Mac Pro listed on Amazon Prime

[CouponPages]

Although it says "Temporarily Out of Stock", it makes you wonder if they have any priority in getting re-stocks.

They don't have custom options, just the base quad core D300 12 GB, and the 6 core D500 16 GB.

I had checked last week, and there was no way to order it then, but you can order it today. There is even a guy selling a "New" one with a $1000 padding in the price.

== EDIT ==

I forgot to mention... in addition to free shipping, it's $5 off.

Also, based upon one "Verified Purchase" reviewer, he got his around January 14th.

 

[analog guy]

Although it says "Temporarily Out of Stock", it makes you wonder if they have any priority in getting re-stocks.

They don't have custom options, just the base quad core D300 12 GB, and the 6 core D500 16 GB.

I had checked last week, and there was no way to order it then, but you can order it today. There is even a guy selling a "New" one with a $1000 padding in the price.

== EDIT ==

I forgot to mention... in addition to free shipping, it's $5 off.

Also, based upon one "Verified Purchase" reviewer, he got his around January 14th.

they were available for a short time for advance order on amazon, then they disappeared (the listing didn't even appear).

i suspect many of those people speculating on the nMP are going to get hosed. stock configurations haven't been too hard to find in january for someone so inclined. it is the custom configs that have been more scarce.

 

[CouponPages]

I agree.

I'm not sure how many people who want one will want the Quad core, but for casual users deciding between that model and the iMac, which costs about the same with pure SSDs.

Oddly enough I think it'll sell well to those who don't want the integrated monitor and want something more substantial and upgradable than the Mini.

I do think the second standard package is just the right "Goldilocks" configuration to appeal to a very large number of retail buyers. It's not too big, not too small.

It's 50% faster running CPU intensive apps, and for those who don't need 3D GPU hungry apps, the D500 is just the right mix of power and price. I think they should create a third standard package that features the 6 core with D700s. Most of the other options can be upgraded later, so this would make it possible to turn some of the custom orders into stock orders.

 

[kingtj]

Yep!

I'm also of the opinion Apple needs a standard "in stores to grab and go" configuration with the 6-core and a D700. I know I wouldn't bother buying one of these systems without the fastest graphics chipset available -- simply because GPUs are inevitably the weak spot on Macs of all types. Every time I bought a Mac and opted for a lesser GPU, I've regretted that eventually.

Personally, I'd also sell it with a 1TB drive inside, being the "highest" config of the 3 standard options.

I agree.

I'm not sure how many people who want one will want the Quad core, but for casual users deciding between that model and the iMac, which costs about the same with pure SSDs.

Oddly enough I think it'll sell well to those who don't want the integrated monitor and want something more substantial and upgradable than the Mini.

I do think the second standard package is just the right "Goldilocks" configuration to appeal to a very large number of retail buyers. It's not too big, not too small.

It's 50% faster running CPU intensive apps, and for those who don't need 3D GPU hungry apps, the D500 is just the right mix of power and price. I think they should create a third standard package that features the 6 core with D700s. Most of the other options can be upgraded later, so this would make it possible to turn some of the custom orders into stock orders.

 

[CouponPages]

I'm also of the opinion Apple needs a standard "in stores to grab and go" configuration with the 6-core and a D700. I know I wouldn't bother buying one of these systems without the fastest graphics chipset available -- simply because GPUs are inevitably the weak spot on Macs of all types. Every time I bought a Mac and opted for a lesser GPU, I've regretted that eventually.

Personally, I'd also sell it with a 1TB drive inside, being the "highest" config of the 3 standard options.

That is EXACTLY the rig I ordered... one exception I took the middle of the line in RAM, 32 GB. What bugs me is they use low density RAM.

If you get 12 GB, you get 3x4.
If you get 16 GB, you get 4x4.
If you get 32 GB, you get 4x8.

The trouble with each of these configurations is to increase RAM just a bit, except for the 12GB option (which shouldn't even be offered), you have to toss out all of your other cards, because you can't mix densities.

What would be better is for the base model to be 16 GB.

Then they would simply have:
16 = 1x16
32 = 2x16
48 = 3x16
65 = 4x16

The beauty of this for Apple Store configurations is they would only have to stock one size card, and they would just add up to 3 cards.

 

[analog guy]

i think the 512GB SSD should have been the base (with option to downgrade).

clearly, though, we all have different impressions of what should be 'stock', which i suppose is why we have the CTO program.

 

[CouponPages]

I agree. I also agree 515 should've been stock. If nothing else, it should be on the hex-core.

Unfortunately a lot of vultures are buying the stock rigs to sell for a quick $1000 or so. I've seen quite a few on eBay and now they are popping up on Amazon.

 

[analog guy]

I agree. I also agree 515 should've been stock. If nothing else, it should be on the hex-core.

Unfortunately a lot of vultures are buying the stock rigs to sell for a quick $1000 or so. I've seen quite a few on eBay and now they are popping up on Amazon.

yeah....a quick scan shows the stock versions are mostly not selling at the marked-up rates, or the sales are a bit questionable.

 

[kingtj]

Except....

They might have done it this way for performance reasons? I know on some motherboards, RAM is accessed faster when all banks are occupied.

That is EXACTLY the rig I ordered... one exception I took the middle of the line in RAM, 32 GB. What bugs me is they use low density RAM.

If you get 12 GB, you get 3x4.
If you get 16 GB, you get 4x4.
If you get 32 GB, you get 4x8.

The trouble with each of these configurations is to increase RAM just a bit, except for the 12GB option (which shouldn't even be offered), you have to toss out all of your other cards, because you can't mix densities.

What would be better is for the base model to be 16 GB.

Then they would simply have:
16 = 1x16
32 = 2x16
48 = 3x16
65 = 4x16

The beauty of this for Apple Store configurations is they would only have to stock one size card, and they would just add up to 3 cards.

 

[analog guy]

I agree. I also agree 515 should've been stock. If nothing else, it should be on the hex-core.

Unfortunately a lot of vultures are buying the stock rigs to sell for a quick $1000 or so. I've seen quite a few on eBay and now they are popping up on Amazon.

yeah, but if you look at completed listings, many are not selling.

just because people are listing them for $1000 more doesn't mean they are getting the price.

there sure will be a lot of refurbs available in time, many of which will have been unopened.

 

[iizmoo]

They might have done it this way for performance reasons? I know on some motherboards, RAM is accessed faster when all banks are occupied.

It's a brilliant up sell to set the upgrade price at a point where you'd rather pay the Apple price rather than installing a 3rd party set.

 

[kingtj]

You can look at it that way ...

... but as long as companies like OWC give trade-in credit on the old memory sticks you pull out, when you buy their upgrades -- that may not really matter?

So far, I think the main issue here is that Apple uses a fairly expensive (uncommon) type of RAM in the new Mac Pros, so the Apple upgrade price isn't actually that unreasonable. Given some time, I imagine you'll see a growing discrepancy between the Apple and the 3rd. party RAM prices.

I'm still curious if anyone knows if there are technical merits to filling all 4 banks of RAM on a Mac Pro though, vs. leaving 1 or 2 open? I'd rather have a 16GB model with a pair of 8GB modules in it, or a 32GB model with a pair of 16GB modules in it otherwise. But not if, like some machines, it's able to access a matched pair of memory using a "double wide" lane of electrical connections, treating it like one big chip in parallel, for better performance.

It's a brilliant up sell to set the upgrade price at a point where you'd rather pay the Apple price rather than installing a 3rd party set.

 

[analog guy]

... but as long as companies like OWC give trade-in credit on the old memory sticks you pull out, when you buy their upgrades -- that may not really matter?

the credit is $25/4GB stick. apple's charge is $100 to go from 12 to 16GB.

So far, I think the main issue here is that Apple uses a fairly expensive (uncommon) type of RAM in the new Mac Pros, so the Apple upgrade price isn't actually that unreasonable. Given some time, I imagine you'll see a growing discrepancy between the Apple and the 3rd. party RAM prices.

not as pricey as the MP3,1's DDR2 ECC memory!

I'm still curious if anyone knows if there are technical merits to filling all 4 banks of RAM on a Mac Pro though, vs. leaving 1 or 2 open? I'd rather have a 16GB model with a pair of 8GB modules in it, or a 32GB model with a pair of 16GB modules in it otherwise. But not if, like some machines, it's able to access a matched pair of memory using a "double wide" lane of electrical connections, treating it like one big chip in parallel, for better performance.

the performance is best with all slots filled, though the gain is only on the order of a few %.

 

[CouponPages]

the credit is $25/4GB stick. apple's charge is $100 to go from 12 to 16GB.

not as pricey as the MP3,1's DDR2 ECC memory!

the performance is best with all slots filled, though the gain is only on the order of a few %.

It makes you wonder why the entry level comes with 12 GB... 1 slot open.