Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
MP 7,1 Waiting for Mac Pro 7,1 A1991 (no more)
- Thread starter Mago
- Start date
-
- Tags
- macpro 2016
- Sort by reaction score
I've never disagree on the nMP Form Factor as a limitating one to break the deal, Also I support the external expandability as more convenient (think on storage, capture devices), but the CORE SYSTEM needs at least some periodic updates, I'd like to be deveoping things on the new Radeon GPUs, only way to do is on an external cage (which is broken since last OSX update the eGPU hack dont work anymore, at least as long I know).
Even the new TouchBar MacBook pro its an FIASCO for ACTUAL PROs: major sins: intentional (unecessary) Low TDP, this bans powerful GPU/CPU even more critical the 32GB DDR4 option an need for those really considering to do PRO use.
Even there is no suitable iMac you can alternatively use for PRO Applications.
I have a friend whos tc Mac Pro overheated just transcoding an SHORT 8K video he wanted to upload somewhere for a demo, even on the most recent iMac this is an impossible task, what he did? he took an cheap gaming Pc from his GF loaded with 16gb ram and a nVidia 1080 GPU, he transcoded the 8k video w/o issues, his mac pro still at Apple waiting for a new logic board.
No case, the Mac situation is the most disastrous since my first intel Mac.
Then we really, really need external GPUs to become a thing Apple gets behind. Even if it's a stopgap before whatever comes next.
If I could get Mac OS nVidia drivers for their latest products and external enclosures that don't cost as much as a good video card, it will go a long way.
And this is actually funniest part about MacBook Pro. Its form factor is entirely designed around the future of Apple ecosystem.
Nvidia is, I am sorry, but excluded from Apple future.
Like an external platform? That many have already moved to, or the few remaining planning exit strategies?
It's not a rumor that the Mac Pro hasnt seen an update in over 3 years, or that Apple is pushing, promoting, marketing the 2016 MacBook Pro as the ultimate video editing bay paired with dual RAIDS, and 5k displays...
Seems that the "external expandability" all comes down to the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Maybe in future there will not be that huge need for powerful internal hardware in MBP, so they used smaller battery?
If you will look at how Apple treats external expansion, and how much you have to pay for it - you get the idea, that from business point of view, it makes sense, for them.
Even smart case for iPad is two part accessory right now. So you can pay for it more.
So your advocating the "multiple dongle-front/back case strategy" for Apple to gouge consumers?
I like the idea of modular computing-I have invested a lot into Thunderbolt which really has me clinging to some hope come NAB/WWDC for some hint. Although it's available on the PC side of things it's a little more rare, at least in the solutions I am looking into.
Cloud computing has been discussed with fra.me and others, even AutoDesks' cloud rendering and such for different fields. Unless you are advocating for Apple to really embrace external CPU and GPUS (which would be a driver nightmare on Apple's closed/walled garden). I really have a hard time buying into the vision your selling.
I am not advocating anything. I am just giving you clues what is going to happen with Apple ecosystem.
First emanation of it you have with MacBook Pro 2016 and UltraFine Displays. You should also ask yourselves, why did Apple killed their monitor, and WiFi routers/Time Capsule teams. They will just appear in "different form".
They want to expand their ecosystem. Not only to iOS, macOS, but also - peripherals.
I fear you are right. Do you have any more inside info, or are you just reading the (numerous) signs like the rest of us?
This information does not come from inside Apple. Neither Nvidia, neither AMD.
All what I can say is: watch, and have open mind.
So you would argue (in this friendly discussion) that essentially AirPort will live on, like many postulated in a hybrid fashion like an AppleTV with wifi meshing? Or even a more radical thought wifi paired with wireless charging bases? The core concept being one would have several stations within a home or small offfice, why not combine the two? Isn't that in direct opposition to the front/rear case profit philosophy they are trotting out now? Or are you suggesting the like the LED CINEMA/THUNDERBOLT DISPLAY, Apple will exit those areas and leave a void for the third party vendors to fill with sub-par equipment, like displays that lack proper shielding that suffer unexpected shutdowns and the like when within less than a meter of a wireless network base station?
You speak cryptically, almost as if you have some inside information, whether you would work on, know someone who does, or just pillow talk with Tom Cook, if you want to be taken seriously and not have the pitchforks (4 people quoting you and calling you out, within minutes of your post) have the cajones to illustrate the concept apart from platitudes and cryptic double speak.
Apple is not able to compete with growing NAS market, that will explode in future. If you cannot beat your opponents, you have to join them. Thats how they approached this. Similar thing with Displays, there is too many variables that consumers will want to target. 4 and 5K is small portion of the interests.
What they can do is to partner with third parties in offering best possible hardware for their ecosystem.
I think if you will factor this information, and put into perspective of "compute hardware" you can get the big picture.
So is the halo effect? The "ecosystem" really dead? Apple is ceding the ground to third party, granted they will likely "partner" with a select few in different areas like the LG UltraFine Displays.
If that's the case can we really expect them to not license out macOS?
The ecosystem is not dead. They want to live it up, by opening it, if that is the best word for this.
Apple licensing the OS? No chances. Whole Apple management team would die, before they would license the OS. It is the last thing they want to do.
P.S. Im sure goMac will know what I am talking about.
So where is the line? Opening up a "made for Mac" avenue for accessories really doesn't open it up any more than it already has been. Anyone could go and get an LG or Samsung, HP, or any other number of displays and hook it up to a Mac-of course specific mileage will vary depending on features utilized by macOS and those of the display manufacturer, likewise with routers, my MacBook Pro has always worked with netgear, linksys, and any other router using the standards... so why cede the ground? It's not like they were putting anywhere near the R&D into these product lines-they were almost certainly putting more into the iPad cases in all honesty. Yet people did buy them, not in the numbers that they were moving iPhones of course, but with regular updates the displays were moving from the original acrylic cinema displays up to the Thunderbolt before it was left to linger and whither and die. So again where is the line? What is the sacred "core" that is Apple and what is the fluff that Apple will leave to the others?
Monitors, and Routers were just examples. Examples of third party approach, by Apple.
They miss the point of "which hardware" will be expandable, however. I am not talking about external expansion of external capabilities.
You should be able to draw the lines from this.
They miss the point of "which hardware" will be expandable, however. I am not talking about external expansion of external capabilities.
You should be able to draw the lines from this.
Sorry to disappoint, your cryptics are lost on me. What's to stop Tim Cook, or anyother CEO in the future to say... "Macs aren't selling, not in any quantity to justify our future investments in them, let's just have a massive server, where developers can log on and code, run their sims and submit it to the App Store-this way anyone could code on any device via a browser. That's is shut the Mac department down."
If anything the waters are even muddier than they were an hour or so ago when we started this little discussion. Apple is geared to break down accesory componanets for the sales but unwilling to compete in accesory areas where they already have an established footing? Apple displays have generally had proprietary connections (ADC) it wasn't until the aluminum displays went DVI did they really get into any other markets apart from Macs, even miniDisplayPort was available through third party adaptors-but the price tag wasn't easy to swallow when you could get (as a PC user) as good or better display for half the cost. Which was a battle lost-when marketing to the PC buyer. The Mac buyer on the other hand bought them-sure not everyone one but many did. And it's not like it took anything other than evolutionary updates to maintain the display as well as the router/backup lines.
With all that said what is the future of the Mac? If recent years are any indication it is dismal-some would say doom-others would apologize. In a world were 2017 technology is unprecedented, why are they trotting out mid 2013 tech? An underpowered portable core m processor for a fashion accessory? A 2016 MacBook Pro that has been the most critically responded to notebook in many years if not in the entirety of the history of Apple and then the desktop line which has been neglected? Seriously what's the future?
That would require me to stay on the platform - Like all of the other professionals today, I am working on my exit strategy.
What I can said:
Fill in a Check with enough Zeroes and nVidia will sell to Apple even it´s president private parts.
Because they no longer need to?
When Airport launched in 1999, Wi-Fi was a black art - especially for people without a strong IT background. Airport made it easy for anyone to configure and access it. Now (almost) 20 years later, the industry is very refined and ease-of-use is built-in. If anything, the differentiation now is in complexity - the ability to fine-tune and configure to your personal requirements. And that is the anathema of Apple. How many people complained in this forum and others about the lack of configurability of the recent Airport lines compared to Netgear and others? Heck, how many folks get a free router from their ISP (be it cable, DSL or satellite)? They have no need to get any third-party router - including Apple's?
It's a market Apple can't really differentiate itself in anymore so why stay in it? Same with monitors.
I disagree, while Apple is now in disadvantage, they could build and arm/macOS Server to address the timecapsule and mac server lost functionality in their ecosystem, the problem is they ditched this project in favor iCloud, switching hardware for suscription services, that's all, given iCloud is far from being a sound success, an personal Cloud macOS Server will be the grace shoot for iCloud (another Cook failure).
I own 2 Synology DS1515+ and a mac mini as macServer, the mini provides primary macOS server services for my team, the 2 Synology DS1515+ one is for general server task, specially Docker virtualization, and as target for the mac mini server backups, the second its an semi-dormant mirror.
If apple could sell a decent mini macServer instead this setup I could deploy 2 mac mini servers.
Exactly.
Now lets turn this in to professional workloads. How can you create ecosystem of hardware that is easy to implement, over vast majority of Apple hardware, not only Macs, but also, iOS hardware?
Could iOS hardware have any professional application? How could it be?
Maybe here is the innovation, that Apple is working on for past 6 years(!).
I guess we need to define the term "professional". And I don't intend to be flippant with that remark. There are many people who would consider what they do on an iPad (Pro) or even an iPhone as "professional" whereas there are others who believe (or have workloads that require) to be "professional" you need significant CPU and/or GPU performance far beyond what an A-series CPU and PowerVR GPU can currently (or in the reasonable near-term) provide.
Let's dive into this- would the scenario of having an iPad "dock" into a "workhorse" for traditional macOS desktop use, and undock for mobility, be feasible? Are there other scenarios (please feel free to share or comment).
What are the limitations? At least currently. Right now (using AutoCAD as an example) I have both apps by the same developer one on a Mac one on an iPad. I am able to read and to a degree manipulate the same files/projects/drawings. iOS is limited to the features to the macOS variant. No fault of Apple but the developer (and not to slight AutoDesk in the slightest). The macOS variant had had more time to be well developed and mature vs. it's iOS counterpart. It is a great mobile solution for being on site and verifying and making adjustments (redline corrections). If I had to design a new building or even recreate a set of construction drawings on the iOS version I would go insane-it hasn't had the time to really mature to the level of the desktop app. Given time could it be? Sure but that is a lot of emphasis at the hands of the developer, and would developers invest the resources if there is doubt in the companies product lines?
But what are the other scenarios/problems/solutions/growing pains that various workflows in various fields exist?
[doublepost=1489001778][/doublepost]
Would it be worth, for the sake of the conversation, to look at "low"/"moderate"/"heavy" computing, where "low" use would be basic browsing and email, and "heavy" use as processor intense rendering, compliling, and the like? Take "Pro" out of the mix, and define or quantify in terms of acceptable processor workloads.