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8-Core Mac Pro with Clovertown... in November?

Appleinsider reports that Apple is indeed planning on introducing a 8-Core Mac Pro using the Quad-Core Xeon (Clovertown) processors from Intel.

The Mac Pro new system would come with two Quad-core processors and could be released after mid-November of this year. The exact timing of the release is not clear, but must wait for the official release of Clovertown.

As it stands, the release of the eight-core Mac Pro hinges on both Intel and Apple. But following Intel's mid-Nov. quad-core Xeon launch, the ball should be completely on Apple's side of the court. It'll be strictly a marketing decision from there, say insiders, as the Mac maker wrapped up hardware preparations for this brawny beast during the tail-end of the back-to-school season.


Details of the Clovertown processors were revealed in September, showing two versions of the chip that support the same 1333MHz bus as the Mac Pro. These processors (X5355 and E5345) run at 2.66 and 2.33GHz respectively.

Indeed, the current Mac Pros appear to be directly compatible with the new processors. In September, AnandTech replaced two Dual-Core Xeon (Woodcrest) processors from a Mac Pro with samples of two Quad-Core Xeon (Clovertown) processors and "they worked just fine".

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69 months ago
Intel is really making Apple quick with those revisions...
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69 months ago
wow, that was a fast announcement? if i remember correctly the clovertons come out mid nov don't they?
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69 months ago
If it's a simple swap of processors, then I would believe the rumors. :) 8-cores, wow! Much much faster than anyone anticipated.
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69 months ago
Do either IBM or Motorola have a quad-core chip on the horizon?
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69 months ago
OK. I know that many of my apps aren't going to take advantage of this level of multithreaded power, but I can't help but get excited by this development. After so many years of sluggish improvement, it feels like we're in the midst of rapid (and radical) change.

I'm hoping that the 8-core, 3.0 (or faster) GHz MacPro arrives the same day as Leopard and about the same time as CS3. I'd gladly swap my 2.66 GHz quad core...:)
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69 months ago

Intel is really making Apple quick with those revisions...


No, not really. This would be the only fast update, if it happens (which I kinda doubt)
iMac: 9 months
MBP: 10 months
mac mini: 8 months
macbook: 5 months and counting

Those are actually wait times that are comparable or longer to what we saw in PPC days.
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69 months ago
This is starting to sound like the war of the razors...

Anyone remember when the Mach-3 came out, and everyone thought "wow... three blades. that's a lot!" Now we're up to FIVE... and an extra one on the back.

Just more proof positive that when it comes to Apple you should buy when you need, and enjoy what you've got, cause in two months it'll be replaced anyway.

... okay, I'm done. Eight cores is pretty wild. ;)
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69 months ago
Apple wasn't very quick at adopting the Core2 chips (which are pin-compatible with Core chips), what would make Clovertown any different?

If history serves as a template for the future, then I wouldn't expect anything new until after the holiday season (even though the Mac Pro isn't a consumer device, companies usually aren't looking to spend money on new machines right before the new year starts)
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69 months ago

Intel is really making Apple quick with those revisions...


seems unlikely that Clovertown would replace the current Mac Pros... just add another high end config.

arn
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69 months ago

seems unlikely that Clovertown would replace the current Mac Pros... just add another high end config.

It would be the first for Apple. :cool:
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