New Mac Pros are out!

[6strings]

http://www.apple.com/macpro/

Apple online store updating right now...

[doorknocker]

The Future is Native!

[Funkster]

woo hoo!

[BrianT]

2 thoughts:

1. Again, Apple is at the front of the line for new CPUs from Intel. Jobs is good at what he does.

2. For the most useful comparison on Apple's performance charts, switch the comparison/baseline model to the previous 8-core Mac Pro. That's by far the most useful comparison. The new boxes are generally about 10-20% faster, which is still great for less than a 10% increase in CPU speed, but somewhat less than a first look at those charts would lead you to believe, the way they're set up. The default comparison in most cases is a single quad-core. Not really an accurate comparison.

Still, the way Apple presents this type of info is far more useful and less hyped than they used to, in terms of objectivity. Those are very nice machines. Still somewhat limited for expansion, in terms the number of PCIe slots and no PCI slots. But that's about the only fault you can find.

As a mostly PC guy (typing this on a 17" MBP), I have to say they Apple is doing many things well. They are going to continue to grow their computer market share and at this rate will actually become a serious problem for Microsoft at some point. I think that's reaching critical mass sooner than later.

[Tony Shepperd]

4 TB of Storage, 32GB of RAM! Nice!
I wonder how much that's gonna cost.

[rghose]

Holy inferiority complex Batman!! Now my awesome quad-core 2.66 gHz Mac Pro doesn't seem so cool.....just kidding.

[Football]

I made a PDF of Apple pricing the other day as everyone knew these would be out soon and wanted to be able to compare apples to apples.

The base model was a FOUR processor 2.66 for $2,499

Today you get an EIGHT processor 2.8 for $2,799

That is pretty incredible in my book, I can't wait to own one of these pigs!

[6strings]

Originally Posted by rghose

Holy inferiority complex Batman!! Now my awesome quad-core 2.66 gHz Mac Pro doesn't seem so cool.....

Contrary to Apple marketing speak, they are not all 8-cores now. The base model is still a quad-core.

[rghose]

Originally Posted by 6strings

Contrary to Apple marketing speak, they are not all 8-cores now. The base model is still a single, quad-core chip.

Gotcha! I feel better now.

It is about time though....the old models were about 1 1/2 years old I believe (other than the 8-core). It really shows how powerful they were when they were introduced that they could last that long.

[pbell]

Well my first response is This is sweet! My second is, man why did I buy a new computer 2 months ago, should have waited. My third is if all I do is wait until the next best thing comes out, I'll never buy anything...although it does kinda suck knowing that my 2.66 Mac Pro is going to be extinct in a year or so now

[Tony Shepperd]

Just incase you didn't know...
The rule of thumb is NEVER buy a new computer in the last quarter of the year.
Apple always announces new Macs around Macworld in January.

[3rd world order]

have we reached the point yet were you never run out of cpu while mixing audio?

[bit mangler]

Does anybody know how many PCIe slots are available?

edit:found it ..there are 4

[Tony Shepperd]

Now I know hardly anyone will do this configuration, but it's always fun to shoot for the moon. $20,549.00
Summary

Subtotal $20,549.00
Specifications
Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
32GB (8 x 4GB)
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 1.5GB (Stereo 3D, two dual-link DVI)
Two 16x SuperDrives
AirPort Extreme card (Wi-Fi)
Quad Channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express Card
Apple Mighty Mouse
Apple Keyboard (English) + Mac OS X

[pbell]

Originally Posted by Tony Shepperd

Just incase you didn't know...
The rule of thumb is NEVER buy a new computer in the last quarter of the year.
Apple always announces new Macs around Macworld in January.

Though I am fairly rookie to this whole business, only recently have I had money to actually buy things. Subconsciously I knew, but my subconscious figured that the conscious side didn't need to know.

[emfrank72]

Ordered mine today. I am kind of supprised Apple didn't wait another week to announce at Macworld. Not that I am complaining.

[tclash]

While I will admit a small amount of envy, since I have never come even come close to running out of CPU power with my seven month-old quad 2.66 I don't feel too outdated.

Had they included more PCIe slots, though, I would have had a serious want issue

Video people must be seriously stoked.

[Ray Sigmond]

And they finally upgraded the video card to offer the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT for $200

[audiomichael]

Add a flux-capacitor and some plutonium, and you're good to go!

Originally Posted by Tony Shepperd

Now I know hardly anyone will do this configuration, but it's always fun to shoot for the moon. $20,549.00
Summary

Subtotal $20,549.00
Specifications
Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
32GB (8 x 4GB)
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
300GB 15,000-rpm SAS
NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 1.5GB (Stereo 3D, two dual-link DVI)
Two 16x SuperDrives
AirPort Extreme card (Wi-Fi)
Quad Channel 4Gb Fibre Channel PCI Express Card
Apple Mighty Mouse
Apple Keyboard (English) + Mac OS X

[degas]

Lucky me!
Today was the last day of my "remorse"-period... so I get to exchange my 2.66 to a new one - no questions asked!

[Tony Shepperd]

I love the addition of the 300GB 15,000-rpm SAS drives.
That just makes me smile!

[bit mangler]

Does anybody know if we could get a quad core(-$500.00) & later upgrade to octa.Basically are the mobos the same??

[Dubster]

I hate to rain on the parade here, but does anyone know whether the MacPros will also be victim to Apple choice to switch from TI to Agere firewire chipsets? That would be a pretty big bummer if the MacPro is included in that poor decision on Apple's part.

[Y-Studios]

is it time to switch to mac??

[Jay Lee]

Originally Posted by 6strings

Contrary to Apple marketing speak, they are not all 8-cores now. The base model is still a quad-core.

Yeah...But it doesn't take away from the fact that this:

• Two 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Harpertown” processors
• 2GB memory (800MHz DDR2 fully-buffered DIMM ECC)
• ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics with 256MB memory
• 320GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s 7200-rpm hard drive1
• 16x double-layer SuperDrive

...their standard model, still costs only 2799$ which is only 300$ more than the previous 2.66GHz dual-core model. They give the option to take 500$ off the 2799$ and have 2.88GHz single quad-core processor for 2299$. And that's the only 4-core model. If someone didn't get this let me clarify: two 2.8GHz Quad-Core is octo-core/8-core.

Just wondering how long it will take for Apple to update their European sites too.

[loujudson]

Originally Posted by emfrank72

Ordered mine today. I am kind of supprised Apple didn't wait another week to announce at Macworld. Not that I am complaining.

Prolly release a newer faster 16 core at MacWorld... just to make you feel bad. Kidding!

L

[DeBasement]

Originally Posted by Ray Sigmond

And they finally upgraded the video card to offer the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT for $200

Do you think existing MacPro users (quad 2.66) will be able to upgrade to the new video cards?

Don't see why they wouldn't be compatible... But I take nothing for granted in Apple world.


I love my 2.66 btw. With 4 500-gig drives and 8 gigs of ram, it stomps all over every Logic project that used to choke my dual G4 -- and at 128 sample buffers no less. I can only imagine what I'll be upgrading to 3 or 4 years from now. The darn beast will no doubt write the music for me too!

!!!!

[6strings]

Originally Posted by emfrank72

Ordered mine today. I am kind of supprised Apple didn't wait another week to announce at Macworld. Not that I am complaining.

Macworld essentially revolves around the iPod now.

But seriously, its a consumer show for Apple.

[severe]

Originally Posted by emfrank72

Ordered mine today. I am kind of supprised Apple didn't wait another week to announce at Macworld. Not that I am complaining.

It's probably an indication that there will be a few new things presented at Macworld.

[Steve MacMillan]

Originally Posted by severe

It's probably an indication that there will be a few new things presented at Macworld.

iToaster