Clovertown CPU price.

[Gurutech]

Intel Clovertown Xeon Processor

X5355 2.66GHz 1333MHz 8MB $1172
E5345 2.33GHz 1333MHz 8MB $851
E5320 1.86GHz 1066MHz 8MB $690
E5310 1.60GHz 1066MHz 8MB $455

per / 1000 cpu purchased

from
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=4253

Wow.

Here is the current price of Woodcrest...
* Xeon DP 5110: 1.60 GHz, FSB1066, 4 MB L2 cache, $209
* Xeon DP 5120: 1.86 GHz, FSB1066, 4 MB L2 cache, $256
* Xeon DP 5130: 2.00 GHz, FSB1333, 4 MB L2 cache, $316
* Xeon DP 5140: 2.33 GHz, FSB1333, 4 MB L2 cache, $455
* Xeon DP 5150: 2.66 GHz, FSB1333, 4 MB L2 cache, $690
* Xeon DP 5160: 3.00 GHz, FSB1333, 4 MB L2 cache, $851

So I guess the price of MP won't be affected by that much.

 

[Umbongo]

Well Clovertown isn't a replacement for Woodcrest, so I'd expect to see prices remain the same for a while, but with Apple perhaps offering the 2.66ghz clovertown model for an extra $1000-$1500. Assuming the current 3Ghz upgrade comes down in price, otherwise perhaps even more.

 

[Krevnik]

Well Clovertown isn't a replacement for Woodcrest, so I'd expect to see prices remain the same for a while, but with Apple perhaps offering the 2.66ghz clovertown model for an extra $1000-$1500. Assuming the current 3Ghz upgrade comes down in price, otherwise perhaps even more.

Depending on how the chip prices change when Clovertown hits, I would expect Apple to jump on the chip in the entire Mac Pro line. HOWEVER, don't expect a multi-proc setup in their low end. But, a Quad-core 2.66Ghz model could be sold for up to 100$ cheaper without affecting the profit if these numbers hold. The high end could be an 8-core system for similar mark-ups that you describe, while watching the quad-core systems drop in price (and maybe have the 3Ghz disappear for awhile).

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

Looks like their line up will go to something like this:

2.33 Ghz Quad
2.66 Ghz Quad
2.66 Ghz Octo

 

[Umbongo]

Depending on how the chip prices change when Clovertown hits, I would expect Apple to jump on the chip in the entire Mac Pro line. HOWEVER, don't expect a multi-proc setup in their low end. But, a Quad-core 2.66Ghz model could be sold for up to 100$ cheaper without affecting the profit if these numbers hold. The high end could be an 8-core system for similar mark-ups that you describe, while watching the quad-core systems drop in price (and maybe have the 3Ghz disappear for awhile).

I'm wondering if single socket clovertowns will support 16GB of RAM still, I'd assume so, but I've not seen anything about it. The 3Ghz going away is also an odd one because obviously there are still going to be many applications that benifit heavily from speed/power as opposed to slower multiple cores for years to come. I'm sure Apple won't want to be producing two logicboards either.

Although can you just run a dual socket logicboard with 1 processor in? I'm unsure. I know I've read before through spec sheets that say "supports up to two processors".

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

I'm wondering if single socket clovertowns will support 16GB of RAM still, I'd assume so, but I've not seen anything about it. The 3Ghz going away is also an odd one because obviously there are still going to be many applications that benifit heavily from speed/power as opposed to slower multiple cores for years to come.

Apple have dumped a faster processor before for more cores. Remember when the top spec PowerMac G5 was a dual 2.7Ghz machine? It got replaced by the quad 2.5Ghz G5 machine. The 2.7Ghz dual G5 is still the fastest Mac for Photoshop work in OS X since OS X is only optimised for dual processor machines.

I'm sure Apple won't want to be producing two logicboards either.

Although can you just run a dual socket logicboard with 1 processor in? I'm unsure. I know I've read before through spec sheets that say "supports up to two processors".

Yes you can, well you usually can at least. This is basically what Apple did in the non quad Powermacs that were on sale at the same time as the quad machine, they had dual core single processors but the logic boards were essentially the same if I remember correctly.
I don't see Apple jumping on the new processors until there's a slightly faster version so that they don't lose the 3Ghz speed that has been talked about for years. They could quite conceivably silently change the 2.66Ghz machine to only use one quad cored processor to save on costs though.

 

[Krevnik]

16GB RAM support is because of: the board chipset, and the 64-bit-ness of the CPU. One processor would still be able to see 16GB of RAM.

Clovertown is a drop-in replacement for Woodcrest (Arstechnica ran an 8-core Mac Pro using sample chips a short while back), and the Mac Pro has been run with a single CPU as well.

I can't see why they wouldn't move to Clovertown if it saves money at the same clock-speed.

 

[Umbongo]

Thanks for answering my questions on the subject guys.

 

[DeadSirius]

I know that the unofficial test showed that swapping out the Mac Pro processors worked fine. But is it a realistic expectation for current Mac Pro owners that they could upgrade to octo-cores for the price of the Cloverton chips only?

 

[Krevnik]

Supported by Apple? Probably not. Realistic? I think so. That is if you are comfortable with replacing thermal paste on the heat sinks and popping CPUs out of their sockets on PCs.

Although the cost is gonna be pretty steep to go 8-core... 2500$ or more.

 

[gnasher729]

Intel Clovertown Xeon Processor

X5355 2.66GHz 1333MHz 8MB $1172
E5345 2.33GHz 1333MHz 8MB $851
E5320 1.86GHz 1066MHz 8MB $690
E5310 1.60GHz 1066MHz 8MB $455

per / 1000 cpu purchased

Very interesting indeed.

So Clovertown costs roughly twice as much as Woodcrest at the same speed, which is ok since it has four cores instead of two cores. A single Clovertown would not be quite as fast as two Woodcrests at the same speed, because two Woodcrests have two frontside buses connecting to memory, were a single Clovertown has only one.

But what is really interesting is replacing Woodcrests with Clovertown at lower clockrate. For example, 2.33 GHz Clovertown costs the same as 3.00 GHz Woodcrest. Apple could sell a MacPro with 8 x 2.33 GHz for exactly the same price as 4 x 3.00 GHz. Software that uses eight cores would be 55 percent faster at the same price. Software that uses four cores only would be 22 percent slower. I guess software developers have to do some extra work.

 

[Mackeyser]

that's why it won't happen

I think we WILL see Cloverton's moving into the server space. However, Apple isn't gonna migrate chips after LESS than a year. Ain't gonna happen. They just started shipping in August and the Woodcrests are due for a speed bump to 3.33 GHz.

As well, Apple is sensitive that while Leopard will open up the whole Mac OS ecosystem to 64bit goodness, the developers will have to multithread everything for their users to SEE the improvement.

That said, I can't see Apple moving to a slower clock unless they can SHOW to customers that there are enough multi-threaded apps to justify the extra cores. I mean they absolutely would be smashed if most of the apps simply went SLOWER on the Cloverton Mac Pro if they launched it and that's exactly the way it would be now.

And sure, some folks will get all geeked and drop in a pair of Clovertowns and within certain apps, it will scream. Mostly it will be a little slower. Worth the extra to "mod" your Mac? Not for me, but then if I had an extra $2500 bucks, I'd get an extra 30" ACD and buy some software...

 

[Krevnik]

I think we WILL see Cloverton's moving into the server space. However, Apple isn't gonna migrate chips after LESS than a year. Ain't gonna happen. They just started shipping in August and the Woodcrests are due for a speed bump to 3.33 GHz.

Apple migrated the iMac to the Core 2 Duo in 8 months, and I don't see why Apple /wouldn't/ migrate at least the lower end to Clovertowns /if/ it saves them money for the same configuration. If they want to remain competitive in this particular space, they will need to migrate more rapidly than they have in the past with the G5s.

 

[Mackeyser]

doesn't make sense

It will take more than a year for the preponderance of applications to become multi-threaded. Until then, the Clovertowns will be SLOWER in a 4 core, 2.4 GHz configuration than the dual Woodcrests at 2.66.

As well, Steve Jobs has been very careful NOT to alienate his powerusers in this transition. People may not sweat that iMacs get an upgraded processor, but folks spending more than 3 grand don't want to feel as if the way it is now, the best deal is to wait a few months because Apple is on a constant upgrade cycle.

Granted, the updates will be faster than the PPC cycle was, but an Xserve migration to Clovertown makes TONS more sense because none of the apps needs to be multithreaded. The extra cores just means more "servers" (QTSS, FileMaker, Mac OS X Server) can run simultaneously without sharing a processor.

If I were betting real money, it would be Clovertowns in a dual config (8 cores) in the Xserve and another chip sometime after August. In the mean time, the Woodcrests are likely to see a speed bump AFTER MWSF.

Jmho, of course. I'm not Carnac or anything...

 

[Krevnik]

It will take more than a year for the preponderance of applications to become multi-threaded. Until then, the Clovertowns will be SLOWER in a 4 core, 2.4 GHz configuration than the dual Woodcrests at 2.66.

Look at the pricing above... it is scaling up to 2.66Ghz. It does make sense to move over to Clovertowns when the price for a 2.66Ghz Clovertown is less than the price for two 2.66Ghz Woodcrests.

You could also offer a 2.33Ghz Clovertown for a mild markup on two 2.0Ghz Woodcrests. I am not saying that the Mac Pro should be going 8-core so quickly, I am saying that the cost benefits of moving from two Woodcrests to a single Clovertown at the same speed allows Apple to offer more competitive pricing with the Mac Pro.

 

[Sun Baked]

16GB, I hope NOT ...

Considering the current chipset maxes out at 32GB using the 4GB FB-DIMMs.

 

[ammon]

Quad mini?

Wow those are expensive! I was hoping to get a couple 2.66 Clovertowns to replace my current 2.66 Woodcrest. Guess that won't be happening!

I wonder if the Kentsfield will be compatible with the Mac Mini???

Imagine a Mini with 2.13 GHz Quad cores! Now that would make a nice render farm!!!

$599 + 690 = ~$1300

I could have two Quad core Minis for the same price I paid for my Mac Pro. That would give me almost double the horse power for the same price. Hmmm... I guess its a good thing I got the x1900XT. Can't put one of those in a Mac Mini!

(I know the Mini has a slow HD, isn't expandable, et, but for a render farm all you need is the CPU!)

 

[Pressure]

Wow those are expensive! I was hoping to get a couple 2.66 Clovertowns to replace my current 2.66 Woodcrest. Guess that won't be happening!

I wonder if the Kentsfield will be compatible with the Mac Mini???

Imagine a Mini with 2.13 GHz Quad cores! Now that would make a nice render farm!!!

To put it short, no.

The Kentsfield is socket 775 or socket T, while the Mac Mini uses Socket 479 and mobile processors.

 

[ammon]

To put it short, no.

The Kentsfield is socket 775 or socket T, while the Mac Mini uses Socket 479 and mobile processors.

Rats! Guess I better wait until they update the Mini before I go and purchase one!

Of course, by the time I can afford one they will probably already be quad core...