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No GPU upgrades coming for nMP, proof is in the firmware
- Thread starter MacVidCards
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Or some people don't care. Like me, they want reliable machines that can be written off over 2-3 years. The real e value is still there too.
95% of people won't ever open a machine.
Or is it? The money they save by producing it this way, are the savings passed on to you?
Why do you think that it's money saved? It would no doubt have been cheaper to take the cheese grater Macs and just update them with USB3, Thunderbolt, BT, and the new processors. Certainly many people on this forum really just wanted that.
You can argue soldering in components makes Apple money due to forcing BTO upgrades upfront, but even there it's probably much more about aggressively pursuing thinness (risers add space, et al.)
The simple fact is that not allowing GPU upgrades rules out the new MacPro as relevant to a vast portion of it's target audience.
Planned obsolescence may get by for headphones or ipods or even macbooks, but the top of the range pro offering? Not a chance.
I really don't know what Apple has against graphics performance, from the top to the bottom of their line it's disappointment after disappointment.
Planned obsolescence may get by for headphones or ipods or even macbooks, but the top of the range pro offering? Not a chance.
I really don't know what Apple has against graphics performance, from the top to the bottom of their line it's disappointment after disappointment.
I genuinely don't care - I make my money back on a mac pro in a job or 2. I buy the best version available for the most part - only the 8 core this time though D700 max ram etc.
$7K is nothing for a work machine, but you get some people that want a 24 core workstation. Bit pointless I think as the cost ($20K+) far out weigh their core use. Some people of course need them. But I have a 192 cores on tap with an AWS node with a renderfarm on it if I need it, and it's pretty cheap for the few times I need that power.
It's the architecture, stupid!
So glad I picked up one of the last new 5.1s from B&H a year ago!
So glad I picked up one of the last new 5.1s from B&H a year ago!
If by "vast" you mean 10% of their target market, then yeah, they've ruled out those potential customers.
You guys are in your own feedback loop.
Great comment from a "Pro" board
I was over on one of the real Pro boards at Creative Cow and saw a comment that resonated with me.
In a thread bemoaning the fact that many external expansion chassis have had trouble with running more than 2 external GPUs since 10.9 came out.
"Why would a phone manufacturer support more than two graphics cards? Now that Resolve is serious about becoming an edit platform, there is less and less a reason to hold out hope for Apple returning to thier former glory.
It's pretty obvious apple gave up on Color because they couldn't or weren't talented enough to compete with Black Magic. And thier miscalculation on the industries response to FCP x further in my mind solidifies this lack of interest in serious pro's. Unless of course you count software that can color correct on ingest. Clear sign of abandoning professional work flow and expectations."
It's that first line "Why would a phone manufacturer...."
And it makes sense. I wouldn't expect Nokia or Qualcom to care, and so Apple not caring makes perfect sense.
The "Coffee Can Pro", as it is called on those boards, is not highly regarded. (Except by the HP and Dell "Pro" sales reps whose business has increased.)
I had an email chat with an acquaintance who works at BMD. Ho told me that they have had lots of trouble with the nMP running their software.
Here is a quote from a BMD engineer on what machine they recommend for the new SUPER high res formats being used in Hollywood and elsewhere.
"We tested and found the new dual 14 core config is prefered for RED, Sony F65 etc images. "
Guess that won't be including any Macs. It's a shame, there are still a few faithful on those boards, but many running OS X are now doing it on Hackintoshes.
It's when you imagine what COULD have been that the little shiny Coffee Can seems especially unfulfilling.
I was over on one of the real Pro boards at Creative Cow and saw a comment that resonated with me.
In a thread bemoaning the fact that many external expansion chassis have had trouble with running more than 2 external GPUs since 10.9 came out.
"Why would a phone manufacturer support more than two graphics cards? Now that Resolve is serious about becoming an edit platform, there is less and less a reason to hold out hope for Apple returning to thier former glory.
It's pretty obvious apple gave up on Color because they couldn't or weren't talented enough to compete with Black Magic. And thier miscalculation on the industries response to FCP x further in my mind solidifies this lack of interest in serious pro's. Unless of course you count software that can color correct on ingest. Clear sign of abandoning professional work flow and expectations."
It's that first line "Why would a phone manufacturer...."
And it makes sense. I wouldn't expect Nokia or Qualcom to care, and so Apple not caring makes perfect sense.
The "Coffee Can Pro", as it is called on those boards, is not highly regarded. (Except by the HP and Dell "Pro" sales reps whose business has increased.)
I had an email chat with an acquaintance who works at BMD. Ho told me that they have had lots of trouble with the nMP running their software.
Here is a quote from a BMD engineer on what machine they recommend for the new SUPER high res formats being used in Hollywood and elsewhere.
"We tested and found the new dual 14 core config is prefered for RED, Sony F65 etc images. "
Guess that won't be including any Macs. It's a shame, there are still a few faithful on those boards, but many running OS X are now doing it on Hackintoshes.
It's when you imagine what COULD have been that the little shiny Coffee Can seems especially unfulfilling.
Yeah, because everyone is recording with RED and Sony F65...
If you were, the price of the nMP is a drop in the ocean investment-wise.
If software has issues with hardware, isn't it a software problem? The problems with Resolve are mostly ... resolved by now.
Their NLEs need to adapt to using multiple GPUs, so Apple had the right idea at least. The growth are found in GPU power, not processor power.
Funny, Grant Petty CEO from Black Magic Design said Resolve "Screams" on the 2013 Mac Pro. But whatever. The FUD is getting incredibly thick in here now.
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Hopefully you're not calling me a liar.
The suggestion as to the Dual 14 Core system was made by a BMD Resolve guy, on the Creative Cow Forums.
Maybe you should go call him a liar.
I'd trust the Tech Guy in the field over a CEO any day of the week.
Or do you take Tim Cook's over-the-top stuff all completely true?
EDIT: Just saw the "Screams" quote was from the June 2013 nMP intro time period. Certainly no hyperbole then.
Next?
Speaking of which, whatever happened to that "Oh Mary !" software they claimed was running like a top on nMP then?
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The obvious conclusion we can draw from this topic is:
The BEST solution for EVERYBODY who prefesionally uses OS X and needs a fast Mac is to buy Mac Pro 2006 - 2012, preferably with newer (flashed) video card.
Whoever does not agree with this is just plain wrong
The BEST solution for EVERYBODY who prefesionally uses OS X and needs a fast Mac is to buy Mac Pro 2006 - 2012, preferably with newer (flashed) video card.
Whoever does not agree with this is just plain wrong
I just like the added IO lanes that come with a second processor. The Mac line really needs a dual socket machine...
Fixed it for you.
Only the 2009-12 can be easily upgraded past the limited capabilities of nMP.
Ultimately, what has happened is that Apple has conceded the high end market to HP and Dell. (Anyone else who isn't scared to put 2 @ Xeons together)
One of main marketing points of Xeons is the better ones can work together. Might as well use i7s if you can't possible connect 2.
And everyone owes you a big "thank you." You are the one who figured out that we already had proof that nMP was already at the end of the road.
I agree, if the i7 had enough PCIe lanes, there really would be no point for the Xeon in the nMP, besides lack of cores, as i7 maxes out at 6 cores currently.
It seems you don't have any problem to say the same to a CEO of a top rated tech company, if thats how you want to spin it. I'm sure he would take you up on your challenge if he so wanted.
I run DaVinci Resolve on a 6 year old Mac Pro that is not the top of the line with a 7950. It runs decently enough. I can only imagine how well it works on a 2013 Mac Pro.
BMD has procured 20 or so GPUs from us. I have had interaction with several of their employees, including a "thanks for supporting our software" from their office in Singapore. One of their employees has been to my building 4 or 5 times in the last few years and we have had conversations regarding Macs and their GPU support. I had a tour of their Northridge facility before it moved to Burbank last year. I have also had interactions with 60 or more people running Resolve on our cards.
But I'm sure you are better informed by reading a PR quote from nMP launch. Pardon my presumption.
The BMD employee suggesting Dual 14 Core for proper 6K performance uses his real name on Creative Cow, as we all do there. So you are welcome to go read it yourself. I won't link from an anonymous forum where I'm one of the few who is known to a place where everyone has to be honest about their identity.
If we had a nMP with "slots and bays" today, nobody would be make you open it, but at least everyone else would have the option to.
Also I question the 95%. That might be true in your circle/business/field, but overall I doubt it. Sort the Mac Pro forum by the "views" column and you'll see that upgrade threads are overwhelmingly popular, with thousands of replies and literally millions of views.
Just be sure to check these two options and then it just flies !
P.S. It uses both GPUs
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