New Mac Pro, One Year Later

[mrxak]

One year ago today, the new Mac Pro hit the market. I thought this might make a good occasion to reflect.

For those that bought one, how do you feel a year after it came out? For those who didn't buy one for some reason, have your feelings changed at all now that you've had a year to get used to the idea of the new model being for sale? Have your questions and concerns been satisfied? Do you plan on buying a new Mac Pro in the future or have you abandoned the Mac Pro line for good?

We have enough topics speculating about future versions, so let's keep that talk to those topics. Looking simply at the transition from a large multi-CPU box with lots of spinning disks and PCI slots to a small multi-GPU cylinder with a single SSD and no PCI slots, do you feel that Apple is on the right track, the wrong track, or is one year later still not enough time to really know?

 

[EdDuPlessis]

I'm clearly one of those people who wasnt happy to see the Cube return in cylinder form with even less internal upgradability than before and I do believe the 6,1 is supposed to make Mac users get used to the concept of using an energy efficient terminal computer that streams your apps and saves your documents in the cloud. It's a great concept that should come to fruition but that time is far far away when issues of privacy, security and citizen's rights are properly dealt with.

Instead of trying to cajole us into subserviently comply with their cloud ambitions, they should give us what we need until we feel we can trust the aforementioned technological vision. All we wanted was a smaller tower with modern PCIE expansion slots, m.2 slot on the mobo and upgradable CPUs but without the optical and SATA bays and bulky handles that were taking up space.

Taking technological power away from power users who spend so much is just silly business practice and a grand display of corporate arrogance. It's bad enough they disable features such as TRIM or 60hz video on third party hardware as if we're just idiots they can laugh at.

 

[Cubemmal]

Still happy with it. Small, quiet, powerful, not as powerful as other computers and was outclassed the day it came out, but for a Mac it is great. It's my dependable workhorse that doesn't break the bank power wise, as the oMP does. The oMP actually flickers the lights when I turn it on, is much noiser and is less upgradable than people make out, in my experience.

I find myself wishing they would take advantage of the second GPU in the OS though. It's a waste, just sitting there idling all the time. I just wish Apple could learn how to fix OS bugs. I've still got a few from the recent Yosemite upgrade (constantly waking) on both my Mac Pros.

 

[antonis]

Going from the iMac 2010 model to the nMP, it was a huge speed shock. I'm impressed by the disk speed and the lack of noise on this machine. Regardless of agree or disagree with the form factor and the externalized expansion path Apple has taken with this Mac, this machine is a wonder of the modern industrial design, and it is obvious from the first moment working with it, that a lot of engineering thought is put in order to have this result. For me that IT is my job and my hobby for almost nearly two decades now, I'm obliged to appreciate this little shiny beast.

Will the future prove Apple has taken the wrong path ? Are we going to see internally upgradeable Macs ever again ? Maybe yes, maybe no. For what is worth, though, nMP is a great computer, and I'm a happy owner.

 

[Small White Car]

When they were announced I bought a 2012 5,1 machine to try and surf over the 6,1 release and make it to the 2nd generation of this thing.

I have no issues with the machine itself (I actually really want one) but over the years I've slowly trained myself to avoid first-generation Apple designs. (Not because of flaws but because the second update always seems to be the biggest improvement jump of all generations.)

But we'll see. My 5,1 is still doing fine so I thought I'd make it, but depending on how an upcoming job contract goes there's a strong chance I'll need a second tower in February and I'm not going to buy an old tower at this point. So my waiting may have been for naught. Oh well.

 

[shaunp]

I bought one, mainly consolidate a couple of larger computers onto a single platform that I use for VMware and photo processing. While I like the cylinder design and having fast external storage works pretty well, I also get the argument about having a larger case for the Mac Pro.

Here's what I think Apple should have done. Release what is the current nMP as the 'X Mac', the model between the mini and the Mac Pro and then revamp the Mac Pro in large case with more expansion potential so it can compete directly with the HP Z820 and Dell Precision T7600 - loads of PCI-e slots, loads of drive bays with on-board RAID (or ZFS in the OS?), multiple CPU's, easily removable PSU's, max supported RAM 1TB +, and support for both Nvidia and AMD GPU's, including Tesla. It's not as 'innovative' but sometimes people just want a good strong workhorse with their OS of choice.

No matter how much marketing people try and convince us, style doesn't out do substance. If the mac pro looks crap, but performs brilliantly I'm happy, but if it looks great and performs like a piece of crap then I'm not so happy. Simple really.

 

[ilikewhey]

the main reason i went with a 4.1 instead of a 6.1 was mainly due to my logic of this is a desktop, not a laptop, therefore space and TDP isn't really a factor when it comes to a desktop unit. plus there is no way a 1tb ssd can hold me over, and buying external cages for hard drives with thunderbolt isn't my ideal of solution.

i do notice sluggishness with my 4.1 on 10.10., its as if apple purposely crippled the performance on the oMP, cause i have a similiar x58 chip in my pc and that thing just flies. while on my 4.1 8 core closing and opening window just feels sluggish.

 

[mintakax]

I still love mine. I use it everyday for work, processing huge amounts of satellite imagery for cryosphere cal/val analysis. For fun I use it to edit and view 4K videos as well as photographs. For me it is certainly the best Mac ever.
The form factor is something I could not give a rats ass about. I would have preferred a machine with more internal expansion capabilities, who wouldn't ? Fast external storage is too expensive.

 

[Korican100]

just got mine last month, and holy freaking shiyot. Just a better experience than my 4.1. Thunderbolt is just crazy crazy fast. Love it.

 

[BeatCrazy]

Only had mine a couple of months, base model.

When announced, I would not have dreamed of buying one, considering the price. I upgraded from a 2011 Mac mini (also had a self-built Windows PC for heavy work), when I was able to snag a nMP for ~$2500 via Best Buy.

I do miss the form factor of my Mac mini, but that ship has sailed. So for, the nMP has done everything I've asked of it, all without making a peep, or any hiccups.

I added another 4GB stick for a few bucks, and am on the lookout for a 1TB SSD. I should be good for a couple of years with such a configuration.

 

[Chuck Rodent]

A year ago I needed a new desktop and considered ordering the 6.1 but bought a 4 core 5.1 from Refurb. It has done everything asked of it and being my first Apple desktop I learned a lot about how to configure the storage. 4k video is important for me now and it was in its infancy a year ago. So I am about to receive a 6 core nMP from the refurb store, the $2100 I spent a year ago probably saved me from buying the wrong peripherals particularly with the price drop on 4K monitors. After reading the issues with the nMP in this forum and elsewhere I'm prepared to live with the shortcomings in order to have the improved capabilities.

 

[goMac]

I'm clearly one of those people who wasnt happy to see the Cube return in cylinder form with even less internal upgradability than before and I do believe the 6,1 is supposed to make Mac users get used to the concept of using an energy efficient terminal computer that streams your apps and saves your documents in the cloud. It's a great concept that should come to fruition but that time is far far away when issues of privacy, security and citizen's rights are properly dealt with.

I don't think throwing a 12 core Xeon in a machine is anything that resembles a box that's trying to get users to stream apps from the cloud.

Saving docs in the cloud is pretty obviously a thing though. I don't think Apple wants people to necessarily save to their cloud, though. Most shops have large network stores with fast storage.

 

[RoastingPig]

had a 2010 12 core mac pro. sold it, i got my Nmp in january. 6 months later i sold that. Now i have a 2010 mac pro 12 core again.

 

[Raddock]

I love mine. It's a workhorse. Extremely silent. Never crashes. It's a solid computer like it's predecessors. I can't say the same for my wife's iMac...crashes all the time, reboots, etc.

 

[EdDuPlessis]

I don't think throwing a 12 core Xeon in a machine is anything that resembles a box that's trying to get users to stream apps from the cloud.

Saving docs in the cloud is pretty obviously a thing though. I don't think Apple wants people to necessarily save to their cloud, though. Most shops have large network stores with fast storage.

Sure they still offer you 12 cores but the hand that feeds is the same hand that takes away from you.

Was talking not only about saving files in the cloud but also cloud computing which requires your data to be uploaded. I like the idea of cloud computing (especially for scientific simulations) but can't trust any corporation with the execution, just look at this Sony Vs Hackers or celebrity iCloud fiasco to see how useless these people are with their billions of dollars. And I know for a fact that the entertainment and computing industries love stealing sensitive documents from the machines of users. It's not just hackers who steal. I have seen friends screenplays stolen by hackers working in Hollywood studios. They send a Word document contract and lo and behold it's got malware imbedded in it that scans for all text documents and opens a backdoor to allow draft documents to be stolen. Uploading private or sensitive documents to cloud servers run by multinational corporations? Must be joking.

Cloud computing should be between citizens who want to share their processing power with each other over a private connection, not some corporation who want to do everything for you and think they know better. Taking away features from us bit by bit is how they think they can get away with it.

Anyway, back on subject.

 

[Average Pro]

Love It!

I purchased the nMP for professional photography use. I absolutely love it and how easy it is to expand - just plug in what you need. The R2-Unit has been very reliable and quiet.

Over the past, I've been following the 4K video growth. (I do some video as well, mostly 1080HD). In addition to the ease the R2 handles 1080 files, I'm impressed at the hardware currently available to process 4K files (via TB2). And when I make the transition to 4K, all I'll have to do is purchase the appropriate external plug-ins.

Look at it this way, there are those types of people who like to buy televisions with a built in DVD/BluRay, mp3, camera, easy bake oven, etc...

Apple did the smart thing. They built one hell of a TV (also coming soon) and left it up to you to add-on externals as needed.

 

[ibgb]

I think is is a good direction they went in with nMP.

It was created and born little too early, and by that I mean the next release will be really where the design comes into its own. With processor advances and die shrinkage, I am not sure (many) people will need dual cpus, as I think there will be more cores on a single cpu, and more software to use them. The next generation of gpu should be more capable as well.

It is probably better to birth the baby a little early instead of wait a few more years. I mean, they had to do something.

 

[ilikewhey]

had a 2010 12 core mac pro. sold it, i got my Nmp in january. 6 months later i sold that. Now i have a 2010 mac pro 12 core again.

lol may i ask why you did that?

 

[EdDuPlessis]

lol may i ask why you did that?

Because if an 8K monitor comes out he isn't going to be stuck with out of date video ports )

 

[Demigod Mac]

Should have been this:

A modular Mac Pro that you can add onto as your needs expand.

 

[rei101]

I work in video post production and motion graphics. The nMP... too much money. I believe the new 27" 5K iMac is way better deal.

The thing is that for the kind of use you will give to a new mac pro, you can get an imac. Those applications (and I do not mean software) that would require a hard ware like the new mac pro are so small.

Probably if I am a Hollywood music producer with loads of plugins or if I work in video in live event if I need to send video to several screens in real time... other than that... an iMac would do.

 

[Bwa]

I bought on release day and it's the greatest Mac I've ever had. I had "2012" and 2008 Mac Pros, two G5 towers, etc. This has been the best and I love the form factor.

 

[TruckdriverSean]

Because if an 8K monitor comes out he isn't going to be stuck with out of date video ports )

Love my cMP.

But I'm pretty sure that by the time 8K monitors become affordable "video port compatibility" will be about the only thing a cMP will have in common with it.

Would love the future to prove me wrong though.

 

[JesterJJZ]

Still hate everything about it.

 

[pertusis1]

i do notice sluggishness with my 4.1 on 10.10., its as if apple purposely crippled the performance on the oMP, cause i have a similiar x58 chip in my pc and that thing just flies. while on my 4.1 8 core closing and opening window just feels sluggish.

I got a kick out of reading this part about apple purposely crippling their product. Every time they come out with a new phone, I notice that my old one suddenly slows by 50%... or so it seems. I doubt it's real - more than likely it's just a case of 'update-itis'.

had a 2010 12 core mac pro. sold it, i got my Nmp in january. 6 months later i sold that. Now i have a 2010 mac pro 12 core again.

I actually like the idea of the nMP. Anyone still putting money into developing productivity apps for Mac is going to have to program for that configuration. Over time, the loss of nVIDIA cards will be less significant. The low noise factor is enviable.

On the other hand, I bought a 5,1 12 core about 4 months before the nMP came out. I don't plan to switch any time soon. I use it for 1080 video processing, music production, and light gaming. So far, I've put an XP941 drive in it, upgraded to 48 GB ram, added a 7970 video card, and added a 3gb spinning drive. My next project will be a set of x5680 processors. When that's no good, I'll switch to something else. Right now, it is a pleasure to use, and I'll bet it lasts a while.