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Mac Pro

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Re: Mac Pro

#291

Post by snarkyturtle »

ansimionescu wrote: post #71

I love watching people moan about this yet unreleased product. I think the new Mac Pro episode will resemble the iPad one - lots of "ohemgee it's like just a bigger ipod, lol, how stupid do they think we are, kthx?" reactions, when in fact this product will probably push a new paradigm shift in the way workstations are built i.e. moving away from the plastic pieces of shit ubiquitously sold now. Seriously, I dare you…

It's not going to change anything. For awhile now, they've been constantly shrinking and slimming their Mac Mini and iMac line and until today it looked like that's what they were focusing on in terms of desktop. It's always been a choice of a compact fully-configured iMac or a bulky cheaper, configurable PC tower and the towers didn't go anywhere. Now they're taking away the configurable part of the Mac Pro, so there are even more people who'll move to PC towers from their outdated last-gen Mac Pro.

Re: Mac Pro

#292

Post by rickmode »

sliverstorm wrote: post #246
Shivetya wrote: post #225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

nah, dyson fans have used similar bases for years. I kid, I kid. Honestly though I do not care for an integrated "pro" machine. This is form over function. Fail a component and its off to the shop. Combined with, if I want to upgrade them I need to replace the unit. If they are going to integrate everything then they need to drop the price. Integration implies lower costs as having all the support needed to drive use…

This is form over function. Exactly why I'm not taking it seriously. What does form do for a power desktop? Nothing. I put my desktop under my desk. I can't see it. I have to stoop to reach the power button. I'm not going to say there's absolutely no use for form in any desktop, but IMO it's practically the number one least important feature of a power desktop/workhorse.

To me this looks like an example of Apple's craftsmanship in depth where quality and elegance can be seen at multiple levels, from the case to the internal hardware to the OS and its APIs.

Certainly one can find flaws, but compared to a typical Windows machine Apple has more craftsmanship (in my opinion). Windows exhibits more of the "just get it done" utilitarian idea.

Re: Mac Pro

#293

Post by assholesRppl2 »

How has nobody mentioned its size? I freaked out when I guesstimated 6.6 inches in diameter and 9.9 inches in height.

Size doesn't matter, but that's some astounding cramwork.

Re: Mac Pro

#294

Post by stormbrew »

astrodust wrote: post #278
fuzzywalrus wrote: post #125

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed, I've been using the same Mac Pro since 2008. I bought an ATI Radeon 6970 around a year or so ago and extended its life that much more. For most of my computer's life, its had a PCIe eSATA card. I can't say I'm too excited about a computer that's relegated to an much more expensive Mac Mini.

The idea here is any video card you might want you can just plug in to a Thunderbolt 2 port. Six of those, which can be chained, is way better than having four internal slots.

So on top of the almost-certainly really expensive Mac Pro, you now also need to get the really expensive PCIe expansion enclosure on top of it? Or did I miss nvidia or ati making thunderbolt video cards?

This is why the idea that this makes sense for professional users is silly. It's just asking them to spend a lot more money for something that's been possible with standard case designs for decades. The old Mac Pro was already a bit silly with its chassis that seemed designed to survive a car crash, but this one just takes the cake.

The cooling system design is innovative and interesting on its own, but this continues the trend of the Mac Pro being a check box for Apple instead of a real product.

Re: Mac Pro

#295

Post by seltzered_ »

grecy wrote: post #282

Some pictures coming out are extremely interesting. This one seems to show the the "CPU board" with the single CPU, and RAM on each side... OK http://cdn.arstechnica.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/proces... This one shows the two "GPU cards" - notice the one on the right has a white connector, bottom middle, which is for the SSD. Otherwise, they are almost identical (I see slightly different components at the top) ht…

And "there's a bus for that" if you want anything else. (referring to thunderbolt 2.0)

Re: Mac Pro

#296

Post by Fomite »

I actually think this is a "Pro" machine - just the definition of "Pro" has narrowed to someone who does visual design work (FirePros instead of a more general purpose/off-the-shelf solution that can be swapped out for something specialized) and has large enough storage needs that they've probably got an external drive enclosure or NAS already (only the SSD for internal storage).

Unfortunately, that narrower version doesn't fit me. But since "Scientists" weren't mentioned in the litany of users of the Mac Pro, and apple.com/science is a 404 page now (which was better than the Leopard-era page that came before it talking about the innovative Workgroup Cluster), I suppose I shouldn't be surprised.

Re: Mac Pro

#297

Post by potatolicious »

untog wrote: post #280
tailrecursion wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree. Apple has used the geometry of the device to assist more with cooling, and shares the heat sink among components, and uses one large slow fan. This kind of thing really pushes my buttons. It's 10" high, which is unexpectedly compact. It seems like the designers have chosen a shape to maximize use of space. I'm sure it isn't the only way to go but it's a wonderful next step. Again Apple has shown us what we w…

It's 10" high, which is unexpectedly compact. But at what cost? Everyone likes to bash big box PCs but the fact is that every single component of one can be swapped out for another. Something tells me that won't be the case for the Mac Pro, and when all it's going to do is sit under my desk, I can afford to have it be a little less compact.

You're not the target audience. Notice the demo apps for the Mac Pro during the keynote: Final Cut Pro. The Mac Pro is not, and will not, be a developer's machine (though it could be).

There's the overall computing market, which overwhelmingly favors laptops. A subset of this market desires powerful desktop computers. An even smaller subset desires a self-serviceable desktop computer.

For everyone else, particularly people who who use these machines to make a living and are not overly technical (and have no real reason to be), a Mac Pro with a good support contract attached is far more valuable than one they can open and tinker with.

I think this particular point is overblown. Everywhere I look developers have overwhelmingly switched to MacBooks to little ill effect - machines that are far less expandable and less maintainable than these Mac Pros. It turns out that, if you use these machines to make money, it makes a lot more sense to let Apple take care of problems than to roll up your shirt.

Doubly so if you can't tell the front of a DIMM from the back.

Developers will continue buying MacBook Pros in droves. The Mac Pro is overwhelmingly a media machine.

Re: Mac Pro

#298

Post by mahyarm »

It will be very frustrating if they don't make a dual coy socket version. If you do iOS development and large compiled code bases, a mac pro is the best you have. Hackintoshes waste your time in other ways.

Re: Mac Pro

#300

Post by anthonyb »

mojuba wrote: post #130
ansimionescu wrote: post #71

I love watching people moan about this yet unreleased product. I think the new Mac Pro episode will resemble the iPad one - lots of "ohemgee it's like just a bigger ipod, lol, how stupid do they think we are, kthx?" reactions, when in fact this product will probably push a new paradigm shift in the way workstations are built i.e. moving away from the plastic pieces of shit ubiquitously sold now. Seriously, I dare you…

Curiously, my first association was "jet engine", was amused to learn that to many it's a trash can. Am I the only one whose breath was taken away by this new design? Power desktop seriously revisited for the first time since the 80's, anyone?

Except that they have the fan backwards - suck air up from the floor... along with all of the dust and crap.

Unless you're supposed to have this on your desk to show it off. I suppose that wouldn't be unusual...

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