Mac Pro @ MacWorld

[CTYankee]

That's by far the best/easiest to understand explanation I've ever seen describing essentially how multiple cores function on a computer. I'm going to start using this explanation, as I know a few people that I still haven't been able to get to fully understand why multiple cores are good.
I guess all it lacks is a mention of intelligence for each calculator guy (MHz/performance)- so fewer guys with higher intelligence may or may not be better than more guys that are each dumber.

Intelligence is probably a bad word to use...finger speed? Since faster processors don't do the same task better, only faster.

 

[aneks]

These guy successfully drop 2 quad core into the current mac pro. I use 3d studio max, so it really is a huge benefit for me. I cant wait they release the 8 core version.

Sorry to disappoint you but the studio where I am working has two Dual Clovertown (8 core) workstations from HP and we are using them and my mac pro to render overnight using Max Scanline and V-Ray. My machine is consistantly up there or only just beneath them in render performance. Can't say much about GUI as it is not multi-threaded for most functions anyway so it's about clock speed and the Woodcrest have a better clock speed. So there ya go !

 

[shelterpaw]

Sorry to disappoint you but the studio where I am working has two Dual Clovertown (8 core) workstations from HP and we are using them and my mac pro to render overnight using Max Scanline and V-Ray. My machine is consistantly up there or only just beneath them in render performance. Can't say much about GUI as it is not multi-threaded for most functions anyway so it's about clock speed and the Woodcrest have a better clock speed. So there ya go !

I decided not to wait and ordered my 3Ghz Mac Pro a couple days ago. I'm on vacation and it arrived sooner than expected. Can't wait to use it. Should be one hell of a machine.

 

[DigitalN.]

I decided not to wait and ordered my 3Ghz Mac Pro a couple days ago. I'm on vacation and it arrived sooner than expected. Can't wait to use it. Should be one hell of a machine.

jeezus that is a beast, have fun.

 

[shelterpaw]

jeezus that is a beast, have fun.

Thanks. I'm sure I will have a good time with it. I'm waiting for my Live 6 update to arrive and then I should really have some fun.

Hope you're all having a nice weekend. It's freezing in Lake Tahoe. This morning it was -3 F in Incline and 12 F on the west shore. Not much snow but it's beautiful.

 

[Chone]

Intelligence is probably a bad word to use...finger speed? Since faster processors don't do the same task better, only faster.

If you put three smart guys and three dumb guys to solve an equation (the rules require comprobation so both groups will *eventually* give the correct answer)... the smart guys will do the exact same task (find the value of "x" and both groups will find the same exact value) as the dumb guys, only faster. I think its a good analogy.

 

[BiikeMike]

Sorry to disappoint you but the studio where I am working has two Dual Clovertown (8 core) workstations from HP and we are using them and my mac pro to render overnight using Max Scanline and V-Ray. My machine is consistantly up there or only just beneath them in render performance. Can't say much about GUI as it is not multi-threaded for most functions anyway so it's about clock speed and the Woodcrest have a better clock speed. So there ya go !

So if the octo core came out, you are saying the quad core would still be faster?

 

[shelterpaw]

So if the octo core came out, you are saying the quad core would still be faster?

Law of diminishing returns. However, I think we'll see the next version of OS X utilize additional cores as well as third party applications. I'd image developers will get more aids to help this process within development tools.

 

[dkoralek]

Law of diminishing returns. However, I think we'll see the next version of OS X utilize additional cores as well as third party applications. I'd image developers will get more aids to help this process within development tools.

Yep, and a little, of course, depends on how sequential the computing you do is. At the moment, of course, the people who are aided the most by lots of cores are those who have workflows that require simultaneous usage of processor intensive apps, without having to have multiple machines to do so.
cheers.

 

[CTYankee]

Law of diminishing returns. However, I think we'll see the next version of OS X utilize additional cores as well as third party applications. I'd image developers will get more aids to help this process within development tools.

This was also talked about when dual processors were new. More than one set of istructions at a time was new...now we can have 8. So for a time, clock speed on DUAL systems will still be fastest at some taks (and a few faster on single core/processor systems). As the OS and applications mature the quads and octo core systems will seem to get faster as the hardware is better utilized.

 

[hastyle]

Intelligence is probably a bad word to use...finger speed? Since faster processors don't do the same task better, only faster.

thats interesting, because the guys at Anandtech did 3dsmax render test, and according to them, the clovertown they dropped into the mac pro is significally faster then the 4 core.

 

[cynerjist]

Frankly, I won't take any of the benchmarks and peformance tests too seriously until the apps are well-written/optimized for multi-core processors.

The current results can be more than just a little misleading. It's been said before, let's not lose sight of that point.