Mac Pro Arrived! Pics Included

[kevin.rivers]

I dun think SLI is possible in the Mac Pro as it does not use a SLI compliant chipset. Intel chipsets do not support SLI. Anyone knows wad chipset the mac pro is using? can't find it in the spec sheets.

I am going to guess a 5000V as it only supports up to 16GB of memory as opposed to the 5000P and 5000X which support 32GB.

http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/5000v/index.htm

EDIT: Although Apple did claim 21GB/s off bandwidth, which seems to only be available on the 5000X.

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

Could you please try a Handbrake test?

Just for comparison, I use
h.264 main profile
1000kbps Average Quality
2-pass encoding
128kbps AAC audio

I get around 22 fps on my 2.0GHz MBP w/2GB RAM

Just did a test, using Donnie Darko disc (not image on HD used actual disk). Been running for about 5 mins now and it's getting 65fps average

 

[tuartboy]

I can state that will be a firm No, but you'll like my answer anyways...
Kentsfield is the quad-core version of CONROE, not Woodcrest. It uses the LGA775 socket insteaad of the LGA771 of the Woodcrest. It is also not capable of dual processor configurations- its a desktop chip and will debut as an Extreme Edition I believe.

What you DO want an upgrade for is Clovertown-MP, which is the quad-core version of Woodcrest, using the same LGA771 socket. I think it may be possible (the chips are socketed IIRC, not soldered, according to the info online so far), but they may need more cooling- it remains to be seen.

I think Apple will have an Octo soon...Clovertown is moving quickly.

Ah, very good. Thank you for the correction.

It seems like the 2.66 is really the sweet spot and will remain competitive for a good while. I just would like apple not to limit an upgrade path especially since the change over to a processor line with faster product cycles and chip modularity designed into the architecture allowing easy swaps. Would be a shame to get stuck with woodcrest in the long term when it's so easy to upgrade.

 

[tuartboy]

Just did a test, using Donnie Darko disc (not image on HD used actual disk). Been running for about 5 mins now and it's getting 65fps average

what? Only 13x faster than my 1.5 ghz PB?! What a waste of money.

That is rather amazing though. My flatmate's MBP 1.8 get's 22-25fps on the same encode.

Thanks for humoring me.

 

[Grimace]

Guys, check it out: $343 for a 2GB kit of Crucial RAM for the Mac Pro!!

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/223084/

 

[twoodcc]

Just did a test, using Donnie Darko disc (not image on HD used actual disk). Been running for about 5 mins now and it's getting 65fps average

well i decided to do the test as well on my new Macbook (2GB of RAM) and with a DVD disk. my avg is around 28-30 fps with dukes of hazzard

 

[ErikGrim]

Now if they only weren't 4k in Australia. I could get an educational discount but still 3.8

Huh? The base model is only $3500 on my education store. $3100 if you choose the lower CPU

 

[Avicdar]

Not a problem, I didn't mean to imply you should do anything like that, just asking ANYBODY if they have any idea. No one seems to know, and that's the big thing holding me back right now.

And the ECC RAM.

And the possibility they'll come out with the same thing, but with a single Conroe. I think dual xeons are beyond what I really need, or can even utilize.

If they had a single Conroe chip, with non-ECC memory, and it would take an standard video card, it would be on it's way from FedEx right now. An iMac would do me just fine, but I really don't need another screen. I know there are a lot of people in the same boat, but I don't know how long I can wait for something that may never come.

Something in the lineup is going Conroe before long though.

Then be smart and buy one of the countless used G5 towers that will no doubt start flooding ebay. You'll probably score an excellent deal on one and get tons of power, and save a pile of cash in the process.

 

[tuartboy]

Sorry to spam a bit on this thread, but I wanted to throw this out:

For my work I do various consulting tasks and last week one involved setting up a Dell Precision 690 (the exact system apple compared with the MP in the keynote) to run some fluid dynamics software. Being highly-demanding computational software, the system was equipped with 64Gb of memory. Yes, I said 64Gb.

I was wondering if anyone knows why apple would ever choose to cap this at 16Gb when there is a clear need for some applications to address more than 16Gb. The mobo is uncannily similar as well (the physical memory setup is identical) so it's apparently not a "too-big" problem and 64-bit can go to 16 exabytes...

I just figured if they were competing with the Dell that they would at least shoot for the same memory config to keep competitive for high-end users.

 

[weldon]

I dun think SLI is possible in the Mac Pro as it does not use a SLI compliant chipset. Intel chipsets do not support SLI. For software, i am not sure, hopefully it might be possible next time. Anyone knows wad chipset the mac pro is using? can't find it in the spec sheets.

I couldn't find it either, but someone answered this question for me and they were pretty confident it is the 5000x chipset.

Also, SLI is only available on nVidia nForce chipsets. What's interesting is that the Intel 975x chipset for the Core 2 Duo high-end desktops supports ATI's crossfire. I think this would be a dead-end though because they don't support crossfire in the 965 and it seems unlikely that Intel would continue to support advanced ATI features in future chipsets (considering the AMD buyout).

 

[Sun Baked]

EDIT: Although Apple did claim 21GB/s off bandwidth, which seems to only be available on the 5000X.

I was guessing 5000x until people actually look at the actual part numbers, since the Mac Pros are used to get enough volume to make the XServe parts less expensive and the board similar enough to keep R&D/drivers the same.

We will find out soon enough, they still haven't posted the XServe tech note yet.

Remember, we cannot go by Apple's memory/IO limits since they tend to vary even when the same chipset is used.

Likely the 4GB FB-DIMMs will work to bump the Mac Pro to 32GB using the same XServe modules (XServe: Up to 32GB of ECC FB-DIMM memory using pairs of 512MB, 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB memory modules) -- the Mac Pro limit is like artificially set using the less expensive 2GB modules.

Got to give them some marketing reason to buy the XServe besides the Server OS.

 

[Chundles]

Just did a test, using Donnie Darko disc (not image on HD used actual disk). Been running for about 5 mins now and it's getting 65fps average

Mother of god...

That's, add two, carry the one... 16.25x faster than my iBook.
Even the MBP is 6x faster.

Dammit I want one now. I want an Oompa-Loompa now Daddy....

 

[tuartboy]

Mother of god...

That's, add two, carry the one... 16.25x faster than my iBook.
Even the MBP is 6x faster.

Makes you cry a little inside, doesn't it?

 

[Shadow]

How long does it take to boot up?

Nice machine BTW, I wish I had the cash (actually I dont-I'd rather have a MBP because I need the portability).

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

How long does it take to boot up?

Nice machine BTW, I wish I had the cash (actually I dont-I'd rather have a MBP because I need the portability).

I counted 28 seconds to boot up, second boot after registering. Of couse I just counted in my head, no stop watch or anything.

 

[apfhex]

Could you possibly fix the links to the images? Bandwidth exceeded. I'd really like to see 'em!

 

[CTYankee]

Then be smart and buy one of the countless used G5 towers that will no doubt start flooding ebay. You'll probably score an excellent deal on one and get tons of power, and save a pile of cash in the process.

Saw a G5 Quad go for $2100 with 4GB of RAM. Let the prices keep on falling!

 

[Chundles]

Makes you cry a little inside, doesn't it?

Not on the inside, I'm bawling openly.

Ah well, just a couple of short years till I can replace this little workhorse with a rip-snorting new MacBook Pro with all the bells and whistles. Mind you, 10.6 will probably be mid-life by the time I can afford anything new.

Can't wait till 10.5, actually, I can't wait till MWSF next year when we can actually have a look at the real 10.5 - not the 10.4+ shown the other day - with the new Finder, new UI and all the bells and whistles.

Roll on the "Leopard reaches Gold Master status" rumours for next year, they were the most fun rumours about Tiger.

How well is Leopard going to run on these new Mac Pros!! Awesomely well!

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

Could you possibly fix the links to the images? Bandwidth exceeded. I'd really like to see 'em!

Fixed, I used imageshack originally, I didn't expect this thread to generate so much traffic, let alone hit front page.

Glad I didn't host them on my server

 

[xPismo]

Respect.

I keep looking but I don't seem to find a teleport-it-now option for shipping. I guess its a regional thing.

If you can think of any interesting benchmarks in FCS or Shake I'd be very interested to see them... but 65fps in handbrake and 65% faster in Compressor kinda says it all.

Now do I keep the Powerbook and get a Pro, or sell the Powerbook and get a MBP? Hmmmmmm.

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

Parallels doesn't work either. I can create an image, but when I try to run it I get the message:

"Unable to communicate with hypervisor!"

 

[aafuss1]

Think Secret has posted a picture of the AirPort card-from the confidential Apple service manual.
AASP's and those with a GSX/Service Source can get this manual only.

It's not a part that users are allowed to replace-only the below from http://www.apple.com/support/manuals :

Mac Pro PCI Express/Graphics Card DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 5 882KB
Mac Pro Optical Drive DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 7 618KB
Mac Pro Access Panel DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 3 312KB
Mac Pro Battery DIY Replacement Instructions (Do it yourself manual) 08/07/2006 5 1.1MB
Mac Pro Radeon X1900 XT and Quadro FX4500 DIY Replacement Instructions (Manual) 08/07/2006 5 1.1MB
Mac Pro Hard Drive DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 5 701KB
Mac Pro Hard Drive Carrier DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 5 699KB
Mac Pro Memory (FB-DIMM) DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 7 1.2MB
Mac Pro Memory Riser Card DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 5 1,008KB
Mac Pro Optical Drive Carrier DIY Replacement Instructions 08/07/2006 7 619KB

Is the power cord stiill a F-Type connector?

 

[aiongiant]

Parallels doesn't work either. I can create an image, but when I try to run it I get the message:

"Unable to communicate with hypervisor!"

uh-oh not a good sign... bootcamp doesn't work and now parallels too
boooo

 

[iBookG4user]

Didn't Apple say that there was an update to bootcamp at WWDC? If so then I would assume that they were making it compatible with the Mac Pro. I'm really jealous of you though, my iBook G4 doesn't even come remotely close to the mac pro. could you do a geekbench test? I want to see how much it crushes the Quad G5 .

 

[Laslo Panaflex]

uh-oh not a good sign... bootcamp doesn't work and now parallels too
boooo

Well, the computers were just announced yesterday, and miraculously I got mine today. I'm not complaining that bootcamp and parallels don't work, they will eventually.