Informed Speculation about the Possibility of 5K with 5,1 Mac Pro

[aminadab]

I've searched and read all the relevant threads -- at least I think I have.

Assuming Apple makes a standalone monitor with the 5k panels they're putting in the iMacs, what might be some of my options to run it with my 3.33 6-core?

Am I totally out of luck? Do we lack enough information now to even make an informed guess?

The 6 core gives me plenty of power for what I do with it, and it has been the most stable computer I've ever owned. But given that I do a lot of reading on my monitor, retina is really important to me. I'm wondering if I should sell the MP and get a new iMac.

 

[dagamer34]

Not enough bandwidth to do it with a single port on your Mac Pro, and it's unlikely Apple is going to build a display only for the Mac Pro since it's the only Mac with more than a single Thunderbolt 2 controller.

As such, it's hard to say this but you're out of luck. If and when a 5K standalone Apple monitor is released, it will use Thunderbolt 3 because TB3 carries along with it the DP1.3 standard which has enough bandwidth to push 5K at 60Hz (heck, it goes up to 8K at 60Hz).

If you want 5K now, you're only option is to hope than the Dell 27" Ultrasharp 5K monitor works, but that's $2500 to drop. You can also go for 2 Dell 24" UP2414Q 4K monitors for your Mac Pro as well.

 

[riggles]

Seems like first would be a graphics card than supports DisplayPort 1.3, which is needed for 5K resolutions. Second would be OSX drivers that allow you to actually use it.

 

[Tom-Create-Pro]

If 4K is an option, you should be good to go on your 5, 1 as long as you have a decent GPU, the monitors aren't too pricey these days.

 

[goMac]

Seems like first would be a graphics card than supports DisplayPort 1.3, which is needed for 5K resolutions. Second would be OSX drivers that allow you to actually use it.

No, you can do it with MST and DP 1.2, which is what Dell is doing.

No one knows if Apple will do an Apple branded display like that. But you have third party options.

 

[BurgDog]

Or tolerate a lower refresh rate? Might be tolerable if working on mostly static images.