2019 Mac Pro: two ultimate configurations
As previewed at the Apple Worldwide Developer Conference 2019, the 2019 Mac Pro has quite the technical specification. What is it’s ultimate configuration? Just how powerful can you make it? There are two ultimate configurations: the Professional configuration and the Hobbyist configuration. As months and years go by, I’ll keep this post up to date.
The hardware is all about overhead. A power supply that can handle the needs of multiple hungry PCI cards – those for sale today and those expected to go on the market in coming years. A cooling system that can handle more heat than hardware can produce today.
The ultimate Professional configuration – ‘Available Fall 2019’
CPU
28-core 2.5Ghz Intel Xeon W CPU with Turbo Boost up to 4.4GHz.
Could be a version of the Xeon W-3275 modified to access more than 1TB of RAM. The W-3275 is available for $4,449.
Memory
Each of the 12 memory slots can take a 128GB DIMM, fully loaded that adds up to 1.5TB.
Apple sells memory kits for the Mac Pro of up to 64GB – made up of four 16GB DIMMs. Apple’s 128GB 2666MHz DDR4 ECC memory configuration for the iMac Pro costs $2,000. Other World Computing sell a wide range of RAM kits, their 256GB kit (64GB x 4) for the 2017 iMac Pro costs $2,279.
Graphics
Two AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo MPX modules + Afterburner ProRes and ProRes RAW accelerator card.
Storage
52TB:
4TB made up of two 2TB SSD storage modules. 4TB from Apple for the iMac Pro currently costs $2,400.
In exchange for one AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo MPX module, an additional 32TB of storage in a Promise Pegasus R4i MPX module.
Plus 16TB made up if a Pegasus J2i (which comes with an 8TB drive with space for an additional 8TB drive), which is fitted on a sled that can be placed next to the CPU heat sink.
I/O
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports on top of enclosure.
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports and two USB-A ports in the Apple I/O x4 PCI Express card.
Two 10Gb Ethernet ports. No 25Gb Ethernet or 40Gb Ethernet PCI cards yet announced for the 2019 Mac Pro.
Power supply
1.4 kilowatts – the maximum possible for use on US domestic power networks.
Aftercare
AppleCare+. For the 2013 MacPro this costs $249.
AppleCare OS Support Preferred costs $19,995 – for unlimited support with a two hour response time and custom post-production workflow design.
The ultimate Hobbyist configuration – Less than $2,000?
The best sign that Apple think that the Mac Pro would suit hobbyists would be for them to supply a special configuration just for them.
Instead of choosing the minimum configuration and having to remove an SSD, a couple of PCI cards and RAM, it would be better to buy a configuration with none of these things. One where hobbyists can source the parts suited to their personal needs from Apple or elsewhere.
CPU
None – a heat sink.
It seems that the CPU is socketed.
Memory
None.
Other World Computing sell a wide range of RAM kits, their 256GB kit (64GB x 4) for the 2017 iMac Pro costs $2,279.
Graphics
None.
There are a wide range of PCI-based GPU cards. For those who want to use NVIDIA GPUs, they can use BootCamp to run Windows.
Storage
None.
I/O
Two Thunderbolt 3 ports on top of enclosure.
Two 10Gb Ethernet ports.
There is range of PCI-based I/O cards for Thunderbolt, USB, Ethernet, Fibrechannel, iSCSI, ADB…
Power supply
None.
For those who can guarantee the power they will supply their Mac Pro – for example if they can put it on a 50 Amp circuit.
Aftercare
None.
I would guess that Apple would not want to provide AppleCare+ for this configuration. It will be up to expert hobbyists and their suppliers to troubleshoot their configurations – with the aid of a section of the Apple Support forums.