilliamlondonwatto_cobra
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