Mac Pro line-up adds 8-core options
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Apr 4, 2007 at 5:23am
Apple has quietly updated its Mac Pro line with options for eight-core (as well as quad-core) options. The new pro-level Macs are available in speeds up to 3.0 GHz. There have been no major changes to the pro desktop’s design. The 8-core model is available with two 3.0GHz quad-core Intel Xeon 5300 (“Clovertown”) series processors with 8MB L2 cache per processor, 64-bit data paths and registers, and 1.33GHz 64-bit dual front-side buses.
The quad-core models are available with two 2.0GHz, 2.66GHz, or 3.0GHz dual-core Intel Xeon 5100 series (“Woodcrest”) processors with 4MB of shared L2 cache per processor, 64-bit data paths and registers, and 1.33GHz 64-bit dual front-side buses.
The new Mac Pro models support up to 16GB of RAM, up to 3TB of internal hard drive storage, and include a 16x SuperDrive with double-layer support, two FireWire 800 ports, two FireWire 400 ports, five USB 2.0 ports, TOSLINK optical digital audio in and out ports, analog stereo line-level in and out minijacks, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and three full-length PCI Express expansion slots.
The front panel sports a FireWire 800 port, a FireWire 400 port, two USB 2.0 ports, and a headphone jack. Unfortunately, 802.11n AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR are still optional add-ons rather than built-in as standard.
The Mac Pros have a double-wide, 16-lane PCI Express graphics slot with the option to install an NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT with 256MB of GDDR2 SDRAM, one single-link DVI port, and one dual-link DVI port; an ATI Radeon X1900 XT with 512MB of GDDR3 SDRAM and two dual-link DVI ports; or an NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 with 512MB of GDDR3 SDRAM, two dual-link DVI ports, and one stereo 3D port.
The systems have support for up to eight displays and digital resolutions up to 1920 by 1200 pixels; dual-link DVI ports support up to 2560 by 1600 pixels. Analog resolution support is up to 2048 by 1536 pixels.
Prices start at US$2,499 for 2.66GHz quad-core models. The biggest, beefiest of the Mac Pro configurations will run you almost $4,000. The systems ship within three to five days from the online Apple Store.
So why is Apple not making more hoopla over the eight-core Mac Pros?
Leave a comment ⇒
Please post the article topic & comment in our forums. No registration required.
Article Information
Comment on this Article Print this Article Email this Article Digg This
Contributor
Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 10,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
Recent Articles
