Engadget: MacPro 8 Core info leaked from Apple store UK :D

Eleventh Hour Sound · Post by **Eleventh Hour Sound** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:41 pm

http://desktops.engadget.com/2007/03/12 ... e-mac-pro/

An 8-core Mac Pro wouldn't exactly be the surprise of the century -- it would've made sense for Apple to launch such a beast back last year when such rumors first emerged, and so much more so now -- but we can't help crack a grin when air-tight Apple leaks a product release onto its very own online store. Apple Store UK had just such a snafu today, advertising Mac Pros complete with "quad-core or 8-core processing power." Apple has since revised the page, and we're sure we won't hear a peep from the company about the release until it's good and truly ready, but there's pretty much no denying that 8-core Intel action is due any day now for big spendin' power users.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 12:48 pm

That same information was also on the Irish and Swedish Apple Store sites briefly, according to the rumor mills.

NAB is next month, and there's speculation that the official announcement will coincide with that.

And as Adobe has announced MacIntel support for the Production Suite, I imagine there'll be a flood of orders when it officially goes on sale.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 6:38 pm

One other bit of info I found that may have something to do with this is an excerpt from an Apple Developer doc:

Notice it talks about support for 32GB of RAM. Mind you, these are specs for already-released MacPros, which we KNOW doesn't support 32GB of RAM.

However, a little math with a factor of 2 makes for a nice extra little teaser--

4-Core with 16GB of RAM
8-Core with 32GB of RAM

Whether this actually will be the case remains to be seen-- but knowing that the capability is already in place thickens the plot.

Is it fact or fiction?

One never know, do one?
~from the musical "Ain't Misbehavin' "

Eleventh Hour Sound · Post by **Eleventh Hour Sound** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 8:46 pm

My G5 Quad's already quite a beast... An 8 processor Intel machine would probably be amazing... ... (Maybe it can even run Antares AVOX without getting killed..... no probably not : ) Has anyone been able to compare performance on simular G5/PPC machines and MacPro/Intel machines?

Now if MacPro Ram prices would come down!

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Mon Mar 19, 2007 10:39 pm

RecordingArts wrote:My G5 Quad's already quite a beast... An 8 processor Intel machine would probably be amazing... ... (Maybe it can even run Antares AVOX without getting killed..... no probably not : ) Has anyone been able to compare performance on simular G5/PPC machines and MacPro/Intel machines?

Now if MacPro Ram prices would come down!

I saw a couple of benchmarks where the PPC Quad fared better, but I'm not sure if what was being run on the Intel at the time had to be run under Rosetta. In some tests, the PPC Quad ranked BETWEEN the 2.66 and the 3G. Hmm.

The Quad still holds its own, for sure... let me see if I can find that report...

[edit] here are a couple:

http://www.barefeats.com/quad06.html

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/m ... mance.html

Eleventh Hour Sound · Post by **Eleventh Hour Sound** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 3:34 am

Very interesting ... thanks for the links... I'm glad the Quad is still holding it's own for PPC apps...

I didn't realize (If I read it right) that there is two "extra" internal sata connections in the MacPro (if you want to get creative with the wiring and drive placement)... that's awesome...So does that mean that there's 6 channels of sata internally? If so, that's amazing.

That means that all the drives that are in (and around) my G5 could fit in the MacPro (all using the stock sata card)

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:18 am

Don't know if there're 6 channels, but I'm pretty sure there's a 4 drive maximum.
Still beats my G5 twin 2.0 with its 2 drive max.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:02 am

Yep-- four bays for HDs, one of them arrives loaded, so you can add three additional HDs internally.

Now, there are also 2 optical drive bays, one is full-- but the second can take a dedicated DVD, CD, combo-- or BluRay/Hi-Def burner.

Macconnection.com is letting the 3G go this month for as little as $3024, and the 2.66 for as little as $2300.

Tempting...

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 5:45 am

Frodo wrote:Macconnection.com is letting the 3G go this month for as little as $3024, and the 2.66 for as little as $2300.
Tempting...

Monkey engages Jeddi Persuasion mode...
Go on...
You know you want to buy the 3G for monkey, your guru of frivolity studies.
You want to show your appreciation in any way you can.