New Mac Pro Coming Soon?

[Craig Seeman]

It would almost seem that the Quad Core Xeon MacPro has little value now, so maybe it’s just my mental image of things. While there might be some value to internal hard drives and PCIe slots at $2500, one get get a Quad Core i7 with AMD Radeon 6970 2GB and two Thunderbolt ports for $2300.
If you look at the BareFeats ProApps shootout they’re close but I wonder how the iMac would have faired with the better GPU which would impact some tasks.
https://www.barefeats.com/macs11_01.html

[Craig Seeman]

HD will make any BTO longer these days given the situation.
The fact that SSDs don’t have an impact may well be for the reasons I stated. Old parts being replaced by new. SSDs are not being replaced. They will remain in Apple’s supply chain. That changing any number of other components brings it to 1-3 weeks indicates a decline in those components in the supply chain. New components will be used for new MacPro (or its replacement).

[Moody Glasgow]

I understand your point that HD’s are the cause of the delay. I’m just saying that the cause for the delay is only because of the current HD issue, and not because they are ending / revamping the Mac Pro.

moody glasgow
smoke/flame

[Craig Seeman]

[moody glasgow] “I’m just saying that the cause for the delay is only because of the current HD issue,”

You can change any number of things and it’ll go to 1-3 weeks. For example, change RAM and it’ll go to
1-3 weeks. I doubt there’s a general RAM shortage. I suspect they’re moving to new RAM chips for new Computers. Change Processor and you’ll also see the same long delay . . . because they are moving to new processors so they have no reason to add backstock of the current ones in their supply chain.

In fact, nearly any component that may be replaced results in 1-3 weeks. SSDs don’t because they’re be needing them for the new models as well.

I’m not sure why adding a track pad would result in a 1-3 week delay so maybe I’m not getting Apple’s supply chain.

[Moody Glasgow]

If you remove the 1TB HD from the BTO and change it to an SSD, your build time stays at 2-4 days regardless of other options. Again, the only thing that appears to be causing a delay is the HD.

moody glasgow
smoke/flame

[Chris Harlan]

[Craig Seeman] “t would almost seem that the Quad Core Xeon MacPro has little value now, so maybe it’s just my mental image of things. While there might be some value to internal hard drives and PCIe slots at $2500, one get get a Quad Core i7 with AMD Radeon 6970 2GB and two Thunderbolt ports for $2300.
If you look at the BareFeats ProApps shootout they’re close but I wonder how the iMac would have faired with the better GPU which would impact some tasks.
https://www.barefeats.com/macs11_01.html
“

I’m not arguing that it is a great buy. I’m just saying it exists. I’ve held off on buying a Mac Pro for nearly a year because of their antiquation. I’m waiting to see what happens, but I’m beginning to think that an HP or Dell might be where I’m going. My current 8 Core is good enough for FCS. I’m also thinking for the first time about an HP or Dell portable workstation as my next buy. The times, they are a changing.

[Craig Seeman]

[moody glasgow] ” Again, the only thing that appears to be causing a delay is the HD.
“

Wrong. Please read my post again. You are absolutely wrong.

[Moody Glasgow]

LOL.

Ok. Show me a configuration that includes a SSD, and does not include a 1TB or 2TB that takes 1-3 weeks.

moody glasgow
smoke/flame

[Walter Soyka]

[moody glasgow] “Ok. Show me a configuration that includes a SSD, and does not include a 1TB or 2TB that takes 1-3 weeks.”

Moody’s right — it’s the hard drives.

Craig, configure, say, an 8-core Mac Pro. The standard config is in stock, ready to ship now. Add memory to make it a CTO — the ship time jumps to 1-3 weeks. Now change the hard drive from 1TB HDD to a 2TB HDD or 512GB SSD. The ship time jumps back down to 2-4 days.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
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[Craig Seeman]

Just add RAM or change the CPU. Either will change to 1-3 weeks.
Why would throwing RAM into a computer cause a delay unless those RAM chips are about to be changed? You’re not changing the HD config at all. In other words change RAM alone (or CPU alone) results in a delay.

Adding an SSD in anything other than Drive Bay 1 causes a 1-3 way delay too.

The only thing that changes to 2-4 days is changing HD to SSD in Bay 1.

It would seem that only pulling the HD (which is in Bay 1) expedites things. Given the current HD situation I can see their desire to add to their HD stock as a motive.