The end of the MacPro ?

[arminw]

Rumours going around saying Apple considers dropping the MacPro !
There is a really good link to  a write up I can only support http://macperformanceguide.com/blog/2011/20111101_1-EndOfLifeMacPro.html

[Phil G]

I think the descriptor  should be Evolution of ...

When you think my Mac Mini server replacement has almost the same spec as a Mac Pro Quad + 2x 500GB HDD 8GB Ram and FW800 and Thunderbird interface 
In a package 7" Sq by 1.2" thick  at a third or less of the price of a Mac Pro

Only down side is 256MB Graphics  and 8GB RAM but I'm sure that will be addressed pretty soon

Phil

[bzb]

And what's about the PCI-Slots? Do you know how much space a good Graphics needs? Your Mac Mini is going to have a little churchtower...

[arminw]

Perhaps if there would be a Mac mini PRO with all the benefits of a tower ... The graphics are essential dealing with apps like Phocus, Photoshop , Lightroom / Apreture ..... etc... thunderbolt takes care of the external storage , but then again how many extra pieces of equipment do you want cluttering up your desk ? Also what about memory ... ? Serious work takes up at least 16 Gb !
If they do drop it that would be a slap in the face for all the Creative Pros who supported Apple when the world wasn't as green as it is for them now.

[Phil G]

Sounds like the usual marketing spoiler - scrumpers shaking the tree!  but if it results in a smaller footprint faster machine I'll be happy 

[bzb]

http://macperformanceguide.com/blog/2011/20111101_1-EndOfLifeMacPro.html

[NickT]

New MacPros are long overdue, see here:

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac_Pro

I'm not sure I could get an imac or a mini to work as my tether station, I really rely on those 4 internal drive bays and PCI slots..

[mauro risch]

If that really happens,
The price of a second hand MacPro will go Sky High.
The architecture/design of this machine is exceptionally good.
I have one quad-core for sale. Anyone?

[Monty Rakusen]

I'm really going round in circles here! I've held off buying a new machine because the new one is round the corner but that corner just seems to get farther away! (and may not be there at all).

I've got my eyes on a 3.33 6 core with SSD and 2 internal drives, lots of memory, a 5870 graphics card....this all rolls in at around 5 grand (inc Vat) which I will lease over 2 or 3 years. I have a printer lease ending so it will leave things pretty static financially.

BUT

Can I get to try this with Phocus and 286mb files? Not to save my life!
Is anyone using a machine like this? How does it perform?

I could get a comparable Imac for half the price.....so why not do that?

I'm buying old technology should I wait, although its my year end in 3 weeks.

Help

advice please!

Monty Rakusen

PS I find discussions with Apple to be completely useless.

[arminw]

Hey Monty, I am in the same boat waiting for something new on the Horizon. I am still working on a 2006 MacPro, which is fine, but it's struggling along with multitasking and graphic intense files . As you , I work on big files, in fact several hundreds of MB at the time and i can't do much except finishing one file then moving on to the next .
I got so fed up recently with the performance and went to the Pro Centre to hire one of their new 12core Mac Pros to finish a job, and gosh it was fast!  I could literally fly through all my files ... so yes it all makes a difference to have the power of the MacPro. I've tried one of the top iMacs using Aperture and it felt sluggish and slow. It's definitely a no no for me . The 6core is the one to go for but again it's just so overpriced for the technology offered .

[Dustbak]

I just bought a 12-Core 2.93ghz MacPro. I blew up my logic board when swapping the processors in my 2009 2.26Ghz MacPro so I needed a new one right away otherwise I would have waited until the updated machine was around.

The new MacPro has 48Gb of memory, I use an Areca 1880 with 4 SSD's (the new 500mb/s ones) in RAID5 as my working volume and the OS is on a separate SSD. For storage I use 4 2Tb drives in RAID0 and for backup an external 5 drive RAID5 unit. I have placed the SSD's in one of those MaxUpgrade brackets. They have a really neat solution to be able to put up to 8 SSD in the space underneath the DVD player. This way you can still put up to 4 drives into the regular drive bays.

The difference between my 2009 2.26 8-core machine and my new 2010 2.93 12-core machine is quite significant. Processing files with Phocus is significantly faster, I would say on average 50%. I open files in PS of 2GB in a second, work on them on the fly and when closing and saving it takes slightly over a second. Tests not scientifically done but when I come home and have to process several hundred of files it is done much faster. Even so that it means I get to bed at a more normal time...

Cost was around 8K excl. VAT but I decided to bite the bullit. I use this machine for several hours a day. Shaving off even minutes a day compared to the 2009 machine makes me money every day but using a lightning fast machine also makes working much more enjoyable.

If you are using anything MacPro older than the 2009 machines I would say, it is definitely worth to upgrade. Do yourself a favor and get SSD's for your OS/Applications and another (or even better a RAID) SSD for your working volume.

The earliest time the new MacPro is expected to arrive is early 2012 when the new processors are scheduled to arrive. Having the machine now means it is making me money now. Let's say it saves me 1/2 an hour a day which means it makes me on average 40Euros a day. It has earned itself back after a year (when taking into account 200 workable days).

Besides this. I have sold my 'old' 2.26MacPro (it cost me 350euros to fix the logic board BTW). Below is another reason why MacPros make you money. I bought my 2009MacPro for 2500euro excl VAT. It depreciated to 0 (or 100euros if my accountant decides to be nasty) in 3 years. On my tax returns this saved me from 875euros on payable taxes. After depreciating the machine I took it privately for the price in the books. I sold the machine privately for 1700euros. This means the machine made me 75euros after 3 years of working with it. It did not work out entirely that way since I had to do this several months to soon because I blew up the logic board (which also cost me money of course) but under 'normal' circumstances' it would have worked out that way.

This is all leaving out the joy of playing with a spanking brand new toy

I think all of this make MacPro's fairly cheap machines. I could not do without one.

[Jonno101]

Pro Centre to hire one of their new 12core Mac Pros to finish a job, and gosh it was fast!  I could literally fly through all my files ... so yes it all makes a difference to have the power of the MacPro. I've tried one of the top iMacs using Aperture and it felt sluggish and slow. It's definitely a no no for me . The 6core is the one to go for but again it's just so overpriced for the technology offered .

Thats interesting as I have a 2006 MP and hired the ProCentre 12 core MP and did intensive LR processing for 1 day and it didnt seem that lightening fast to me? Maybe double speed at tops, perhaps Im expecting too much for 5/6 years in MP evolution.

Heres waiting for new MP???

jon

[Dustbak]

Perhaps LR only uses a limited amount of cores (actually I believe it does only use about 2 of them). Phocus uses all of the available cores at most of the time which makes a world of difference. The limiting factor of the multiple cores in the MacPro is often the software not capable of using the hardware capabilities.

[Michael H. Cothran]

Considering what an H system costs, a high-end Mac seems like pocket change.
I bought an 8-core Mac Pro a year ago - it was a close-out from the previous year. Along with it I got the new 30" monitor screen.
I came from an early G4 (400MZ processor) which I bought, also as a close-out, in late 2000. I think my expectations were too high, but I was not that impressed with the difference in crunching time on the new Mac. It's certainly faster, but not THAT much faster. Others have mentioned limitations of multi-core processors, and you are probably right in your assessment. But even apps like Micorsoft Office run slow on my machine, stuttering and stammering. I personally blame Mr Gates for installing intentional glitches in made-for-Mac software. Half-kidding there.
Still, I'll always have a Mac, just as I'll always have a Hasselblad. Hopefully, I'll get as much use out of this new machine as I did from my initial G4. FWIW - it still sits on my desk, still running. Just not as much anymore.

[jonathan.lipkin]

There's been some development on the story. Apparently, Apple has been waiting for a new chip from Intel, which was released about a month ago. Hopefully Apple will develop a new MacPro around it. Coverage is here:

http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/#Mac_Pro