Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Desktops > Dual Dual-core "quad" Power Mac G5 features

Dual Dual-core "quad" Power Mac G5 features
Thread Tools
tooki
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 03:53 PM
 
So, the new dual-core G5 Power Macs have some interesting new features:
- two gigabit ethernet ports with jumbo frame support
- support for ECC (error-correcting) RAM.

This is server hardware, plain and simple. Sweet! The only Apple machines to use ECC RAM until this are the Apple Network Server 500 and 700 machines, which ran AIX, not Mac OS.

tooki
     
Randman
Posting Junkie
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: MacNN database error. Please refresh your browser.
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 03:56 PM
 
16GB of ram. Wow.

This is a computer-generated message and needs no signature.
     
voo
Forum Regular
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Way up there!
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by Randman
16GB of ram. Wow.
and the price of that O_o, seriously though who would need the use of that, that wouldn't be using it as a server.
What can you do with 16GB that you can't do with 8 or 4GB...
     
tooki  (op)
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:08 PM
 
The old Power Mac G5s also supported 16GB of RAM in the 8-slot models -- but in typical Apple style, they didn't advertise this, since 2GB RAM modules didn't exist commonly back then. The developer's tech notes for even the very first PM G5s mention that 2GB modules are supported.

So it's nice that Apple's advertising it, but it's actually not new. Dual jumbo-frame gig-ethernet and ECC support are.

tooki
     
milhous
Mac Elite
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Millersville, PA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:09 PM
 
two general comments:

1. the thing is a BEAST!
2. it's about damn time!
F = ma
     
tooki  (op)
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:09 PM
 
Originally Posted by voo
What can you do with 16GB that you can't do with 8 or 4GB...
Large database server applications, as well as scientific number crunching apps, benefit from as much RAM as possible, because they will store as much data in RAM as possible.

tooki
     
nbnz
Senior User
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London, UK
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:11 PM
 
Not that it probably matters for most users, but they dropped the internal modem also (as done on the updated iMac)
iMac, Intel Core-Duo 2GHz, 2GB, 250GB, OS X 10.4
PowerBook 12", 867MHz, 640MB, 60GB, OS X 10.4
iMac G3, 333MHz, 288MB, 6GB, OS X 10.3
iPods: 3G iPod, 1G mini, 1G shuffle, 2G nano
     
GSixZero
Mac Elite
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Seattle, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:38 PM
 
You can only assign ~2GB of RAM per application at this point, so unless you're writing or running some crazy applications at this point, more than 6 GB is probably overkill.

ImpulseResponse
     
bit.shiftr
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: May 2005
Location: North Carolina
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:40 PM
 
Is there water cooling on the Quad 2.5 Model????
[FONT=Garamond]_____________________________
PowerBook (Alu 15", 1.5Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 80Gb HD, 64mb VRAM)
PowerMac (Dual 2.7, 2.5Gb RAM, 250Gb HD, ATI 6550 256mb)
PC (P4 3.2Ghz, 1Gb RAM, 740Gb HD, Nvidia 6800 256mb)

"Data becomes information when it changes our decisions. Information becomes knowledge when it changes our processes."[/FONT]
     
Fyre4ce
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:40 PM
 
Notice the 533 MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-4200). That's nice but some PC's have 667 MHz available. (I don't know how much difference it makes).

All expansion slots have been upgraded to PCI-Express.

1 MB L2 cache per core (up from 512K).

The nVidia QUADRO FX 4500 is a monster. It also costs $1650 over the standard card. The GeForce 7800 GT is a lower-cost option and still high-performance but seemingly unavailable from the Apple store.

The overall package looks killer but realistically overkill for most people (non-professionals).
Fyre4ce

Let it burn.
     
jhogarty
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:46 PM
 
Didn't know the PM came with an internal modem. I'm almost positive mine doesn't have one.

J.
Converted 4/29/05
G5 20" iMac 2.0Ghz, 1 Gig Ram
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz Power Mac, X800 XT, 2.5 Gig Ram, 23" ACD
G4 Mac Mini 1.5GHz, 512MB Ram, 64MB VRam, Int. Modem
MacBook Pro 2.00GHz, X1600-256MB, 2.0 Gig Ram, 100GB 7200RPM HD, USB Modem
     
k2director
Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Los Angeles
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by bit.shiftr
Is there water cooling on the Quad 2.5 Model????

I wondered the same thing. I hope it's relatively quiet, whatever the case. I noticed that Apple's product pages don't emphasize the G5's "whisper quiet" character anymore, which makes me a bit nervous.

We'll see. I tried to order the machine today, but the Apple Store doesn't offer the nvidia 7800 graphics card yet, so I'm waiting. I want that card.
     
Agent69
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:49 PM
 
I think the internal modems were dropped with the last revision.
Agent69
     
exactopposite
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Jun 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:49 PM
 
i'm just waiting. i'm sure somebody somewhere iwll post an article called "the dual duel" or somehting like that. lol
     
MallyMal
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Aug 2002
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by tooki

This is server hardware, plain and simple. Sweet! The only Apple machines to use ECC RAM until this are the Apple Network Server 500 and 700 machines, which ran AIX, not Mac OS.

tooki
Actually the Xserve G5 has had ECC for a while.

The Quad is nice. Loving that Apple has a workstation video card now.

Did a comparison with the Dell side of things.

Apple Quad PM:
Quadro 4500
1 GB ECC RAM
AppleCare
Total: $5,398.00

Dell Precision 670 x64:
dual dual-core Xeon 2.8 Ghz
Quadro 4500
1 GB ECC
DVD +/_ RW drive
Total: $6,066.00

Not bad Apple!
     
turk.o
Forum Regular
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Olympia, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:52 PM
 
Originally Posted by bit.shiftr
Is there water cooling on the Quad 2.5 Model????
yes indeed, http://www.apple.com/powermac/design.html mouse over the top spot on the top pic for a view.


what i wanna know is why the hell aren't the 7800 gt cards listed on the store as BTO options? they are listed in the hardware pages with no notes or anything, but they are not available.

the quadro card is waaayyyy too expensive for me, and beyond what i need, but the 6600 is waaaaay to slow and weak, there is a huge gap there. so, i need the 7800, which i can't get. new egg sells retail boxes for around $425, so i figure it will be priced around there as a BTO option (or at least i hope).

i called apple, but they had no idea and just tried to talk me into the quadro, to which i responded with a hearty chuckle.

anyone have any news on this? i'm really excited they have the 7800 as it is a great grfx card, but i'd like to be able to actually buy it. apple, i have my cc ready for the quad g5 but you need to list the video card i want that you say you have.

t.o
     
WOPR
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: NORAD (England branch)
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:52 PM
 
Why do they mention the '1tb of internal storage' ? I love the G5 but for a Mac that big it's absurd you can only fit 2 drives inside it. I do hope the Intel Macs are smaller.

 iMac Core 2 Duo 17" 2ghz 3gb/250gb ||  iBook G4 12" 1.33ghz 1gb/40gb
     
real
Grizzled Veteran
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Ca
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 04:56 PM
 
Originally Posted by voo
and the price of that O_o, seriously though who would need the use of that, that wouldn't be using it as a server.
What can you do with 16GB that you can't do with 8 or 4GB...

load huge 2/4k image sequences into ram, not just parts of them, the whole thing. thats what you can do with 16 GB of RAM and with dual ethernet ports oh yeah
With some loud music + a friend to chat nearby you can get alot done. - but jezz, I'd avoid it if I had the choice---- If only real people came with Alpha Channels.......:)
AIM:xflaer
deinterlaced.com
     
Lateralus
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Arizona
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:02 PM
 
The new Power Macs are nice machines, but with the two lower-end models only coming with one 970MP, I'm not regretting the purchase of my Dual 2.5GHz for $2,199 a few weeks back.
I like chicken
I like liver
Meow Mix, Meow Mix
Please de-liv-er
     
OreoCookie
Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:06 PM
 
Originally Posted by tooki
The only Apple machines to use ECC RAM until this are the Apple Network Server 500 and 700 machines, which ran AIX, not Mac OS.
Apple reps told me (in 2003) that XServes (G4) can run on ECC. XServe G5s can do that as well.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
jhogarty
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by Lateralus
The new Power Macs are nice machines, but with the two lower-end models only coming with one 970MP, I'm not regretting the purchase of my Dual 2.5GHz for $2,199 a few weeks back.
Agreed, I got my dual 2.5 in June I think for $2,299 (refurb). I'm very happy with it, though I do want a better video card. These new boxes sound nice, but think I wait and utilize what I have.

J.
Converted 4/29/05
G5 20" iMac 2.0Ghz, 1 Gig Ram
G5 Dual 2.5Ghz Power Mac, X800 XT, 2.5 Gig Ram, 23" ACD
G4 Mac Mini 1.5GHz, 512MB Ram, 64MB VRam, Int. Modem
MacBook Pro 2.00GHz, X1600-256MB, 2.0 Gig Ram, 100GB 7200RPM HD, USB Modem
     
OreoCookie
Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by WOPR
Why do they mention the '1tb of internal storage' ? I love the G5 but for a Mac that big it's absurd you can only fit 2 drives inside it. I do hope the Intel Macs are smaller.
Because you can. The largest harddrives on the market are 500 gig drives, not cheap, but you can get them. Put in two and you have 1 TB. I do agree however they should offer space for at least four drives.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
SystemPreffs
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Left Coast
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:23 PM
 
Did the "special event" offer any benchmark info - esp. on the SINGLE dual-processor. How it compares to the 2.75 DP PM?
     
OreoCookie
Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:24 PM
 
Originally Posted by Lateralus
The new Power Macs are nice machines, but with the two lower-end models only coming with one 970MP, I'm not regretting the purchase of my Dual 2.5GHz for $2,199 a few weeks back.
I second that. Reminds me of the initial PowerMac G5 line-up, one dual and two singles. I expect Apple to add a second dual (dual-core) in the next revision (when chip supplies are up).

BTW, this is very interesting right now. The only setup that can compete with the top-of-the-line G5 are dual dual-core Xeons or dual dual-core Opterons. Both are AFAIK more expensive. So when Apple does make the transition, they have to be better than what they offer now

(Pentium Ds aren't multi-cpu capable, ditto for the Athlon X2s.)
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
Todd Madson
Mac Elite
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Minneapolis, MN USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:25 PM
 
I also do not regret my dual 2.5 purchase. The first review shows that the DC 2.3
is right about the same level of performance. More tests should be coming out in
the future but the one I'd like to see is the quad 2.5 monster at its full power.
     
Cadaver
Addicted to MacNN
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: ~/
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:32 PM
 
Originally Posted by turk.o
the quadro card is waaayyyy too expensive for me, and beyond what i need, but the 6600 is waaaaay to slow and weak, there is a huge gap there. so, i need the 7800, which i can't get. new egg sells retail boxes for around $425, so i figure it will be priced around there as a BTO option (or at least i hope).

i called apple, but they had no idea and just tried to talk me into the quadro, to which i responded with a hearty chuckle.

anyone have any news on this? i'm really excited they have the 7800 as it is a great grfx card, but i'd like to be able to actually buy it. apple, i have my cc ready for the quad g5 but you need to list the video card i want that you say you have.

t.o
Yeah, odd that the 7800 is not listed on the BTO options. Wonder if its some kind of technical glitch.

While the new machines are definately powerful beasts, I can happily say that this time I don't feel the need to upgrade my 1 yr old DP2.5GHz. No way do I need 4 processor cores... though the ECC memory would be nice for increased stability.

But, wow. The new machines really are impressive. Maybe even overkill for desktop machines (at least the Quad is). But nice to see Apple with real workstation-class machines.
     
macsfromnowon
Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:39 PM
 
FYI: Somehow some swedes got hold of the new ones and did benchmarks:

http://media.99mac.se/g5_dualcore/
     
Apfhex
Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Northern California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:52 PM
 
Well, they won't be so overkill in a year or two. Future investment! Seriously, the Quad is about the price (before tax) of my PowerBook (after tax) when it was new. Well I guess I should have gotten a desktop for longer-term performance, but yah... one beast of a machine they came out with today. Almost makes me want to give up waiting for the Intel Macs and get one, if I could afford it! At that point you might as well get two 30" Cinema Displays too, be a waste of the machines power otherwise, HAH!
Mac OS X 10.5.0, Mac Pro 2.66GHz/2 GB RAM/X1900 XT, 23" ACD
esdesign
     
zwiebel_
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Jun 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 05:59 PM
 
Gah

I don't know what to think anymore. Beasty - yes, powerfull - yes, climing up the price ladder - yes. I guess my DP G5 will last until the second rev of mactels.
     
dru
Senior User
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by macsfromnowon
FYI: Somehow some swedes got hold of the new ones and did benchmarks:

http://media.99mac.se/g5_dualcore/
Sort of. That's only a single dual-core which just edges out the faster-clocked dual G5-2.5GHz. The Quad, I think, will make Mac users everywhere drool.
20" iMac C2D/2.4GHz 3GB RAM 10.6.8 (10H549)
     
P
Moderator
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:01 PM
 
Originally Posted by GSixZero
You can only assign ~2GB of RAM per application at this point, so unless you're writing or running some crazy applications at this point, more than 6 GB is probably overkill.
I think it's 4 gigs to each app - 2^32 - if you want to use libraries that aren't updated to 64-bit compability yet (which is everything except the BSD layer and libSystem).

Anyway, lookupd probably needs about 10 gigs for itself to keep from locking up all the f*cking time.
     
Leonard
Professional Poster
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:04 PM
 
They have an extra USB 2.0 port on the back. The old Power Mac G5's had 3 USB 2.0 ports, these have 4 USB 2.0 ports. A nice little improvement.
Mac Pro Dual 3.0 Dual-Core
MacBook Pro
     
zubro
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:05 PM
 
What about the BTO RAM.
Why do they sell it with 512MB 533 DDR2 Non ECC SDRAM- 2x256.
The non EEC is a mistake to me but anyway, any RAM at all is a mistake!
2x256 for a 2.5GHz Quad-core PowerPC G5?

Then, it is a while now that DVD-R Dual layer exist, so why build a brand-new-machine without such a burner?
     
tooki  (op)
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:20 PM
 
Originally Posted by OreoCookie
Apple reps told me (in 2003) that XServes (G4) can run on ECC. XServe G5s can do that as well.
I stand corrected! Clearly, my memory is not ECC!

Let me rephrase what my brain was thinking, fundamentally: this is the first Apple hardware (and the first with "Mac" in the name) with ECC support that isn't dedicated server hardware!

tooki
     
Apfhex
Mac Elite
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Northern California
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:26 PM
 
At that point you might as well get two 30" Cinema Displays too
To revise my earlier comment: might as well hook up EIGHT 23" Cinema Displays, or FOUR 30" (according to Daring Fireball), while you're at it, ****, didn't realize you could actually do such a thing. Of course it would make more sense to just get the Quadro FX 4500 and have all the awesome power behind just one display.
Mac OS X 10.5.0, Mac Pro 2.66GHz/2 GB RAM/X1900 XT, 23" ACD
esdesign
     
tooki  (op)
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:28 PM
 
Originally Posted by zubro
What about the BTO RAM.
Why do they sell it with 512MB 533 DDR2 Non ECC SDRAM- 2x256.
The non EEC is a mistake to me but anyway, any RAM at all is a mistake!
2x256 for a 2.5GHz Quad-core PowerPC G5?

Then, it is a while now that DVD-R Dual layer exist, so why build a brand-new-machine without such a burner?
Why is non-ECC RAM a mistake? No non-server Apple hardware has EVER had ECC before. It is hardly essential. Especially considering the two 256MB modules will probably be junked anyway, why spend extra on ECC for them!??!

As for DVD-R DL: it's not widespread yet. Hell, DVD+R DL isn't widespread yet. The media is still very overpriced and hard to get. There's really no rush.

tooki
     
OreoCookie
Moderator
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 06:49 PM
 
Originally Posted by tooki
I stand corrected! Clearly, my memory is not ECC!

Let me rephrase what my brain was thinking, fundamentally: this is the first Apple hardware (and the first with "Mac" in the name) with ECC support that isn't dedicated server hardware!

tooki
Back in 2003 those Apple people told me they didn't do a good job advertising it. I didn't mean to be nitpicky.
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
     
alexkan
Forum Regular
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Cupertino, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 07:09 PM
 
Speaking of scientific applications, if anyone is planning on getting one of these machines, it would be nice to get benchmark numbers for the Altivec-enhanced SETI@home client being discussed at this thread in the forums. I know we (the developers) have been awfully quiet lately, but seeing numbers from these new machines should give us a good idea of how much of a performance difference we can get from the larger L2 cache and greater memory bandwidth.

For now, I wouldn't be surprised if a dual-core machine outperforms an equivalently-clocked dual single-core machine (in fact, I expect it to). Just hoping that someone out there will be able to help me test this hypothesis.
     
awcopus
Mac Elite
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: New York City
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 07:16 PM
 
Originally Posted by Apfhex
To revise my earlier comment: might as well hook up EIGHT 23" Cinema Displays, or FOUR 30" (according to Daring Fireball), while you're at it, ****, didn't realize you could actually do such a thing. Of course it would make more sense to just get the Quadro FX 4500 and have all the awesome power behind just one display.
Actually, I'd be pretty psyched about multiplying displays. You could also elect to throw all the power behind one when you're gaming, but when you're working at movie editing, WOW, what a thrill to have so much space to work with. I would say that FOUR 30" displays may be overwhelming, but I won't say that because over time regular users do adapt to their computing experience.
Liberty lover since birth. Mac devotee since 1986.
     
MOTHERWELL
Senior User
Join Date: Nov 2003
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 07:42 PM
 
So why can't we order a 7800?
     
gudrummer
Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 19, 2005, 08:13 PM
 
Well,i think i'll have to start saving again....
I'm very happy with mine,but they did now exactly what i wanted,and pci-e will fulfill my wildest gaming dreams.My FCP will love the 4 processors too...hehehehe.
MacBook Pro 2.4 17 HD
ACD 23
     
new newton
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 01:09 AM
 
Originally Posted by Leonard
They have an extra USB 2.0 port on the back. The old Power Mac G5's had 3 USB 2.0 ports, these have 4 USB 2.0 ports. A nice little improvement.
That's the benefit of doing away with the internal modem.
     
tooki  (op)
Admin Emeritus
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Zurich, Switzerland
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 02:01 AM
 
Originally Posted by awcopus
Actually, I'd be pretty psyched about multiplying displays.
Funny thing is, support for tons of displays is not new to the Mac. The first Mac with expansion slots, the Mac II from 1987, had six slots, and you could put a graphics card in each one. Mac OS 9 supported at least 9 displays. I don't know what Mac OS X's limit.

I remember a flight simulator in 1996 that supported an "immersive" cockpit by using three displays.

So while it's cool that multiple displays are finally beginning to hit mainstream, it's important to remember that Apple pioneered this almost two decades ago.

tooki
     
new newton
Banned
Join Date: Jul 2001
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 02:59 AM
 
Everything old is new again. Pivoting LCDs seem to be getting more popular. Anybody remember the Radius Pivot?
     
turk.o
Forum Regular
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Olympia, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 03:04 AM
 
Originally Posted by tooki
Funny thing is, support for tons of displays is not new to the Mac. The first Mac with expansion slots, the Mac II from 1987, had six slots, and you could put a graphics card in each one. Mac OS 9 supported at least 9 displays. I don't know what Mac OS X's limit.

I remember a flight simulator in 1996 that supported an "immersive" cockpit by using three displays.

So while it's cool that multiple displays are finally beginning to hit mainstream, it's important to remember that Apple pioneered this almost two decades ago.

tooki
yeah but someone is going to have to come out with a retail pci-e card for a mac first. it could be a while.
     
Bwa
Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: Oct 2000
Location: Somerville, MA and San Jose, CA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 03:10 AM
 
Originally Posted by turk.o
yeah but someone is going to have to come out with a retail pci-e card for a mac first. it could be a while.
It looks like Apple is selling the Nvidia 6600 PCIe for $200, shipping in 3-4 wks.
     
crooner
Senior User
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Sin City�, USA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 03:17 AM
 
Originally Posted by Lateralus
The new Power Macs are nice machines, but with the two lower-end models only coming with one 970MP, I'm not regretting the purchase of my Dual 2.5GHz for $2,199 a few weeks back.

I agree whole-heartedly. When I got my dual 2.7 G5 about two months ago I silently hoped that at least two Apple events would go by without a significant upgrade. Well, that happened and while today's news is certainly impressive, I'm very happy with what I have. Hey... I got two be on the bleeding edge for two whole months!

Some specific reasons I'm not feeling any urge to get a new dual core model are:
There are no PCI Express cards that I know of available for the Mac *now*. It will be a drag waiting for companies to come out with PCI Express SATA cards, extra graphic cards, sound cardsl, etc. (notice Apple, oddly enough, does not offer a second graphics card in the BTO options).

What with the many changes to the system architecture, these new Macs are almost a rev A lineup. If there’s one thing I've come to live by it's not to buy a rev A, no matter how sexy the system. I think it’s great that Apple is working these new technologies into the line now, however, as this will allow them to work out many kinks by the time they're ready to slap Intel chips on the mobo.

In the meantime, I'm more than happy to sit back and watch as things progress.

P.S. If I *hadn't* got my G5 and was still on my dual 1Ghz QuickSilver then I would most definitely order the Quad G5.

To dislike Sinatra is a sign of highly questionable taste. To dislike the Beatles is a serious character flaw.
     
turk.o
Forum Regular
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Olympia, WA
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 03:18 AM
 
Originally Posted by Bwa
It looks like Apple is selling the Nvidia 6600 PCIe for $200, shipping in 3-4 wks.

awesome, i was looking for that, but couldn't find it anywhere on the apple site. do you have a link?
     
zubro
Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Europe
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 04:46 AM
 
Originally Posted by tooki
Why is non-ECC RAM a mistake? No non-server Apple hardware has EVER had ECC before. It is hardly essential. Especially considering the two 256MB modules will probably be junked anyway, why spend extra on ECC for them!??!

As for DVD-R DL: it's not widespread yet. Hell, DVD+R DL isn't widespread yet. The media is still very overpriced and hard to get. There's really no rush.

tooki
tooki, I agree regarding the RAM, who would have ECC and non ECC RAM togrther in his machine?
This does not make sense to me. That is why we should be able to order the machines without RAM at all (I think). How smart is it to "junk" RAM? Produce it for nothing? I am actually thinking about the environment there, it makes me sad that kind of thing.

And about the Dual layers, doing DVDs I am so glad those exist! So damn cheaper than having to put your projects to DLT!
And when you say "it is not wide spread yet", hello? I am a Pro, I want the LATEST tech in my machine, I don t want to buy external hardware from LaCie every single time I want to do something!
And sorry but wrong again, the media is not "overpriced", what do you compare it to? A DLT?
And wrong again on the "hard to get" thing. I buy all my discs on the net or I can find any format I need down town...
To me, there IS a rush. It took Apple far to long to catch up on the Windows based machines.
We are pros, we have poor graphics (what is the meaning of imagecore?) and no on the edge technology.
Damn you got to LOVE the OS!
     
Agent69
Mac Elite
Join Date: Jun 2000
Status: Offline
Reply With Quote
Oct 20, 2005, 07:53 AM
 
The thing that impresses me about this upgrade is that, aside from front size bus/processor speed, there is really no differences between the PowerMacs. The base unit can handle as much memory and add in cards as the top of the line model.
Agent69
     
 
Thread Tools
 
Forum Links
Forum Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Top
Privacy Policy
All times are GMT -4. The time now is 01:08 PM.
All contents of these forums © 1995-2017 MacNN. All rights reserved.
Branding + Design: www.gesamtbild.com
vBulletin v.3.8.8 © 2000-2017, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.,