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Mac Pro refresh in June?
- Thread starter sjordan
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A Mac Pro refresh, like any Apple computer, can really only happen when Intel updates their CPU line up.
Sandy Bridge LGA2011 enthusiast desktop CPU's are not due til Q3/Q4 and Xeon until Q4/Q1. This is counter to Intel's normal release cycle which usually sees the high end processors launched first, followed by mainstream and mobile. This cycle, they launched the mobile processors first... we're gonna have to wait.
Sandy Bridge LGA2011 enthusiast desktop CPU's are not due til Q3/Q4 and Xeon until Q4/Q1. This is counter to Intel's normal release cycle which usually sees the high end processors launched first, followed by mainstream and mobile. This cycle, they launched the mobile processors first... we're gonna have to wait.
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Apple has previously done refreshes with no new CPUs or chipsets.
Unless it's close, they usually stick to a yearly refresh cycle, whether or not there are new chips. We've just happened to get yearly CPU refreshes for the past while.
I can buy a Sandy Bridge desktop CPU system today in such pre-built systems as the Dell 8300. Lots of other manufacturers have them too, and the CPUs (along with motherboard support) are at stores.
Now, you are correct about the server SB CPUs and motherboards.
Many are making the assumption that a refresh will only happen for new hardware; however, according to the main homepage, there are rumors of a slightly smaller Mac Pro case.
So i guess it is possible that a refresh would have the same old hardware in a smaller case.
So i guess it is possible that a refresh would have the same old hardware in a smaller case.
Not with the Mac Pro.
Mac Pros were released in August 2006, January 2008, March 2009, August 2010. The two time additions of a higher-end processor came in April 2007 and December 2009. None of that coralates with a yearly refresh. Apple have been on Intel's release schedule since the first Mac Pro release.
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Because the Mac Pro has had new CPUs every year so far...
Traditionally, over the history of the pro Mac line in the current matrix, Apple refreshes every year.
Anecdotal evidence also points to this (i.e. 6970 drivers being prepped.)
Also, Final Cut is on the way out and so is Lion. Chances are very good Apple will bump the Mac Pro around these releases.
I'm not sure why the "not with the Mac Pro" thing carries weight. Apple changed the name from "Power Mac" to "Mac Pro". Changing the name doesn't suddenly mean the entire product refresh rate horrifically shifts.
Because Intel have released new CPUs every year, and Apple have followed those releases with new Mac Pros, except in 2009 where they were able to launch a month early.
Apple will not bump Mac Pros. It makes no financial sense to do so. They will release new Mac Pros when they are able to get a steady supply of LGA 2011 Xeon processors.
I assumed you were talking about some other Mac product as Apple have never updated the Mac Pro without CPU or chipsets. Unless you are talking about the introduction of the RAID card mid-cycle, or the drop in price on 4GB DIMMs mid-cycle.
Traditionally the pro Mac lines get updated every year, with or without new CPUs.
I don't follow the financial sense argument... A refresh generates more sales, especially if they can add Light Peak. And no new CPUs mean far less R&D.
Not to mention Light Peak Mac Pros would go very well with a FCP launch. Get people buying FCP to update their hardware as well.
Also, Apple has generally launched new pro Macs around FCP upgrades.
Previously Power Macs have had minor revs (addition of more ports, graphics cards) even when there have been no CPUs.
What? Why are things different now?
Sure they can.
No, this is a problem anyone who makes any product has. I'm not sure why this is relevant.
Sure they can. Actually, Apple did a G4 revision a few months before the G5s shipped, and a G5 revision a few months before the Mac Pro shipped.
If anything, it's actually a great way to clear existing part inventory.
And no one is suggesting a huge overhaul here. I doubt we'll see these new Mac Pro cases designs this year. Simply change out the GPU, maybe add a Thunderbolt port, refresh your prices. All done.
Yeah, I'm not sure why a product name change suddenly changes the rules.
Apple made tower computers before. They make tower computers now.
Apple also knows that with Thunderbolt, a lot of buyers, especially Final Cut buyers, will hold off on purchases.
I'm not sure what the basis of this is. The reality is there are no rules, and Apple can do whatever the hell they want, regardless of Intel release cycles. Period.
Suggesting that Apple is only allowed to release new Mac Pros based on Intel CPU release cycles is disingenuous. The reality is Apple can release new Mac Pros whenever they want.
I am hoping for a mid-cycle refresh with considerable price drops for the single-CPU models. Can we have a W3565 for $1999 please?
Yet they have always released them around Intel Xeon updates - 6 weeks after, 8 weeks after, 4 weeks before and 5 months after; and haven't: changed pricing, changed or added any ports or slots, updated processor options to reflect Intel's pricing changes or offered new graphics cards despite having many opportunities to. I'm sure you are right though. This time will be different and Apple will refresh Mac Pros soon. Next Tuesday seems ideal.
However, every year there have been Intel chip updates. This year there aren't. We can't use previous years as guidance.
They release when new chips are out. Thunderbolt is no reason to wait as there are no real cases out yet either, so as a pro, I don't care yet. Pro's need to use the cases they have now (SATA, FW800 etc.). I for sure don't want a refresh until the new chips are out. Who cares about 133MHz clock bump and one port with limited uses right now? They will most likely do it all at once. TB will be more prevalent and the new SB Xeons will smoke.
Yeah, again, there is no proof that they only release when new chips are out because Intel so far has done new chips every year... If someone can back this up with evidence instead of circumstance, I'd love to hear it.
There is proof that they release regardless of chip schedule.
Didn't 1366 become a "dead socket" already in December? It does not sound like Apple to "use last-generation cpu but....but...IMPLEMENT THUNDERBOLT!1!1!" it wouldn't generate enough sales
People would be able to buy the new GPU from Apple Store separately for their old machines, and probably in near future, also buy Thunderbolt PCI-e cards...
It's just not a "worthy bump" and would be too close to the SB release. Do you think they would update with new hardware, say June, then they would have to update with SB as soon as it releases in order not to get behind competitors, thats maybe 2 hardware bumps in just 5-6 months
And they really wouldnt waste a case remake on a bump that only adds Thunderbolt and a GPU.
Apple's dealioo really is not 6-months-updates-just-to-keep-up-with-hardware, not in any of their products. But when those happen, and they do, they are usually "silent updates" like 0.2Ghz faster CPU. Thunderbolt + new GPU can't be a silent update.
So when SB Xeons drop and Apple then updates the models, will that be enough proof for you?
For posterity what did they release that was not in line with chip schedule? Only Mac Pro. No macbook airs.
Except they've done exactly this before with new ports...
Do you honestly think they're going to give the Macbook Air Thunderbolt but not the Mac Pro?
So why can't they do a 0.2 ghz CPU + thunderbolt + GPU bump? They've done it before. Is there some press release I missed where they've said they aren't going to do that any more?
When FW800 dropped the Power Macs got their own revision. No CPU upgrades. Not even a ghz bump. And this was right before a major new CPU release.
FW800 debuted on the Powerbook, and made it's way to the Power Macs in a minor revision within a few months that was not based on CPU upgrades. So if we are using history as a guide for this exact situation...
Are you talking about when Apple released new Power Mac G4s in late 2002 and then in the January of 2003 added FW800?
Assume for the moment that the new case rumor is true. Certainly the new case would have Thunderbolt. That means they are already testing the new case with Thunderbolt 1366 mobos.
I know Sandy Bridge is due in Winter, but there is no waste in developing Thunderbolt 1366 mobos because they've already developed them for testing the new case.
So a new MP this summer could be:
I might even say Lion on a thumbdrive, optical drive as an option only, and SSD standard as the boot drive, but that's going a little too far too soon.
That's enough of a change to excite people I think. Doesn't seem boring to me.
I know Sandy Bridge is due in Winter, but there is no waste in developing Thunderbolt 1366 mobos because they've already developed them for testing the new case.
So a new MP this summer could be:
- The new case that is both desktop and rackmount compatible
- Both 3.5" and 2.5" sleds
- Thunderbolt
- Lion
- AMD 6000 series GPUs (Lion DP already has drivers for this)
- CPU speed bump
- Four or more memory controllers
- USB 3.0
I might even say Lion on a thumbdrive, optical drive as an option only, and SSD standard as the boot drive, but that's going a little too far too soon.
That's enough of a change to excite people I think. Doesn't seem boring to me.