[lizardgator]

How do the chips Apple will use in the MacPro compare to the new Conroe chips?

[OreoCookie]

Since the MacPro will quite probably use the server variant of Conroe, code-named Woodcrest, good.

[mduell]

(rumored) Mac Pro chip = Conroe + SMP capability + marginally faster FSB

[masugu]

Annnnnnd sweet sexy form factor. I also think they will add a novel twist to the handles or add a dock for you iPod...something like that.

[Catfish_Man]

iPod dock on the pro machine? :/

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by masugu

Annnnnnd sweet sexy form factor. I also think they will add a novel twist to the handles or add a dock for you iPod...something like that.

The CPU?

[suta]

maybe they using chip that has been used in Workstation PC (Xeon MP)

[Simon]

Of course. The new Mac Pro will sport Xeon 51xx 'Woodcrest' which is an SMP enabled Core 2 Duo CPU running on a 1066/1333 MHz FSB. It uses a different socket than Conroe though. Rumors indicate that there will be 2 and 4 core Mac Pro systems.

[G5man]

Originally Posted by Simon

Of course. The new Mac Pro will sport Xeon 51xx 'Woodcrest' which is an SMP enabled Core 2 Duo CPU running on a 1066/1333 MHz FSB. It uses a different socket than Conroe though. Rumors indicate that there will be 2 and 4 core Mac Pro systems.

You may want to check the rumors again. First of all, they will not be running Core 2 Duo, they will be running Xeon according to Apple Insider.

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by G5man

You may want to check the rumors again. First of all, they will not be running Core 2 Duo, they will be running Xeon according to Apple Insider.

Isn't that what he just said?

[Scotttheking]

Originally Posted by G5man

You may want to check the rumors again. First of all, they will not be running Core 2 Duo, they will be running Xeon according to Apple Insider.

Yes, the Core 2 architecture Xeon. Which has a slightly faster bus speed and is SMP capable, as compared to the Core 2 Duo chip.

[mduell]

FYI, the chipset docs for 5000X (workstation chipset for Xeon 5100 systems) state that there will be two independent 1066/1333Mhz busses (like the G5s), rather than the shared FSB seen on previous DP Xeon platforms.

[G5man]

Then what is the difference between the Core 2 Duo CPU and the Core 2 architectured Xeon CPU eh?

[OreoCookie]

The internal structure is very similar. Xeons have a larger Cache and are capable of smp.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by G5man

Then what is the difference between the Core 2 Duo CPU and the Core 2 architectured Xeon CPU eh?

Xeon is really just a marketing name. The three Intel Core Microarchitecture chips (Merom for portables, Conroe for desktops, and Woodcrest for workstations and servers) only have 3 variables between them: FSB (667, 800, 1066, or 1333Mhz), cache (2MB or 4MB), and SMP capability.

The Xeon 5100 is (desktop) Core 2 Duo plus SMP and (on some models) a faster FSB.

[Simon]

G5man, I think I got the facts straight - Core 2 and Xeon are not a contradiction; you might want to read my post again carefully. As mduell already mentioned Core 2 is being introduced in 3 'flavors' called Core 2 Duo, Core 2 Extreme or Xeon depending on what type of CPU you're looking at. The Mac Pro will likely get a Core 2 Duo 'Woodcrest' which Intel dubs Xeon because that's what they like to call their server CPUs (basically those that support SMP).

Here's a list of what kind of different Core 2 based CPUs to expect soon (the Xeons have actually already been launched):

Conroe 'desktop CPU' (shipping July 23):
E4200 - (shipping in Q4)
E6200 - (shipping in Q4)
E6300 - 1.86 GHz / 2 MB / 800 MHz - TDP 65 W - $183
E6400 - 2.13 GHz / 2 MB / 800 MHz - TDP 65 W - $224
E6600 - 2.40 GHz / 4 MB / 800 MHz - TDP 65 W - $316
E6700 - 2.67 GHz / 4 MB / 800 MHz - TDP 65 W - $530
X6800 - 2.93 GHz / 4 MB / 1066 MHz - TDP 95 W - $999
X???? - 3.20 GHz - later in 2006

Woodcrest 'workstation/server CPU' (shipping since June 26):
Xeon 5110 - 1.60 GHZ / 4 MB / 1066 MHz - TDP 65 W - $209
Xeon 5120 - 1.86 GHZ / 4 MB / 1066 MHz - TDP 65 W - $256
Xeon 5130 - 2.00 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 65 W - $316
Xeon 5140 - 2.33 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 65 W - $455
Xeon 5148 - 2.33 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 40 W - $519 <- LV model
Xeon 5150 - 2.66 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 65 W - $690
Xeon 5160 - 3.00 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 80 W - $851

Merom 'portable CPU' (shipping in August):
T5500 - 1.66 GHz / 2 MB / 667 MHz - TDP 35 W - pricing not available yet
T5600 - 1.83 GHz / 2 MB / 667 MHz - TDP 35 W - pricing not available yet
T7200 - 2.00 GHz / 4 MB / 667 MHz - TDP 35 W - pricing not available yet
T7400 - 2.16 GHz / 4 MB / 667 MHz - TDP 35 W - pricing not available yet
T7600 - 2.33 GHz / 4 MB / 667 MHz - TDP 35 W - pricing not available yet
Expect these to be refreshed (new 800MHz FSB, new socket) in Q2 of 2007 for the Santa Rosa chipset

[mduell]

Originally Posted by Simon

X6800 - 2.93 GHz / 4 MB / 1066 MHz - TDP 95 W - $999

Xeon 5160 - 3.00 GHZ / 4 MB / 1333 MHz - TDP 80 W - $851

I've seen the same figures elsewhere, but there has to be something screwy here. Higher clockrate and faster bus, yet less power and lower price?

[OreoCookie]

The $1000 pricetag is consistent with what I have seen when the X6800 was covered (e. g. on inq). The INQ also seems to confirm the price for the Xeon 5160 here.

I have no idea why a Xeon with faster bus, same Cache size, lower TDP and slightly higher clock frequency is sold for $150 less (per batch of 1,000 cpus, I presume).

[Simon]

The X6800 is the 'Extreme Edition' Conroe. Marketing.

[suta]

chipset:
http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/5000x/index.htm

board:
http://www.intel.com/design/servers/...0XVN/index.htm

proc
http://www.intel.com/products/i/products/xeonmp.jpg

maybe

[krillbee]

hmm i thought the mac pros are going to be using conroe. wouldnt it be bad if they werent?

[Simon]

Why would you want Conroe in a Mac Pro? Woodcrest supports SMP (quad core systems!) and offers higher bus speeds.

[Scotttheking]

Read this: http://arstechnica.com/articles/paed...re/promacs.ars

[suta]

good article that has explanations about what Mac Pro would like

[The Ancient One]

Problem is, I don't know if I'd rather have the X6700 Conroe (2.67 GHz) in a single-processor machine instead of the Xeon 5140 (2.33 GHz), but the buzz over at Appleinsider is that the 2.33 GHz Woodcrest will be the faster of the two single processor machines:

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1886

Can anyone shed some light on the relative performance expected from these two chips?

[Catfish_Man]

Originally Posted by krillbee

hmm i thought the mac pros are going to be using conroe. wouldnt it be bad if they werent?

Woodcrest IS Conroe, basically. Same core, similar clock speed... just a bit faster bus and capable of being used in quad machines.