My trashcan has one free USB port and one open Thunderbolt port.
I have an eternal USB hub with 8 ports full. that comes to something like 16 ports being used.
I would have thought that there would be a few more ports on the new mac pro.
If the stuff hanging off the hub works then it could still hang off the hub on the new system. So 8 system ports.
The 'full size' MPX modules/cards ( not the base model with the 580X ) come with 4 more Thunderbolt v3 ports. That brings the total count to 4+2+2 TBv3 and two USB Type-A ports. Which is more than eight... but system cost is probably very substantially higher. [ If "need" to step up the graphics somewhat getting the 4 TB ports for 'free'. ]
The standard Apple I/O card could be supplemented with a 4 port USB card which is another path ( 6 USB and 4 TB ) and probably way more affordable.
Also somewhat depends upon what using the older TBv2 ports for. If mainly as "backward compatible" mini DisplayPort a GPU card with DP ports would probably work better as an addition.
But yes.... will need to buy something. But with TBv2 ports and devices were gong to need to at least buy some adapters.
I think they made a bit of a compromise in the entry configuration's MPX graphics card. They kept it short to not cover a slot that would be used to provision TB. However, since not provisioning TB the number of ports goes down.
The trade-off is that there is another slot to add in whatever set of ports your context needs most. In, short the minimal entry model is somewhat a "barebones" system (just not an inexpensive 'barebones" ). The storage drive is a bit indicative of that too ( most folks are going to need to add either NAS/SAN , DAS , or internal storage. )
[doublepost=1559798681][/doublepost]
All those little ports on the GPU MPX are also Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C.
Unfortunately, on the base configuration that has a known price ..... you don't get those. Just two HDMI ports and that is it.
The Mac Mini has basically the same set of ports "out of the box" as this entry Mac Pro configuration. ( 4 TBv3 + 2 Type A ) along this "external data" dimension. [ Technically there is a USB Type A port inside the new Mac Pro. That might help if one of the current external usages is a DRM security dongle. ]
[doublepost=1559799914][/doublepost]
At the back and two thunder old on top.
That back isn't the same as the entry model with the 580X. It probably would have been incrementally better if Apple has added two Type-A sockets to the top also.
Those are expansion slots, so you can likely find expansion cards with extra ports.
The context though is that this a $6K system and from the start adding in an expansion card. [ MP 2013 has more out of the box. The MP 2009-2012 had 5 USB ( 7 if add the hub on the keyboard) and 3 firewire. ) . iMac Pro too starts off with a more complete set. ]
Somewhat are paying more just to add-in what got out of the base systems configurations before. [ the upside being can add-in specifically what you need if there are expansion cards that exactly match. For example, if need 4 Firewire ports then probably happier. ]
