New Mac Pro's, iMacs and Apple Displays

[oldMac7]

What issues have there been with Logitech peripherals. I don't have much of their stuff... Just a few keyboards and mice that I have not had any problems with in Sierra.

Without getting into it too much here, I have a G502 and the Logitech Gaming Software latest version for Sierra still creates invisible files at launch that don't get cleaned up Shut Down. (com.logitech.lcdmon.501) I've explained it to Logitech...

Anyhow, I hope I'm wrong about "thin clients" as you say, but Apple will go ARM desktops eventually.

 

[pastrychef]

So it's Apple's fault that the Logitech drivers are buggy?

What evidence do you have that Apple will be using ARM CPUs in desktops?

 

[newtype]

ECC would be a plus for me. I have an OSX NAS and also use a few virtual machines too, both of which I would prefer to have ECC ram for.

ECC is a negative because, it will cost more and higher latency. When's the last time memory ever died on a server while it's powered? ECC is highly overrated.

 

[oldMac7]

So it's Apple's fault that the Logitech drivers are buggy?

In a round about way, yes. ie Which VR headset drivers work on Mac? (rhetorical)

 

[pastrychef]

What are you talking about???

 

[onmybikedrunk]

Well I haven't read much of this thread (sorry) outside of the articles linked but I'm really hoping that the reason we haven't seen new Nvidia Pascal drivers is because Nvidia is working at close proximity to Apple considering the new Mac Pro. I mean it would make sense. It's been years since Nvidia didn't include an updated driver for new GPUs on the Mac side. I can totally see Apple saying "cut it out if you wanna work with us on the new Mac Pro" or making them sign some equivalent to a non-compete contract... It's no secret who 70% of users installing those drivers are - us! But even this is exciting because after the release maybe we'll see new drivers again! Even Nvidia drivers we could use out of the box for new cards?! What?! I can hang with my 980 Ti for another year and a half. I think one of the bigger complaints with the 2013 MP - AMD cards. Everyone I knew hated the fact they lost their CUDA power. Anyway... exciting times indeed.

 

[JCMunsonII]

I'm neither a fanboy of either Windows or Mac - I have used them both for years (and primarily support Windows users). I do use an iPhone over a Windows phone.

I hope Apple doesn't get into media. What I wish Apple would do is stop being so ridiculously boutique & uppity and open up to the world just a wee bit more. I think they would do much better that way. While I'm nervous about building a Hackintosh, $2500 in current, "new," hardware is cheaper than $4300 in older, slower, prettily-packaged hardware. If Apple can kick it down a few notches - I'd reconsider.

As for hardware/OS - I still think one generally gets more out of a Windows box when comparing dollar-for-dollar. Just a mostly uneducated opinion.

As to this article - PR distraction trying to settle the masses and stop the bleeding. Windows 10 & MacOS are very close in usability. That, along with Apple's use of aged hardware, retail pricing, and non-substantive line changes, I'm sure have caused people to migrate away from that product ecosystem producing "damning [sales] numbers."

Just my point-of-view.

EDIT: When Macs can finally appeal to big-name gamers (in this thing we call an economy), then we'll really see something...

 

[tabarus]

https://ask.audio/articles/is-this-what-apple-s-new-modular-mac-pro-will-look-like

Would be awesome if the make it that modular that it can act as Mac Pro or Mac mini

So you start buying the cheapest config and be able to upgrade to high performance with standard Computer Parts , THAT would be awesome.

 

[joevt]

https://ask.audio/articles/is-this-what-apple-s-new-modular-mac-pro-will-look-like

Would be awesome if the make it that modular that it can act as Mac Pro or Mac mini

So you start buying the cheapest config and be able to upgrade to high performance with standard Computer Parts , THAT would be awesome.

I don't think it's as simple as that. There may need to be at least two versions. One with the large socket CPUs (Xeon), and the other with the smaller socket (Core). I suppose that with a bridge chip the small socket CPU can have just as many PCIe devices, but they won't be as close to the CPU and may have to go through a bottleneck (the DMI for one and the bridge chip for another). A modular Mac would benefit from a modular PCIe bus, where you can move PCIe lanes to devices you want to use. For example, the PCH of the Z170 may switch some of it's PCIe lanes between M.2 sockets, PCIe slots, SATA ports, USB 3.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet ports.
http://www.tomshardware.com/news/intel-100-series-hsio-chipset,30210.html
Remember the Expansion Slot Utility for old Mac Pro's ( https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT2838 ) ? What I propose would be like that but with more options, like in BIOS.

To compete (or properly replace) the existing Mac Pro, The Xeon processor will be needed, to have the PCIe lanes for two GPUs, and for more Thunderbolt 3 controllers. Thunderbolt sucks without the ability to choose the source of the DisplayPort signal, so some DisplayPort inputs should be included, so we can use non-proprietary discrete GPUs (graphics cards for upgradability), and use them as sources for the Thunderbolt displays. Maybe this could be a DisplayPort hub chip with multiple inputs from external discrete graphics (and even inputs from internal integrated graphics of the CPU) and multiple outputs (for more than one Thunderbolt port). Then there would need to be some software to do the switching. For switching DisplayPort input, there is gfxCardStatus but that is for selecting all inputs from all outputs of either integrated or discrete graphics (both internal in MacBook Pros). I would like to be able to use some outputs of integrated and some outputs of discrete at the same time.

 

[JCMunsonII]

The Really Big Question is - how does Apple define "modular?"