MP 7,1 Considering Mac Pro

[macinfojunkie]

I have the possibility to purchase a Mac Pro at a very advantageous price - but it is a time limited opportunity.

Currently have an 8 core iMac Pro. Thinking if upgrading to a 16 core Mac Pro.

I have a few workflows that currently don’t fully support Apple Silicon - and also thinking that bagging a final ‘high spec’ Intel Mac might not be a bad thing.

Whilst I realise nobody has any more info than that which is discussed and speculated on this forum in terms of Mac Pro AS roadmap.

CPU, Memory and fast Storage are my needs. GPU spec is nice to have so long as can drive a few 5K screens I’ll be ok.

I can’t go into the details of the deal on offer - but let's just say that discount combined with time limited tax breaks mean it will cost me <50% of sticker price in first year.

Anyone think Apple will release anything SIGNIFICANTLY faster than the 16core MP on AS within the next year?

thanks.

 

[MarkC426]

Only Apple know if anything will be released in 2021, no matter what anyone else thinks.
From the sounds of your deal, it's a no-brainer if you can get such a discount (don't know what you mean by <50% in first year, are you referring to income you will make with the machine).

 

[flowrider]

There's always something better coming along. Thing is if you're always waiting for that something better, you'll always be waiting. Get the NcMP, you'll luv it ?

Lou

 

[MarkC426]

Also a lot depends on the upgrade ability of the ASmp, if any.
It's all unknown at the minute, whether ram will all be unified, will gpu be upgradeable etc.

 

[macinfojunkie]

I mean between discount and the various tax write offs it will be effectively 1/2 price on day one.

Compared to if I purchased it (or something else) a year later. The discount and additional tax advantage won’t likely be options for me when (assuming ‘if’ is in 2022) an AS MP equivalent drops. Which would be without discount and ‘extra’ tax incentive.

 

[LeonPro]

AS will blow our minds in it's capability for CPU and GPU. The question is when are they ready to release their version of the Mac Pro.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my current Intel Mac Pro for what it's capable of doing until it's time to upgrade. You might want to do the same.

 

[macinfojunkie]

Yes it’ll be interesting to see what the AS MP can deliver. I’m sure it will be amazing when it lands.

Is there anything that Intel has which Apple could (even if it wanted to) up the spec on an intel MP in the meantime?

 

[ejbrennan]

I mean between discount and the various tax write offs it will be effectively 1/2 price on day one.

Compared to if I purchased it (or something else) a year later. The discount and additional tax advantage won’t likely be options for me when (assuming ‘if’ is in 2022) an AS MP equivalent drops. Which would be without discount and ‘extra’ tax incentive.

Genuinely curious - what tax breaks are available to you this year that you think won't be available to you next year? If you are running a small business the ability to write stuff off is always available.

 

[StuAff]

If or when Apple updates the 7,1 (Bloomberg suggested there would be another, Xeon, refresh before the final switch to AS) remains to be seen. Ice Lake Xeon (the replacement for the Cascade Lake series) is about to launch. When the workstation versions as a MP would use actually ship, and if Apple uses them, are, also, yet to be seen. If the deal is that good, then jump on it. If the refresh (or an AS version) were going to be in the next few months, there would be rumours about it already, I'd have thought…

 

[macinfojunkie]

Genuinely curious - what tax breaks are available to you this year that you think won't be available to you next year? If you are running a small business the ability to write stuff off is always available.

incentives to spend now. Govt trying to stimulate investment so allowing super deductions. So there’s a one off option. Otherwise yes as you say usual rules apply. Short term breaks equate (i think) to an extra 25% write off in 1st year.

 

[LeonPro]

Yes it’ll be interesting to see what the AS MP can deliver. I’m sure it will be amazing when it lands.

Is there anything that Intel has which Apple could (even if it wanted to) up the spec on an intel MP in the meantime?

Not if you stick with Apple as they chose PCIe 3.0 and stuck with a single Xeon.

If they only went AMD and PCIe 4.0 for the Mac Pro before the AS switch, but we can surmise they weren't willing to pour more money in R&D, tooling, etc to change platforms from Intel to AMD when they knew they were abandoning both altogether.

So really if you still want to stick with Apple and the current MP, your only choice is to get a 16c or a 28c depending if you need speed or multi-core performance based on how you will be using it on top of your chosen GPU and memory combination.

 

[StuAff]

Not if you stick with Apple as they chose PCIe 3.0 and stuck with a single Xeon.

If they only went AMD and PCIe 4.0 for the Mac Pro before the AS switch, but we can surmise they weren't willing to pour more money in R&D, tooling, etc to change platforms from Intel to AMD when they knew they were abandoning both altogether.

So really if you still want to stick with Apple and the current MP, your only choice is to get a 16c or a 28c depending if you need speed or multi-core performance based on how you will be using it on top of your chosen GPU and memory combination.

Actually, Ice Lake is PCIe 4.0- though when the W versions will be announced, let alone ship, is as yet unclear.

 

[macinfojunkie]

This is the spec I’m going for. Figure that it is not really worth upping the spec to 28cores as I don’t need the soeed today and this soec will ‘double’ performance over my iMac Pro.

The saving made by not going 28core will probably be enough to pay for (a substantial) an AS MP in 2 or 3 years time when that will quite likely outperform it by then anyway.... that’s the ‘man logic’ anyway.

Thanks everyone for the insights.

 

[StuAff]

48GB? You might want to weigh up the pros/cons of buying and adding the RAM yourself rather than paying Apple's ££££ prices for it. £141 for two 8GB sticks is half Apple's price to go to 48…
Ditto on the wheels. £375 from Apple, £230 for the OWC Rover kit- which leaves the feet in place for when you're not moving it.

 

[LeonPro]

Actually, Ice Lake is PCIe 4.0- though when the W versions will be announced, let alone ship, is as yet unclear.

Of course but not when the MP was released which they were both introduced the same quarter and as you said no W even.

 

[macinfojunkie]

48GB? You might want to weigh up the pros/cons of buying and adding the RAM yourself rather than paying Apple's ££££ prices for it. £141 for two 8GB sticks is half Apple's price to go to 48…
Ditto on the wheels. £375 from Apple, £230 for the OWC Rover kit- which leaves the feet in place for when you're not moving it.

given the short length of most TB3 cables I’m starting to rethink the usefulness and value of the wheels tbh. The memory cost jeeds to be part of the main invoice so won’t save much if that’s not the case. I currently get by with 32gb so thinking 48gb will probably be ok without too much Apple Tax. I’ll then upgrade to more down the line. But you’re right about aftermarket options overall I think. Will certainly go that route for increasing the storage.

 

[flowrider]

^^^^I have ten SSDs in mine. The OEM, which is as shipped. Six on two PCI cards and three in an internal cage.

For wheels there's always:

OWC Rover Pro Wheels Kit for Mac Pro (2019 - Current) at MacSales.com

MP19RVPWHLS OWC Rover Pro Wheels Kit for Mac Pro (2019 - Current). A tool-less, patent-pending design for adding wheels to your Mac Pro in under two minutes.

eshop.macsales.com

Lou

 

[HiVolt]

My own prediction is that the AS Mac Pro will be the last to come out.

 

[robinp]

If you’re paying ~50% of the normal price, you’ll almost certainly be able to sell it on for a similar amount second hand. Possibly more. So you might as well go for it if it will be beneficial for you in the meantime.

 

[blackadde]

Sorry if I missed this, but what exactly are you using this thing for?

 

[ScrumpyDaniel]

It's an absolute no brainer at that price if you feel it will be a significant upgrade on what you have already. You'll easily make that back in a few years when the AS MP eventually is released.

 

[casperes1996]

Is there anything that Intel has which Apple could (even if it wanted to) up the spec on an intel MP in the meantime?

Right now? Not in a meaningful way, really. Ice Lake SP is supposedly being sampled to some customers, and that would represent a meaningful upgrade, but isn't ready for end-users yet. So no, not really. The only part in the Mac Pro that is really falling behind is the GPU that isn't on the 6xxx series

 

[macinfojunkie]

Sorry if I missed this, but what exactly are you using this thing for?

running multiple VMs, photo editing, DAW. Nothing that demands all that horsepower 24/7 today - but I like to have plenty of headroom and handy to have on tap when needed. I don’t like waiting.

 

[ejbrennan]

incentives to spend now. Govt trying to stimulate investment so allowing super deductions. So there’s a one off option. Otherwise yes as you say usual rules apply. Short term breaks equate (i think) to an extra 25% write off in 1st year.

Still not getting it - you can already write off 100% - and have been able to for several years - and as far as I know that is not likely to change any time soon, using IRS Section 179 you can 'expense' up to $1 million dollars in equipment purchased in the year they are put in service, which means you can already write off 100% of any purchase in the first year.

IRS issues guidance on Section 179 expenses and Section 168(g) depreciation under Tax Cuts and Jobs Act | Internal Revenue Service

So all I am saying, if there is some special tax inventive you know about - please share the specifics with the others on this forum so we can all benefit - on the other hand if you are accelerating a purchase decision based on a misunderstanding of the tax code...then you are welcome.

 

[arock]

running multiple VMs, photo editing, DAW. Nothing that demands all that horsepower 24/7 today - but I like to have plenty of headroom and handy to have on tap when needed. I don’t like waiting.

Intel VMs won’t be possible on the AS Mac Pro when it is available. If that’s what you need, buy now.