I wonder...

[mavericks7913]

If Apple can make a cheaper version of modular Mac Pro? Seriously, Mac mini and iMac are the only products for mid range and they are not cheap for its performance and form factor especially they are all in one products. I don't like all in one computer since I can not access and replace or upgrade my computer.

Since Apple can make their own GPU from AMD, it would be a great idea to make a cheaper version of Mac Pro so that Apple can expand and get more customers.

I just can't justify to buy Mac Pro 2019 for photography uses and yet they are advertising that Mac Pro can run Photoshop faster than Mac Pro 2013. At least they should make options for CPU from iMac Pro.

 

[redheeler]

The old Mac Pro used to target both professionals and high-end power users. The new Mac Pro is a good offering, but at this price we can pretty much rule out power users (and many home professionals as well). It will be used almost exclusively in a studio or data center setting.

For power users, Apple has repositioned the Mac mini line and added eGPU capability. The problem is that it doesn't equal the old Mac Pro (5,1) in performance or expandability.

I'd like to see the old xMac (Mac Pro mini) concept revisited. Give it an i7 or i9 processor, a couple of PCIe / SATA slots, desktop graphics, and a $1999 starting price tag with modest SSD and RAM (256 GB, 16 GB).

 

[mavericks7913]

The old Mac Pro used to target both professionals and high-end power users. The new Mac Pro is a good offering, but at this price we can pretty much rule out power users (and many home professionals as well). It will be used almost exclusively in a studio or data center setting.

For power users, Apple has repositioned the Mac mini line and added eGPU capability. The problem is that it doesn't equal the old Mac Pro (5,1) in performance or expandability.

I'd like to see the old xMac (Mac Pro mini) concept revisited. Give it an i7 or i9 processor, a couple of PCIe / SATA slots, desktop graphics, and a $1999 starting price tag with modest SSD and RAM (256 GB, 16 GB).

Or just use Mac Pro 2019 case with mid range parts that iMac uses. Both iMac and Mac mini are over priced compared to its performance and cooling system.

 

[redheeler]

Or just use Mac Pro 2019 case with mid range parts that iMac uses. Both iMac and Mac mini are over priced compared to its performance and cooling system.

The Mac mini is a little bit overpriced because Apple chose to put a low-end i3 into a power user Mac instead of starting it at an i5. This is an easy fix, but we probably won't see it from Apple.

Much of the 27" iMac's value is in the 5K screen. As much as I like the xMac concept (or low-end Mac Pro with consumer-grade components), no reasonably-priced Apple 5K screen to pair with it is a real problem.

 

[macjunk(ie)]

Perhaps with time they might introduce Mac Pro configs with cheaper CPU options? At the moment, it looks like the CPU's cost is a major contributor to high cost of the new Mac Pro.

 

[fhturner]

Or just use Mac Pro 2019 case with mid range parts that iMac uses.

Yes. This. Or even "prosumer"-level iMac Pro parts. Somehow they managed to get 8 Xeon cores, 4x the storage, a more powerful GPU, AND a 5K display in there for $1000 less...
[doublepost=1559612468][/doublepost]

Perhaps with time they might introduce Mac Pro configs with cheaper CPU options? At the moment, it looks like the CPU's cost is a major contributor to high cost of the new Mac Pro.

Agreed. I arrived at this same assessment on another thread when looking at HP's costs for similar CPU options in the Z8 workstations:

...the closest two CPUs appear to be the Xeon Gold 6134 (3.2GHz 8-core, 3.7GHz Turbo, 24.75MB cache) and Gold 6144 (3.5GHz 8-core, 4.2GHz Turbo, 24.75MB cache). Both of these appear to be enormously expensive, so it's looking to me like the CPU is what's causing this giant price tag on the new Mac Pro.

If you look at the price of a 2nd one of these in the Z8 (shame Mac Pro only has 1 socket...) to get an idea of its "raw" price— rather than upgrade price from base CPU— you get $4520 and $5920, respectively. I have no idea why a modestly clocked 8-core CPU should cost so much (massive PCIe bandwidth? ECC memory channels? cache?), but I guess I'll start looking into that. Further, I don't understand why we cannot *also* have the great expansion and configurability of this impressive Mac Pro redesign, coupled w/ processors that are less stratospheric in price.​

 

[mavericks7913]

Yes. This. Or even "prosumer"-level iMac Pro parts. Somehow they managed to get 8 Xeon cores, 4x the storage, a more powerful GPU, AND a 5K display in there for $1000 less...
[doublepost=1559612468][/doublepost]

Agreed. I arrived at this same assessment on another thread when looking at HP's costs for similar CPU options in the Z8 workstations:

...the closest two CPUs appear to be the Xeon Gold 6134 (3.2GHz 8-core, 3.7GHz Turbo, 24.75MB cache) and Gold 6144 (3.5GHz 8-core, 4.2GHz Turbo, 24.75MB cache). Both of these appear to be enormously expensive, so it's looking to me like the CPU is what's causing this giant price tag on the new Mac Pro.

If you look at the price of a 2nd one of these in the Z8 (shame Mac Pro only has 1 socket...) to get an idea of its "raw" price— rather than upgrade price from base CPU— you get $4520 and $5920, respectively. I have no idea why a modestly clocked 8-core CPU should cost so much (massive PCIe bandwidth? ECC memory channels? cache?), but I guess I'll start looking into that. Further, I don't understand why we cannot *also* have the great expansion and configurability of this impressive Mac Pro redesign, coupled w/ processors that are less stratospheric in price.​

Mac Pro 2019 is for the highest performance like video, 3D, VFX, and more.

But the problem is there are few professional works which does not require that high spec such as photography, 2D, design, illustrate, and more. At this point, Apple just abandoned those professionals because they also want a modular Mac computer, not like Mac mini or iMac.

As a photographer, Im quite disappointed with Mac Pro since they are NOT modular and upgradable for 2D professional works.

 

[BB8]

This has always been how Apple segments their market, so it comes to no surprise, but I don't understand why they don't offer the same/similar chassis with consumer parts in the 3-4k range? Is the fear that it will consume mac mini/iMac Pro sales? Or is that they can make more money selling Xeons and ECC memory to whales who don't actually need those features? (hello YouTube)

and please... no more comments about EGPUs. EGPUs are garbage... and why does Apple want to sell awful third party EGPU chassis anyway instead of just offering more configs in the Mac Pro?

 

[mavericks7913]

This has always been how Apple segments their market, so it comes to no surprise, but I don't understand why they don't offer the same/similar chassis with consumer parts in the 3-4k range? Is the fear that it will consume mac mini/iMac Pro sales? Or is that they can make more money selling Xeons and ECC memory to whales who don't actually need those features? (hello YouTube)

and please... no more comments about EGPUs. EGPUs are garbage... and why does Apple want to sell awful third party EGPU chassis anyway instead of just offering more configs in the Mac Pro?

True.

We need a mid-range Mac Pro for 2D professionals. iMac Pro cant replaces it because it's all in one computer.

 

[curmudgeonette]

At least they should make options for CPU from iMac Pro.

Why? According to leaked prices, Cascade Lake W series CPUs cost less than similar Sky Lake W series CPUs as used in the iMac Pro:

Cores Sky Cascade
08 $1113 $749
10 $1440 -n/a-
12 -n/a- $1398
14 $1947 -n/a-
16 -n/a- $1999
18 $2553 -n/a-
24 -n/a- $3349
28 -n/a- $4449

 

[Razzerman]

I'd like to see the old xMac (Mac Pro mini) concept revisited. Give it an i7 or i9 processor, a couple of PCIe / SATA slots, desktop graphics, and a $1999 starting price tag with modest SSD and RAM (256 GB, 16 GB)

That'd be lovely- even with an extra$1k on top it would be okay. But it won't happen because 1) Apple want that group of users to go the imac route and 2) it would upset the elitist jer....err..professional market too much.

 

[bsbeamer]

There has always been at least a smaller user base desiring a machine somewhere between the MacMini and MacPro. I'll say a "normal" desktop model with single CPU, maybe 4-6 RAM slots, 2-4 PCIe slots, 2 SSD slots and overall less expandability. This is the group that initially went hackintosh.

Apple wants these people on iMac/iMacPro. Maybe with the new monitor we'll eventually see stackable/expandable MacMini modules to cater to this crowd in some fashion? I'm on MP5,1 that has been almost max upgraded from original purchase. If I'm in on MP7,1 will likely be doing the same plan over time.

 

[mavericks7913]

Why? According to leaked prices, Cascade Lake W series CPUs cost less than similar Sky Lake W series CPUs as used in the iMac Pro:

Cores Sky Cascade
08 $1113 $749
10 $1440 -n/a-
12 -n/a- $1398
14 $1947 -n/a-
16 -n/a- $1999
18 $2553 -n/a-
24 -n/a- $3349
28 -n/a- $4449

Those are newer versions. The clock speed can be faster like i9-9900KS.