Intel unleashes Mac-bound "Woodcrest" server chip

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Quote:

Originally posted by ecking

I think Apple needs to offer more options to consumers now that people are have their eye on Apple.



With all the stores, glamour, popularity, brand recognition, etc it seems kind of crazy to only offer the average consumer 4 products(technically 3 if you consider MBPs to be over the level of the average consumer).



They could make the entry mac pros a different colour or a different hue of aluminum or something, but something's gotta give, only 1 computer with a 3.5" HD? Come on Apple.



That's why I think that life will find a way.




Well there is that Home Media thing that Steve Jobs mentioned as "Loud, and Clear" that many are waiting for, and I am hoping for a convertible tablet.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 565
    Any machine $2k or over has to be quad-core. Dell will sell Conroes at 2.67 GHz for $1500. A Conroe Mac Pro has to be in the $1500-2000 range.



    A $2000 Woodcrest could look like this:



    2 x 2.0 GHz Woodcrest ($660)

    1 GB FB-DIMM (2x512) ($150)

    some HDD 250 GBish ($100, whatever size that is 250-320)

    Nvidia 7800GT ($300)

    motherboard w/ at least 36 PCIe lanes and 8 RAM slots ($300)



    I'd total a cost of $1650ish for the computer when you get it all together (case and sockets, etc), which is 17% margin for $2000. Upgrade that video card for $100, and toss a bigger HDD in there with the 2.33 GHz chips for the $2500-2700 model (slightly higher margin). Move to dual-3.0 in the $3500 model (lots of margin).
  • Reply 2 of 565
    AppleInsiderAppleInsider Posts: 63,192administrator
    Intel Corporation on Monday formally took the wraps off its dual-core Xeon Processor 5100 series of high-volume server and workstation chips, previously codenamed "Woodcrest."



    The world's largest chip maker said the new chips deliver up to 135 percent performance improvements and up to 40 percent reduction in energy consumption over previous Intel server products.



    They're the first processors to take advantage of the company's new Core microarchitecture, a power-sensitive blueprint design that also includes several innovations to improve performance. Two other Core-based chips designed for desktops (Conroe) and notebooks (Merom) will make their debut in July and August, respectively.



    Intel will initially ship the Xeon 5100 series at speeds of up to 3.0GHz, the company said, which will pack a faster 1333MHz front side bus and 4 megabytes of shared L2 cache.



    The 65-nanometer chips are "drop-in compatible" as part of Intel?s "Bensley Platform," which introduces faster and more reliable memory technology called FB-DIMMs, Intel Virtualization Technology, Intel Active Server Manager and Intel I/O Acceleration Technology.



    "Simply put, the Core microarchitecture is a technical marvel that is driving a new era of power efficiency without compromising on what can only be described as eye-popping dual-core 64-bit performance," said Pat Gelsinger, senior vice president and general manager of Intel?s Digital Enterprise Group.



    The top-of-the-line 3.0GHz Xeon 5100 will ship with a thermal design point (TDP) of 80 watts with all others models rated at 65W. In the third quarter, Intel plans an even lower voltage version at 2.33 GHz with a TDP of just 40 watts.



    The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company expects the Xeon 5100 family of processors to be the fastest-ramping product in its corporate history, and has set pricing for the chips from $209 to $851 in 1,000-unit quantities, depending on features.



    Intel, which has been losing ground to rival AMD in the server market, hopes the new line of low-power chips will stop the bleeding and help it regain lost market share.



    The chips are also likely contenders to power a revamped line of Apple Xserve computers and possibly find their way into the Mac maker's professional line of Mac Pro desktops, due out by August.



    Intel had previously said that it will introduce a 3.2GHz version of Woodcrest later in the year.
  • Reply 3 of 565
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    ...possibly find their way into the Mac maker's professional line of Mac Pro desktops, due out by next month.



    I assume by "next month" you are actually referring to August, not July (as we're still in June). Considering that WWDC kicks off August 7, it seems unlikely that Apple will announce its new PowerMac successor prior to the big conference.
  • Reply 4 of 565
    mr. dirkmr. dirk Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    ...due out by next month.



    So, let the debate begin:



    By saying Mac Pros are "due out by next month," does that mean that AppleInsider thinks Mac Pros are imminent (since it's the end of June, almost July), or does AI think we're already in July, and really mean August?
  • Reply 5 of 565
    kasperkasper Posts: 941member, administrator
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mr. Dirk

    So, let the debate begin:



    By saying Mac Pros are "due out by next month," does that mean that AppleInsider thinks Mac Pros are imminent (since it's the end of June, almost July), or does AI think we're already in July, and really mean August?




    By August, it was meant to read. Sorry.



    -K
  • Reply 6 of 565
    Thats not what I wanted!
  • Reply 7 of 565
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    Apple would get more free press attention from two SEPARATE events:



    * A press-invitation event in late July, introducing new pro Macs



    * And then the Leopard event on August 7



    Apple might well wait for August 7 for the pro Macs, but I see no reason to believe they have to.
  • Reply 8 of 565
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Woohoo



    The Woodcrest boxed CPU are in our system. No word and true availability yet but the pricing is akin to what we've all seen.



    Intel's Reseller Site has info on Woodcrest as well. I expect that reviews will start to pop up now that the embargo is over or close to being over.
  • Reply 9 of 565
    tednditedndi Posts: 1,921member
    3ghz by Summer at last!!



    \
  • Reply 10 of 565
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    I noticed that Intel is coming out with a low voltage Woodcrest chip. That would be tasty in an iMac.
  • Reply 11 of 565
    aegisdesignaegisdesign Posts: 2,914member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by AppleInsider

    The top-of-the-line 3.0GHz Xeon 5100 will ship with a thermal design point (TDP) of 80 watts with all others models rated at 65W. In the third quarter, Intel plans an even lower voltage version at 2.33 GHz with a TDP of just 40 watts.



    The Santa Clara, Calif.-based company expects the Xeon 5100 family of processors to be the fastest-ramping product in its corporate history, and has set pricing for the chips from $209 to $851 in 1,000-unit quantities, depending on features.




    Which CPU is the $209 model? Anyone got more detailed pricing?



    If it's not the 2.33Ghz 40W model due later then it's faster and/or hotter or both. 65W is doable in an iMac so in theory we could be looking at 2.33/2.66Ghz Xeons costing less than the current Yonah in the iMac. I'll take one now.
  • Reply 12 of 565
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by aegisdesign

    Which CPU is the $209 model? Anyone got more detailed pricing?



    If it's not the 2.33Ghz 40W model due later then it's faster and/or hotter or both. 65W is doable in an iMac so in theory we could be looking at 2.33/2.66Ghz Xeons costing less than the current Yonah in the iMac. I'll take one now.




    Check this: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2985



    The low power 2,33 version will probably not be one of the cheapest chips. Expect it to be about $600.
  • Reply 13 of 565
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by aegisdesign

    Which CPU is the $209 model? Anyone got more detailed pricing?



    If it's not the 2.33Ghz 40W model due later then it's faster and/or hotter or both. 65W is doable in an iMac so in theory we could be looking at 2.33/2.66Ghz Xeons costing less than the current Yonah in the iMac. I'll take one now.




    Xeon 5110 is the only proc at around that level.



    Yonah's getting a price cut fairly soon.
  • Reply 14 of 565
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by backtomac

    I noticed that Intel is coming out with a low voltage Woodcrest chip. That would be tasty in an iMac.



    No point to it. The performance of a low voltage Woodcrest would be below that of a regular Conroe, and possibly that of the Merom as well, and the only other advantage is that it supports SMP, which Conroe doesn't. So, unless Apple plans to have a dual socket iMac, which would be VERY nice, but unlikely, at least, at this time, there would be no reason to use it.
  • Reply 15 of 565
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    Xeon 5110 is the only proc at around that level.



    Yonah's getting a price cut fairly soon.




    Do you mean, in addition to the one that supposedly happened already? Or do you mean shortly before, or after, Merom?
  • Reply 16 of 565
    macroninmacronin Posts: 1,174member
    Timing of now, Conroe in July & Merom in August makes me think:



    MacPro tomorrow?



    Updated iMacs/Mac minis in July?



    And that leaves Merom in August, along with WWDC?



    ?and the brand new Mac tablet family (8", 13.3"& 17")?!



    You heard it here?!



    ;^p
  • Reply 17 of 565
    zandroszandros Posts: 537member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    Do you mean, in addition to the one that supposedly happened already? Or do you mean shortly before, or after, Merom?



    It did actually happen, just look at e-tailers.



    Anyway, has anyone seen the presence of the 2,33 GHz Core Duo chip Wikipedia says should have been available since yesterday?
  • Reply 18 of 565
    aegisdesignaegisdesign Posts: 2,914member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Zandros

    Check this: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2985







    Rats. I wasn't counting on them releasing chips that slow lower down the price range. Is there any market at all for a 1.6Ghz Xeon ?



    Oh well, back to waiting for Conroe then I guess for the iMac.



    I wonder what Apple will do with the MacPro though? Quad Woodcrest across the range with 2.33Ghz on the low end? Or will they put Conroe in the low end?



    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    The performance of a low voltage Woodcrest would be below that of a regular Conroe, and possibly that of the Merom as well, and the only other advantage is that it supports SMP, which Conroe doesn't.





    The other advantages being the huge 4MB L2 cache, FB-DIMMS and faster FSB so I'd hope Woodcrest would soundly beat Conroe and Merom.
  • Reply 19 of 565
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,419member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by melgross

    Do you mean, in addition to the one that supposedly happened already? Or do you mean shortly before, or after, Merom?



    Crappola. I need to see how I can check pricing history of the Yonah chips to see how our costs have fluctuated. Used to be simple in our old system but we have a new shiny tool for order entry/crm



    Quote:

    The other advantages being the huge 4MB L2 cache, FB-DIMMS and faster FSB so I'd hope Woodcrest would soundly beat Conroe and Merom.



    Conroe's cache is 4MB so I'd expect Woodcrest to flex it's muscle on memory bandwidth limited applications.



    Low voltage stuff runs a bit slower..it'll be interesting to see what the performance hit is.
  • Reply 20 of 565
    frank777frank777 Posts: 5,839member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by hmurchison

    Woohoo



    The Woodcrest boxed CPU are in our system. No word and true availability yet but the pricing is akin to what we've all seen.



    Intel's Reseller Site has info on Woodcrest as well. I expect that reviews will start to pop up now that the embargo is over or close to being over.




    Hang on a minute. Murch works at an Apple reseller, doesn't he?



    If I understand that correctly, he's saying that the Mac Pros are in the system now?



    If they show up in the computer already, Apple's not going to wait a month to release them publicly.

    They know it would only be a matter of time before there's a leak.
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