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Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

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Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#101

Post by suking »

robomartin wrote: post #98

This illustrates the issue I highlighted in another thread: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4097141 The fact that Apple keeps hardware and, increasingly, software, so tightly controlled leads to a situation like that of this "new" Mac Pro. If the Apple hardware ecosystem were open like that of Windows you'd have major companies all over the world evolving the platform in wonderful ways. Performance would go up an…

Well you said it yourself - if you don't want to pay for a fancy case - don't get a mac...

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#102

Post by cbsmith »

icegreentea wrote: post #51
Bud wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except there's not really a premium Windows platform to compete with the overall integration that a high-end Mac and Mac OS X offers. If you can get the same performance out of, say, the new MacBook Pro plus a couple Thunderbolt displays and a Thunderbolt RAID, the pros can just move in that direction. Notice that there was no iMac update at all today; Apple might be planning to release a new high-end iMac to better…

I really doubt you can get the same performance out of a MacBook Pro. Professional media software (audio or video) takes a -lot- of power. Trying to run through a big multi-track synth setup would probably bring a MBP to it's knees. I mean for one thing, despite all the awesomeness that is Ivy-Bridge, I still do not think that Intel can cram in the same level of performance into a 35W chip that use to go into a 90W p…

> I really doubt you can get the same performance out of a MacBook Pro. Professional media software (audio or video) takes a -lot- of power. Trying to run through a big multi-track synth setup would probably bring a MBP to it's knees.

With audio, it is seriously child's play. Compression is about as CPU intensive as you can get with audio outside of voice recognition, and it just isn't there.

Video is mostly offloaded on to GPU's these days. The MBP GPU is definitely a big step down from what you can get on a desktop, but you can always get a dedicated bit of hardware that you attach to your MBP to get that job done. The real killer on video has traditionally been I/O. With SSD's and Thunderbolt, you have some alternatives.

> I still do not think that Intel can cram in the same level of performance into a 35W chip that use to go into a 90W platform just 2-3 years ago.

You might want to check out Moore's Law.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#103

Post by mgkimsal »

At the moment, this feels very much like a self-fulfilling prophecy. "Well, sales are down" or "Sales are such a small percentage of revenue"... that they question keeping the product line around. Given that there haven't been any major updates, yes, sales are down.

I suspect if they hadn't put out a new model of the iPhone since the 3GS, sales of the iPhone would probably decline over the last 2-3 years.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#104

Post by wmf »

petercooper wrote: post #91
brunorsini wrote: post #70

If you're into home recording (who isn't, these days?), this is a huge blow. When your Pro Tools/Cubase/Logic project has 40+ tracks of high resolution audio files and several high quality real-time plugins processing each one of them you really need a lot of CPU power. I purchased a Thunderbolt display just a couple of months ago. I wanted to use it with my Macbook Air while waiting for the Mac Pro to be updated, fe…

I might be wrong, but you can still use the display with a current Mac Pro using DisplayPort, right? (You just won't get to use the other connectors.) I have a 2008 Mac Pro and was looking into doing this, but I'd need to buy a graphics card with DP first. UPDATE: Thanks! Yes, I was wrong ;-) Another source: http://store.apple.com/us/question/answers/product/MC007LL/A...

No, the Thunderbolt Display definitely requires Thunderbolt.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#105

Post by cbsmith »

nym wrote: post #73
abruzzi wrote: post #19

I think there are two possible explanations: 1. Marco's pessimistic take that they are clearing through existing inventory in slightly reconfigured and cheaper machines. 2. grecy's comment here that they needed to keep people hooked while they get the real bump out the door. If the answer is 2, then they really can't wait too long. A few people will be satisfied that they can get 12 cores for $3800, but it's only a s…

If #2 is correct, wouldn't they tease a new release instead of introducing a new model? No sense making customers buy something only to release a new model out of schedule.

You don't want to Osborne your existing line.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#106

Post by beedogs »

forrestthewoods wrote: post #29

Our sound guy is PISSED at the lack of update. Seriously, incredibly pissed. I've honestly never seen him this angry before. He'd been counting down the days till WWDC and a long overdue update. There are three major pieces of software he uses on his Mac that he swears by. It sounds like they have all just released or are about to release Windows versions. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a trend? Apple is clearly…

I say the future of desktop software is going to involve Linux, finally.

Both Windows and OS X are becoming walled-garden tablet-centric shitfests.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#107

Post by justindocanto »

cbsmith wrote: post #105
nym wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If #2 is correct, wouldn't they tease a new release instead of introducing a new model? No sense making customers buy something only to release a new model out of schedule.

You don't want to Osborne your existing line.

Osborne? Never heard this term. What's this from?

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#108

Post by sedev »

vacri wrote: post #95
nirvana wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read recently that the Mac Pro accounts for less than %2 of Apple's Mac sales. Since thunderbolt basically is a PCI express cable, there's nothing to stop people from building external cases that can hold PCI express cards, like the Mac Pro can. Since thunderbolt is becoming prevalent across the line, I can't really see a need for the Mac Pro so much anymore. True it is nice in some situations to put all your hard…

I think it's funny that Apple markets itself as simplifying and reducing wires and reducing clutter... but boy, they like adaptors!

A wire is a commitment, an adapter is a training wheel. The intent is for you to grow out of needing it. Apple's guesses about what you'll eventually stop needing have been pretty good so far (e.g. ditching floppy drives, going to USB-primary early).

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#109

Post by moe »

brianpan wrote: post #84
wmf wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How could it not be? The engineering is all sunk and the margin is ~35%.

There's profit and there's profit . The margins are there but the units sold are not.

That could easily be fixed by bringing the price back down into reality (i.e. 30-50% more expensive than equivalent x86-hardware, but not 300% more expensive).

Currently you'd have to be lobotomized to buy a MacPro at this price point. You can buy literally 2-3 "beige boxes" with similar specs for that money.

The shiny case and OSX make up for a lot, but there's a limit to what people will bear.

Re: Mac Pro gets half-assed “update”

#110

Post by dockd »

beedogs wrote: post #106
forrestthewoods wrote: post #29

Our sound guy is PISSED at the lack of update. Seriously, incredibly pissed. I've honestly never seen him this angry before. He'd been counting down the days till WWDC and a long overdue update. There are three major pieces of software he uses on his Mac that he swears by. It sounds like they have all just released or are about to release Windows versions. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a trend? Apple is clearly…

I say the future of desktop software is going to involve Linux, finally. Both Windows and OS X are becoming walled-garden tablet-centric shitfests.

That begs the question, what is the future of the desktop?

It's not a knock on Linux, but if the mass market moves to tablets and smartphones (not sure if you count laptops as desktops), owning the desktop is going to be like owning the mainframe market. It doesn't disappear but it's not what it once was either.

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