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Apple announces updated Mac Pro, Mac mini, iMac, quietly updates MacBook Pro

64Bit

By 64Bit

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It's like waiting for a bus... only this time, four came at once.

 

nehalem-mac-pro1.jpg

 

 

 

Apple introduced the long-anticipated update to its ageing Mac Pro range in the form of the "Nehalem"-powered towers. Featuring Intel's latest Quad-Core Xeon which pack all four cores on one die for efficient transfer of data as opposed to splitting them over two, the new Mac Pros show no cosmetic differences. Top-end clock speed on the processors went down in a rare move, from 3.2GHz to 2.93GHz, but performance claims from Apple state they are twice as powerful as the outgoing generation.

 

It's worth noting that the 20" and 23" cinema displays have quietly disappeared from the range, and the new Mac Pro is now featured alongside the LED Cinema Display in product shots.

 

 

 

macmini-5-usb.jpg

 

So it looks like the various images and video posted on various websites were the real deal, as Apple announced the updated Mac Mini sporting no less than five(!) USB ports. To much relief, Apple has replaced the onboard Intel GMA graphics chipset with the much healthier NVIDIA GeForce 9400M with up to 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM, and also upped the max support of RAM to 4GB.

 

Probably the coolest feature in our opinion is the Mac Mini's ability to now support dual displays in extended desktop mode at 1920x1200 resolution from the Mini-DVI and DisplayPort outputs.

 

 

 

new-imac-keyboard.jpg

 

Still sticking with the Intel Core 2 Duo processors, the iMac range did receive an update too, albeit a tame one bar (relatively) recession-friendly pricing, with a 24" iMac starting at just $1,499 (£1,199 inc. VAT). Note that the standard issue keyboard is now sans numeric keypad, but the full length version is still available via the Configure-To-Order options on the Apple Store as a no-cost upgrade.

 

 

 

macbook-pro.jpg

 

On a more subtle note, the MacBook Pro range got a sort-of update in the form of faster CTO options on the processor front. The 17" and backlit 15" MacBook Pro's can now be spec'd up with lap-scorching 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors for an additional $300 (£210 inc. VAT).

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Ruel Smith

What I'm curious about, is what they had to do to drop the price of the 24" iMac the way they did? Is it now a TN panel LCD vs. the high quality IPS of the outgoing one, just like they did when they made the 20" one the entry level? That would be a complete shame, IMO. That screen, alone, is what makes the cost of an iMac actually reasonable.

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bofors

Three points worth noting:

 

(1) The Mac Pro is now actually two distinct models: a regular x58 motherboard with 4 DIMM slots (limited to 8GB RAM or 6GB for triple channel, just like the Intel DX58SO was originally) and a new dual socket motherboard with 8 DIMM slot (expandable to 32GB or 24GB for triple channel). It is possible the x58 version will be fixed so it can take 4GB DIMMs like the Intel DX58SO (which the Apple motherboard is almost certainly based on), but Apple may leave it crippled to encourage people to pay for more (while perhaps lowering the price of x58 version to fill the gaping hole in the Macintosh line up which OSx86 partially occupies).

 

(2) Apple scored a coup here, it appears to have cut a deal with Intel to be the first to bring the dual socket Nehalem chips (code name "Gainestown" / Xeon 5500 series) to market.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeon#5500-ser...22Gainestown.22

 

(3) Firewire apparently is not dead (contrary to what was assumed after the MacBook dropped it), Firewire 400 devices can be used with the Firewire 800 machines by means of a cheap adapter.

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Superhai
(1) The Mac Pro is now actually two distinct models: a regular x58 motherboard with 4 DIMM slots (limited to 8GB RAM or 6GB for triple channel, just like the Intel DX58SO was originally) and a new dual socket motherboard with 8 DIMM slot (expandable to 32GB or 24GB for triple channel). It is possible the x58 version will be fixed so it can take 4GB DIMMs like the Intel DX58SO (which the Apple motherboard is almost certainly based on), but Apple may leave it crippled to encourage people to pay for more (while perhaps lowering the price of x58 version to fill the gaping hole in the Macintosh line up which OSx86 partially occupies).

 

The i7 cpu has the memory controller built in, so chipset shouldn't limit amount of memory.

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docman

Does this official support for nVidia cards mean good things for hackintosh drivers down the road? I still can't get dual monitors to work on GeForce 9800's 8600's.

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danaurel

this is awesome! partially disappointed that the iMacs n Mac Mini's aren't quad core. but still these updates are awesome! time to save up some money!

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Detosx

Thank god. The price of the Mini in the UK, with the current rate of exchange, is whopping great $701(£499), so value for money is rarely a term you see when referring to the Mac Mini but... as with most things Apple... and this is something that some people here don't seem to pick up on... with Macs you are paying an apparent premium to get quality engineered aesthetics and software that works. The price might not be recession friendly but the power consumption is at least environmentally responsible, the physical size unobtrusive. How do you measure value for money? Macs are a high productivity tool for high productivity environments that can comfortably run XP or Vista in an open window. I was literally having nightmares that the Mini would be dropped, then an equally bad nightmare that they would drop Firewire and I curse Jobs name, again. My existing Mac Mini has no hard drive in it. I removed it and put it in a Firwire enclosure and have a second Firewire hard drive. Both are silent. I boot between them. One I use for safe surfing, the other is a slave to the whims of Google. Also, I can pocket those Firewire drives and take them anywhere. The Mini is gorgeous, the new one makes me excited about the Apple brand, again.

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Detosx

Wow, the price of upgrading to a 4850 card - which you can only do on the two more expensive iMacs - even though they must be subtracting the cost of the included card that you upgrade from... is way more than the cost of a store bought 4850. The 4850 upgrade costs more than a store bought 4870. I suppose Apple's take would be that they are fitting the card for the customer and that you can't buy Apple firmware flashed 4850 cards (yet?).

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Headrush69
What I'm curious about, is what they had to do to drop the price of the 24" iMac the way they did? Is it now a TN panel LCD vs. the high quality IPS of the outgoing one, just like they did when they made the 20" one the entry level? That would be a complete shame, IMO. That screen, alone, is what makes the cost of an iMac actually reasonable.

Agreed. Having both a 20" and 24" iMac, the difference is remarkable.

 

But in this day of $$$ being the absolute most important factor these are the type of short cuts I hope Apple doesn't use to appease the I can make it cheaper crowd.

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Slither2008

This is un-friggin believable!!!!

 

I've had my Ati4870 in a box and been using my crappy Nvidia 8800GT to get me by.

 

Now we have a chance at using proper ATi 48XX drivers!!!

 

I can't wait!

 

Oh yeah Mac mini looks alright.

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vbetts

They're finally using Nehalem for the Mac pro. Good to see actually. :D

 

Top-end clock speed on the processors went down in a rare move, from 3.2GHz to 2.93GHz, but performance claims from Apple state they are twice as powerful as the outgoing generation.

 

It's not clock speed that will always determine the final performance of the cpu. These Macs pros are based off of a different platform from what it was before.

 

And still no Bluray! - Yawn

 

Please, Bluray hasn't even begin to kick off yet. It's not big enough yet or worth the cost for apple to include support for it.

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Firechild

I bet the new 8 core 2.26 Ghz is slower than the old 8 core 2.8 Ghz, in CPU demanding apps, for example Logic Pro running loads of plugins.

When apple says the new top end MacPro ( 2.93 x 8 ) is twice as fast as the previous (3.2 x8 ghz) modell, it is only in memory demanding test, in CPU related tests it is approx 1.2 times faster but twice as expensive.

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Master Chief
Please, Bluray hasn't even begin to kick off yet. It's not big enough yet or worth the cost for apple to include support for it.

Neither was the iPod nor iPhone before Apple introduced it to us, remember?

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DukeRaoul
The i7 cpu has the memory controller built in, so chipset shouldn't limit amount of memory.

 

 

What do y'all computer nerds think about the MCH being integrated with the CPU? Good or Bad?

I wonder what will be used in place of a northbridge, and will the southbridge be normal or weird?

Or will it have a normal northbridge/chipset that just does less work?

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bofors
What do y'all computer nerds think about the MCH being integrated with the CPU?

 

It is a huge design improvement that put AMD on top of Intel for a few years.

 

 

Ehm......i think they are actually the first one having access to the Core i7 based Xeons as far as i know.

 

That's right, Apple staged a major Intel coup.

 

HP & Dell have to wait, Apple is the first to get the hot Gainestown (dual socket) platform:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeon#5500-ser...22Gainestown.22

 

Wikipedia seems to imply that Gainestown support dual channel memory, I wonder if these that the Mac Pro will do so with 32 GB (or RAM in pairs in general).

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danielmramos

Wow, does anybody else get the feeling that Apple is getting really lazy in the desktop hardware department? This is really pitiful! The rest of the hardware world is passing them by except for the super high end mac pro. I guess this is good news for the hackintosh community as the incentive for building a hackintosh has not evaporated with the latest Apple hardware upgrade. I am beginning to think that Apple will never get it. They just don't give a damn about the market segment that needs a machine that is affordable and offers upgrade options besides plugging in external boxes.

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Acidfever
They're finally using Nehalem for the Mac pro. Good to see actually.

 

Ehm......i think they are actually the first one having access to the Core i7 based Xeons as far as i know.

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bofors
I bet the new 8 core 2.26 Ghz is slower than the old 8 core 2.8 Ghz, in CPU demanding apps, for example Logic Pro running loads of plugins.

When apple says the new top end MacPro ( 2.93 x 8 ) is twice as fast as the previous (3.2 x8 ghz) modell, it is only in memory demanding test, in CPU related tests it is approx 1.2 times faster but twice as expensive.

 

I think you are missing the major threading efficiency improvement in Nehalem.

 

Nehalem chips have a "Turbo-burst" mode that will take active cores above rated clock speed unless the chip is too hot:

http://download.intel.com/design/processor...d=tech_tb+paper

 

 

I am not sure if SAP benchmarks are particularly memory intensive, but the dual socket Nehalem (Gainestown) results are impressive:

http://it.anandtech.com/weblog/showpost.aspx?i=532

 

 

 

Wow, does anybody else get the feeling that Apple is getting really lazy in the desktop hardware department? This is really pitiful! The rest of the hardware world is passing them by except for the super high end mac pro. I guess this is good news for the hackintosh community as the incentive for building a hackintosh has not evaporated with the latest Apple hardware upgrade. I am beginning to think that Apple will never get it. They just don't give a damn about the market segment that needs a machine that is affordable and offers upgrade options besides plugging in external boxes.

 

Hardware engineers lazy? No...

 

Marketing executives arrogant, obtuse? Likely...

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