The Mac Pro Desktop Computer Workstation from Apple is the company's premiere desktop workstation. The system is built with performance in mind, and is an ideal computer for use with demanding applications. The computer is housed in a striking tower form factor, highlighted by a silver front grille which provides easy access to USB 2.0 and FireWire-800 ports, as well as a headphone jack. Sturdy handles are present to aid in transporting the system when necessary.
Designed with expansion in mind, the computer features four 3.5" SATA drive bays, four PCI Express 2.0 expansion slots, and 8 RAM slots which can support a total 32GB memory capacity. The back of the system features a plethora of ports, including USB 2.0, FireWire-800, dual Gigabit Ethernet, and optical and analog audio.
The system is powered by two 6-Core Intel Xeon X5670 "Westmere" CPUs running at a clockspeed of 2.66GHz. This "12-Core" configuration gives many more times the processing power of a single CPU, making it an ideal solution for mission critical applications. The system also boasts 12GB of RAM, a 2TB 7200rpm hard drive, Apple's SuperDrive DVD burner with dual-layer disc support, 802.11n Airport Extreme Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.1+EDR for wireless device connectivity, and ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics with 1GB of memory.
The 64-bit OS features Time Machine backup, which automatically backs up system data to an external hard drive. It also features intuitive Cover Flow navigation, the powerful Spotlight search tool, and Quick Look document preview. You'll be able to use Boot Camp to run Windows on your Mac.
iLife '11 has a complete suite of digital creativity applications. Easy enough for anyone to use, iLife will help you edit your home movies, organize digital photos, and compose original music. The system is also powerful enough to run Apple's professional-level applications, perfect for those who are ready to move up to the next level of creative software.
Processor
12-Core "Westmere" CPU
The Mac Pro features two six-core Intel Xeon "Westmere" 32nm processors each running at a clockspeed of 2.66GHz, giving you ample power to complete even the most demanding tasks
Single-Die Advantage
Many multicore processors are composed of two separate dies, which means some cached data has to travel outside the processor to get from core to core. That's an inefficient way to access information. Enter the Intel Xeon processor. Its single-die, 64-bit architecture makes 12MB of fully shared L3 cache readily available to each of the processor cores. The result is fast access to cache data and greater application performance. Combine that with the other technological advances and you get a Mac Pro that's up to 1.5x faster than the previous generation
Fast Memory. And Lots of It.
System memory is often connected to a processor through a separate I/O controller. But Intel Xeon "Westmere" processors feature an integrated memory controller. By connecting memory directly to the processor, the Mac Pro processors have faster access to data stored in memory, and memory latency is reduced.
The integrated memory controller, along with fast DDR3 ECC SDRAM at 1333MHz, gives Mac Pro an increase in memory bandwidth over previous generations. More bandwidth allows for more data to be fed to the processor faster, helping each core spend its time processing data, not waiting for information to arrive. And Error Correction Code (ECC) corrects single-bit errors and detects multiple-bit errors automatically. That's especially important in mission-critical and compute-intensive environments
The integrated memory controller, along with fast DDR3 ECC SDRAM at 1333MHz, gives Mac Pro an increase in memory bandwidth over previous generations. More bandwidth allows for more data to be fed to the processor faster, helping each core spend its time processing data, not waiting for information to arrive. And Error Correction Code (ECC) corrects single-bit errors and detects multiple-bit errors automatically. That's especially important in mission-critical and compute-intensive environments
Power When (and Where) You Need It
The new Mac Pro introduces Turbo Boost: a dynamic performance technology that automatically boosts the processor clock speed based on workload. If you're using an application that doesn't need every core, Turbo Boost increases the speed of the active ones, up to 3.06GHz on this Mac Pro
The Virtue of Virtual Cores
The Intel Xeon processor supports Hyper-Threading, which allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core. So this 12-Core Mac Pro presents 24 virtual cores that are recognized by Mac OS X. Performance is enhanced because Hyper-Threading enables the processor to take better advantage of the execution resources available in each core
Path of Least Resistance
A bidirectional, point-to-point connection -- called QuickPath Interconnect -- gives the Intel Xeon processor quick access to the disk, I/O, and other Mac Pro subsystems. In this dual-processor Mac Pro, there's a QuickPath Interconnect between the two processors as well. This connection acts as a direct pipeline, so processor-to-processor data doesn't need to travel to the I/O hub first. It's another way the Mac Pro boosts performance across the board
Powerfully Efficient
The Mac Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer's typical annual power consumption
Graphics
ATI Radeon HD 5770 Graphics Card
A high-performance graphics cards from AMD makes Mac Pro graphics technology up to 5 times faster than ever before. Perfect for motion graphics, 3D modeling, rendering, or animation, the ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB of GDDR5 memory comes standard. It not only provides faster performance compared to previous Mac Pro standard graphics cards -- it's also faster than the top-of-the-line graphics cards in the previous generation
Don't Keep Those Pixels Waiting
The foundation of the Mac Pro graphics architecture is the latest generation of GPUs connected to the system via a fast and wide PCI Express 2.0 16-lane bus. Couple that with Core Animation, Core Image, and Core Video technologies in Mac OS X 10.6 Leopard. The result is a graphics platform that allows applications to seamlessly tap into a teraflop of graphics power
Graphics on Display
Every Mac Pro graphics card features three display ports for maximum workspace flexibility. When connecting three displays to the graphics card on the Mac Pro, the recommended configuration is two displays with Mini DisplayPort cables and one display with a DVI cable. For instance, the ideal setup would be two Apple LED Cinema Displays and an additional DVI-compliant display with a screen size of up to 30 inches. Please note that other display combinations (such as 2 DVI displays/1 Mini DisplayPort display, 3 DVI displays or 3 VGA displays) will require the purchase of additional video adapters. Also, those adapters must be labeled as "dual-link." With support for two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards in the Mac Pro, you can connect to a total of six displays
Storage and RAID
Massive Storage
The Mac Pro comes with four 3.5-inch internal hard drive bays for an enormous amount of internal storage -- up to 8TB when you install four 2TB Serial ATA 3Gbps drives. Each bay provides its own independent 3Gbps channel for fast access to data. And thanks to the cable-free, direct-attach installation system, adding (or replacing) hard drives is a surprisingly simple process
Support for SSD Storage
New to the Mac Pro is the option to add up to four 512GB solid-state drives -- or any combination of solid-state and hard drives. Solid-state drives have no moving parts and are capable of accessing data at speeds up to 230MB per second, which is up to twice the speed of hard drives. The result? Incredible performance on a range of data-intensive tasks, including up to 2x faster ProRes video encoding using solid-state drives compared with hard drives
Note:
This system configuration does not includes SSD storage
Ready to RAID
For data protection and enhanced SATA performance, add the Mac Pro RAID Card with 512MB of RAID cache, a 72-hour cache-protecting battery, and hardware RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 0+1. A new cableless connection and intuitive Apple software make it a snap to install this optional card. Once installed, high-performance 15,000rpm SAS drives may be used. It's the perfect solution for workgroup servers, video pros working with high-bit-rate assets, or anyone who wants to protect critical data.
Even without a RAID card, Mac OS X lets you stripe two, three, or all four hard drives in a RAID 0 array to increase performance and create a massive volume for tasks such as video editing; or create a RAID 1 mirror to protect digital media assets from a drive failure
Even without a RAID card, Mac OS X lets you stripe two, three, or all four hard drives in a RAID 0 array to increase performance and create a massive volume for tasks such as video editing; or create a RAID 1 mirror to protect digital media assets from a drive failure
Note:
RAID Card not included
Double-Layer Burner Times Two
The Mac Pro features an open optical drive bay, which can be used to add a second SuperDrive. Adding a second DVD burner allows you to back up data to two double-layer DVDs at once. Or burn an Aperture project to one DVD, while importing music from a CD into your iTunes library. The open optical drive bay allows you to add a SuperDrive to do exactly that
Mac OS X
UNIX Compliant
What makes Mac OS X a powerful operating system is the technology behind it: a fully certified UNIX foundation. With a rock-solid UNIX infrastructure, it's one of the most secure and stable operating systems on any platform. As a developer, you'll appreciate Mac OS X even more because it's fully UNIX compliant. That means it compiles and runs all your existing UNIX code, so you can deploy it in environments that demand full conformance. The result: Software performs exactly as it's meant to. And because the powerful tools built into Mac OS X improve application performance on multicore processors, the Mac Pro is the ideal workstation
64-bit Power
Mac OS X is to the Mac Pro what a skilled driver is to a car with a powerful engine -- a perfect match. Since the Mac Pro runs Mac OS X in 64-bit mode, you can take full advantage of the 64-bit architecture of the Intel Xeon processors inside your new Mac Pro. Add to that the 32GB of memory available for the Mac Pro, and Mac OS X performance is even better than before. Mac OS X also enables developers to build complete 64-bit applications using the Cocoa, Quartz, OpenGL, and X11 GUI frameworks. And because Mac OS X supports 64-bit and 32-bit applications, you don't need a new set of devices or drivers
Multicore. Multitask
At the heart of the new Mac Pro are two Intel Xeon "Westmere" processors with an incredible amount of processing power. Optimized for multicore technology, Mac OS X provides powerful tools that make it easy to reap the benefits of the Mac Pro. The scheduler in Mac OS X, for instance, is very efficient at allocating tasks across multiple cores and processors. So Mac OS X spends less time managing tasks and more time performing computations. As a developer, you can build applications that execute the same efficiency, thanks to NSOperation, a breakthrough API that optimizes applications for multicore processing
Core Animation
From the cascading windows of Time Machine to the smooth animation of the reflective 3D Dock, stunning visual effects truly set Mac OS X apart. Behind all that beauty is a technology built into Mac OS X called Core Animation. The performance of Core Animation benefits from the multicore processors and advanced graphics hardware in the Mac Pro. For developers, Core Animation easily opens up the power of Apple's graphics technologies. You can create animated user interfaces and visualizations that simultaneously layer different media types, such as text, 2D graphics, OpenGL rendering, and QuickTime video, all in real time
Xcode Developer Tools
Xcode is the graphical development environment that comes with every Mac. It's the same software used by Apple to produce Mac OS X, and it's packed with tools and features, including a powerful graphical debugger, a code editor supporting dozens of languages, and the amazing Instruments tool to visualize your application's performance. Xcode is optimized to take advantage of the multicore Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processors and system memory in the Mac Pro. It performs 20 percent faster than before, supports multiple languages (both computer and human), and offers programmers everything they need to make stunning Mac OS X applications
Voilà. Instant Server
The multitalented Mac Pro can also act as a powerful small-workgroup server. Just add Mac OS X Server. The resulting solution combines Mac ease of use with flexible configuration options and server-class hardware. With multicore Intel Xeon processing power, up to 32GB of ECC memory, an optional RAID card, and dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, a Mac Pro workgroup server has everything you need -- and then some
Mac Pro and The Environment
Energy Efficient
Even though the Mac Pro is the fastest Mac ever, it is also highly energy efficient. Energy-efficient hardware components work hand in hand with Mac OS X to create a system that can dynamically adjust power consumption to reduce the overall energy used. For instance, the CPU architecture allows individual cores to go into a low-power state to reduce energy consumption when they are not needed. The graphics card does the same, reducing power draw when not running graphics-intensive applications. The result is a smart and energy-efficient system that is not only as fast as possible when you need it, but also throttles down power use when it's not needed.
The Mac Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer's typical annual power consumption
The Mac Pro meets the stringent low power requirements set by the EPA, giving it ENERGY STAR qualification. ENERGY STAR 5.0 sets significantly higher efficiency limits for power supplies and aggressive limits for the computer's typical annual power consumption
Many Harmful Toxins Eliminated
Apple has worked hard to eliminate many of the toxins that are a common part of computer manufacturing. Apple engineers removed brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) from circuit boards, internal cables, connectors, insulators, adhesives, and more. Apple has removed these toxins from all new Mac Pro systems and all of its configuration options -- including graphics cards, Fibre-Channel cards, and RAID cards. They've done the same for our entire product line
Rated EPEAT Gold
Because the Mac Pro is environmentally innovative, it has earned the highest rating of EPEAT Gold. The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, or EPEAT, evaluates the environmental impact of a product based on how recyclable it is, how much energy it uses, and how it's designed and manufactured
Highly Recyclable
The Mac Pro is built with a recyclable aluminum enclosure. Aluminum is very desirable to recyclers, which means the raw materials used in the Mac Pro can be reused in other products. We also simplified the internal design, replacing over 6 feet of cables with more material-efficient connectors that allow easy disassembly at end of life. In addition, one of the few remaining plastic assemblies in the Mac Pro is made from postconsumer recycled plastic
A Commitment That Starts with Products
When it comes to being environmentally friendly, Apple approaches the challenge differently -- through products like the new Mac Pro. Unlike other companies, Apple controls every aspect of the production of its computers. So Apple designers and engineers can minimize their carbon footprint in ways others can't. Apple designs them with fewer parts and eliminates many harmful toxins. They build them using recyclable materials. They even create software that makes them more energy efficient. The result is a new standard in green design
The Mac Experience
Every Day Use
Every Mac is designed to make your life easier, not more difficult. The Mac Pro gives you all the tools you need for e-mail, personal organization, Internet browsing, watching movies, and more. Its software and hardware are designed work to together seamlessly, eliminating the compatibility nightmares that often plague PC users. What's more, the Mac Pro can run Windows via Boot Camp, perfect for users who have a Windows-only application that they absolutely need to use
iLife '11
The included iLife '11 suite is a suite of applications that help you organize your digital life. It includes iPhoto for photo management and editing, iMovie for HD video editing and GarageBand for music production
Secure and Reliable
Worried about viruses and malware? Don't be. The Mac Pro isn't plagued by constant attacks from the outside world. It is designed to be secure out of the box, eliminating the need for additional software to protect your system from danger. OS X will warn you if a downloaded file is potentially dangerous, ensuring that you don't accidentally open a malicious application. Apple responds quickly to any security threats, prompting you to download updates that keep your Mac up to date and safe
Tech Support
Have a problem with your Mac? Get support and advice at the Genius Bar, located at every Apple Retail Store. Apple also provides online tutorials, troubleshooting forums, and 90 days of phone support for users who aren't able to make it to an Apple store
Optional AppleCare
Apple provides 90 days of free phone support and a 1-year limited hardware warranty on the computer. You can opt to add an AppleCare Protection Plan, at additional cost, which covers support and repairs for 3 years from the date of purchase. AppleCare can be purchased at any time within the first year of ownership of the computer