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Desktops (Apple) Apple

Mac Pro Gets a Graphics Update (sixcolors.com) 23

On Tuesday, Apple rolled out three new graphics card modules for the Intel-based Mac Pro, all based on AMD's Radeon Pro W6000 series GPU. From a report: (Apple posted a Mac Pro performance white paper [PDF] to celebrate.) The new modules (in Apple's MPX format) come in three variants, with a Radeon Pro W6800X, two W6800X GPUs, and the W6900X. Each module also adds four Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2 port to the Mac Pro. The Mac Pro supports two MPX modules, so you could pop in two of the dual-GPU modules to max out performance. They can connect using AMD's Infinity Fabric Link, which can connect up to four GPUs to communicate with one another via a super-fast connection with much more bandwidth than is available via the PCIe bus.
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Mac Pro Gets a Graphics Update

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  • Hopefully this will allow for GPU sharing. [wikipedia.org]

  • by IWantMoreSpamPlease ( 571972 ) on Tuesday August 03, 2021 @01:50PM (#61651845) Homepage Journal

    Since Apple has moved over to their own bespoke silicon, how much life/support to these Big Macs get?
    In other words, knowing these are technical "dead ends", is it worth paying for one/paying for pro support?

    • I guess it depends on what software you use and if there's even an Apple-silicon version of it yet (or if it still runs faster on intel, but given that there's no Xeon equivalent on the Apple side, I'd say your best bet is to buy those Intel Mac Pros if you need them).

      Besides, anyone who needs that much computing power on their desk is probably working for a big company with near-mandatory computer upgrade cycles. Don't worry about the cost, just do your job.

      • I'm hoping (likely against hope) that they will eventually offer a way to upgrade your Intel Mac Pro, maybe with swappable boards to the new Apple silicon....

        Dunno if it would be possible, or if they would entertain the idea.

        I would hope they would with them ditching the intel chips so soon after introducing the model.

        • Knowing Apple and all their custom enclosures, I doubt it, even for something as PC-like as the Mac Pro. We don't even know if an Apple-silicon Mac Pro is going to be the same size.

          Then again, the M1 Mac mini seems to be using the exact same case as their Intel models, so you never know. I'd bet their future Mac mini will be either smaller and/or thinner because they don't need to dissipate as much heat and the fact they don't need the room for a 2.5" hard drive anymore, haven't needed the room for years to

          • I have a Mac Pro. You can install third party GPUs that require external power with this kit [apple.com]. I doubt that the Mac Pro will allow seamless upgrade by changing the motherboard to an M1 or M* style CPU. For one, the Intel Xeon it is replacing has 128 lanes of PCI express, which is used for the thunderbolts and the PCIe slots. There is a ton of compatibility issues that would arise with how the current crop of Mac Pros are configured. I bet they will design a new chip (M2X?) or a pair of them on a new motherb
        • I would think that would never happen. I"m not a die-hard apple follower, but I dont think such a thing was ever offered for the dual g5 pro models (I forget their official names, the big cheese grater looking ones) to "swap up" to the Xeon ones when apple made that switch.

          Personally, I'd like one of these new mac pros, at fire sale prices when apple decides they will no longer support them, but given how the mac faithful think their systems hold value against all reason, it's unlikely I'll ever afford one

        • I'm hoping (likely against hope) that they will eventually offer a way to upgrade your Intel Mac Pro, maybe with swappable boards to the new Apple silicon....

          Well you would be throwing out the CPU, motherboard, RAM and likely all the other peripherals to replace it with an Apple Silicon SoC, maybe you could keep the case :P

      • by e3m4n ( 947977 )
        4 thunderbolt 3 ports is some serious horsepower. My alienware laptop only has one. Each one can support 40Gbps, as well as act as a video port to a monitor. thats either a ton of monitors or external NvME drive for video projects. Given the cost are you thinking most likely production studios? I could see them taking advantage of that much throughput.
    • by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      Since Apple has moved over to their own bespoke silicon, how much life/support to these Big Macs get?
      In other words, knowing these are technical "dead ends", is it worth paying for one/paying for pro support?

      Probably a lot of support. Intel still owns the high end market, and the M1 is pretty much not it.

      The M1 is chomping at the heels of the Intel Core i5 line of processors - midrange general purpose computing suitable for most people. Of course, midrange computing covers a lot which is why lots of people

      • max ram, max video out and io is way less on M1 vs the mac pro.

        Maybe if the apple cpu has at least 512GB ram, pci-e io to drive at least dual 10G-E + 1-2 X16 slots (may not need video cards) + at least 2 8K displays then they can get rid of the X86-64 mac pro.

      • Rather then demonstrating a commitment to the mac pro, this announcement casts serious doubt on the ability of Apple to realize it's M2 and M1X class chips. Apple is repackaging video cards as a stopgap measure.

    • In other words, knowing these are technical "dead ends", is it worth paying for one/paying for pro support?

      Well there is no Apple Silicon equivalent so if you need this kind of computer then sure it's worth it, if you don't need it then I'd wonder why you're considering buying it in the first place.

  • by DontBeAMoran ( 4843879 ) on Tuesday August 03, 2021 @01:53PM (#61651873)

    Now about about those M2-powered Mac minis and MacBooks?

"If you want to eat hippopatomus, you've got to pay the freight." -- attributed to an IBM guy, about why IBM software uses so much memory

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