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TMO at WWDC - Pics of Apple's New Intel-Based Mac Pro

by , 6:45 PM EDT, August 7th, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple announced the long-awaited Mac Pro Monday at its annual World Wide Developer Conference. The Mac Observer was on hand for the keynote from Steve Jobs (see our live WWDC keynote coverage for more information), and we were able to take the following images of Apple's new Intel-based pro desktop systems.

To the casual observer, they will appear to be the same unit as Apple's Power Mac G5 due to their resemblance on the outside. A closer look, however, shows that there is more room inside the units, more drive bays, and an entirely look and feel to the inside of the unit.


The Mac Pro with the side door open.
Note the four drive bay panels.

The two riser boards hold memory modules,
and come out for accessibility.
(Click the thumbnails for larger images.)
The drive bays can be snapped into place without the use of tools,
according to Apple.
(Click the thumbnails for larger images.)
The front of the new Mac Pro sports
two USB ports, a FireWire 800 port,
and a FireWire 400 port.
The back also features new ports.
(Click the thumbnails for larger images.)

Observer Comments

Show: Subjects Only | Full Comments
Close Name:stuartea Posts: 327 Joined: 08 Aug 2005
Subject:

Amazing insides, slight pity about the lack of re-design, but not surprising.

Close Name:coaten Posts: 3071 Joined: 10 Oct 2001
Subject:

What is it about the design?

IMHO, it's a classy looking piece of kit that you'd be proud to display on your desktop or nearby. Whenever I'm using one in a mixed office, people invariably are drawn to it - quizzically, perhaps even derisively at first, but then they are seduced by it. It's a great design.

Close Name:stuartea Posts: 327 Joined: 08 Aug 2005
Subject:

You're right that the old design is solid, and why create something new when what we have is already good? It's just less seducing because we've seen it, human nature. Something new would've been more seducing purely because it's something we'd not seen.

I'm always struck by the size of the thing.

Quote
coaten wrote:
What is it about the design?

IMHO, it's a classy looking piece of kit that you'd be proud to display on your desktop or nearby. Whenever I'm using one in a mixed office, people invariably are drawn to it - quizzically, perhaps even derisively at first, but then they are seduced by it. It's a great design.



Last edited by stuartea on Tue Aug 08, 2006 7:05 am; edited 1 time in total
Reply | Quote
Close Name:rwahrens Posts: 50 Joined: 19 Jul 2006
Subject: continuity

I read a supposed interview with a 'leaker' the other day on another site, and while the comments made reveals it as hardly authentic, one thing said stuck with me as being likely. She said that the case of the Mac Pro would be the same because Apple considers the current look to be solid, and is well received by its customers. They wanted the case to convey the feeling that it is still a solid piece of hardware, in spite of the new processor, and give the feeling of continuity with past products. Future designs would be tweeked in the cosmetic department, but not the first Intel designs.

That thinking sounds as likely as any, and makes a lot of sense.

Close Name:KitsuneStudios Posts: 2490 Joined: 25 Oct 2001
Subject:

The interior design here is something else! Almost makes me regret buying a 17" iMac rather than one of these.

Almost.

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