When the new SB xeons are released does anyone know if the mac pro will go up or down in price or maybe even stay the same. I have been trying to save up for one but they are so expensive. the machine will be used for illustration.
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will the sandybridge xeons make the price of mac pro go up
- Thread starter Acorn
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In terms of the SP machines, the bottom end quad shouldn't go up, the mid spec Xeon goes up by ~$20 and the top end may go up by $81.
In terms of the MP machines, really depends on what chips apple pick.
But the short answer is no.
The long answer is, maybe a tad for the SP and depends on config for the MP machines.
Are they E5's? Then yes. If not then probably no. You should not be able to buy them right now though.
Apple's prices in the $1,000+ price range don't move in sub $100 increments. Everything ends in "99". So they can be 1199 or 2899 or 5299. A $20-80 increase in parts costs will result in a $100 increase in system's cost. There would need to be an offset in some other components to bring the expected SB price increases in at an even price. With hard drives up in price as of late, that doesn't seem likely.
As to the original post. Just count on it being the same. If saving up for $2899 then $2999 isn't all that much more difficult. A +/- $100 delta are the changes that are likely for the same type if unit.
There is also a possibility that adding Thunderbolt will increase costs by $100 or so also. Similar to how adding discrete graphics to some MacBook Pro models bumped the price $100. The Mac Pro is not like the other Macs so Thunderbolt is not a natural fit. That likely means Apple isn't going to absorb whatever work-around they come up with "at cost".
The other issue has potential to pop up is if Apple goes to shipping 4 x 2GB DIMMs in each memory slot. (e.g., standard minimum would be 8GB and 16GB ). That would be a price bump. I suspect though they will stick with 1GB DIMMs though since most will be replacing with 3rd party options.
It started around $1000. It's now roughly $600 for the W3680. If Apple doesn't feel dropping the price there will sell more, it could just remain as is. I think Apple is quite aware that it's significantly more difficult for their customers to switch to another brand. It's not like switching from one oem to another. Mac Pro customers might have to deal with a number of crossgrades on software and storage management. It's quite annoying. Once you're in it's no longer a matter of this computer costs $500 more than this one, as your costs to switch platforms might be higher than that.
With Apple you can project something via their current standards, but it may not work.
Has Intel mentioned when they're shipping the Sandy Bridge E units? Obviously they announced it late last year, but those weren't really for OEMs.
Well the westmere 3.33ghz 6-core is a $1200 upgrade off the base unit. Assume a 20% markup from normal retail and we are looking at the same upgrade to the new 1650 being $600
Yes.. you're factoring from that. They could go from what is being paid currently. We don't know. Look at the price of the cpus that went into the base machines 2006-2008. You'll see what I mean. Apple can change their minds on pricing at any time, and most of us buy it anyway as it can often cost more to switch platforms assuming price is the only issue.
Well considering the CPU's used in the 2009 machines were less than half the cost of the 2008 CPU's and Apple still increased the price and has done so on every MacPro change, the prices will go up. Probably by $100 or $200 on the base and gradually more as you move up the range. Especially as they have reduced the cost of 'Apple" fitted upgrades, they've got to screw MacPro owners over some how.
There has been no justification for the price increases in terms on components with any of the releases, that didn't stop them.
There has been no justification for the price increases in terms on components with any of the releases, that didn't stop them.
I think $600 to upgrade from a $300 processor to a $600 processor would be pushing it a bit on Apple's behalf. They have charged $400 to upgrade from a ~$300 processor to a ~$600 processor for 3 years and ~$1,200 to upgrade to a ~$1,000 processor for 2 years and 3 months. So hopefully that stays the same, but at the same time there is no reason to really offer the E5-1660 so they may push the approach of it used to be $3,700 for a 6-core and now it's $3,000 via a $500 upgrade.
edit: The 1650 and 1660 probably can't co-exist and don't need to, but it is in Apple's favour to offer the 1650 as they can get more sales on a cheaper upgrade.
This is my hope. The 6 core at 3k.
I will buy on day 1.
Actually my hope is the base unit has the 1650 at $2500
but thats probably more my dream/
They don't go up on every change, at least the base quad-core doesn't.
Base 1,1: $2500
Base 3,1: $2300
Base 4,1: $2500
Base 5,1: $2500
(Base 2,1 is not a comparable model.)
The base model is widely regarded as a ripoff. There is plenty of margin there to cover a more expensive CPU.
Comment was just to the user who said Mac Pro procs may be the same as currently available on Newegg. Intel is shipping E3's and E7's but not E5's. At least as I am aware. The E3's are listed on their info site under Xeon category with no mention of E5 yet. I doubted Newegg would have E5's for sale as they have not really been outed. They are pretty quick with stock but not THAT quick.
My mistake, I equate getting less bang for your buck as a price increase.
When the 3,1 came along, you get less for your money when comparing it against the recommended configuration than you did when the 1,1 was released. They may not have increased in the US but in the UK they did.
1,1 - 3,1 increased by £50. I believe the next increase was slightly more, someone who bought he 2010 model may chime in, did the price not increase again when the 2010 model was released?
Yeah the price of the base retail models have always increased in the UK. The only sort of decrease was the 2.80GHz 2008 quad was the cheapest Mac Pro available here. Although saving £300 to lose a £600 processor wasn't exactly thrilling.
Thats fair enough but I was mealy pointing out the price rise due to the CPUs only.
I really hope the mid spec doesn't go up, because I want one.
Well, 1st off, those $1000-range prices that others have been bouncing around here are RETAIL /small qty prices......
Does anyone REALLY think that Apple would pay anywhere near that for their cpus, especially in the qty's that they buy stuff......seriously ????????
Add in the fact that they are also making big royalty payments to intel for 1st dibs TB licenses too, I am 1000% certain that they get a MUCH lower price per unit on the cpus....
And even if HDD prices have gone up, SSD, ram and other component prices have dropped significantly recently, BUT
whether or not they use those lower prices to save their customers money....WELL ....thats another story altogether......
Does anyone REALLY think that Apple would pay anywhere near that for their cpus, especially in the qty's that they buy stuff......seriously ????????
Add in the fact that they are also making big royalty payments to intel for 1st dibs TB licenses too, I am 1000% certain that they get a MUCH lower price per unit on the cpus....
And even if HDD prices have gone up, SSD, ram and other component prices have dropped significantly recently, BUT
whether or not they use those lower prices to save their customers money....WELL ....thats another story altogether......
No. Of course not. But the end user will + some. It's still 1200.00 for a 6-core on top of an already well padded base model. So remove the 2.8GHz (since you aint getting it or it's value) with maybe 400.00 value and your 1000.00 retail part costs the user 1600.00. Not even the fact that that proc is now 600.00. So that's a 1000.00 premium. I am not optimistic on any savings.