Apple's Mac Pro replaces Power Mac [images]
updated 01:10 pm EDT, Mon August 7, 2006
Mac Pro replaces Power Mac
Apple today replaced its Power Mac line of pro desktop systems with the Mac Pro that boasts an all dual core Intel Woodcrest 64-bit CPU running at up to 3GHz with 4MB of L2 cache, as well as a 128-bit vector engine. The new Mac Pro is 1.6 to 2.1 times faster than the Power Mac G5 Quad, according to Apple, with an average real-world speed increase of 200 percent for everyday apps. The Mac Pro provides space for four hard disks because it requires less cooling than the G5-based Power Mac, offering a total possible storage capacity of 2TB. The pro system features a second optical drive, four PCI Express slots, and a double-wide graphics slot. The case design remains similar to the G5 Power Mac, with the exception of the second slot. The inside of the new Mac has been entirely redone, according to Apple, and a base configuration will ship for $2,499 (2.6GHz/256MB/SuperDrive). The company is offering "millions" of other configurations via BTO, ranging up to a dual dual-core 3GHz with 16GB of memory, 2TB of storage, and ATI Graphics x1900 or Nvidia FX4500 video capability. [Images included]
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Finally
08/07, 01:33pm reply
This is a step in the right direction
eswinson
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jul 2002
2x is a 100% increase
08/07, 01:34pm reply
Just to clarify: The increase in speed should be stated as about 100%, not 200%. A 200% increase in speed would mean three times as fast as the original, not twice. (A 0% increase means the same as the original.)
jvoskuil
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Feb 2006
beat me to it, jvoskuil
08/07, 01:42pm reply
This is the kind of error that will be made when people are rushing to post the news as quickly as possible.
In any case, I'm glad to see some nice fast chips in these things. I just hope they ship right away.
notehead
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
What?
08/07, 01:48pm reply
Two optical disk drives? Four hard disks? When I complained about that I was told that it was stupid and no one would want such a setup. Man, when is apple going to listen to the people on MacNN and not put in all these extra options. I mean, everyone wants to have external hard drives all over their desktop, right?
Gee, I hope they start defaulting these things with 1GB of RAM.
And what's next? Replaceable graphic cards on the iMacs and minis? PCI slots on them? Machines you can easily open and customize? Nah, didn't think so.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Sad...
08/07, 01:51pm reply
Macnn doesn't have it's own reporters... The specs on the machine are 256MB (vram)... not 256MB ram ram...
Ganesha
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2002
"Downgrades"
08/07, 03:16pm reply
This is the first time you've been able to "downgrade" a Power Mac in a long time (pretty sure since I bought my dual 450 MHz G4 back in 2000).
You can downgrade to two dual-core 2 GHz processors and save $300. You can jump to a 160 GB drive and save $75 more. This drops the entry-level price of a Mac Pro to $2124. With an EDU discount you can get one for under two grand: $1962. Cool.
adrew
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2002
bought mine
08/07, 03:23pm reply
Been saving my nickels a long, long time for this. Two dual-3ghz Xeon chips, baby! Logic Pro and Final Cut HD are gonna SCREAM. Hopefully I'll have it in my hands within a month.
notehead
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Speed increase
08/07, 03:30pm reply
The Real World (Final Cut Pro) speed increase should be stated as about 30%, if you could get the beta versions of the Final Cut Pro used in the testing. I wonder what it would be running real Real World versions?
Fred
thetroupe
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2001
Re: downgrades
08/07, 03:43pm reply
This is the first time you've been able to "downgrade" a Power Mac in a long time (pretty sure since I bought my dual 450 MHz G4 back in 2000). You can downgrade to two dual-core 2 GHz processors and save $300. You can jump to a 160 GB drive and save $75 more. This drops the entry-level price of a Mac Pro to $2124.
Well, not quite. You could downgrade the others if you wanted (don't get a superdrive, that kind of thing). However, considering that Apple just has one config and works off of that, you'd kinda hope that they let you downgrade.
Of course, the so-called "low-end" is apparently now $125 more then before.
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001
Re: bought mine
08/07, 03:45pm reply
Been saving my nickels a long, long time for this. Two dual-3ghz Xeon chips, baby! Logic Pro and Final Cut HD are gonna SCREAM. Hopefully I'll have it in my hands within a month.
Well, if you're saving nickels for a "Pro" mac, you do have to save for a really long time. Luckily Apple hasn't had a pro machine worth upgrading to for several years, huh?
testudo
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2001