Up Close with the New Mac Pro
by Anand Lal Shimpi on June 10, 2013 3:15 PM EST
In its keynote this morning, Apple teased its next-generation Mac Pro, due out later this year. Based on Ivy Bridge E, the new system will ship with two AMD FirePro GPUs with up to 4096 SPs and capable of delivering 7 TFLOPS of peak FP performance.
We got a close look at the chassis, which is 1/8 the size of the current Mac Pro. You lose any hope for internal expansion, but Apple outfitted the machine with three Falcon Ridge Thunderbolt 2 controllers to enable expansion via external storage and external Thunderbolt 2 expansion chassis options. Apple won't make any of its own Thunderbolt 2 expansion chassis, but you can expect that others will fill that void. With 20Gbps up/down on Thunderbolt 2, you should have enough bandwidth for any PCIe expansion.
Internally there are four DDR3 memory slots, as well as what looks like a proprietary PCIe SSD connector (I don't think it's M.2 unfortunately). Both GPUs are technically removable, but at least one is mounted as the same card as the PCIe SSD. Apple is putting every single PCIe lane available to use on the new Mac Pro.
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jecastejon - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
Ok maybe I am missing something here, but whats the point precisely with the GPU expansion over Thunderbolt if you can plug 2 FirePro GC internally (?) Just this is not the point as Apple already addressed the graphic bandwidth. Use TB for other expansion needs like storage, capture cards or other devices.Shinshin - Tuesday, June 11, 2013 - link
Well, I just gave it as an example. I didn't know it existed already.I read only about storage and screens that are connected with TB.
Thanks!
jss88 - Tuesday, June 11, 2013 - link
20 Gbit/s = 2,5 GB/sPCIe 3 x16 = 15+ GB/s
Actually, this means you're stuck with Firepro and can't do CUDA.
Death666Angel - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
That's already in existence, just either very expensive or very problematic. Thunderbolt is just PCIe after all.PubFiction - Wednesday, June 12, 2013 - link
Well this seems stupid to me, the mac pro was the last and only mac that was somewhat upgradeable / expandable. Now they try to shove it in a smaller case and claim it takes up less space, except if you need any expansion now you got all sorts of thunderbolt cables and junk hooked up to it. RIP mac pro. Also the whole unified single heat sink is dumn, I guess the RDF has now conqured the last apple product.DanNeely - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
a few TB GPU enclosures are already on the market. Currently they're all several hundred dollars though; hopefully cheaper options will become available in the future.Teknoman117 - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
That is exactly what it means. http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2013/06/06/s... Not so happy about the choice to use FirePros. Imma buy one of these and load my GTX 680 for Mac.Teknoman117 - Monday, June 10, 2013 - link
Goofed the link - http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2013/06/06/s...JDG1980 - Tuesday, June 11, 2013 - link
This already comes with two high-end AMD FirePro GPUs. Why would you need more?Freakie - Tuesday, June 11, 2013 - link
...You're joking, right? Because like... even 4 FirePro will leave many people wanting for more...