Obsolete computer

[Suchy]

I was looking at xeon processors and I came accross a macPro computer, so I customized it. The end result was:


Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
16GB (8 x 2GB) RAM
4 x 750GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 512MB, Stereo 3D (2 x dual-link DVI)
Both Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and AirPort Extreme
Price = $12,020.00


So approximately how long before this computer would be considered out-of-date? - 5, 10, 15 or more years?

;)

http://store.apple.com/AppleStore/WebObjects/BizCustom.woa/9754007/wo/u164s3kOqzfO2CbMWJG2MFBwRFg/17.?p=0

[Ajmukon]

1 or 2 year(s)- the 512MB Quadro is being replaced by 1GB TESLA...
at lest i think...

[saphalline]

Well...

Most companies tend to use their rendering workstations until they die of corrosion (!) :p so it might kick around for a looooong time. But 15 years is really pushing it.

Looking back to 5 years ago, how does a dual-Xeon 1.2 GHz workstation stack up now? PCI-X 100 MHz 64-bit if you're lucky, maybe up to 4GB of RAM, and some U160 SCSI HDD's. Probably still renders pretty well if the vid card has been upgraded, but it's certainly "out-of-date" by now! With what Intel has planned for the future, I don't think even dual-quad-core Xeons will last long! They're talking about 12-core CPU's with 32MB caches by 2011 or so! :eek: Throw the marker 5 years out and what will we be seeing?? 24-core Mac Pro's with a Terabyte of RAM!?

No matter how powerful it seems now, it can't stand the test of time. 15 years ago, the Pentium wasn't even released yet! Now the "Pentium" name has been relegated to subpar status in the CPU world. This $12000 Mac Pro that you configured will fit into your sub-notebook 15 years from now!

[rond36]

It depends on what you mean by "obsolete" and "out of date"

That Mac Pro has duel Xeon Quad-core X5365 1333MHz FSB, 8MB cache processors.

I don't know if that motherboard or BIOS will allow a processor change or if it will support the new 45nm processors, some of them have 1600MHz FSB and 12MB cache

The 45nm Xeon processors with 1333MHz FSB, 12MB cache have been released.

If the motherboard and/or BIOS will not support the Intel Xeon Harpertown 1333MHz FSB 12MB L2 Cache processor (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010340343+1051533657+1051729354&Configurator=&Subcategory=343&description=&Ntk=&srchInDesc=) it is out of date before you even get it!

In Feb 08 Intel will release the rest of the 1333MHz and the 1600MHz FSB processors in the 5400 series and in 09 they are due to release the 32nm nahlem processors and there will be a socket and chipset change. Nahlem will move the memory controller hub (north bridge) on to the processor die and have a high speed point to point data bus between the processor and the i/o controller hub (south bridge) very similar to AMD's present architecture.

You could build a workstation much cheaper than you can buy a Mac Pro.

Cooler Master Stacker 830 Evolution RC-830-KKN3-GP Black Aluminum ATX Full Tower Computer Case $179.99

Cooler Master Real Power Pro RS-850-EMBA ATX12V / EPS12V 850W Power Supply $199.99 Case+PSU combo $329.98

Tyan Tempest i5400XT S5396WA2NRF Dual 771 Intel 5400X Extended ATX Server Motherboard $578.00 <-- GamePC.com is expensive!
The i5400X chipset was just released to support the 45nm Xeon processors and is not shipping in quantity yet, when it is the price on this board should drop about $100.
http://www.tyan.com/images/systemboards/s5396.gif

2 X Intel Xeon X5450 Harpertown 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 771 @ $968.00 = $1939 this processor = 2 X Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9650 Yorkfield 3.0GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775

PNY VCQFX4600-PCIE-PB Quadro FX4600 768MB 384-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card $1,459.99 <--The motherboard will support 2 of these but I don't know if the chipset supports SLI

4 X Kingston 2GB 240-Pin FB-DIMM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Server Memory $112.99 = $451.96

2 X Fujitsu MAX3073RC 73GB 15,000 RPM 16MB Cache Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) Hard Drive @ $179.99 = $359.98 <-- RAID-0 for OS and applications

4 X Seagate Barracuda ES.2 ST31000340NS 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive @ $339.99 = $1359.96 <--mas storage

ASUS Black 20X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 8X DVD+R DL 20X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 14X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 20X DVD±R DVD Burner with LightScribe $30.99

SAMSUNG Black 1.44MB 3.5" Internal Floppy Drive $6.99

LINKSYS WMP300N IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, Draft IEEE 802.11n 32-bit PCI Interface High-speed Wireless-N Wireless Adapter Up to 256-bit wireless encryption $76.99

Total price without software $6593.84
Add Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate DVD - Retail $313.99
Total $6907.83