Apple's Mac Pro to sport twin engines
Come this August, Apple Computer chief executive Steve Jobs is expected to stand before an antsy crowd of the most loyal Mac OS X developers and announce that in just over a year, the company has successfully transitioned its entire Macintosh line from PowerPC to Intel processors.
The 2006 Apple World Wide Developers Conference will run from August 7th through the 11th -- about two months later than usual. For the most part, Apple will use the annual developer gathering to lay out its plans for Leopard, the next incarnation of the Mac OS operating system, which is poised to do battle with rival Microsoft Corp's Windows Vista.
But when it comes to battling for headlines, Leopard may have its work cut out for it -- sources maintain that around precisely the same time, Mr. Jobs will also take the wraps off Apple's most powerfully stunning Macintosh to date: the Mac Pro.
Aside from speculation that the Intel-based Power Mac successor would conform to Intel Corp's "Core" architecture, there have been few reports about the machine. Until recently, Apple's professional line of desktop computers stood at the pinnacle of its product portfolio, showcasing both the Mac's beauty and its brawn.
In speaking with AppleInsider, people familiar with the Cupertino-based company's plans have affirmed that the Mac Pro will indeed employ chips from Intel's forthcoming architecture. However, it's still unclear precisely which processors these will be. That's because, just like the Power Mac G5 Quad, these people say Apple and Intel somehow plan to wedge two high-end dual-core chips into some Mac Pros.
The systems have been under development since last October, when Apple passed off the motherboard design to Intel's Oregon division. With its resources already stretched thin on the transition of four other Macs, Apple turned to the world's largest chipmaker for expertise in developing its first Intel board for professional users.
Still, many questions remain -- like exactly how Apple will fashion the Pro machines aesthetically.
According to reports, the first motherboard prototypes to come out of Intel Oregon were noticeably compact, suggesting the Mac Pro would represent a radical departure from the obtrusive enclosures of Power Mac G5. However, well-placed sources have since said that plans to size-down the Mac Pro's board were almost immediately scrapped.
The last prototypes Mac Pro motherboards to be observed by sources were approximately "the same size" as the board in Apple's aluminum G5s, they said.
The 2006 Apple World Wide Developers Conference will run from August 7th through the 11th -- about two months later than usual. For the most part, Apple will use the annual developer gathering to lay out its plans for Leopard, the next incarnation of the Mac OS operating system, which is poised to do battle with rival Microsoft Corp's Windows Vista.
But when it comes to battling for headlines, Leopard may have its work cut out for it -- sources maintain that around precisely the same time, Mr. Jobs will also take the wraps off Apple's most powerfully stunning Macintosh to date: the Mac Pro.
Aside from speculation that the Intel-based Power Mac successor would conform to Intel Corp's "Core" architecture, there have been few reports about the machine. Until recently, Apple's professional line of desktop computers stood at the pinnacle of its product portfolio, showcasing both the Mac's beauty and its brawn.
In speaking with AppleInsider, people familiar with the Cupertino-based company's plans have affirmed that the Mac Pro will indeed employ chips from Intel's forthcoming architecture. However, it's still unclear precisely which processors these will be. That's because, just like the Power Mac G5 Quad, these people say Apple and Intel somehow plan to wedge two high-end dual-core chips into some Mac Pros.
The systems have been under development since last October, when Apple passed off the motherboard design to Intel's Oregon division. With its resources already stretched thin on the transition of four other Macs, Apple turned to the world's largest chipmaker for expertise in developing its first Intel board for professional users.
Still, many questions remain -- like exactly how Apple will fashion the Pro machines aesthetically.
According to reports, the first motherboard prototypes to come out of Intel Oregon were noticeably compact, suggesting the Mac Pro would represent a radical departure from the obtrusive enclosures of Power Mac G5. However, well-placed sources have since said that plans to size-down the Mac Pro's board were almost immediately scrapped.
The last prototypes Mac Pro motherboards to be observed by sources were approximately "the same size" as the board in Apple's aluminum G5s, they said.
Comments
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Anyone interested in my soon to be old system?
Originally posted by amac4me
I plan on replacing my PowerMac G5 Dual 2.5 (2004 model) with a new Mac Pro when they are announced/released.
Anyone interested in my soon to be old system?
My brother has one of those too. The ultimate machine when it was released ... but according to benchmarks at Hardmac, it could be outclassed by our meagre Mac mini once we put a Merom in it!
http://www.hardmac.com/news/2006-06-08/#5586
Interesting times ideed. Bring on Woodcrest and a new Ive design for the Mac Pro!
Hah if Apple had a Creative Suite alternative to release with these machines they'd eat Adobe's lunch, for a few months anyway.
Apple would be doing it's creative pro customers a huge favor and probably make some money buy offering current G5 inventory on a 1 year lease or have a buy back promotion so that we can get some work done with a powerPC machine but not break the bank with a move to the clearly superior Intel machines in a year when Adobe has their products up to speed.
2.67 GHz Core 2 Duo
1 GB DDR2 RAM
250 GB hard drive
16X DL Superdrive
256 MB GeForce 7600 video
2.93 GHz Core 2 Extreme
2 GB DDR2 RAM
400 GB hard drive
16X DL Superdrive
256 MB GeForce 7600 video
Dual 3 GHz Xeon 5160 (AKA Woodcrest x 2)
2 GB DDR2 RAM
400 GB hard drive
16X DL Superdrive
256 MB GeForce 7900 GT video
I also think Apple will offer Blu-Ray drives as options, but only as options - they're several hundred dollars and probably not very useful to anyone but the most demanding pros.
oxymoronic.
Originally posted by backtomac
Core 2 Extreme is Conroe, not woodcrest.
*Sigh*
I know, but last night when AI published this article and then removed it, it referenced the Core 2 Extreme as what would be used in the Mac Pro.
Originally posted by Mr. Dirk
*Sigh*
I know, but last night when AI published this article and then removed it, it referenced the Core 2 Extreme as what would be used in the Mac Pro.
Yeah it seems AI is the source of confusion over this. For the right info I'm going to Anand.
Apple should be back to less radical ways of keeping things cool and that should mean smaller towers.
Have you seen Dells new precision workstation 690? that thing makes the G5 case look small.
The MacBooks and the Minis are dual core for a fraction of the cost.
I'd bite for quad woodcrest at the middle and high end. Anything else would be
Originally posted by futuretheory9
Apple would be doing it's creative pro customers a huge favor and probably make some money buy offering current G5 inventory on a 1 year lease or have a buy back promotion so that we can get some work done with a powerPC machine but not break the bank with a move to the clearly superior Intel machines in a year when Adobe has their products up to speed.
That's a very logical proposal.