We need cheaper Macs with PCIe (Request to Apple)

[6strings]

Don't bet on it. In 2011, Lightpeak will be coming out. Even better...

Light Peak is being developed as a single universal replacement for current buses such as SCSI, SATA, USB, FireWire, PCI Express and HDMI,

And before you get all upset, I'm sure there will be Lightpeak to USB/Firewire/PCI legacy adaptors as Lightpeak can carry all those protocols.

One port to rule them all... Steve Job's wet dream.

[blue monk]

Originally Posted by MarkyGoldstein

I would love to see an additional Mac line priced between the Mini and the Mac Pro, with PCIe, but without the bigness in everything of the Mac Pro. Affordable midfield pricing.

Would be nice but I don`t think so. Apple have very particular ideas what their products should be like.
Think of the glossy displays.

[fizzler]

I agree, I'd love to see an i7 desktop model with PCIe ports, but as I think this won't happen soon it would be great even for an economic reason if I could just order a Mac Pro without any HDDs & RAM.
These parts are so ridiculously overpriced at Apple, that I always order the lowest configuration, put out the crap and upgrade with cheaper but quality parts from my local computerstore.

[SynthLine09]

if i could have a mini with an i3 or i5 processor, and just ONE PCIe port...i'd be set

[jupiter8]

Has there been a moderately priced Mac with cardslots ever ?

[T_R_S]

$2K-$3K range for new and $1k-$2k for used.
When Intel is charging $1K+ per Xeon processor it's going to be expensive especially with Dual processor machines.
Intel is making far more money off Mac Pro's than Apple is.

[Alphen V]

Originally Posted by T_R_S

$2K-$3K range for new and $1k-$2k for used.
When Intel is charging $1K+ per Xeon processor it's going to be expensive especially with Dual processor machines.
Intel is making far more money off Mac Pro's than Apple is.

They should make smaller versions of the mac pros, i7 or i5 will do for processor, maybe 4 gb of ram is enough hard to ocupy (i find that 16 of ram is just ridiculous because the avarage ram you use would be around 2 or 3gb on full usage except if your some really high end studio musician or so), drop down the insane price of the 30" cinema display to around 800 sounds reasonable to me... so they should make a package for around 1800 where you get a mac pro + a 30" monitor, so now your thinking hell why dont you then get an imac... well in my point of view mac pros ventilation system is way more advanced and usefull also that 30" monitor is a dream to me thumbsup

[Mike Connelly]

Originally Posted by jupiter8

Has there been a moderately priced Mac with cardslots ever ?

Actually, yes. Years ago the cheapest tower (I forget if it was G4 or G5) was around $1499 or 1599.

Originally Posted by T_R_S

$2K-$3K range for new and $1k-$2k for used.
When Intel is charging $1K+ per Xeon processor it's going to be expensive especially with Dual processor machines.
Intel is making far more money off Mac Pro's than Apple is.

The problem is that Apple should make the quad with i7 instead of xeon, it would save hundreds in parts. Just doing that would allow a major price drop in the base tower even in the same case. But apple would rather you buy an iMac.

Originally Posted by Alphen V

...drop down the insane price of the 30" cinema display to around 800 sounds reasonable to me...

Who sells a 30 with that resolution for $800?

[Alphen V]

Who sells a 30 with that resolution for $800?

Yea my bad, then they should make it 600$ with a resolution of 1920x1080 ^^ enough for the most of us, then we could buy 2 and put them dual for 1200 :D

[jupiter8]

Originally Posted by Mike Connelly

Actually, yes. Years ago the cheapest tower (I forget if it was G4 or G5) was around $1499 or 1599.

I bought a G4 tower in 2000 or 2001 and it wasn't exactly cheap. A comparable PC was about 50 %, if that even. In todays money and exchange rate it was about 3500 $ though Sweden is a pretty expensive country overall.

EDIT:It was in Norway even. The most expensive country in the world or so. I just checked and a new MacPro is 24k Swedish money and i payed 22k Norwegian money in 2000 so they the one they sell today is cheaper if you adjust for inflation than they were in 2000.

[Mike Connelly]

Found it, the 2002 Powermac G4/800 was $1599. And 2003 there was a 1.25 for $1299.

[jcschild]

Originally Posted by MarkyGoldstein

I would love to see an additional Mac line priced between the Mini and the Mac Pro, with PCIe, but without the bigness in everything of the Mac Pro. Affordable midfield pricing.

its called the single processor Mac Pro

Scott
ADK

[zephonic]

MacPro memory is a little out of touch with reality. $1275 for 3x4GB on the base single-CPU model?

At newegg.com you get 4GB modules of same-spec RAM for $85

Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Memory,Mac Memory,For Apple Mac Pro System

Now just get those and put them in yourself. Easier than putting batteries in your TV remote. You just saved yourself $900.

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by Mike Connelly

Found it, the 2002 Powermac G4/800 was $1599. And 2003 there was a 1.25 for $1299.

The G4 plastic case are a lot cheaper to manufacture VS the aluminum G5/MacPro cases. Plus recycling the old plastic cases back then Apple was getting slammed for not being environmentally friendly. In 2003 1 GB of RAM would have cost about a $170 plus a 1 TB drive would have cost a pile too. 4 or 6 GB and 1TB drives are pretty standard now.

[Mike Connelly]

Originally Posted by jcschild

its called the single processor Mac Pro

And it's a terrible buy for the money. 8/12 core machines are going to be expensive, but the quad is paying a premium for features on the chip but not using them.

Originally Posted by T_R_S

The G4 plastic case are a lot cheaper to manufacture VS the aluminum G5/MacPro cases.

I was answering the question whether there was a moderately priced mac tower. The answer is definitely yes. And they absolutely could do one again, they just choose not to.

[Alphen V]

Originally Posted by zephonic

MacPro memory is a little out of touch with reality. $1275 for 3x4GB on the base single-CPU model?

At newegg.com you get 4GB modules of same-spec RAM for $85

Newegg.com - Computer Hardware,Memory,Mac Memory,For Apple Mac Pro System

Now just get those and put them in yourself. Easier than putting batteries in your TV remote. You just saved yourself $900.

Is it posible to buy a mac pro with no memory?

[jupiter8]

Originally Posted by Mike Connelly

I was answering the question whether there was a moderately priced mac tower. The answer is definitely yes. And they absolutely could do one again, they just choose not to.

When i look at the Norwegian apple shop the entry level Mac is cheaper (21k vs 22k) now than when i bought mine in 2000. I believe it is as simple as that the dollar has taken a nosedive and the problem isn't Apple but the american economy cause over here they're cheaper than ever.

[Mike Connelly]

I can't speak for foreign pricing. I don't think currency value is much of an issue in the USA since prices have stayed about the same or come down on other models (and other computers, and most other technology) in the years since then. The base tower seems to be the one exception that has gone up almost double in price.

[zephonic]

I guess it would be nice to have an entry-level MacPro base around the i7 architecture, but wouldn't they have to design a new mainboard for that?

As it is, they just use the layout of the multi-processor machines and stick a single CPU in, no?

[jcschild]

Originally Posted by Mike Connelly

And it's a terrible buy for the money. 8/12 core machines are going to be expensive, but the quad is paying a premium for features on the chip but not using them.

say what? what are you talking about wont use the features??

its more often than not a better buy than the dual Xeons
in fact the 3.2GHz quad will outperform the lower speed 8 cores and the 6 core is on par with the 12 core 2.93

Scott
ADK

[jcschild]

Originally Posted by zephonic

I guess it would be nice to have an entry-level MacPro base around the i7 architecture, but wouldn't they have to design a new mainboard for that?

As it is, they just use the layout of the multi-processor machines and stick a single CPU in, no?

first of all the Mac Pro is i7 both single and dual.
the single is an X58 platform the dual is 5520 chipset.

2) there is absolutely no diference from a Xeon processor to a standard i7
the i7 960 and the i7 Xeon 3565 are indentical

the 980x and the 5590 are the exact same (of course Apple does sell this Xeon)
the 5670 Xeon (2.93) is the exact same as the 940 (no discontinued)

Scott
ADK

[Mike Connelly]

Originally Posted by jcschild

say what? what are you talking about wont use the features??

The biggest selling point (and reason for additional cost) of a xeon over the similar i7 is that you can put two on a mobo instead of just one. Using a xeon in a single chip config means you're paying the premium but not taking advantage of the benefit that's costing all that extra money.

Originally Posted by jcschild

its more often than not a better buy than the dual Xeons in fact the 3.2GHz quad will outperform the lower speed 8 cores and the 6 core is on par with the 12 core 2.93

That's probably why apple doesn't want to sell an i7 tower, with a high clock speed a machine that's much cheaper comes close to the 8 core machine (or beats it if the app doesn't use all cores).

Originally Posted by jcschild

first of all the Mac Pro is i7 both single and dual.
the single is an X58 platform the dual is 5520 chipset.

True, they have two different mobos already. And they are already supporting i7 in the imacs, it wouldn't be rocket science to put one in the quad/hex tower.

Originally Posted by jcschild

2) there is absolutely no diference from a Xeon processor to a standard i7 the i7 960 and the i7 Xeon 3565 are indentical

Processing part is identical, but a couple differences are the ability to use two chips in a machine, and the xeon supports ECC (error checking) ram.

[jcschild]

::sigh::

the single processor Mac does NOT have the Dual Xeon board in it its a single slot X58.

they are selling an i7 system only difference is they are using Xeons (more money for same performance) a glossy but pointless sales pitch, with no added performance benefit.

Xeons most certainly can go into a single processor X58 board (apple is doing it) AND you can use ECC on it but why anyone in their right mind would want to is beyond me. these are not servers... FYI when i sell a MP i rip out the slow 1066 ECC and replace it with 1600 non ecc.

Scott
ADK

[Mike Connelly]

I'm not sure who you're responding to, you're pretty much agreeing with what I just said.

[Jeezo]

Originally Posted by MarkyGoldstein

I would love to see an additional Mac line priced between the Mini and the Mac Pro, with PCIe, but without the bigness in everything of the Mac Pro. Affordable midfield pricing.

Unless you're using Logic , this is called a PC !!! ....but you will have more than a PCIE ...and have the same power ...and a better optimisation for audio ....

[zephonic]

Originally Posted by jcschild

first of all the Mac Pro is i7 both single and dual.
the single is an X58 platform the dual is 5520 chipset.

2) there is absolutely no diference from a Xeon processor to a standard i7
the i7 960 and the i7 Xeon 3565 are indentical

the 980x and the 5590 are the exact same (of course Apple does sell this Xeon)
the 5670 Xeon (2.93) is the exact same as the 940 (no discontinued)

Scott
ADK

So the dual-processor option is the only thing that distinguishes the Xeon from a regular i7?

[jcschild]

exactly
single Xeon systems is nothing more than marketing. and the sad thing is people buy it...
had a guy on the phone arguing with me over this very thing last week.

Scott
ADK

[T_R_S]

Originally Posted by Mike Connelly

Processing part is identical, but a couple differences are the ability to use two chips in a machine, and the xeon supports ECC (error checking) ram.

If that is true how do explain how my 2008 Harpertown MacPro blows the doors off (As far as the number of VI's and plug-ins I can use in session)
my 2010 i7 iMac. Old processor technology slower bus speed on the Mac Pro.

[zephonic]

If you have more than 1 hard drive in the MacPro, than that's the likely answer. Memory helps, too.