Fair enough, and that's the essence of where I was trying to go with my comment. The underlying point is still this: the original criticism of the nMP design from the originally-stated basis doesn't make sense to me.
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Fair enough, and that's the essence of where I was trying to go with my comment. The underlying point is still this: the original criticism of the nMP design from the originally-stated basis doesn't make sense to me.
Apple are not 'professional'
I can't take Apple seriously when they release a new workstation that is intended to be used predominantly with external storage (so loud disk arrays can be in another room) and don't include fibre channel or dual 10GigE for iSCSI. Thunderbolt is fast, but ultimately consumer level. There is no redundant paths and a 100m limit on cable lengths. Have a look at all the storage arrays from EMC, IBM, HP, NetApp, etc and see how many of them use thunderbolt. I'll save you the time. None of them do.
I also question their whole desktop strategy. If you ignore the iMac you have the Mini and the Mac Pro. There is a huge price and performance gap between these machines.
For me the nMP is too focused on one application. If you want more CPU and memory, perhaps for a VM test lab you can't have it. Not everybody wants dual graphics cards in their workstation. Not everyone who uses a workstation is a graphics professional.
As for laptops, yes the combination of OS X, iCloud and iPhone is brilliant, but who seriously builds a high-end desktop replacement laptop that doesn't include an ethernet port. Many of the environments I work in don't have any network let a alone wireless as I'm part of the team installing it. So having to use an ethernet adaptor as opposed to just plugging a cable in the laptop is a pain when working at the arse-end of a rack.
The graphics on the rMPB also suck. I'm not talking about gaming, I'm talking about moving between virtual screens, minimising apps and scrolling around in spreadsheets. Work on one of these laptops all day every day and you soon notice the little flaws.
At least the cooling works on the rMBP, on the old one (2011 15") it was terrible. I would only have to run a couple of VM's before the fans would kick in at full pelt. Took it back to Apple and only on the third attempt did they fix it. At first they suggested that these things deteriorate like a car would (what on a 2 year old £2500 laptop??), and then went on to suggest that perhaps the Mac is the wrong platform for me because I might be pushing it too hard.
Also while I'm at it, Apple please start going 'retro' with your keyboards now everybody else is copying you with the crappy chicklet style and implement something like the old Thinkpad keyboard. Hopefully everybody else with copy that and we can have decent keyboards.
I currently run a DIY PC as my workstation because it gives me the flexibility Apple can't provide from a desktop. The mini, while a lovely little machine doesn't have dedicated graphics, is limited to 16GB of RAM and it's very difficult to replace the disks. The nMP is tool for video editors, very expensive and not that much quicker than an iMac from what of the current bench marks are showing. And as for the iMac, I don't want a 27" mirror thank you very much. It might be less reflective than the last one but it's still a lot more reflective than the 27" Dell monitor I have.
Overall Apple I won't be buying a desktop from you and when I next replace my laptop (maybe next year if I get more pissed off with the slow graphics of my rMBP) I'll be considering the Dell M3800 and the Lenovo W540 before I look at another Macbook. There is too much style over substance and not enough that professionals want. I don't feel that I can use your products all day, every day for work. They are great for email, surfing and organising my life. They are crap for photo's now though as Aperture runs on coal. Why has this not had a significant upgrade since 1895? Don't worry, I run lightroom now.
I can't take Apple seriously when they release a new workstation that is intended to be used predominantly with external storage (so loud disk arrays can be in another room) and don't include fibre channel or dual 10GigE for iSCSI. Thunderbolt is fast, but ultimately consumer level. There is no redundant paths and a 100m limit on cable lengths. Have a look at all the storage arrays from EMC, IBM, HP, NetApp, etc and see how many of them use thunderbolt. I'll save you the time. None of them do.
I also question their whole desktop strategy. If you ignore the iMac you have the Mini and the Mac Pro. There is a huge price and performance gap between these machines.
For me the nMP is too focused on one application. If you want more CPU and memory, perhaps for a VM test lab you can't have it. Not everybody wants dual graphics cards in their workstation. Not everyone who uses a workstation is a graphics professional.
As for laptops, yes the combination of OS X, iCloud and iPhone is brilliant, but who seriously builds a high-end desktop replacement laptop that doesn't include an ethernet port. Many of the environments I work in don't have any network let a alone wireless as I'm part of the team installing it. So having to use an ethernet adaptor as opposed to just plugging a cable in the laptop is a pain when working at the arse-end of a rack.
The graphics on the rMPB also suck. I'm not talking about gaming, I'm talking about moving between virtual screens, minimising apps and scrolling around in spreadsheets. Work on one of these laptops all day every day and you soon notice the little flaws.
At least the cooling works on the rMBP, on the old one (2011 15") it was terrible. I would only have to run a couple of VM's before the fans would kick in at full pelt. Took it back to Apple and only on the third attempt did they fix it. At first they suggested that these things deteriorate like a car would (what on a 2 year old £2500 laptop??), and then went on to suggest that perhaps the Mac is the wrong platform for me because I might be pushing it too hard.
Also while I'm at it, Apple please start going 'retro' with your keyboards now everybody else is copying you with the crappy chicklet style and implement something like the old Thinkpad keyboard. Hopefully everybody else with copy that and we can have decent keyboards.
I currently run a DIY PC as my workstation because it gives me the flexibility Apple can't provide from a desktop. The mini, while a lovely little machine doesn't have dedicated graphics, is limited to 16GB of RAM and it's very difficult to replace the disks. The nMP is tool for video editors, very expensive and not that much quicker than an iMac from what of the current bench marks are showing. And as for the iMac, I don't want a 27" mirror thank you very much. It might be less reflective than the last one but it's still a lot more reflective than the 27" Dell monitor I have.
Overall Apple I won't be buying a desktop from you and when I next replace my laptop (maybe next year if I get more pissed off with the slow graphics of my rMBP) I'll be considering the Dell M3800 and the Lenovo W540 before I look at another Macbook. There is too much style over substance and not enough that professionals want. I don't feel that I can use your products all day, every day for work. They are great for email, surfing and organising my life. They are crap for photo's now though as Aperture runs on coal. Why has this not had a significant upgrade since 1895? Don't worry, I run lightroom now.
Could agree more. A lot of people are also forgetting not every 'Pro' is a video editor. I use a workstation as a VM lab, other pro's will have their own needs. What is missing is a multi-purpose machine that can host expansion cards and a reasonable amount of internal storage (6-8 drives). I absolutely get that production storage should be rack mounted in an air-conditioned data centre. I install install these things for a living.
The real problem is the "pro" moniker, where everyone feels the need to justify what THEY do is "pro", while at the same time dismissing the needs of other "pros".
Wedding shooters are "pro".
Hollywood guys are "pro".
Skateboard video shooters are "pro"
Web designers are "pro".
Fashion photographers are "pro".
Data analysts are "pro".
Every person posting here who uses their system for their 40+ hours a week to make a living IS "pro".
Does the nMP meet the need of high-end studio editing? maybe, maybe not. Does it meet the needs of the wedding shooter? Probably. Those situations don't make either side pro or not pro.
And if the high-end studio guys are tired of being framed as elitist jerks, they should stop dismissing the needs of other users, which has been done plenty here.
it's funny, a few years ago if you mentioned Premier at a cocktail party with your Post buddies you would get laughed at.
Now it's suddenly a viable alternative?
Now it's suddenly a viable alternative?