Mac Pro Dispatch Times Slip Ahead of April Refresh

[24Frames]

In Europe at the beginning of March 4-Core and 8-Core systems were available for immediate dispatch, now dispatch is listed at 3-days on all models except server, which is 1-3 days.

This week in Japan 12-Core model has slipped from 3-days to 5-7 days, and in the last couple of days the 4-Core and 8-Core models have slipped from immediate dispatch to 1-2 days.

Apple probably originally planned to update last Summer / Early Autumn, with AMD 68xx GPU. The 10.7.3 Lion update had drivers fro the AMD 79xx series (Tahiti) so Apple have almost certainly been testing them.

Given that the GPUs are 2 generations out of date an April update before the Intel Ivy Bridge launch on 29th April seems likely.

 

[derbothaus]

In Europe at the beginning of March 4-Core and 8-Core systems were available for immediate dispatch, now dispatch is listed at 3-days on all models except server, which is 1-3 days.

This week in Japan 12-Core model has slipped from 3-days to 5-7 days, and in the last couple of days the 4-Core and 8-Core models have slipped from immediate dispatch to 1-2 days.

Apple probably originally planned to update last Summer / Early Autumn, with AMD 68xx GPU. The 10.7.3 Lion update had drivers fro the AMD 79xx series (Tahiti) so Apple have almost certainly been testing them.

Given that the GPUs are 2 generations out of date an April update before the Intel Ivy Bridge launch on 29th April seems likely.

Ivy has nothing to do with Mac Pro.

 

[Glen Quagmire]

In Europe at the beginning of March 4-Core and 8-Core systems were available for immediate dispatch, now dispatch is listed at 3-days on all models except server, which is 1-3 days.

That's been the case for a while now.

Apple probably originally planned to update last Summer / Early Autumn, with AMD 68xx GPU. The 10.7.3 Lion update had drivers fro the AMD 79xx series (Tahiti) so Apple have almost certainly been testing them.

Err, no. What CPUs would they use? Sandy Bridge Xeons were not available in summer/autumn. They're barely available now. Would Apple really release a new computer with nothing more than an uprated graphics card? If they wanted a graphics boost alone, they'd just release the card on its own as an upgrade, or the GPU manufacturer would launch it themselves.

Given that the GPUs are 2 generations out of date an April update before the Intel Ivy Bridge launch on 29th April seems likely.

Sandy Bridge Xeons are what will be in the next Mac Pro. Dell and HP have already announced their own workstations with these chips. Ivy Bridge Xeons won't be available for a while (as was the case with Sandy Bridge - desktop/laptop chips have been out for ages).

"probably" "almost certainly" "seems likely" - what is your basis for saying all these things? Do you have any evidence, or are you guessing/making things up?

 

[24Frames]

That's been the case for a while now.
Err, no. What CPUs would they use? Sandy Bridge Xeons were not available in summer/autumn. They're barely available now. Would Apple really release a new computer with nothing more than an uprated graphics card? If they wanted a graphics boost alone, they'd just release the card on its own as an upgrade, or the GPU manufacturer would launch it themselves.

I think that it is obvious that Apple were planning to use Intel E5 Xeons last Summer / Autumn, so it isn't necessary to state it. These E5 Xeons were originally slated for a September 2011 launch, if they had been launched then a Mac Pro update could have taken place around that time.

My comment on Ivy Bridge is a matter of logistics not technology; once they are released Apple will want to update the MacBook Pro and iMac lines, so getting the Mac Pro update out of the way before that makes sense from a logistics point of view. There is a limit to how many simultaneous product launches are feasible.

 

[deconstruct60]

My comment on Ivy Bridge is a matter of logistics not technology; once they are released Apple will want to update the MacBook Pro and iMac lines, so getting the Mac Pro update out of the way before that makes sense from a logistics point of view. There is a limit to how many simultaneous product launches are feasible.

There were Sandy Bridge available for Mac mini last year and it slid till after the Lion release. Apple can move all of Mac releases off of the dates Intel first ships the CPU packages if it so chooses. It is only a logistical constraint in that Apple can't move the dates forward of when Intel ships. After Intel ships it is no longer a constraint (unless the Intel can't deliver the contracted volume. )

 

[Blue Sun]

All Mac Pro shipping times in the Australian online store have slipped as well, hopefully this is a sign that new Mac Pro's are inbound.

We've been waiting so long now...

 

[goMac]

In Europe at the beginning of March 4-Core and 8-Core systems were available for immediate dispatch, now dispatch is listed at 3-days on all models except server, which is 1-3 days.

This week in Japan 12-Core model has slipped from 3-days to 5-7 days, and in the last couple of days the 4-Core and 8-Core models have slipped from immediate dispatch to 1-2 days.

Apple probably originally planned to update last Summer / Early Autumn, with AMD 68xx GPU. The 10.7.3 Lion update had drivers fro the AMD 79xx series (Tahiti) so Apple have almost certainly been testing them.

Given that the GPUs are 2 generations out of date an April update before the Intel Ivy Bridge launch on 29th April seems likely.

Possible, but I don't think Apple was seriously testing Tahiti.

 

[itsamacthing]

I just checked the US Store, only the 12 core has a few days lead time. With 3 major refreshes on the way... the only questions is what order. MBP, iMac, and MP... it could be in order of profitability or who knows. The Sandy Bridge E is available, I'm running one on a little small office server i made the other week..very nice chip.

 

[hollyhillbilly]

Here is an interesting take from Marco Arment creator of Instapaper

http://www.marco.org/2012/03/29/xeon-e5-benchmark


12,076: Single Xeon E3-1270 (3.4 GHz, 4 cores). This is very similar to the CPU in the current 3.4 GHz iMac.1 If new Mac Pros arrive, this is likely to be offered as a single-CPU option.

20,748: Dual Xeon X5670 (2.9 GHz, 6 cores each). This is the highest-end CPU available in the current Mac Pro.2

30,034: Dual Xeon E5-2690 (2.9 GHz, 8 cores each). This is the new one. Wow.