MP 7,1 New Mac Pro

[xsmi123]

So, I’ve been watching the renders of the new Mac Pro, and they have me a little worried. All of them seem to revolve around a device like a Mac Mini with modules that can be added for upgrades. To me, those designs would mean that Apple HASN’T listened to its customers. I thought what we were looking for, was INTERNAL expandability. Am I mistaken? Why would it take Apple so long to give us a machine with internal expansion? Have there been rumors\hints\leaks of internal expansion?

 

[howiest]

So, I’ve been watching the renders of the new Mac Pro, and they have me a little worried. All of them seem to revolve around a device like a Mac Mini with modules that can be added for upgrades. To me, those designs would mean that Apple HASN’T listened to its customers. I thought what we were looking for, was INTERNAL expandability. Am I mistaken? Why would it take Apple so long to give us a machine with internal expansion? Have there been rumors\hints\leaks of internal expansion?

Where are these "renders" you speaketh of?

 

[Painter2002]

So, I’ve been watching the renders of the new Mac Pro, and they have me a little worried. All of them seem to revolve around a device like a Mac Mini with modules that can be added for upgrades. To me, those designs would mean that Apple HASN’T listened to its customers. I thought what we were looking for, was INTERNAL expandability. Am I mistaken? Why would it take Apple so long to give us a machine with internal expansion? Have there been rumors\hints\leaks of internal expansion?

To date I haven't seen any renderings from the more reliable leakers, so I think all the Mac Pro/Mini looking renderings are just ideas of other people's of what they think is cool looking.

I doubt Apple will go that small on their Mac Pro, and it should at least include basic modular parts such as interchangeable hard drives, memory and possible gpu. I wouldn't expect much more to be modular though to be truly honest.

 

[Plutonius]

So, I’ve been watching the renders of the new Mac Pro, and they have me a little worried. All of them seem to revolve around a device like a Mac Mini with modules that can be added for upgrades. To me, those designs would mean that Apple HASN’T listened to its customers. I thought what we were looking for, was INTERNAL expandability. Am I mistaken? Why would it take Apple so long to give us a machine with internal expansion? Have there been rumors\hints\leaks of internal expansion?

Apple hasn't come out with any renders on the Mac Pro redesign.

At this point, I'm doubtful that the redesign will even happen .

 

[Painter2002]

Apple hasn't come out with any renders on the Mac Pro redesign.

At this point, I'm doubtful that the redesign will even happen .

I don’t think there is any reason to doubt Apple releasing a new Mac Pro design. I mean if they updated the Mac Mini (which some rumored would be dead soon), then there’s a high likelihood that a Mac Pro is still being worked on.

Now will the mainstream “Pro” user like the redesign, that we must wait and see.

 

[Rico-Suave]

At this point, I'm doubtful that the redesign will even happen

It's happening — Apple has said so publicly.

If I were a gamblin' man, I'd put my money on a WWDC announcement.

 

[skippermonkey]

Man, I hope so! I have so much money ready to drop on this machine (I haven't spent a penny on Apple desktops since 2010, so I can justify this long-awaited spend).

 

[davidec]

Man, I hope so! I have so much money ready to drop on this machine (I haven't spent a penny on Apple desktops since 2010, so I can justify this long-awaited spend).

You me and 300,000 others. Problem is that is literally peanuts to Apple. Here’s hoping they’ve listened to the right people. WWDC it has to be. Otherwise it’s a ‘one more thing-we’ve cancelled the MP!’

 

[xsmi123]

[doublepost=1554727775][/doublepost]That’s the one I saw the other night that made me post.

 

[rpmurray]

It's happening — Apple has said so publicly.

Apple also said that AirPower was coming and look what happened there.

I'm extremely pessimistic that they'll pull anything out of their hat that would make me happy at this point. Tim Apple and company have been showing for the last eight years that they're only focused on the hand held mobile side and have no clue about what professionals are looking for in a laptop (witness the keyboard and touchbar) or a desktop. And if Jony is anywhere near the Mac Pro I expect it to be a thin pretty box where form trumps function, sort of like everything else he and his "design" team have pulled out of their fundament lately.

 

[Manzanito]

View attachment 831019
[doublepost=1554727775][/doublepost]That’s the one I saw the other night that made me post.

I wouldn’t worry too much about that. This rendering, as well as the rest we’ve seen so far, come from people outside apple trying to “outapple” apple. They all have in common trying to design something as small and proprietary as can be.

If apple has learned their lesson, and at this point there’s nothing to suggest they haven’t (or they have, for that matter), it won’t be anything like the handful of “clever” designs we’ve seen.

We won’t have to wait for too long anyway. Seemingly this year we won’t have the round table, so I guess we’ll get all the details at wwdc.

 

[Plutonius]

It's happening — Apple has said so publicly.

If I were a gamblin' man, I'd put my money on a WWDC announcement.

Didn't Apple say publicly that AirPower was coming soon before just announcing that they canceled it ?

There is absolutely no reason why Apple couldn't have released an upgraded Mac Pro years ago so why now ?

I mean if they updated the Mac Mini

The Mac Mini is a lower cost consumer machine.

Are there any pros left that are still waiting on the Mac Pro or have most of them moved on ?

 

[chrono1081]

So, I’ve been watching the renders of the new Mac Pro, and they have me a little worried. All of them seem to revolve around a device like a Mac Mini with modules that can be added for upgrades. To me, those designs would mean that Apple HASN’T listened to its customers. I thought what we were looking for, was INTERNAL expandability. Am I mistaken? Why would it take Apple so long to give us a machine with internal expansion? Have there been rumors\hints\leaks of internal expansion?

Any renders you saw are nothing official from Apple, they're literally meaningless.

As for your second point, in my opinion, you're mistaken. Customers do want a customizable module based Mac, it's what people on different creative forums have been clamoring for for years. Apple isn't just making up their own ideas on the Mac Pro, they've been contacting many professionals for opinions on it.

Tons of internal expansion isn't really that practical anymore with as fast as things like graphics cards are changing and the fact people want to take a workstation on the go if needed.
[doublepost=1554731692][/doublepost]

Apple hasn't come out with any renders on the Mac Pro redesign.

At this point, I'm doubtful that the redesign will even happen .

Apple already said it was happening last year and would be out or announced this year. It's not rumor.
[doublepost=1554731776][/doublepost]

You me and 300,000 others. Problem is that is literally peanuts to Apple. Here’s hoping they’ve listened to the right people. WWDC it has to be. Otherwise it’s a ‘one more thing-we’ve cancelled the MP!’

I wouldn't get your hopes up for WWDC, it's not what that event is. Sure they've sometimes announced hardware at WWDC but most of the times they have not, and everyone gets up in arms because of no WWDC announcement.

My bet is on an October event.

 

[Plutonius]

Apple already said it was happening last year and would be out or announced this year.

Apple also said that AirPower was coming out this year (i.e. an announced product) and they just canceled it.

 

[gazwas]

I think many Pro's at the cutting edge have moved on while the rest of us are hoping Apple will release a blinding machine at WWDC but I now have very big doubts following Airpower's sudden cancellation.

There are lots of things I've love to see from Apple like Apple TV build into a centre speaker/sound bar that will happily link up to the HomePod to use as satellite speakers. An AppleSub to offload some of those bass duties from HomePod to make it sound even sweeter in the midrange or add serious wallop to movies.

However, with all big companies concerned with future revenue streams as most modern gadgets mature, it looks like services is where all the effort is being concentrated. Keeping the shareholders happy is number one concern it seems which I suppose is very important for continued business for many years to come but at the expense of our frustrations.

 

[Painter2002]

Didn't Apple say publicly that AirPower was coming soon before just announcing that they canceled it ?

I don’t think that’s an equal comparison. The Mac Pro is something that has been available to the public for over 10 years now, the AirPower was just a concept that Apple was trying to make work. They should’ve never allowed it to be announced at the 2017 event.

The Mac Pro hasn’t been updated because they are likely working on the new design. They compromised and released the iMac Pro to tide those over willing to wait, but I don’t see why they won’t release a Mac Pro.

As for all the Pros leaving the platform? I think some have, and others have kept using their old Mac Pros, or switched to an iMac Pro. I think a release is likely imminent.

 

[Plutonius]

I think a release is likely imminent.

I hope so but I'm doubtful .

 

[CodeRaven]

Just release a space grey cheese grater style box with current hardware specs.....

 

[Zeke D]

View attachment 831019
[doublepost=1554727775][/doublepost]That’s the one I saw the other night that made me post.

Ugh, I HATE this crappy render. The foot on the monitor is not balanced, and it will fall forward and shatter the screen.
[doublepost=1554734004][/doublepost]

Just release a space grey cheese grater style box with current hardware specs.....

Right? All it would require is the fabrication of a new logic board, and the front I/O. Everything else can stay the same.

If I ever win one of those powerball drawings, I'll have someone design me a replacement logic board and CPU tray that will break out all the expansions, and allow me to insert the Mac Mini motherboard. We already have USB-C/Thunderbolt3 doodads that allow PCI-E lanes, and everything else would basically be traces to the front and rear I/O.

 

[SaxPlayer]

Are there any pros left that are still waiting on the Mac Pro or have most of them moved on ?

Some will have moved on, undoubtably. I have. I had a cheese grater from 2006 to 2014 replaced with a trashcan. I was going to hold out for the 2019 Mac Pro, but circumstances forced me to upgrade last November and there were definite choices there. Very well powered laptops for some, even the more pro-focussed Mac Mini for others. For me, I went for an iMac Pro - my very first all-in-one. My main reason for not wanting an iMac previously was cooling, but that problem has gone away with the iMac Pro and I'm very happy with it.

The future is bright with lots of options for pros where a few years ago we had little. I feel sure that the new Mac Pro will be a mega machine, but I also think that it'll be for people who need oodles of power or need to upgrade regularly to keep at the cutting edge. That market will be small, however I'm pleased to see Apple (finally) supporting it.

It's all good! It's time to be positive!

 

[xgman]

The days of plugging cards into towers (or trash cans) is pretty much on it's last legs. We'll have to wait and see what comes next.

 

[aaronhead14]

Just release a space grey cheese grater style box with current hardware specs.....

That is exactly what I want too! And I would pay good $$$$ for it!

 

[xsmi123]

Any renders you saw are nothing official from Apple, they're literally meaningless.

As for your second point, in my opinion, you're mistaken. Customers do want a customizable module based Mac, it's what people on different creative forums have been clamoring for for years. Apple isn't just making up their own ideas on the Mac Pro, they've been contacting many professionals for opinions on it.

Tons of internal expansion isn't really that practical anymore with as fast as things like graphics cards are changing and the fact people want to take a workstation on the go if needed.
[doublepost=1554731692][/doublepost]

Except they aren't on the outside. As fast as Thunderbolt 3 is, it loses anywhere between 10-as much s 35% of the performance an internal card is capable of. The fact that graphics cards change so quickly is EXACTLY the reason internal expansion is needed. I know that MOST of us don't go inside of our machines, but, I've been inside of iMacs, Mac Pro's and the like over the years, and I just feel that there HAS been a vocal number of pros who have begged for years for internal expansion over the years. Maybe Apple is willing to seed that market. I would hope not, but if I spend $1500 on a card, I want every last drop of performance that card is capable of.

 

[AidenShaw]

The days of plugging cards into towers (or trash cans) is pretty much on it's last legs. We'll have to wait and see what comes next.

There really is quite a vibrant gaming community, and AI/ML community, and several others that would disagree.

You are mostly right, however, about the Apple OSX community. They're mostly happy with their thermally challenged, glued together shiny things.

 

[kwikdeth]

the reason we havent seen anything yet is Apple can't reconcile what we want with what Jony Ive thinks we want.