If they made a new Mac Pro, what would you rather have?

[slughead]

So it's been 3 years. goMac and others said we'd probably have upgraded and user-upgradeable video cards for these trash cans and obviously it costs a great deal for Apple to adapt gpus for their little guy. It's exactly as myself and others said. Also the 450watt PSU is quite limiting as well, with even dual radeon 480 GPUs being too much tpd for the strange workstation design to handle. We were also assured we'd have eGPUs by now offloading so much of our tasks over TB2 (where are you tessalator).

Well you all now know we were right: this form-factor really is a huge bummer, Thunderbolt is still overpriced and ridiculously limited, and the PCIe card makers of all kinds have scaled back or dropped mac.

So, given this information: if by chance Apple would give it another shot, would you want to try the trash can again or have a standard computer with some expandability?

 

[Flint Ironstag]

Personally I love the cylinder; it's beautiful, responsive, and silent. I hate that Apple has allowed it to languish. Slughead's criticisms are dead on - overpriced Thunderbolt and lack of eGPU really suck the joy out of this thing.

Given that ample time has passed for Thunderbolt prices to drop and eGPU to be officially supported, I will have to vote option 2 (with a few changes (dual socket CPU, 4x dual slot, and 6x TB3)).

 

[loby]

I like it too. If Apple continues to work on fixing and updating the drivers, it is all that is needed. Code Final Cut Pro X and Logic Pro X to run and process faster (streamline code-continue to rewrite for efficiency) and it is perfect.

I agree with Phil when he showed off the Mac Pro. It is beautiful and innovative. Possibly maybe only the software is where it needs to improve mostly, then "Yes" for ten years. I am in the minority in thinking of course.

 

[Murray M]

Kill the trashcan.
Please give me upgradability.

For the first time in my life I'm seriously weighing leaving Mac because their hardware is so behind PC for my 4K video editing.

I *really* don't want to switch--I"ve been with Apple since the Apple II--but Apple's lack of cost effective options is noteworthy. iIt's eye raising that I can upgrade my 2012 MP with $600 12c 3.3's and a flashed 980Ti and it performs about as good as Apple's new $9500 nMP [and no: I don't miss thunderbolt].

 

[Porco]

What's wrong with option 2 but 6 TB3 ports as well?!

I think the 'current' (lol) Mac Pro is a beautiful machine and would make for an excellent 'mini' Pro desktop with a few adjustments (and monumental price drop). But they need to bring back a more expandable machine IMHO.

My cMP should last me a few more years (if I don't do any more damage!), but I'm genuinely not sure what I'll do when it needs replacing or it's no longer supported for my needs if there isn't a better option than the 'current' Mac Pro or very similar updates to that.

 

[slughead]

What's wrong with option 2 but 6 TB3 ports as well?!

I think the 'current' (lol) Mac Pro is a beautiful machine and would make for an excellent 'mini' Pro desktop with a few adjustments (and monumental price drop). But they need to bring back a more expandable machine IMHO.

My cMP should last me a few more years (if I don't do any more damage!), but I'm genuinely not sure what I'll do when it needs replacing or it's no longer supported for my needs if there isn't a better option than the 'current' Mac Pro or very similar updates to that.

well theoretically we'd run out of PCIe Lanes to pipe into the thunderbolt ports. You get about 40 lanes per CPU. Each TB port takes 4 lanes, plus you have 8 lanes minimum per GPU (with 2 GPUs), then you need something for the remaining 2 PCIe slots. However, it's customary to have at least two 16x pcie slots though at PCIe 3.0 even the GTX 1080 doesn't even need 8x

Keep in mind also that the trash can doesn't even have enough lanes to run what it runs--it uses controllers to divvy up the bandwidth. Nobody seems to notice (unless they use 4k screens LOL)


edit: although if they just did dual CPU again this wouldn't be a freaking problem

 

[kschendel]

Trash can for me. It doesn't have to be designed without any expandability. I like the design and the silence. If suitable cMP upgrades hadn't come along at just the right time, I'd probably own one now.

I guess I'm sort of voting "both". I wouldn't mind if the cylinder were a bit larger to allow standard cards, I'm sure there's a way to do it.

 

[Thunderbird]

I'd be ok with the trash can design if they could tweak it to accommodate dual CPUs. I wish they would move the power button to the front. And I'd like to see a choice in colors e.g. black, red, cobalt blue, chrome, and rose gold.

 

[whwang]

I'd be ok with the trash can design if they could tweak it to accommodate dual CPUs.

On the same boat here. For my work, two CPUs are way more useful than two GPUs.

 

[kennyisalive]

Bring back a more upgradable design.

Which is why I'm upgrading to a custom-built PC as opposed to being at the whim of a company.

 

[lowendlinux]

If the keep the small form factor I'd like it to be square. Nothing on my desk is tube shaped or round so it looks out of place.

 

[choreo]

I have absolutely no complaints with my 2012 5,1 - wish they had kept it the same and just beefed it up. As far as "silence", mine is packed to the gills and I never hear it running - even right by my head while I work?

I don't see myself ever switching to the trash can design - have to be able to swap things out on my end.

 

[AkuskaUK]

I have absolutely no complaints with my 2012 5,1 - wish they had kept it the same and just beefed it up. As far as "silence", mine is packed to the gills and I never hear it running - even right by my head while I work?

I don't see myself ever switching to the trash can design - have to be able to swap things out on my end.

I'm using my beloved 5,1. I too wish Apple kept the design and beefed it up. I would love to see native thunderbolt and 1080's. It would be an instant buy. Being a student, money is tight... but for a 5,1 beefed and up to date? I'd sell a kidney in a heartbeat!

 

[slughead]

Impressive specs in this little guy. I'd prefer the possibility of dual GPU and dual CPU as well as some SSD:

 

[layzarc]

I'd be ok with the trash can design if they could tweak it to accommodate dual CPUs..

Ditto here on trashcan with dual CPU (and/or NVIDIA) option.

Al

 

[theluggage]

I think the 'current' (lol) Mac Pro is a beautiful machine and would make for an excellent 'mini' Pro desktop with a few adjustments (and monumental price drop).

Only where "Pro" == "Using OpenCL-optimised software that benefits from dual 'workstation-class' GPUs".

Can't fault the idea as a video editing workstation - small, quiet, small but ultra-fast "working" storage built in (video work will probably rely on external drive arrays anyway - they can live in the next room on the end of an optical thunderbolt cable)

However, in practice, that's a very narrowly-defined "sweet spot" (its almost a FCPX 'appliance') and a design that is over-dependant on Intel and AMD releasing exactly the right chips for its upgrade path.

I think Apple should revisit the xMac idea - a simple but powerful and expandable mini-tower Mac made from carefully selected, but off-the-shelf commodity PC components. 5-10 years ago, this might have decimated iMac/MacBook sales - but the PC market has changed since then. I don't think today's target buyer for a "MacBook Pro with Emoji bar" or a "5k display with a 1080p-class GPU" iMac is going to be distracted by a mini-tower option. It wouldn't have huge sales, but it would be cheap to design and produce and would help keep the "power users" - who are so disappointed with the current offerings - on board with the Mac platform, which could have huge strategic importance in the longer term.

 

[macmikerw]

Ditto here on trashcan with dual CPU (and/or NVIDIA) option.

Al

Not to mention at least 500Gb flash memory

 

[Joe The Dragon]

Only where "Pro" == "Using OpenCL-optimised software that benefits from dual 'workstation-class' GPUs".

Can't fault the idea as a video editing workstation - small, quiet, small but ultra-fast "working" storage built in (video work will probably rely on external drive arrays anyway - they can live in the next room on the end of an optical thunderbolt cable)

However, in practice, that's a very narrowly-defined "sweet spot" (its almost a FCPX 'appliance') and a design that is over-dependant on Intel and AMD releasing exactly the right chips for its upgrade path.

I think Apple should revisit the xMac idea - a simple but powerful and expandable mini-tower Mac made from carefully selected, but off-the-shelf commodity PC components. 5-10 years ago, this might have decimated iMac/MacBook sales - but the PC market has changed since then. I don't think today's target buyer for a "MacBook Pro with Emoji bar" or a "5k display with a 1080p-class GPU" iMac is going to be distracted by a mini-tower option. It wouldn't have huge sales, but it would be cheap to design and produce and would help keep the "power users" - who are so disappointed with the current offerings - on board with the Mac platform, which could have huge strategic importance in the longer term.

and it will make for an some what of a workable server system. The mini was ok till apple cut it down. The new pro very poor fit. The old pro ok but big.

 

[macmikerw]

I agree that the mini (at least to me) makes sense if only it could be configured with the kind of bench marks achieved by the 27" iMac with a good size SSD or fusion drive. After all how difficult can it be to repackage the innards of the iMac into a mini? Although by now updated processors should be achievable.

I have just read the specs on the new MacBook Pro. Wow - now if Apple were to put the innards into a small stylish box with, perhaps, a couple of USB ports it would be a lovely machine.

 

[ventricle]

but for a 5,1 beefed and up to date? I'd sell a kidney in a heartbeat!

Gimme! My beans and kidneys have been ready since 2009 it seems Apple doesn’t want ‘em.

 

[slughead]

Wow, I'm actually surprised at the poll numbers, people would rather have a slower hard drive and fewer TB ports in a form-factor that would probably be rectangular and significantly larger, rather than be locked into another trash can.

This is so crazy different than back in '13

 

[JoelTheSuperior]

Wow, I'm actually surprised at the poll numbers, people would rather have a slower hard drive and fewer TB ports in a form-factor that would probably be rectangular and significantly larger, rather than be locked into another trash can.

This is so crazy different than back in '13

I think the key thing is being able to upgrade it. Thunderbolt is awesome, but devices that use it cost an arm and a dolphin. Meanwhile if we just have a tower we can just get widely available PCI-E cards to expand it.

A hard drive is slow, sure, but the point is that with the old Mac Pro you could easily just buy an SSD of your choosing off Amazon and swap it in within a matter of minutes. Why can't we do that anymore? Why do I have to pay Apple's ridiculously high pricing for them to install the drive for me at the factory?

 

[slughead]

I think the key thing is being able to upgrade it. Thunderbolt is awesome, but devices that use it cost an arm and a dolphin. Meanwhile if we just have a tower we can just get widely available PCI-E cards to expand it.

A hard drive is slow, sure, but the point is that with the old Mac Pro you could easily just buy an SSD of your choosing off Amazon and swap it in within a matter of minutes. Why can't we do that anymore? Why do I have to pay Apple's ridiculously high pricing for them to install the drive for me at the factory?

I'm with you there, I think m.2 is more than adequate for anyone at this point, I just included it because it was a standard slot as opposed to Apple's proprietary stuff.

My friend had a 2011 macbook pro and we went from 4 to 8GB RAM and switched from platter to SSD. He could not have been happier.

 

[macmikerw]

If the keep the small form factor I'd like it to be square. Nothing on my desk is tube shaped or round so it looks out of place.

I have just read the specs on the new MacBook Pro. Wow - now if Apple were to put the innards into a small stylish box with, perhaps, a couple of USB ports it would be a lovely machine.

 

[slughead]

I have just read the specs on the new MacBook Pro. Wow - now if Apple were to put the innards into a small stylish box with, perhaps, a couple of USB ports it would be a lovely machine.

That's basically a Mac Mini you're describing.