Mac Pro Quad core to 8 Core Upgrade

[amost]

Do it & report back.

[MattiMattMatt]

Not for the faint of heart.

However, Apple's gotta come down on the price of their 8-core as it costs more than any desktop they've sold in a while. And with intel on the verge of lowering component prices, the savings should ripple through Apple. In the meantime, I can understand why the current cost of Apple's 8-core drives the power hungry to this level of DIY insanity!

[Football]

Didn't they just lower prices on July 22nd or are there more price cuts coming?

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by MattiMattMatt

Not for the faint of heart.

However, Apple's gotta come down on the price of their 8-core as it costs more than any desktop they've sold in a while. And with intel on the verge of lowering component prices, the savings should ripple through Apple. In the meantime, I can understand why the current cost of Apple's 8-core drives the power hungry to this level of DIY insanity!

In all fairness to Apple, Intels wholesale price (last time i checked) of the XEON 4 core was about$1000.00 per CPU and the Mac 8 core has 2 of them!

[elambo]

Originally Posted by MattiMattMatt

Not for the faint of heart.

However, Apple's gotta come down on the price of their 8-core as it costs more than any desktop they've sold in a while. And with intel on the verge of lowering component prices, the savings should ripple through Apple.

But Apple hasn't ever produced a machine like this before so past prices aren't good points of reference. Maybe AFTER Intel lowers there prices it will drop, but not necessarily. I sure hope so.

[M2E]

I thought before Mac brought out the Macs with Intel chips didn't Steve say this will enable us to bring our Apple product at a lower price to all people. He gave the impression that they are paying more for the PPC processors but, when moving to the Intel, that will make Mac prices lower. I've seen nothing but, higher prices since then.

Maybe I'm wrong...

What do you guys think?

M2E

[Fredrik]

I think its a bit unfair, the 8 core is the top of the line model with the latest technology available. Look at what the quadra 900 costed back when it was released, $8500.

I think its also interesting to ask if one really need this much processing power for audio work, I saw a benchmark where they managed to open 250 (or was it 350?) intances of d-verb on this computer.

[barryjohns]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

I saw a benchmark where they managed to open 250 (or was it 350?) intances of d-verb on this computer.

What are you saying, I use that many insances on just about every project I do?

[popmann]

I actually would like to see Apple produce a CoreDuo2 based "MacPro". I need the expansion capabilities--dual monitor support, Mucho RAM addressabiliity, PCI-E, FW800, More HD bays, etc...while I have no use for the little bit of diminished return gains the Xeon chip would provide.

I will buy when they actually make a desktop computer that doesn't have a built in screen.

Is it maybe an Intel limitation? As in...do you have to have Xeons to use dual chips? Can you not stick in two CoreDuo2s?

[Fredrik]

Originally Posted by barryjohns

What are you saying, I use that many insances on just about every project I do?

I assume that you are joking. But if not, then you are one of the people who need this computer.

[barryjohns]

Originally Posted by Fredrik

I assume that you are joking. But if not, then you are one of the people who need this computer.

I was joking

[neilio]

Originally Posted by popmann

I actually would like to see Apple produce a CoreDuo2 based "MacPro". I need the expansion capabilities--dual monitor support, Mucho RAM addressabiliity, PCI-E, FW800, More HD bays, etc...while I have no use for the little bit of diminished return gains the Xeon chip would provide.

I will buy when they actually make a desktop computer that doesn't have a built in screen.

Is it maybe an Intel limitation? As in...do you have to have Xeons to use dual chips? Can you not stick in two CoreDuo2s?

they always have its called a 'power mac".....you know towers or desktops....

[clonewar]

Originally Posted by popmann

Is it maybe an Intel limitation? As in...do you have to have Xeons to use dual chips? Can you not stick in two CoreDuo2s?

That's correct, you can't have dual Core 2 Duo's, you have to go to the Xeon line to get into multi processors.

[teddy07x]

Intel is removing the multiplier lock on their CPU's. Meaning, you can raise the multiplier instead of the FSB BUS ratio. But I have no clue on how to break into Apple's EFI to adjust the multiplier or FSB... on PC motherboards it's not really a problem.

And Intel ES only means Engineering Sample. They come with a better than regular stepping, (they overclock better) and you can adjust the multiplier as you want.

Now I don't see the point in doing that when you can't change it on a Mac anyways...