Review: the 8-core Mac Pro—lots of bang, lots of bucks
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
May 18, 2007 at 6:14am
I reviewed the first Mac Pro systems in a four-part review on Aug. 21, Aug. 22, Aug. 23 and Aug. 24, 2006. Though there are now 8-core options for the professional desktop, my original likes, dislikes and rating still stands. So consider this simply a follow-up critique.
You can check out the speed performance of the 8-core Macs at the Bare Feats site. They concluded: “If your work flow means doing more than one thing at a time on your Mac Pro, then you will see significant gains if you spend extra to get the 8-core version. Our Photoshop CS3 actions were completed 39% faster on the 8-core when we had 3 other apps busy crunching. This advantage emerges in spite of the memory bus limitations of the 8-core Mac Pro and poor core swapping algorithms of OS X Tiger.” And Infoworld notes that going from four to eight cores will reduce the time to completion for compute-intensive, non- or semi-interactive, threaded workstation task units (e.g. render, simulate, compile/link, analyze, transform, filter) by ten to thirty percent without code changes.
My own experiments with the 8-core monster have been similar, though, as I always admit, I simply use my “gut reactions” to how speedy a system seems. So the question is: do you need every iota of speed you can squeeze out of your Mac?
Quad-core models are still available, and will be a better buy for all but the most demanding users. After all, 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.
If you need top tier performance and expansion options out the wazoo, the Mac Pro is the desktop for you. If you have the need, and especially, the moolah, go for the four grand version. If you need speed and expandability, look into the quad-core Mac Pros and outfit ‘em with more memory and beefier graphics cards.
And if you don’t have to have the fastest Mac, never add PCIe cards and don’t need a display bigger than a 24-incher, you should look into the Intel iMac, a gorgeous machine that packs plenty of power for most users in a compact, less expensive design.
Macsimum rating: 8.5 out of 10.
Proud Says:
$12,000? Well, yeah, if you need 4 frickin graphics cards, 3 TB of disk space and an insane amount of RAM. Even for video professionals, 4 GB RAM is plenty, two graphics cards are probably as many as anyone will EVER need (and one is probably fine, the ATI card is amazing), and with a modest hard drive upgrade, the total comes to about $4,000.
Posted on May 19, 2007
Macxpress Says:
The 8-Core MacPro is basically just for people who want to brag about power. If Apple was smart they’d support RAID 5. Thats a major missing feature in my opinion.
Depending on what you use it for, you can use up a lot of RAM in a hurry. I’ve seen people eat up 3GB of RAM with a PowerMac G5.
If Apple would release something a lot lower end for regular consumers like the MacPro that would be great.
Posted on May 20, 2007
erin Says:
“Macxpress Says:
The 8-Core MacPro is basically just for people who want to brag about power.”
Brag? You’re way out of line. Professionals will find a way to use all 8-cores my friend. Bragging comes after stifling the competition.
Posted on May 23, 2007
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 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.
Vsx1 Says:
“The biggest, beefiest of the Mac Pro configurations will run you almost $4,000.” I thought that was rather cheap...I went to the Apple store and configured the biggest, beefiest config without mointors and came to $12,178. With monitors it increases to $15,776. Very far from $4,000. It’s still a value though.
Posted on May 19, 2007