Curtains for the Mac Pro? (2 Viewers)

[Nelson Au]

With the cover off, it sort of looks like Darth Vader's mask and headpiece under the helmet.

Nice to see how easy the RAM is to access.

 

[Sam Posten]

I want a Mac Pro Mini =)

 

[KeithAP]

I was thinking of WKRP, the proprietor of a mortuary wanted a commercial and the WKRP staff commented the catalog book of offerings was heavy. He said in his business, they like heavy.

...here is the jingle they came up with.

I want a Mac Pro Mini =)

I wish one of two things would happen. Once demand settles down, they offer a build to order option on the Mac Pro with a standard desktop i5/i7 CPU and a choice of a single consumer grade graphics card. Or, they offer the high end internals of the iMac (i7/780M 4GB) in a stand alone enclosure without the display.

Yeah, I know, I said all of that before. And yeah, I know, neither will happen.

-Keith

 

[Carlo_M]

I want a Mac Pro Mini =)

On a more realistic/likely to happen front, I'd just be happy with an updated Mac Mini. Something using the new Haswell platform, 4th gen i7 quad-core with hyperthreading, Intel Iris Pro onboard video. PCIe 256/512GB flash-based hard drive options, Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, USB3, FW800, I'd pay $999 for that in a heartbeat ($200 more for the 512GB SSD).

 

[DaveF]

So is the Mac Pro released or for sale. I'm confused by the mixed rumor reporting I've read. I take it no Mac mini in Dec?

 

[Ted Todorov]

On a more realistic/likely to happen front, I'd just be happy with an updated Mac Mini. Something using the new Haswell platform, 4th gen i7 quad-core with hyperthreading, Intel Iris Pro onboard video. PCIe 256/512GB flash-based hard drive options, Thunderbolt 2, HDMI, USB3, FW800, I'd pay $999 for that in a heartbeat ($200 more for the 512GB SSD).

I'll bet FW800 is gone from the next Mini

 

[Nelson Au]

As I was waiting on the specs to be released for the new Mac Pro, and digesting the cost of such a machine. I began to consider the converse side of the Mac.There might be a surplus of used fairly new Mac Pros of the last generation hitting the market soon. Perhaps some nicely configured, or at least with 8 to 12 cores. I'm probably dreaming, but maybe good deals are around for a nice used newer Mac Pro. I'm planning on a new Mac Pro, but keeping options open.

 

[Carlo_M]

I'll bet FW800 is gone from the next Mini

You're probably right. Especially since there are thunderbolt to FireWire adapters. I can live with just TB2. And yes the Mac Pro is for sale and is in people's hands. Macrumors posted near Gbps read/write specs! Not theoretical but actual benchmarked real world stats!It's just now back ordered until February. Kind of like what happens when new iPhones are released. They're out today but you'll get yours in a couple of months

 

[Sam Posten]

Engadget review:http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/23/apple-mac-pro-review-2013/

 

[Clinton McClure]

I still want one.

 

[DaveF]

Definitely out for my wife (as a self-employed graphic designer). An iMac or mini will be a better buy.I wish I could have bought one of these for work. I've got a couple Xeon, CUDA workstations.They are monster cases,built for massive upgrades. But in all likihood will never see an upgrade. The super small Mac Pro would be great for the tight office space these will go into. But it's a year too late, and I need Windows 7. So the Mac Pro doesn't work for my particular office needs.

 

[Sam Posten]

"Ridiculous"http://www.larryjordan.biz/the-new-mac-pro-ridiculously-fast/

 

[Sam Posten]

Insane detail. Some info on 4k which might have some holding off until the panel situation settled:http://anandtech.com/show/7603/mac-pro-review-late-2013/11

 

[Sam Posten]

Teardown:http://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Mac+Pro+Late+2013+Teardown/20778

 

[Ted Todorov]

I've been doing some research on 4K video, as I might need to replace my HDTV, and was figuring that a 4K set is the way to go.

Long story short, new 4K "Ultra" HDTVs use HDMI 2.0, which does 4K at 60Hz, something that HDMI 1.4, which the rMBP & Mac Pro have can't do. I have my current 2009 Mac Pro hooked up to the my HDTV and its primary function is as a Home Theater Mac, so I am figuring that I want a 4K at 60 Hz capable Mac for 4K HT Mac duty. And unless some sort of software update occurs that can turn the HDMI 1.4 into HDMI 2.0, the current generation isn't it.

Now most people may not care about it, but it really seems that the biggest question mark about the new Mac Pro is 4K video and future large Retina (beyond 4K) monitor support. Maybe the current hardware is capable of all this with the right OS X update + firmware, but it isn't at all clear, and as we have seen from the reviews support for existing 4K monitors is been slipshod.

 

[Sam Posten]

Yeah Marco had some thoughts on that yesterday Ted, I dunno if he's on the right track or not:http://www.marco.org/2014/01/08/retina-imac-mac-pro-predictionRe the Mac Pro Mini:http://www.cultofmac.com/261700/2014s-399-mac-mini-look-like-double-stuffed-oreo-concept/Not sure I buy that. Or would buy that.

 

[Sam Posten]

Working on deadline.http://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/news/1317-fcpx-and-the-mac-pro-a-real-broadcast-job-real-editing-and-real-deadlines

 

[Ted Todorov]

Yeah Marco had some thoughts on that yesterday Ted, I dunno if he's on the right track or not:http://www.marco.org/2014/01/08/retina-imac-mac-pro-prediction

Marco is talking about future displays and is particularly interested in retina. I am talking about existing 4K TVs, and the existing HDMI 2.0 protocol, stuff that Marco, not being a HTPC guy doesn't care about. A wildcard is the coming AppleTV update. MG Siegler predicted a major aTV update before the new year, based on apparent inside knowledge. He then backtracked on the date, not the thing. I suspect that this isn't the Gene Munster stopped clock iTV prediction, but something real. With Netflix announcing that it will be streaming season 2 of House of Cards in 4K, it isn't impossible that Apple's next hokey puck will be 4K/HDMI 2.0. I also suspect that if the Munster iTV is indeed in active consideration Apple is waiting for 4K panel costs to come down to a certain level. Plasma is dead, 1080P passé, whatever content deals Apple does or doesn't get if they go the HDTV set route, I see 4K as definite. Not before 2015 though...

 

[Sam Posten]

Nother epic review:
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2014/01/two-steps-forward-a-review-of-the-2013-mac-pro/

 

[DaveF]

I'm setting up a standalone workstation. Have been for 18 months (ICD 503 hell). It's from Velocity Micro, who have great prices on Windows Workstations. I watched it boot up the other day, and I died a little inside. BIOS screen, and then some other BIOS screen and then a pause, and then the Windows logo for a minute, and then finally the Windows logon screen. I've been using Macs too long, and think there should be a gray screen and the a logon prompt.

Knowing what I know now, I'd probably buy a Mac Pro and install Windows, if I have to setup a custom workstation in the future.