Mac Pro goes 8-core
Apple released the first update to Mac Pro released in August 2006 (during WWDC 2006) . The updated Mac Pro features up to two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5300 series processors, making a 8-core machine.
The 8-core model is available with two 3.0GHz quad-core Intel Xeon 5300 series processors with 8MB L2 cache per processor, 64-bit data paths and registers, and 1.33GHz 64-bit dual front-side buses. The quad-core models are available with two 2.0GHz, 2.66GHz, or 3.0GHz dual-core Intel Xeon 5100 series processors with 4MB of shared L2 cache per processor, 64-bit data paths and registers, and 1.33GHz 64-bit dual front-side buses.
The new Mac Pro models support up to 16GB RAM, up to 3TB of internal hard drive storage, and up to two 16x SuperDrives with double-layer, two FireWire 800 ports, two FireWire 400 ports, five USB 2.0 ports, TOSLINK optical digital audio in and out ports, analog stereo line-level in and out minijacks, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, and three full-length PCI Express expansion slots.
The front panel sports one of the FireWire 800 and FireWire 400 ports, two of the USB 2.0 ports, and a headphone jack.
802.11n AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0 EDR are optional add-ons.
The new Mac Pro ships with either an NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT video card with 256MB RAM, one single-link and one dual-link DVI port; an NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 video card with 512MB RAM with two dual-link DVI ports and one stereo 3D port; or an ATI Radeon X1900 XT with 512MB RAM and two dual-link DVI ports.
The standard configuration starts at US$2,499. It comes with two 2.66 dual-core Intel Xeon, 1GB RAM, 250 Serial ATA, NVIDIA GeForce 7300GT (256MB), one 16x SuperDrive.
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