What about Quad Core?

Anandtech ^ | September 12th, 2006 | Anand Lal Shimpi

[Halfmanhalfamazing]

For the performance of Clovertown you'll have to wait a bit longer as we're not allowed to disclose it just yet, but we wanted to let you know that so far it's looking like you'll be able to upgrade your Mac Pro to 8 cores in the not too distant future.

[Swordmaker]

So... make sure If you get a Mac Pro that you have at least 4 memory modules in it...

That's because the system is fully 64bit... with a 256 bit wide bus. Each of the cores can have full access to a segment of memory.

[Echo Talon]

This is without Monitor or extra Software... OUCH..

[Swordmaker]

i'd send that Mac Pro back if you can and get the Quad-Core(8 cpu's) in a few months..

"Mac Pro Octo-Core. For when you absolutely, positively have to sequence the entire human genome before lunch." - Mac Daily News

[Swordmaker]

MOST FB-DIMM 667 CAS 5-5-5-12

CAS 5,5,5-15 Latency at DDR2-800 Speeds

[Echo Talon]

its because they are using a server motherboard with the Intel 5000X chipset

from the conclusion page, and something Apple should consider.

It is still worth noting that if Apple were to release a Core 2 (Conroe/Kentsfield) based Mac similar to the Mac Pro, it could end up outperforming the Mac Pro by being able to use regular DDR2 memory. The Intel 5000X chipset and its FB-DIMM memory are really designed for multi-user server and high end workstation workloads, where large amounts of simultaneous reads/writes are able to mask much of the latency penalty of FB-DIMMs. The problem is that the Mac Pro is the only high end desktop Apple offers without an integrated display, so inevitably it's going to attract a lot of users whose usage models aren't best serviced by the Intel 5000X chipset.

[Echo Talon]

look at the DDR2 800 i listed its 4-4-4-12 and thats at DDR2 800(If you didn't know DDR2 800 at cas5 is still faster than DDR 667 at cas5) lol

[Echo Talon]

CAS 5,5,5-15 Latency at DDR2-800 Speeds

Crucial Technology 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 FB-DIMM ECC Fully Buffered DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Server System Memory - Retail $169.99 Cas Latency 5 Timing 5-5-5-12

[dennisw]

btttt

[Echo Talon]

I do some 3D rendering in my free time and I'm looking forward to the Kentsfield and Clovertown. Kentsfield will probably be by next processor, going to totally skip dual-core all togeather and go to 4-core. :)

[Swordmaker]

To be able to do an equal comparison with an equivalent Dell 690, I upgraded your graphic card to a NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 512MB, Stereo 3D (2 x dual-link DVI) (add $1400 to your total)
= $6577.00

---

			Close

Dell recommends Windows^®  XP Professional

Print Summary

Recalculating Price

Dell Precision 690

$7,285

From $7,285

Now from
$6,935

Lease for as low as $184/mo. (48 pmts)^*

---

Afford the latest technology:

 

: 10/2/2006

Save $400 OFF MSRP when added to select Dell PrecisionTM  workstations! Limited time offer. With select systems. Limited time offer. Get the Dell equipment you need today with 9.99% Financing!* *Offer available for well-qualified business customers. More Details

• Dell Precision 690
  

	Date		9/14/2006 3:24:09 AM Central Standard Time
	Catalog Number		4 Retail 04

Catalog Number / Description

Product Code

SKU

Id

Dell Precision Workstation 690 (1KW - 32bit):
Dual Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5160 3.00GHz, 4MB L2,1333

T3014

[222-3760]

1

2nd Processor:
Dual Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5160 3.00GHz, 4MB L2,1333

PR304

[311-6279]

2

Operating System:
Genuine Windows® XP Professional, SP2 with Media

XPP2E

[420-4860]

11

Graphic Cards:
512MB PCIe x16 nVidia Quadro FX 4500, Dual DVI or Dual VGA or DVI + VGA

FX4500

[320-4831]

6

Additional PCI-E Network Adapter card:
Broadcom NetXtreme 10/100/1000 Gigabit Ethernet controller-PCI Express card

BNET

[430-1680]

13

Memory:
4GB, DDR2 SDRAM FBD Memory, 667MHz, ECC in Riser (4 DIMMS)

4G4E6R

[311-6353]

3

Hard Drive Configuration:
C1 All SATA drives, Non-RAID, 1 or 2 drive total configuration

SATA12

[341-3378]

9

Hard Drive Internal Controller Option:
SATA/SAS Integrated Card - For Connecting Internal Hard Drives

SASCTL

[341-3435]

24

Boot Hard Drive:
500GB SATA 3.0Gb/s,7200 RPM Hard Drive with 16MB DataBurst Cache™

500ST

[341-3728]

8

CD-ROM, DVD, and Read-Write Devices:
16XDVD AND 16XDVD+/-RW, w/ Cyberlink PowerDVD™ and Roxio Creator™

RM16DV

[313-4285]

16

Floppy Drive and Media Card Reader Options:
No Floppy Drive

NFD

[341-3414]

10

Monitors:
No Monitor Option

NMN

[320-3316]

5

Sound Card:
Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ XtremeMusic (D), w/Dolby® Digital 5.1

SBXFI

[313-4148]

17

Speakers:
No Speaker option

NSPKR

[313-2663]

18

Wireless:
Dell Wireless 1450 (802.11 b/g) WLAN USB 2.0 DT Adapter

DW1450

[430-1181]

19

Mail- In Rebate:
None

NONE

[464-5004]

81

Keyboard:
Dell USB Enhanced Multimedia Keyboard with built-in 2-port USB Hub

U8

[310-7950]

4

Mouse:
Dell USB 2-Button Optical Mouse with Scroll

LOB

[310-7958]

12

Resource CD:
Resource CD - contains Diagnostics and Drivers

RCD

[313-4143]

21

Purchase Intent:
Purchase is not intended for resale.

NOT4SEL

[462-4506]

138

Miscellaneous:
Precision 690N 1KW 64Bit

690N110

[465-4073]

82

Dell Service & Support Plans:
3 Year On-site Business Standard Plan

PBS3YTK

[461-3749][902-4902][970-0892][970-6460][982-5729][984-2827][984-2828]

29

Onsite System Setup:
No Onsite System Setup

NOINSTL

[900-9987]

32

Dell Recycling:
Return shipping label for recovery of one IT piece (NTB, DSK or MON, etc.)

ARRECBX

[310-4253]

233

Migration & Backup Software:
Laplink PCmover

654668

[A0654668]

177

---

Dell = $6,935 without the suite of software, built in web cam, etc...
Mac = $6,577 including iLife suite.

$358 saved by buying a Mac...

But we could say

"Double Ouch!"

[Swordmaker]

look at the DDR2 800 i listed its 4-4-4-12 and thats at DDR2 800(If you didn't know DDR2 800 at cas5 is still faster than DDR 667 at cas5) lo

Uh, no... you listed no DDR2 800... just some 667 and 1066.

[Echo Talon]

in post #14 look at the second link that says "here"

[Swordmaker]

look at the DDR2 800 i listed its 4-4-4-12 and thats at DDR2 800(If you didn't know DDR2 800 at cas5 is still faster than DDR 667 at cas5) lol

I don't see that any of these that are ECC... if you go ECC add about 20% to the cost and I think it adds a latency hit.

[Swordmaker]

in post #14 look at the second link that says "here"

OK.

[Echo Talon]

what sound card comes with the apple?

[Echo Talon]

nope they aren't ECC and MOST users do NOT need it, and would rather have the speed. Thats the point Anand is making in his closing remarks..

The problem is that the Mac Pro is the only high end desktop Apple offers without an integrated display, so inevitably it's going to attract a lot of users whose usage models aren't best serviced by the Intel 5000X chipset.(The Chipset inside the Mac Pro)

[Echo Talon]

aple could make a new line of make pro and call it the Mac Gamer or Mac iGamer whatever(keep the Mac Pro line, for those "professionals"), and use the Kentsfield(quad-core) with SLI Capability and DDR2-1066 or DDR2-800 in the iGamer.

[Spktyr]

Almost all laptops have the processors soldered, not socketed, in.

All the desktop Intel Macs use sockets.

[Question_Assumptions]

Usually when Apple locks something out, it seems to mean that they've found a reliability issue and can't trust it to work. That goes back to the Apple ///s (3s) that had a clock chip that wasn't supported because it only worked on some of them.

[Question_Assumptions]

I can't really fault them for soldering the chips to the board in laptops because (A) it takes less space to solder a chip to a board than to have a socket between the two and (B) opening up a laptop to change components isn't something most people should be doing.