New Mac Pro Case Design: Speculation

[firestarter]

I's like to see a much smaller MacPro - or maybe even a second line of smaller machines.

With something like Thunderbolt finally giving good high speed external expansion, I'd like to see a 'minimalist' Pro machine:

- Perhaps with desktop CPU / non-ECC memory (but enough slots for a good amount)
- One graphics card
- One other PCIe slot
- At least 2 Thunderbolt sockets
- Two 5 1/4 drive bays, one SSD drive bay, one optical (maybe slimline/laptop)
- Less than half the height, less depth, much lighter

For workplace style use, most folks don't need 4 HDD bays and 4 PCIe slots. For the heavy lifter, it's better to keep storage in an external box anyway - a RAID box with hotswap bays.

A cut down box would be smaller, cheaper - and give you a LOT more flexibility in configuring your system. You could upgrade the 'brain' separately from your storage, and upgrade more often - keep up to date with faster processors.

 

[JustSomeDude]

[*]TWO additional memory slots PER processor, to a total of 6 per processor or 12 total in a dual processor mac pro. I want RAM damn it!

I'd like to see 1 memory slot per physical core - at this time, this would match up with what you have, but the next xeon refresh would probably push it to 8 for single processor and 16 for dual processor. I have seen motherboards with 16 memory slots, so it is doable.

 

[deconstruct60]

I think "if it aint broke, don't fix it". The Mac Pro isn't about getting smaller and smaller. It's about being a beast of a Pro machine.
....
I'd be interested to see what they change if they change anything. Perhaps a bit lighter?

It doesn't have to get smaller in volume, but marginally smaller in "height" would allow it to be more easily horizontally rackmounted. (they could make it a bit deeper to keep volume same). They need that now. Similar to to the HP 800

http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF25a/12454-12454-296719-307907-4270224-3718645.html

or handles could be made "optional" by making them removable. There is some utility of having "legs" to lift it off ground when used as vertical workstation. However, there is also going to be some expanded, but limited, use going forward mounted in a rack.

Similarly, a single, lockable, front mounted drive sled. That won't hurt it as a workstation, but makes it more flexible. Don't necessarily need to throw optical totally overboard, but it is much more likely someone wants something other than 2 optical drives in the box. What workflow requires two internal ODDs these days??? You can have a reasonable debate for one (there is still utility for a large subset of the people) , but two?

 

[flipster]

I's like to see a much smaller MacPro - or maybe even a second line of smaller machines.

That will most likely not happen, just due to the fact that the Mac Pro was made to be easily customizable and accessible, and that people at shelling out $2500 a machine as it is already.

We already have a Mac Mini, the Mac Pro is like the Ferrari of Apple -- it's extremely fast and powerful

 

[cherry su]

New cheesegrater design a la Unibody MacBook Pro speakers.

 

[Bye Bye Baby]

I am not really sure what I would like to see in terms of its case design. But I would like to see a few thunderbolt connections that would carry USB, power and video to my displays.

I would like the option to have HDMI out. It would be sweet to have two 27 inch screens plus a third HD TV just to see my video production material on display as I do it.

That would be one very sweet machine.

 

[snberk103]

I's like to see a much smaller MacPro - or maybe even a second line of smaller machines.

With something like Thunderbolt finally giving good high speed external expansion, I'd like to see a 'minimalist' Pro machine:

- Perhaps with desktop CPU / non-ECC memory (but enough slots for a good amount)
- One graphics card
- One other PCIe slot
- At least 2 Thunderbolt sockets
- Two 5 1/4 drive bays, one SSD drive bay, one optical (maybe slimline/laptop)
- Less than half the height, less depth, much lighter

For workplace style use, most folks don't need 4 HDD bays and 4 PCIe slots. For the heavy lifter, it's better to keep storage in an external box anyway - a RAID box with hotswap bays.

A cut down box would be smaller, cheaper - and give you a LOT more flexibility in configuring your system. You could upgrade the 'brain' separately from your storage, and upgrade more often - keep up to date with faster processors.

Not gonna happen, imho.... that would create a system that would look a lot like a Windows PC. And Apple doesn't compete on price - and with something that looks similar to a generic PC the only real difference becomes the price.

Apple likes to compete in niche markets (or create and then dominate the niche market first) where they don't have to compete on price. Generally speaking....

imho, of course

 

[firestarter]

Not gonna happen, imho.... that would create a system that would look a lot like a Windows PC. And Apple doesn't compete on price - and with something that looks similar to a generic PC the only real difference becomes the price.

Not really. Apple can style anything to look like anything they want. It only looks like a windows PC in your mind...

Apple likes to compete in niche markets (or create and then dominate the niche market first) where they don't have to compete on price. Generally speaking....

This is true. Meanwhile, every creative who uses a Mac has to buy a MacPro if they want a non-glossy screen or more than one fast drive. Too much for some (me included).

That will most likely not happen, just due to the fact that the Mac Pro was made to be easily customizable and accessible, and that people at shelling out $2500 a machine as it is already.

This argument of yours is self-referential and not very convincing.

We already have a Mac Mini, the Mac Pro is like the Ferrari of Apple -- it's extremely fast and powerful

We don't all need the ego-massage of a Ferrari. Some people just want to get work done on a machine that's less feeble than an mini.

But yeah, a mini with an SSD main drive and Thunderbolt to some good external disks might end up being quite a speedy and flexible option.

 

[G4er?]

We already have a Mac Mini, the Mac Pro is like the Ferrari of Apple -- it's extremely fast and powerful

If the Mac Pro is a Ferrari then I guess the mini is a Smart car. Some of us are looking for something like a Camaro, Mustang or Challenger.

 

[snberk103]

Not really. Apple can style anything to look like anything they want. It only looks like a windows PC in your mind...

It's not my mind I'm worried about. I like what Apple sells, and pick their stuff to suit my needs. Specs rarely enter into it, btw.

However, once you enter generic PC territory (the fabled Midi Mac) most people buy their systems on specs alone. It doesn't matter what you do to a box, it's still a box. It either needs to go big (Mac Pro) or small (Mini) to stand out stylistically - or it becomes an all-in-one (iMac). Anything else can be (and will be) stylistically matched by the competition. And out specced to boot. [Note to flamer throwers: I actually believe that overall package that Apple puts together in a Mac is superior to most PC systems. Apple seems to tune the combination of parts better than anyone else. Even if not all of the individual parts are superior ] imho, of course....

This is true. Meanwhile, every creative who uses a Mac has to buy a MacPro if they want a non-glossy screen or more than one fast drive. Too much for some (me included).

Some Mac Book Pros have non-glossy screens. Once the TB drives are available you can have both non-glossy screens and multiple drives.

See - the middle ground....

...
We don't all need the ego-massage of a Ferrari. Some people just want to get work done on a machine that's less feeble than an mini.

I don't have a Mac Pro 'cause of my ego.... I needed the RAM. I work on big files for my photo art. I started on a Mini. I would save a file and then go and mow the lawn. Seriously.

But yeah, a mini with an SSD main drive and Thunderbolt to some good external disks might end up being quite a speedy and flexible option.

I'd go with a MBP with TB and the SSD drive option. At least at this point the CPUs are better. Even a glossy screen on the MBP and a 2nd non-glossy display.

Of course... now it's going to be interesting to see what the Mini looks like after the next refresh, eh? Can you imagine a Mini with TB external HDD enclosures that stack on top or beneath it. Since the enclosures would themselves be stackable and daisychainable, you could stack 5 HDDs plus the mini (all TBed together for fast access) to create the mythological Midi Mac Tower.

 

[jonnysods]

Just one suggestion - make the optical drives quieter - sounds like a plane is taking off in my office when I put a disc in the drive.

 

[CaoCao]

Matte iMacs, stackable Minis, Camaro Mac Pros? Oh my!

 

[scottsjack]

Of course... now it's going to be interesting to see what the Mini looks like after the next refresh, eh? Can you imagine a Mini with TB external HDD enclosures that stack on top or beneath it. Since the enclosures would themselves be stackable and daisychainable, you could stack 5 HDDs plus the mini (all TBed together for fast access) to create the mythological Midi Mac Tower.

The next mini could be really great with some added height so a desktop HDD and discrete GPU would fit. I think it likely though that it will have the not-good-enough base Intel GPU just like the MBP 13. And, unless JI goes back to England it'll probably get even thinner. After all, just we we need are thinner (and wider) desktops, but I'm not bitter

 

[xper]

1) Put a real HW raid controller right onto the motherboard

2) A couple of TB ports on individual channels

3) Keep the size of the 3.5" HDD slots but make 2 slots per 3.5" bay for 2.5" drives instead of 1 3.5", this will give you the ability to put up to 8 drives in it, no point in having 3.5" HDD in the Mac Pro, internal drives = only there for speed, storage drives is better suited for external configs like NAS, DAS, TB storage (just my opinion, dont hate on this)

4) 1 or 2 more PCI slots.

5) Option for 10GbE NIC:s

6) More ram slots

7) SLI and/or CrossFire compatible

Yeah thats about it, yeah offer cheaper options too but come on, please put the Pro back in Mac Pro.

 

[RebootD]

I agree with many of the posts, especially 6/12 RAM slots like every other manufacturer out there. (It does support triple channel...) but again they would have to totally redesign their cpu/ram tray idea or make the system a few inches wider.

I also would love a smaller fan/heatsink to make room for more HD bays, PCI-e slots etc. Oh and put more ports on the back of this thing while you're at it!

 

[snberk103]

What are the chances that the current Mac Pro is basically a bunch of kludges put together to keep the the MP (more or less) current while the real redesign work was being done on the Mac Pro that will be released with Thunder Bolt.

If Apple was totally redesigning the MP to release with TB and after the TB announcement, then it's possible that the current MP was basically the minimum that they needed to do to keep the MP at least semi-current.

I suspect that MP sales have dropped considerably. I, for one, wouldn't consider a new MP until the TB version was released. If sales have dropped enough, there will be some pressure to release the TB version sooner rather than later. eh?

 

[Blue Velvet]

What are the chances that the current Mac Pro is basically a bunch of kludges put together to keep the the MP (more or less) current while the real redesign work was being done on the Mac Pro that will be released with Thunder Bolt.

Quite possible, I suspect. Although, Apple could be holding back for the Blu-Ray + Thunderbolt super-size combo meal deal. I'd buy one without a second thought. One can dream.

I, for one, wouldn't consider a new MP until the TB version was released. If sales have dropped enough, there will be some pressure to release the TB version sooner rather than later. eh?

Me neither. In fact, now knowing a little more about Thunderbolt and how useful it would be, I would say it's a deal killer. I'd still like to see a slightly smaller case, only because my space isn't that large... and the aluminium finish, as nice as it is, is looking a little tired and dated, in my view. And the current handles aren't that comfortable to hold, either... not that most people are moving their Mac Pros around on a regular basis.

 

[DoFoT9]

Matte iMacs, stackable Minis, Camaro Mac Pros? Oh my!

yeh, i think this discussion is getting a bit ridiculous :/

the line will stay as is.