Sonnet Announces New 4U Enclosure to Rack Mount Two Mac Pros

Mounting and organizing options for heavy duty Mac Pro users continue to grow since the new machine's launch at the end of last year, with Sonnet now announcing a new rack mount enclosure capable of holding two Mac Pros. The new enclosure is an additional option to go along with the enclosure and expansion chassis the company announced last week.

Rackmacpro
This time, the Sonnet Rack Mac Pro allows users to rack mount one or two Mac Pro machines in a 4U space. The unit includes a front panel power button with USB 3.0 port for each machine, plus a second USB 3.0 port, a Gigabit Ethernet port, and an HDMI connector on the back of the rack for each Mac Pro.

There are no rear Thunderbolt ports because, Sonnet says, there are no panel-mount Thunderbolt connectors available. There is, however, room inside the rack for Thunderbolt cables to be attached, and the company says it is "fairly easy" to directly connect Thunderbolt cables and they can be secured to the Mac Pro so they can not be accidentally unplugged.

The Rack Mac Pro also supports the mounting of Thunderbolt to Fibre Channel adapters like the Promise San Link2.

Pricing is expected to be $599 to rack mount a single Mac Pro, with an add-on to mount a second Mac Pro available for $299. Availability is likely to come in June alongside the previously announced combination enclosure and expansion chassis.

Related Roundup: Mac Pro
Buyer's Guide: Mac Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: Mac Pro

Top Rated Comments

whooleytoo Avatar
131 months ago
Makes for a nice looking chest.

Yeah... "nice rack" takes on a whole new meaning...
Score: 25 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Lucky736 Avatar
131 months ago
It does not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on top of an already pricey machine simply to rack-mount it. Apple needs to release new dedicated rack-mountable hardware.
So it makes more sense to spend hundreds of millions if not more, when they didn't quite make out the first two times they tried it, designing, setting up manufacturing, marketing, and everything else that goes with selling and SUPPORTING yet another model? :rolleyes:

NEWS FLASH: The market and people who require this setup don't care what the machine looks like, they care what it performs like.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Scarpad Avatar
131 months ago
Kinda kills the point of them looking unique, No ?

Which begs the question did they ever need to look that way. The individual or company that needs the power of the pro don't need it to look like a work of art, they just need it functional.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Osnabrueck Avatar
131 months ago
I do motion/video/fx for large productions and travel with my gear all the time.

There's a great practical utility around the MacPro's form factor. For the first time I can easily pack my rig into a carry-on bag. This is a huge deal for me since I'm often asked to render AfterEffects projects on location just hours before showtime.

I'm in the minority, but for me the new Pro has opened up a ton of options for what I can execute while on the road without the hassle of checking in my gear in a tuff case.

Add to that - this rack mount solution is a good approach. We always use redundant machines on location, in case one goes down during a performance.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
danielsutton Avatar
131 months ago
They cannot sell "functional" by the hundreds of thousands, or perhaps even the tens of thousands.

A third party has provided a solution that Apple will allow that provides such functionality. Sonnet can be profitable with this with a lower volume of sales.

It does not make sense to spend hundreds of dollars on top of an already pricey machine simply to rack-mount it. Apple needs to release new dedicated rack-mountable hardware.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
laurim Avatar
131 months ago
I'll be surprised if they can move one of these things of the shelf. I see a very small purpose for the single mount option, but I wouldn't think anyone would have two MP's in a rack, and why does it cost this much?
In live show work, we almost always have a "Main" and "Backup" computer. This would be perfect for that. Slips into a rack with the other A/V components and makes the MacPros essentially impossible to steal when we're not on site.

Just because you don't know what pros use MacPros for, doesn't mean a market doesn't exist. For Sonnet to go through the trouble to make this, THEY understand the market.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

iPhone 15 Pro FineWoven

Apple Reportedly Stops Production of FineWoven Accessories

Sunday April 21, 2024 6:03 am PDT by
Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as "Kosutami." In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kosutami explained that Apple has stopped production of FineWoven accessories due to its poor durability. The company may move to another non-leather material for its premium accessories in the future. Kosutami has revealed...
Provenance Emulator

PlayStation and SEGA Emulator for iPhone and Apple TV Coming to App Store [Updated]

Friday April 19, 2024 8:29 am PDT by
The lead developer of the multi-emulator app Provenance has told iMore that his team is working towards releasing the app on the App Store, but he did not provide a timeframe. Provenance is a frontend for many existing emulators, and it would allow iPhone and Apple TV users to emulate games released for a wide variety of classic game consoles, including the original PlayStation, GameCube, Wii,...
iOS 17 All New Features Thumb

iOS 17.5 Will Add These New Features to Your iPhone

Sunday April 21, 2024 3:00 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 17.5 update for the iPhone includes only a few new user-facing features, but hidden code changes reveal some additional possibilities. Below, we have recapped everything new in the iOS 17.5 and iPadOS 17.5 beta so far. Web Distribution Starting with the second beta of iOS 17.5, eligible developers are able to distribute their iOS apps to iPhone users located in the EU...
apple vision pro orange

Apple Vision Pro Customer Interest Dying Down at Some Retail Stores

Monday April 22, 2024 2:12 am PDT by
Apple Vision Pro, Apple's $3,500 spatial computing device, appears to be following a pattern familiar to the AR/VR headset industry – initial enthusiasm giving way to a significant dip in sustained interest and usage. Since its debut in the U.S. in February 2024, excitement for the Apple Vision Pro has noticeably cooled, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Writing in his latest Power On...
top stories 20apr2024

Top Stories: Nintendo Emulators on App Store, Two New iOS 17 Features, and More

Saturday April 20, 2024 6:00 am PDT by
It was a big week for retro gaming fans, as iPhone users are starting to reap the rewards of Apple's recent change to allow retro game emulators on the App Store. This week also saw a new iOS 17.5 beta that will support web-based app distribution in the EU, the debut of the first hotels to allow for direct AirPlay streaming to room TVs, a fresh rumor about the impending iPad Air update, and...