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IT Apple Launches the Mac Pro
Tuan Nguyen (Blog) - August 7, 2006 1:08 PM
Print E-mail del.icio.us 51 comment(s) - last by gudodayn.. on Aug 9 at 9:23 PM
Apple's flagship desktop uses a pair of Intel Xeon DP processors

Apple today announced its new Intel-based line of desktop computers. Called the Mac Pro, Apple's new desktops have been a long wait for many. The new computers are what many consider to be the catalyst that will boost development of Apple x86 software to a whole new level. Many of the world's top designers and artists develop their work on Apple's desktops and with the new technology that's inside these machines, the performance of Apple's desktops will leap to a new level.

Based on Intel Woodcrest Xeon DP processors, the new Mac Pro desktops are multi-core, multi-processor systems. At first, it was predicted that Apple would use Intel's Core 2 Duo processors but Core 2 Duo processors are not capable of operating in SMP mode. Apple's previous desktops based on the G5 processor used two dual-core processors and thus living up to that expecation required the skip over Core 2. DailyTech covered Intel's Xeon DP processors earlier this month. The processors currently top out at 3.0GHz and all of them come with 4MB of L2 cache. The rest of the Mac Pro is equally advanced:
  • Processor: Intel Xeon DP processor up to 3.0GHz
  • Each Mac Pro comes with dual processors
  • Memory: Up to 16GB of DDR2 FB-DIMM memory
  • Graphics: Up to NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 512MB
  • Storage: Up to 2TB of SATA storage
  • 4 PCIe slots
New to the Mac Pro desktops is the ability for single PCIe x16 graphics cards. The new Mac Pro desktops can be equipped with Fibre Channel controllers as well as other SCSI options. The desktops come with twin GigE Ethernet ports and built in AirPort for connecting to 802.11b/g networks and Bluetooth connectivity. The Mac Pro desktops are also fully equipped with Apple's usual assortment of ports and connectors: FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, analog audio jacks and optical digital audio jacks.

Despite all the new technology crammed into the Mac Pro, Apple's design team has yet again produced a machine that's very well thought out on the inside as much as it is on the outside. Internal air cooling is well thought out and the Mac Pro comes with no less than six low-RPM high volume fans. Components are well cooled and with a flip of a lever, they are easily accessable for upgrades and adjustments.

Over the past several months, Apple has been releasing its product transitions at a steady pace, first with the iMac and then the Mac mini. The new Mac Pro desktops complete Apple's consumer line of computers according to its press release, is available immediately. If Apple's new Mac Pro turns out to be what many have been hoping for, it could be one of the most powerful and promising computers Apple has launched -- and it runs both OS X and Windows.

The new Mac Pro starts at $2499 and comes with a base configuration of:
  • Two 2.6GHz Xeon Processors
  • 1GB of RAM
  • NVIDIA GeForce 7300GT 256MB
  • 250GB hard drive
  • Superdrive
The new Mac Pro desktops start shipping today.

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Still standard to expensive from apple.
By imaheadcase on 8/7/2006 2:39:27 PM , Rating: 1
To expensive still, maybe i would get a desire to try a mac if i could not build 2 PC for same price with equal performance




RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By bozilla on 8/7/06, Rating: 0
By imaheadcase on 8/7/2006 4:35:10 PM , Rating: 2
Mmm im not trolling, im just stating facts. Its true today as it has always been.

Did not know posting some fact is now called trolling. lol


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By aliasfox on 8/7/2006 2:46:44 PM , Rating: 3
Until you check Newegg and see that each 2.66 GHz Woodcrest is $761 and Apple's using two of them in the $2500 model - sure, you could save some money by building it yourself, but by the time you get a nice case, PSU, and a legal copy of Windows (not to mention the other stuff that adds up after a while - motherboard, optical drive, RAM, entry level GPU, hard drive), you're not too far off in terms of price.

Sure it's more expensive than building it yourself - but for a pre-built machine, it's not too shabby.


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By CU on 8/7/2006 3:26:47 PM , Rating: 2
True, but it should be way cheaper than you can build it for. They can buy in bulk and get special discounts from Intel, ATI, etc. Not a real comparisions, but you cannot build a computer cheaper than some of DELL's low end machines. Not sure about their high ends.


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By rrsurfer1 on 8/7/2006 4:01:15 PM , Rating: 2
They get discounts, sure. But a lot of engineering goes into designing the case/cooling system and ensuring everything works well together. Those engineers don't work for free :)


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By CU on 8/7/2006 4:10:31 PM , Rating: 2
And the engineers that design cases sold by Newegg do?


By CU on 8/7/2006 4:10:49 PM , Rating: 2
Or Dell?


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By TK2K on 8/7/2006 4:04:06 PM , Rating: 1
you know nothing. end of story.

the mac pro is about $900 less then an equivilent dell. look it up for yourself.

orly? build me two computers with equal specifications that run as quietly as a mac pro does, and ill buy them.

oh, and they have to run os x flawlessly.

oh, and support sleep mode. sorry, you cant do that, since its hardware controled.



RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By CU on 8/7/2006 4:09:08 PM , Rating: 2
I said I was not sure about the high end, so why bring up the Mac Pro (Apples high end.) Oh, and the last PC I built runs XP fine, and supports sleep mode. It would run OSX also if Apple would release it for everyone instead of just their computers.


By plinden on 8/7/2006 4:27:04 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
I said I was not sure about the high end, so why bring up the Mac Pro (Apples high end.)


Because this is an article about Apple's highend (Mac Pro)? And the original comment was that he could build two PCs with equivalent performance for the price of the Mac Pro?

Show us the config and pricing for a configurable PC that's quad core (2xXeon) 2.6GHz, quad SLI support, 1GB - 16GB RAM, up to 4x500GB HDs.

I'm sure you could build it for slightly less, but there's little of the "Apple premium" here, considering it costs considerably less than Dell's or HP's offerings.


By ShapeGSX on 8/7/2006 4:23:37 PM , Rating: 2
Huh? Are you under the impression that home built PCs don't work with sleep mode?

My home-built PC works great with S3 sleep mode. Hell, Windows Media Center even wakes the computer up automatically and seamlessly to record high definition TV shows for me. After it is done, it goes right back to sleep.


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By aliasfox on 8/7/2006 4:31:31 PM , Rating: 4
Actually, in terms of economics, it really shouldn't be cheaper than you can build it for. It really isn't the cost of the components to Apple (or Dell or etc) that should set the market price, but the value of the end product to the consumer.

If the value (to the consumer) of the product is greater than the price of the product, then the product will sell. Obviously, anything that's successful on an open market has to adhere to this rule. And considering everyone is drooling over Core 2 Duo and many people are anxious to get their hands on it, one would assume that the value of Core 2 Duo is greater than the price that's being charged.

So if someone finds value in the end product (a functional Core 2 Duo machine), it stands to reason that a similar consumer (looking for a workstation product) would pay a similar price for the hardware. In addition, they would conceivably find value in not having to order individual components, assembly, and someplace to call when something goes wrong.

Therefore, a prebuilt computer with similar specifications to a legally home built machine should be at least as, if not somewhat more, expensive than the home built. At least, from a strict economics standpoint.

Of course, there are also people who value the process of picking out each individual component and putting it all together, so that may be a different argument for saying that prebuilt machines should be less expensive because they deprive the end user of the joy of assembly. However, as niche markets go, you have to admit that the number of people who prefer to put stuff into a case is far outweighed by the number of people who just want to pull it out of the box, plug it in, and turn it on.


RE: Still standard to expensive from apple.
By JCheng on 8/7/2006 7:04:03 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
It really isn't the cost of the components to Apple (or Dell or etc) that should set the market price, but the value of the end product to the consumer.


Only in a monopoly, or price fixing. In a free market where competitors are selling goods that are perfect substitutes for each other, the selling price will tend toward the cost.

It makes intuitive sense--or else why wouldn't one of those companies price their products $1 cheaper than the others, and capture 100% of the market?


By aliasfox on 8/7/2006 11:20:50 PM , Rating: 2
Technically yes, but considering the computer market is neither a true monopoly (though it may seem that way with Intel taking ~70% of the processor market and Microsoft taking over 90% on each the OS and productivity software markets) nor an industry with perfect competition, we won't see a sale price equal to marginal cost, especially since Apple wants to be viewed as a purveyor of quality computers (but we won't go there for now).

So it's still relatively fair to charge what a substitute would cost (in this case, a home built machine), plus what the company feels is fair cost for assembly, warranty, and name brand recognition, especially if the demand curve for a premium computer (premium Apple, in this case) is relatively inelastic - most of you wouldn't purchase the machine if it were $1999 as opposed to $2499, and graphics/recording houses would still probably purchase one if it were priced at $2999.

Hell, the clothing industry is far more "perfect" in terms of competition, but I have yet to see a quality pair of jeans for $20 - let alone $10, which should be more than enough to cover materials, labor, packaging, and transportation.


By psychobriggsy on 8/8/2006 12:00:55 PM , Rating: 2
Your issue is that Apple don't offer a headless expandable unit, they offer headless integrated SFF units - the Mac Mini - at an excellent competitive price (for the form factor), and they offer headless workstations - the Mac Pro - at an excellent competitive price.

They don't offer headless home computers. They need a $999 - $1499 Conroe based single-processor computer, 4 (hell, 2 would suffice) DDR2 slots, PCIe x16 graphics slot (or two, for SLI), 250GB HD. It could be in a smaller version of the Mac Pro case - maybe some kind of bastard offspring of a Shuttle case and a Mac Pro case.

However for many people, this "Mac" would suffice instead of the Mac Pro. Guess that's why Apple don't offer it.


I suppose...
By epsilonparadox on 8/7/2006 1:23:48 PM , Rating: 2
in six months this mac pro dual processor/dual core config will be replaced by the kentsfield or the clovertown?




RE: I suppose...
By TK2K on 8/7/2006 1:58:21 PM , Rating: 2
yes, that is a given. a dual quad core version wil also come about, seeing as they are upgradeable on the fly. aka, just a bios update is needed, no socket nor chipset change.


RE: I suppose...
By epsilonparadox on 8/7/2006 2:04:23 PM , Rating: 2
is the clovertown pin compatible w/ the woodcrest?


RE: I suppose...
By TK2K on 8/7/2006 3:52:53 PM , Rating: 2
not sure, we have not seen any floating around yet, but we know the kenthsfield is