Hell, even the Z6 looks to be a significantly more performant machine than any rumours we've seen for an AS Mac Pro.
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MP 7,1 Mac Pro 8.1 - WHAT IF...
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Hell, even the Z6 looks to be a significantly more performant machine than any rumours we've seen for an AS Mac Pro.
My first computer (my avatar is that model)! Except the year was 1998 and it didn't have that upgrade. To have a PowerPC Mac back then was so amazing because you could run the new RealPlayer and stream video/audio and all the new apps... while the 68K couldn't do any of it. Lots of games though! The good old days.
I remember the LC040 processor lacked an FPU which some games required. Which was a pain. My mate had an LC630 and that had the FPU coprocessor which allowed him to play more games.
Yeah, it's a pain. I print to a cheap B&W laser over AirPrint, but for inkjet I need to stay connected over USB to choose paper type etc.
I get where you're coming from with inkjet too. I rarely do any colour printing, and whenever I do, one colour or another has dried up. Plus it takes approximately one aeon to start up and actually print something. Whereas laser just wakes up, squirts out a sheet, and goes back to sleep. And toner lasts forever.
I think that was just a consequence of being on x86, rather than a feature Apple actively promoted. With Macs essentially being Intel PCs with nice ID, there was little to stop people installing Windows, and it would have just looked user-hostile to actively block it. Putting together Windows driver bundles would have taken 5 minutes of effort and gave a Macs an additional selling point. Even then, it was a bit of a minimal effort, running drives in PIO rather than AHCI etc.
Apple could work with Microsoft to make Windows 11 ARM run natively on M-series hardware, but Apple's chips are their key competitive advantage, and it seems they're unwilling to share. Theoretically Apple could sell a lot of MacBooks to people who would have bought Lenovo or Dell ARM laptops, but it's unclear how much interest there currently is for Windows on ARM, or how good its x86 emulation is.
It does look like an awesome machine.
I have a 7,1 now - but if I didn’t then that HP would have been very tempting. As it is the 7,1 is a brilliant machine and part of me getting it was the threat of the 8,1 being a typical Apple Silicon machine…
They do look nice, but the case and packaging on the 7,1 is way better. I thought my Phanteks case was really awesome (which it is) until the 7,1 arrived.
The inside of the HP looks like a major pain compared to the 7,1 to add RAM; although the SSD sleds in the front are really cool.
March 28 and April 4 are also strong possibilities if Apple adheres strictly to their stated "this Spring". I felt March 7 was best until Apple changed the AR/VR to WWDC.
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The problem with WWDC is that it seems like Apple are going to be stepping on their own toes if they release a ridiculously expensive computer aimed at pros and enthusiasts at the same time as a ridiculously expensive VR headset aimed at pros and enthusiasts.
Then again they did that with the Pro Display XDR and 7.1 so who knows, maybe the 8.1 and the VR headset will match.
Then again they did that with the Pro Display XDR and 7.1 so who knows, maybe the 8.1 and the VR headset will match.
Agreed, and I think the Mac Pro is still on for March. Hopefully March 7, but probably March 28 at the latest.
I reckon WWDC is most likely (see 2006, 2013, 2019…), unless it's actually ready to go in spring, even just a sneak peek. As for launching the MP and the headset together, the former would be the development platform for the latter, so not that crazy to show them both at once.
That HP's a bit nice…the video for it's a bit crazy
That HP's a bit nice…the video for it's a bit crazy
I'll be honest with you...I thought Apple would be giving us at least ONE refresh...I'm still gonna hope lol.
Hi guys, long time reader of this thread.
Now that Intel has finally released there Xeons based on Alder Lake(Golden cove arch), I felt like it was time to make an account and say a few things.
Firstly, my dream would a Intel Xeon golden cove based Mac Pro. Those PCIe lanes 112!!!!!
Max RAM support 4TB of RAM. I don't care for AMD in the workstation platform as I find Intel to be more reliable.
These are true workstation chips and makes previous Xeons look like small babies.
Now Apple has match the PCIe lanes and RAM for me but I think Apple will not do it. So I
am ordering a HP Z8. I can't trust Apple anymore and frankly tried of being played around by that company
I will 100% be ok with Linux and windows.
To my new(old) friends here I wish you best of luck for your dream Mac pro.
Now that Intel has finally released there Xeons based on Alder Lake(Golden cove arch), I felt like it was time to make an account and say a few things.
Firstly, my dream would a Intel Xeon golden cove based Mac Pro. Those PCIe lanes 112!!!!!
Max RAM support 4TB of RAM. I don't care for AMD in the workstation platform as I find Intel to be more reliable.
These are true workstation chips and makes previous Xeons look like small babies.
Now Apple has match the PCIe lanes and RAM for me but I think Apple will not do it. So I
am ordering a HP Z8. I can't trust Apple anymore and frankly tried of being played around by that company
I will 100% be ok with Linux and windows.
To my new(old) friends here I wish you best of luck for your dream Mac pro.
I believe they planned a final Intel Mac Pro refresh, but then Intel sh*t the bed with the Ice Lake Xeons; and an Intel refresh at this point would send a massive negative message towards the whole Apple silicon transition...?
I blame apple more than Intel. Despite horrendous delays for each release they picked the worst point humanly possible in which to release a Mac Pro. The 7,1 is the latest example. No pci4. Later processors way better. It’s like try to pick the worst point possible.
And if they release a Mac Pro now, it will be the same thing. No 3nm. No extreme chip. No ram expansion ability. Lame pci lane ability. No ecc.No ability to support 3rd party graphics (all above if rumors are to be believe…I hope not). I would not be surprised if the crap slots they include are only pcie4 despite 5 being out.
All the above, I bet, would be way easier to deal with via M3. So you’ve delayed this long might as wel, delay till you can get it it “right’. Which is exactly why I believe they’ll do the wrong thing and release a half ass pile of s*** machine and then complain how the market doesn’t want a “pro” machine anymore to justify their pulling the plug forever.
Yea, apple has taught me to be that cynical.
The new Xeons based on Golden cove are much better than Ice lake and are actually coming in proper quantities.
Could they just scrap any proposed "M" based Mac Pro and do a proper Intel based machine with latest generation CPUs and technology. never mind the implications for Apple Silicon marketing, just continue to keep the Mac Pro a monstrous machine, huge maximum ram, massive GPU support, etc.
A Mac Pro is a pretty specialised piece of equipment anyway - it should remain that way. Making it a Mac Studio on steroids is not the answer. Existing 7,1 users will probably just hang on to their old machines or switch to PC.
5,1 users will probably swap over to 7,1 if they see them second hand at reasonable prices. The 7,1 has much more capability than the old 5,1 - especially as far as PCI slots. The 5,1 is too crowded inside especially with modern large size GPUs.
A Mac Pro is a pretty specialised piece of equipment anyway - it should remain that way. Making it a Mac Studio on steroids is not the answer. Existing 7,1 users will probably just hang on to their old machines or switch to PC.
5,1 users will probably swap over to 7,1 if they see them second hand at reasonable prices. The 7,1 has much more capability than the old 5,1 - especially as far as PCI slots. The 5,1 is too crowded inside especially with modern large size GPUs.
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They very well could, and it actually would make sense....
Think about it -- they know they screwed up with the M1-Pro Mac Pro, and so they cancelled that, so now, while they bide their time, they could easily release another Intel x86 machine using the 7,1 case (their last x86 computer), they reuse the parts/design/mobo/case of the 7,1 while upgrading some components (PCIE 4, CPU, perhaps W7900XT) and the 7,1 continues to "live" via updated AMD driver, macOS support...
Meanwhile, they work on tuning their AS chipset behind the scenes (thinking "long-term" as deconstruct put it), and develop a new campaign for the AS Mac Pro, because we all know that there is no way in hell that AS GPU tech can compete with Nvidia/AMD at this point in time.
This strategy would buy them some time to let them focus on competing with Nvidia/AMD, and really develop a solid professional-class machine, while they continue to support the 7,1 and (now)8,1 along the way, and they keep their Pro users happy (I know that I am reaching now). I am thinking, perhaps by ~2025-26 the real AS MP is released (alongside the release of macOS 15), on 2nm, which maybe can stand toe-to-toe with Nvidia/AMD?
I know it's counterintuitive because they probably want to migrate macOS completely over to ARM as they continue to dumb-it-down and diminish it into iOS, but if you think about it, the time it buys them really makes sense.
I do wonder if their partnership with Intel has expired though -- anyone know?
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intel would make a lot out of it for marketing purposes as well they should. And if no agreement is still in effect, they likely will punish apple with pricing that sucks…
I gave Apple quite a big serve over the "cold war" with Nvidia too. They need to work with all the major vendors. Disputes with major GPU vendors and slack, lazy driver support don't help those of us who've paid big dollars for these computers.
I also made it clear that a Mac Studio on steroids is the wrong direction to go. I went Mac Pro 7,1 because it gives me a Windows workstation and a Mac workstation in the one machine, easy. I just choose the OS I need to use and off I go. It's practical, much more than having two separate machines.
As much as Apple wants to make macOS into iOS. At least with downloading of apps now can never be locked down to the App Store because of the new EU laws.
I think that was the big worry for a lot people is that Apple will lock down macOS to App Store only but now that never happen as EU is forcing Apple to open iOS up.
Along with other things like real third party browser support.
I think that was the big worry for a lot people is that Apple will lock down macOS to App Store only but now that never happen as EU is forcing Apple to open iOS up.
Along with other things like real third party browser support.
Yes, thank god for the EU! Also love that they got slapped by the EU and are now moving toward implementing USB-C in the future iPhones
Apple recently hired some Nvidia Devs and designers. I expect M3 to be a big jump over M2 in terms of GPU.
Blender is also progressing nicely.
As a side note: The M chips are good tech, it's that Apple needs to massively improve their GPUs.
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