Some of you have seen my Modular Mac Pro design Concept post.
Now, let's take a look how power-efficient CPU's will change design of a MacPro.
There's been a lot of talk of Apple ditching Intel for ARM.
I think Apple will switch, and many others will follow.
Now, let's take a look how power-efficient CPU's will change design of a MacPro.
There's been a lot of talk of Apple ditching Intel for ARM.
I think Apple will switch, and many others will follow.
ARM Advantages:
• optimized for performance/watt
• power-efficient
• cooler
• fully scalable
• smaller
• cheaper
• custom CPU design
• power-efficient
• cooler
• fully scalable
• smaller
• cheaper
• custom CPU design
What does it mean?
• significantly smaller enclosure
• increase computing power by adding more CPUs
• increase & tweak important performance (custom Chip design)
• cheaper CPUs - higher profit
• smaller, lighter, quieter, cooler (less heat), "Greener" (Environment)
• increase computing power by adding more CPUs
• increase & tweak important performance (custom Chip design)
• cheaper CPUs - higher profit
• smaller, lighter, quieter, cooler (less heat), "Greener" (Environment)
Size comparison with current MacPro
W x D x H - 230mm x 280mm x 220mm
Aluminum enclosure with removable side panel
3/4 View Perspective
Front View
Slide up/down front door to access USB3 & Thunderbolt ports
Back View
USB3, Thunderbolt, Ethernet, Optical In & Out, Mic, Speaker, Power ports + 3 PCI slots
Folding Snap & Lock Handle
Removable side panel & Slide out Tray
4 HDD, 6 RAM slots, 3 PCI slots
Version 1a
Custom Apple designed ARM CPU A10
2 CPUs on a Daughterboard Card.
Each Processor has 4 cores for a total 8 cores per Card.
4 Cards for a maximum of 8 CPUs (32 Cores).
Each Processor has 4 cores for a total 8 cores per Card.
4 Cards for a maximum of 8 CPUs (32 Cores).
CPU Daughterboard Card
2 Processors on Card 4 Cores each. Total of 8 Cores per Card
Heat Sink Cross Section
Up to 4 Cards - total of 8 CPUs (32 Cores)
MacPro ARM CPU Workstation with Tray Out
Total of 8 CPUs (32 Cores) + 6 Memory Slots
Version 1b
How about Intel Inside?
Maybe Intel can come up with super efficient Haswell Xeon CPU
2 Xenon CPUs can fit in the Heat Sink
It's impossible to ignore Intel. They are working on energy efficient CPUs.
Is it possible to put Haswell or Broadwell Xeons in such a small enclosure?
Liquid cooling, maybe.
Intel will do their best to keep Apple happy.
Version 2
Custom Apple designed ARM CPU A10
Combined CPU & RAM Module.
CPU Daughterboard Card comes with 2 CPUs and integrated 16GB RAM.
6 Cards for a maximum of 12 CPUs (48 Cores) and 96GB RA
6 Cards for a maximum of 12 CPUs (48 Cores) and 96GB RA
Second Version of CPU Daughterboard Card
2 CPUs on Card (4 Cores each) with 16GB embedded RAM. Total of 8 Cores per Card
MacPro Workstation with 6 Daughterboard Card Slots
Total of 12 CPUs (48 Cores) + 96 GB RAM
Darker aluminum enclosure
Anodized Aluminium Color (same as iPhone 5)
MacPro Cube
If Apple creates custom GPU (shorter, less heat), enclosure
dimensions could shrink even more.
MacPro Cube with a footprint of a Mac Mini. 200mm x 200mm x 200mm Cube.
This will be ideal "Made in USA" Apple Computer.
Apple Mac Pro Cube
with custom (smaller) GPU, 200mm Cube
Competition
I'm sure there are dozen other companies interested in creating their own ARM based PCs.
Just to name few:
Microsoft - Windows 8
Amazon - Linux
NVIDIA - Linux
AMD - Linux / Windows 8
Google - Chrome OS (Linux) if they are serious about Chrome OS
Samsung - Linux / Windows 8 / desktop Tizen OS???
Oracle / Sun - Solaris
Intel - Linux / Windows, certainly not using ARM CPUs
Amazon - Linux
NVIDIA - Linux
AMD - Linux / Windows 8
Google - Chrome OS (Linux) if they are serious about Chrome OS
Samsung - Linux / Windows 8 / desktop Tizen OS???
Oracle / Sun - Solaris
Intel - Linux / Windows, certainly not using ARM CPUs
+ all the other PC makers: Dell, HP, Acer, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, etc.
This is my vision of the next MacPro.
Tell me what you think.
You can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/PeterZ3
Peter Zigich
