New Apple Mac Pro announced at their Tech Tent.
So Apple are not really ditching Intel if this new Pro is anything to go by as it's powered by a Xeon CPU ranging from 8 core to a 28 core version. Plus a Radeon Pro Vega II GPU and 6 channel ram expandable to 1.5TB! ?
Storage is flash only usb proprietary M2 SSD modules. Base model only comes with 256GB storage. And upgradable to 8TB max.
So unlike the consumer M1 based range the Pro is thankfully fully configurable and upgradable.
But then you look at the price:
£5999 for the Mac Pro (base model)
£4999 for the monitor
£999 for the monitor stand! WTF!
£12,000 total!
So yeah, really like the case design, really like the hardware, but the price is a complete joke and in no way realistic. You could build a PC workstation of equal, if not greater spec, for £4-6k easily including monitor.
------
So the joke gets bigger. I decided to click the buy button and see what configuring the spec would add to the price.
So the base £5999 model only comes with an 8 core Xeon at 3.5Ghz. Uograde to a 12 core adds £1000! But wait for it.. upgrade to the 2.5 Ghz 28 core Xeon adds £7000. ?
Now the ram. It comes with 32GB which is more than ok for most things. Upgrade to 48GB adds £300 so not too bad. But then it shoots up. 192GB is £3k. And if you go all the way up to 1.5TB it's £25k just for ram.
The standard GPU is actually a Radeon Pro 580x with 8GB ram, so ok but not amazing. There are quite a few upgrades. But if you wanted the Pro Vega II that's an extra £2.4k. But it goes higher. Want the top spec pair of Pro Vega II Duo's? That's only £10.8k!
If you want to do video editing than why not also add an Afterburner card for £2k.
Upgrading the storage next. As standard it's a 256GB SSD. What to change that for 1TB it's £400. Want the max 8TB it's £2.6k
On to the "little" extras. Want some wheels on your Pro's case? That will be £400!
Upgrade the mouse? £149.
And finally add Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for £499.98.
So if you opted to fully spec out the new Apple Mac Pro it comes to...
£51,947.98
???
----
I completely forgot I didn't include a display. Silly me. So I need to add on £4999 for the monitor, but wait the stand or wall mount are an optional extra. Vesa wall mount is £399 or a stand is £999. So up to £5998 for the monitor, bringing the top spec grabd total to £57,945.98
So Apple are not really ditching Intel if this new Pro is anything to go by as it's powered by a Xeon CPU ranging from 8 core to a 28 core version. Plus a Radeon Pro Vega II GPU and 6 channel ram expandable to 1.5TB! ?
Storage is flash only usb proprietary M2 SSD modules. Base model only comes with 256GB storage. And upgradable to 8TB max.
So unlike the consumer M1 based range the Pro is thankfully fully configurable and upgradable.
But then you look at the price:
£5999 for the Mac Pro (base model)
£4999 for the monitor
£999 for the monitor stand! WTF!
£12,000 total!
So yeah, really like the case design, really like the hardware, but the price is a complete joke and in no way realistic. You could build a PC workstation of equal, if not greater spec, for £4-6k easily including monitor.
------
So the joke gets bigger. I decided to click the buy button and see what configuring the spec would add to the price.
So the base £5999 model only comes with an 8 core Xeon at 3.5Ghz. Uograde to a 12 core adds £1000! But wait for it.. upgrade to the 2.5 Ghz 28 core Xeon adds £7000. ?
Now the ram. It comes with 32GB which is more than ok for most things. Upgrade to 48GB adds £300 so not too bad. But then it shoots up. 192GB is £3k. And if you go all the way up to 1.5TB it's £25k just for ram.
The standard GPU is actually a Radeon Pro 580x with 8GB ram, so ok but not amazing. There are quite a few upgrades. But if you wanted the Pro Vega II that's an extra £2.4k. But it goes higher. Want the top spec pair of Pro Vega II Duo's? That's only £10.8k!
If you want to do video editing than why not also add an Afterburner card for £2k.
Upgrading the storage next. As standard it's a 256GB SSD. What to change that for 1TB it's £400. Want the max 8TB it's £2.6k
On to the "little" extras. Want some wheels on your Pro's case? That will be £400!
Upgrade the mouse? £149.
And finally add Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for £499.98.
So if you opted to fully spec out the new Apple Mac Pro it comes to...
£51,947.98
???
----
I completely forgot I didn't include a display. Silly me. So I need to add on £4999 for the monitor, but wait the stand or wall mount are an optional extra. Vesa wall mount is £399 or a stand is £999. So up to £5998 for the monitor, bringing the top spec grabd total to £57,945.98
