MP 7,1 Is the new Mac Pro too expensive? [MERGED]

[AidenShaw]

All big workstations have this problem - triple and quad graphics with a high-end CPU draw very, very close to the maximum for a 20 amp breaker, and only work on a 15 amp breaker (if at all) by stretching limits.

Note that US electrical codes specify that continual load on a circuit shouldn't be more than 75% of the breaker capacity (and of course that assumes that the wire gauge is in line with the breaker capacity).

That's:

• 1350 watts on a 15 amp 120 volt circuit
• 1800 watts on a 20 amp 120 volt circuit.

Also note that there's a lot of ambiguity about power supply ratings. A 1200 watt power supply may mean:

• It draws 1200 watts from the mains (at 85% efficiency that would be about 1020 watts delivered to the system)
• It can deliver short term peaks of 1200 watts to the system (at 85% efficiency that would mean peak loads on the mains of about 1410 watts max).
• It can deliver 1200 watts long term to the system (which means that it would use 1410 watts long term, with short term spikes above that)

My computer lab has a 90 amp 208volt power strip for each pair of racks. In addition, there are a half dozen 5kVa UPS systems on separate 208 volt 30 amp circuits.

Here's one of the many systems from the back:

​

Yes it has 6000 watts of power supplies - four 1500 watt supplies on 208 volts (will not run on less than 200 volts). And, you can see the four double-side Nvidia GPUs.

 

[deconstruct60]

...
p.s. and since i've seen so many comparisons with HP Z8 you can add 3 Quadro video cards in that bad boy(or regular gaming cards), but in this fancy Apple machine you only have a single 8 pin connector,
....

Which alternative universe is that in?
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Up to 300W auxiliary power via two 8-pin connectors. .... But you can at least power one big pc card (2x8pin)

Per MPX bay of which there are two.

"
Each MPX bay provides:
....

Up to 300W auxiliary power via two 8-pin connectors "
https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/specs/


So 4 x 8pin total. Plus another 6 pin not explicitly listed in the tech specs. There is also another 6 pin that is for slots 5-8. ( The two rectangles containing a triangle with an exclaimation point, ! , in it .)

https://www.apple.com/mac-pro/
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Apple uses the word "Alternatively" when it comes to description of MPX power vs AUX, so I wouldn't be surprised if the AUX is disabled when MPX module is present.
...

Not just disabled, but it primarily physically covered up. ( in picture above Aux for 3-4 is visiable. Aux for 1-2 is completely covered by the MPX Bay 1's module. ) Running power wires underneath a MPX should be a common sense " no go" ( but yeah it probably would be pruden to switch that off if not a huge problem).

[ Maybe it won't be totally covered up by the "half height" 580X module but still it should be relatively obvious if have a MPX in slot 1 then Aux power for slot '1-2' isn't really "aux" since it is being used. ]

 

[dollystereo]

I would love apple to enter the Deep Learning game, and this machine could do the job. Only need Nvidia GPU...

 

[pcd109]

For so much bold text and reading of "Apple print" you missed two things - 1) you can use regular GPUs without MPX. 2) you can use multiple of them. There is no need to tap into MPX power slot because Apple provides 4 of the regular 8 pin PCIe power connectors and one 6 pin. For a grand total of 675W of auxiliary power to use as you please. Plus whatever the actual PCIe slot provides.

Apple provides exactly 2 x 8pin connectors that can be used to connect exactly ONE video card.

 

[startergo]

Apple provides exactly 2 x 8pin connectors that can be used to connect exactly ONE video card.

Alternatively, each MPX bay can support:

One full-length, double-wide x16 gen 3 slot and one full-length, double-wide x8 gen 3 slot (MPX bay 1)

Or two full-length, double-wide x16 gen 3 slots (MPX bay 2)

Up to 300W auxiliary power via two 8-pin connectors