Details of Core i7-980X (Gulftown) Mac Pro Processors Leaked

Yummy. Sounds like I need a new machine next spring! Now...let's code Aperture to take advantage of all of these fancy cores!

what exactly is the point of all these cores on a desktop machine with a crappy graphics card that won't be used for heavy video work?

i'll probably get an imac next year, but the way apple configures their computers is exactly the opposite of what the home builders do.

If that Mid 2010 Mac Pro doesn't come down in price on the base config then I'll skip it and keep with my intended quad core 3.33 Mac Pro.

Having 6 cores may be wonderful for future use and with all the video encoding I do but I don't want to pay $6000 for a tower that has the performance of a $3500 PC tower.

what exactly is the point of all these cores on a desktop machine with a crappy graphics card that won't be used for heavy video work?

i'll probably get an imac next year, but the way apple configures their computers is exactly the opposite of what the home builders do.

That Mac Pro can be used for heavy video work, maybe not heavy graphics and 3D modeling work, but video yes. And compressor and some other video encoding/decoding apps are core aware apps so 6 cores would be nice but I do agree about the lack of good GFX options. We have to either pick up the decent cards or go all out with the FX Quadro.

The PCI expansion is the only reason many will spring for the Mac Pro now.

I've got to say it....
Let's get a revised case design please!!!!!!

Having 6 cores may be wonderful for future use and with all the video encoding I do but I don't want to pay $6000 for a tower that has the performance of a $3500 PC tower.

I don't want to pay $2500 for a Mac tower that has the performance of a $1000 PC tower - which is what we have today...

It can't get any worse, can it? ;)

I've got to say it....
Let's get a revised case design please!!!!!!

I usually don't agree with these kinds of statements, especially since Apple has milked the Power Mac G5 case design for all it's worth, and it still works very VERY well.

But I will agree this time, merely because I would love to have a case design that did allow a few more customization options (i.e. 5 internal HDDs without having to take up an optical or drop it anywhere inside the case).

I am actually quite glad that Apple is finally giving us more than two FW800 ports on a pro machine. 4 is nice, I wouldn't mind 1 or two more in the back.

I don't want to pay $2500 for a Mac tower that has the performance of a $1000 PC tower - which is what we have today...

It can't get any worse, can it? ;)

It sure can. We were complaining about the price of the $1800 G5 tower 5-6 years back, now the pro tower starts at $2500 and is bested by the $2000 iMac with hi-def screen. As Eidorian has said before, you can't look at the Mac Pro unless you are looking for 8 cores or PCI expansion. If you aren't then the iMac is actually the better buy.

Apple really needs to lower the price IMHO.

I do audio work. Most of my programs use all cores available and the graphics card is of little concern for me. I won't be buying one because I'm happy with my early 2008 8 core, but this looks like a nice machine.

The Mac Pro case is also fine for me. My computer is in a machine room so I couldn't care less what it looks like, as long as the internal design cools well and offers good upgrade space. It would be nice if the entry level model came down in price (actually, it would be nice if they all came down in price).

Are these i7's dual QPI? If not then these aren't the same chips that the DP Mac Pro uses.

The title of this rumor says, "Core i7-970X" but the slide says i7-980X. Which is it?

That sounds cool, but I doubt it will be much faster than my Dual 1.42GHz G4 tower.