Next generation of Mac Pro?

[Jase Tanner]

Anyone know when that will be? Will it be 64 bit? I'm looking to upgrade my system, waiting a few months works for me.

Thanks

[Michael Wisniewski]

Only rumours. You'll have to wait a few months and see what happens.

EDIT: Mac OS X Leopard is already 64-bit, we are just waiting for the applications to catch up.

[Theodore McNeil]

No one knows when Apple next update will be. Many a grey hair had been caused by trying to predict apple announcements.

A good place to check is Mac Buyer's Guide: Know When to Buy Your Mac, iPod or iPhone. They don't really predict the next jump but they do keep a keen eye on the product cycles...

[Robert Bec]

With Edius 5 being released and Adobe CS4 all 64bit i don't think its to far away.Just be ready to pay $1000 plus for an upgrade.

Thats why i luv apple for their premium prices.

[Jase Tanner]

Still being on Tiger I didn't know that about Leopard. Head usually too buried in work to keep up until I really need to know something.

Yeah, I'm aware that the guessing game is a big one, but great guide, thanks. Some claim to have a crystal ball, (even if a bit murky) re Apple product updates. Any speculation re FCS moving to 64 bit? I assume that would be FCS3 or at least FCP 7 rather than a free download?

[Theodore McNeil]

I wouldn't be too hopeful about a free upgrade. The new software versions or updates are usually made around NAB time Final Cut Studio Release History.

As for new features, your guess would be as good as anybody's here. And the tiny group of people who do know what's in store have signed NDAs and won't tell you. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Max Coyne]

I just saw this on the Appleinsider site.

AppleInsider | NVIDIA allegedly showing new MacBooks to staff

I was rather hoping that apple would release a quad core uber system for mobile editing and theres been alot of speculation as to the idea of quad core chips. If I'm not mistaken other manufactuers have released quad core laptops, so it would seem logical.

Hell, what do I know, I'm still waiting for 3D holographic crystal storage and quantum computing that ingests full HD as easy as we breath air and runs of a mini fission/fusion reactor.

Max x

[Boyd Ostroff]

Originally Posted by Max Coyne

I was rather hoping that apple would release a quad core uber system for mobile editing and theres been alot of speculation as to the idea of quad core chips.

Forgive my confusion because I'm not a real hardware geek. But my MacBook Pro is core 2 duo; I thought that was the equivalent of 4 cores already (two dual cores)? If so, then what is a quad core chip? Is it actually quad core duo (8 cores)?

[Louis Maddalena]

Originally Posted by Jase Tanner

Anyone know when that will be? Will it be 64 bit? I'm looking to upgrade my system, waiting a few months works for me.

Thanks

Nobody knows, the current ones are 64 bit though. All the mac desktops have been 64 bit for many years (the G5 was 64bit)

[Michael Wisniewski]

Originally Posted by Boyd Ostroff

Forgive my confusion... my MacBook Pro is core 2 duo; I thought that was the equivalent of 4 cores already (two dual cores)? If so, then what is a quad core chip? Is it actually quad core duo (8 cores)?

I know what you mean the whole "Core™2" thing is confusing. Core™2 is the brand name of this generation of Intel chips. Think of it like the Pentium I, Pentium II or G4, G5 chips in the old Macs. I'm assuming the next Intel generation will be Core™3.

And so:
Core™2 Duo = 2 processors
Core™2 Quad = 4 processors
Core™2 Extreme = 2 OR 4 processors with larger caches and faster front side busses.

Eventually replaced with:
Core™3 Duo
Core™3 Quad
Core™3 Octo (what's the shorthand for 16 and 32?)

[Boyd Ostroff]

Cool - thanks Michael. IIRC, the first generation MacBook Pro's were just "Core 2" and not Core 2 Duo. Did they only have one CPU? For some reason I thought they had two.

[Michael Wisniewski]

I'm not sure which chips were in the Mac but there is an:

Intel Core™2 Solo = 1 processor (wow that's a confusing name)

[Michael Wisniewski]

My guess is we won't see a new Mac Pro until at least MacWorld Jan 2009, maybe later. The main reason - Intel's next generation "Nehalem" chips aren't expected to ship until 2009. Intel's roadmap projects 8 core chips in 2009 & 32 core chips are expected by 2010. By then I should have already won my academy award ...