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  • Hey all, just changed over the backend after 15 years I figured time to give it a bit of an update, its probably gonna be a bit weird for most of you and i am sure there is a few bugs to work out but it should kinda work the same as before... hopefully :)

New Mac Pro

Elliott Balsley said:
Holy cow that thing is expensive! Apple usually charges a premium for hardware, but that Z1 is 50% more expensive than a comparable iMac. What gives?
Click to expand...

It uses Xeons for one.
 
Elliott, it compares to a macpro, but more upgradable now. I know the review uses a higher spec version but sorry, I remember cheaper prices than what I now see at HP, maybe the price went up for some reason. However, you get the 4mp screen with it compared to the Mac Pro.


Don't 27 inch Imacs start around $2000, like over here? I thought I saw a base price of around $1795 on the z1 before.

re-edit: There is a 20% off coupon on some of them through to January 31, maybe a new model is coming.
 
Come on HP, 4k+ 3d touch 30 inch+ pro color screen lay down version please with thunderbolt 2 and 117db snr + pro audio. Please don't wait for Apple, you are not their stooge. :) Imagine if they did that with leap motion included.


Still, they might start thinking it is worth $4k ;) instead of $2.5k.
 
Elliott Balsley said:
Holy cow that thing is expensive! Apple usually charges a premium for hardware, but that Z1 is 50% more expensive than a comparable iMac. What gives?
Click to expand...

Hand-assembled Professional-grade equipment vs Mass-manufactured Consumer-grade equipment. Which one is going to cost less?
 
Guys,

The Z1 is not really comparable to an iMac, nor is it comparable to a Mac Pro. In terms of CPU power, it is more in line with the iMac, not the Mac Pro. It's more expensive than the iMac in that it uses a Xeon CPU. It's a lower spec E3 series Xeon, so it's not going to really outperform the 3.4-ish GHz i7 in a Mac Pro. However, it has a more robust memory interface and some other advantages of the Xeon. Upgradeability… Vs. an iMac it is more upgradeable in that you can swap out the GPU. It's an overly expensive, proprietary interfaced GPU, but you can still swap it. Storage in the iMac can be swapped out, but it's not designed for the end user to do it the way the Z1 system is. You can quickly and easily upgrade RAM on either system.
 
Thanks Jeff, the gpu is priority that is a shame, I missed that. Just found out that the Mac Pro GPUs are on priority daughter cards, and it doesn't mean they will be replaceable, and the ssds are on priority interfaces. It is still between the two macs (well see what they go to next in CPUs). with non of the IMac downside.

Priority rubbish detracts from value, you have to subtract from price to get real value of what you are getting, or add to the price to get an idea of how much it will cost you, so that is a $1000 price of a high end graphics card you can't swap in, onto the price of all these systems. Mean it maybe, but all these customizations are mean on the users. Crazy stuff thinking using a thunderbolt pcie box to run a new card is not a professional solution, apart from the wasted desk space and cords and power plug, you will need those parts to make up for other deficiencies of these systems, like external storage, multiple displays, acquisition system, and a sound recording, desk etc. A lot of stuff if you don't want multiple PC's.
 
Sorry, I didn't read the details of that page, I just went straight to HP's site to start configuring it. Did the same at Apple, trying to make them as similar as possible so I used the low end i5. Here is the comparison. The only advantage I see to the HP is a second hard drive bay, and it's easier to take apart.

[TABLE="class: outer_border, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]iMac = $1878[/TD]
[TD]HP Z1 = $2778[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]CPU[/TD]
[TD]3.2GHz quad core i5[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]display[/TD]
[TD]27" 2560x1440[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]GPU[/TD]
[TD]Nvidia GT 755M (1GB)[/TD]
[TD]Intel HD 2500[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Memory[/TD]
[TD]8GB 1600MHz[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]storage[/TD]
[TD]1TB 7200rpm hard drive[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]physical[/TD]
[TD]21 pounds[/TD]
[TD]47 pounds[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

I checked again today, this time comparing the high end models. In this configuration, the Xeon is nicer than the i7, and ECC memory demands a premium. The Quadro K4000 is arguably better, depending on what you use it for. iMac has Thunderbolt and HP costs 95% more.


[TABLE="class: outer_border, width: 500"]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]iMac = $3528[/TD]
[TD]HP Z1 = $6887[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]CPU[/TD]
[TD]3.5GHz quad core i7[/TD]
[TD]3.4GHz quad core Xeon[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]display[/TD]
[TD]27" 2560x1400[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]GPU[/TD]
[TD]Nvidia GTX 780M (4GB)[/TD]
[TD]Nvidia Quadro K4000M (4GB)[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Memory[/TD]
[TD]32GB 1600MHz[/TD]
[TD]32GB 1600MHz ECC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]storage[/TD]
[TD]512GB SSD[/TD]
[TD]same[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
 
I don't think we ever paid list (or online configurator) prices for HP hardware, though I am sure that is dependent on territory, business size, if one goes through a reseller or direct, and so and so forth. Still, especially if one intends to buy more than one workstatation from HP, it should be possible to get a better price if you ask for a quote (we have gotten rebates from 50% or more). Also, at least around these parts, HP offers far better support and service options - if you need on-site support. Just something to keep in mind as well, when comparing prices.
 
RED MACPRO 2013


130819RD_macpro_128_key%20and%20front.jpg



http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2013/null-n09014/lot.27.html
 
I have a semi-reliable tip that full info and pre-orders will come next week. Take that with a healthy dose of salt… My source is only correct about 55% of the time, but when right, they're on the money.
 
Jeff Kilgroe said:
I have a semi-reliable tip that full info and pre-orders will come next week. Take that with a healthy dose of salt… My source is only correct about 55% of the time, but when right, they're on the money.
Click to expand...

I normally use the phrase as a pejorative, but in this case its a compliment:

Your command of "plausible deniability" terminology means you have the skills to work for the government.

Cheers - #19
 
yup - just got a note last night that the Pegasus2 (Thunderbolt R8 Raids) start shipping in about 10 days.... looks like the whole Thunderbolt-2 infrastructure is ready to rollout - gotta have a MacPro to use......
 
Clark Dunbar said:
yup - just got a note last night that the Pegasus2 (Thunderbolt R8 Raids) start shipping in about 10 days.... looks like the whole Thunderbolt-2 infrastructure is ready to rollout - gotta have a MacPro to use......
Click to expand...

Or a new-model MBP
 
Needs assessment

Needs assessment

Step 1) Make a list, in order of importance/frequency, of the various tasks one uses a computer for in this work. Each user would have a bit different profile, some more DIT type requirements, some more finishing oriented, lots of unique combinations.

Step 2) Benchmark those operations on a new rMBP w/TB2 and on a new MacPro cylinder.

Step 3) Assess how often the machine would be in a fixed location vs on the move, on set, etc.

It is my supposition, that for a decent percentage of RedUsers the power and portability offered by the laptop option - with it's a fast I/O port - makes it a better choice than the new cylinder. For others the processing power of the MacPro is critical to completing tasks quickly. Just suggesting that before making a purchase you should breakdown your day to day usage profile first.

The most crucial "unknown" at the moment is what we can expect from RR-X in TB2 enclosures. If the TB2 bus is a proper host for the RR-X then more options make sense, if not, then a MacPro cylinder that can muscle R3Ds without an accelerator card would be of much greater value. Of course it remains to be seen what a fully loaded MacPro can do with R3Ds, particularly in terms of RCX-Pro and the SDK fully supporting multiple GPU decoding.

Cheers - #19
 
Blair S. Paulsen said:
I normally use the phrase as a pejorative, but in this case its a compliment:

Your command of "plausible deniability" terminology means you have the skills to work for the government.

Cheers - #19
Click to expand...

I did work the US Government at one point and various government agencies are on my roster of clients. They have trained me well.
 
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