New Mac Pro GPU speculation

[JDG1980]

This is an excellent point. Now Apple is forcing their customers to get whole new desktops instead of upgrading them (that statement nauseates me to type), even though I'm sure most professionals (ESPECIALLY the ones I'm with) would much rather just have custom built windows workstations, or worst case, have to build a hackintosh.

I think you're misreading the Mac Pro's intended audience. It's not aimed primarily at IT workers, but at photographers, graphic designers, movie editors, and other professionals in the creative arts. How many of these people want to build their own system or spend time monkeying around with an upgrade to the video card? Most professional workstations are bought off-the-shelf and not substantially updated throughout the life of the equipment.

 

[JDG1980]

In general, Apple doesn't let component releases dictate their release cycle. They are perfectly happy shipping slightly older stuff until they feel that they want to release again.

You're assuming that AMD is choosing the release date and dragging Apple along for the ride. It could be the other way around... delaying Fiji for this long doesn't make much sense from AMD's marketing perspective. It could just be production delays, AIBs bitching about the stuffed channel, and so forth... but it could also be part of the deal with Apple to delay the Fiji announcement until they're ready to announce the new Mac Pro.

 

[NTMBK]

Yup, fully expect them to wait for 14nm parts.

AMD's "HPC APU" would be perfect for a Mac Pro design- single integrated cooling system, soldered down parts with no upgrading.

 

[jji7skyline]

Yup, fully expect them to wait for 14nm parts.

AMD's "HPC APU" would be perfect for a Mac Pro design- single integrated cooling system, soldered down parts with no upgrading.

Apple has never used AMD CPUs and I doubt they'll start now.

 

[Enigmoid]

Yup, fully expect them to wait for 14nm parts.

AMD's "HPC APU" would be perfect for a Mac Pro design- single integrated cooling system, soldered down parts with no upgrading.

It would be a substantial downgrade in terms of CPU and graphics. Apple has done this before but the Mac Pro crowd is extremely performance focused compared to other product lines.

 

[NTMBK]

Apple has never used AMD CPUs and I doubt they'll start now.

They almost put Llano in a Macbook, but GloFo screwed up their 32nm and weren't able to manufacturer enough chips to meet Apple's needs.

 

[NTMBK]

It would be a substantial downgrade in terms of CPU and graphics. Apple has done this before but the Mac Pro crowd is extremely performance focused compared to other product lines.

I would hope that 16 Zen cores could beat out 12 Ivy Bridge cores!

You may have a point on GPU performance, though. Not sure how 2x 7970 will measure up to 1 Greenland GPU, even with HBM2.

 

[Qwertilot]

Surely no need to limit yourself to just one of them

 

[jji7skyline]

Apple will definitely go for a dual-GPU config on all the new Mac Pros.

 

[Stuka87]

Apple has never used AMD CPUs and I doubt they'll start now.

They came extremely close to using AMD for the original MacBook Air. They had prototypes built and tested. Reason they did not go with them was because AMD did not have enough chip capacity at the time as 32nm was fairly new.