Apple Mac Pro MA356LL/A Desktop PC (Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB

Meet Mac Pro, Apple's new desktop computer geared for the business and graphics professional. Mac Pro not only completes the Mac transition to Intel processors but delivers advanced performance, workstation graphics, and up to 4.9 million possible configurations. Ushering in a new era of outstanding performance ? and completing the Mac transition to Intel processors at the same time ? the new Mac Pro introduces the 64-bit Dual-Core Intel Xeon ?Woodcrest? processor to the Mac lineup. At 2.66GHz, it's a state-of-the-art processor that ? from day one ? makes the Mac Pro one of the faster desktop computers on the planet.
No matter what the format ? DV, SD, HDV, HD, or even film ? the Mac Pro gives film and video professionals the freedom and power to create studio-quality and award-winning projects. Innovative tools for the Mac platform ? such as Logic Pro, Logic Express, Soundtrack Pro, Digidesign Pro Tools, MOTU Digital Performer, and Steinberg Cubase SX and Nuendo ? provide composers and sound designers with a wealth of software for capturing every inspiration.

Boost your productivity with the first Apple Mac Pro (model MA356LL/A) desktop PC, which is the first Apple desktop to be powered by the 64-bit dual-core Intel Xeon processor. But the Mac Pro offers even more power by combining two dual-core 2.66 GHz Xeon processors, creating an unbelievably powerful quad-core workstation that can handle even the more intensive graphics rendering. Its redesigned industrial-style enclosure offers improved functionality with a cable-free installation process and massive upgrade ability--up to 16 GB of 667 MHz RAM and four hard drive bays for up to 2 TB (that's terabytes) of storage under the hood. And while it comes standard with a 16x SuperDrive (compatible with burning DVD±R/RW and CD-R/RW discs), you can also add a second writing SuperDrive.

Additionally, the Mac Pro MA356LL/A features a 250 GB hard drive, 1 GB of installed RAM, and the NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics card with 256 MB of video RAM, both FireWire 400 and 800 slots, optical digital audio input and output, Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger, and additional software titles--iLife 06, OmniOutliner, iWork 06 (trial), FileMaker Pro 8.5 (trial). The Mac Pro also includes a DVI to VGA adapter and an Apple keyboard and Mighty Mouse.

Mac OS X v10.4 Tiger
Mac OS X Tiger in combination with the 64-bit Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor enables you to run applications that address massive amounts of memory. Mac OS X also features amazing Spotlight search technology, handy Dashboard widgets and hundreds more features and it includes the following system applications:

Safari 2
Mail 2
Address Book 4
iChat AV 3
iCal 2
Font Book 2
DVD Player 4.5
Preview 3
Xcode 2

Processor
Based on Intel's next-generation Core micro-architecture, the two 2.66 GHz 64-bit dual-core Intel Xeon processors combine both high performance and power efficiency. Augmenting the speed delivered by the processors, the system architecture features 1.33 GHz dual independent front-side buses that maximize the performance of the dual-core, dual-processor system and deliver maximum processor bandwidth of up to 21.3 GB/s. It also offers an enhanced SSE3 vector engine. Capable of delivering 128-bit vector computations in a single cycle, the SSE3 vector engine accelerates data manipulation by simultaneously applying a single instruction to multiple data--ideal for transforming large sets of data, such as applying a filter to an image or rendering a video effect.

Because Intel designed this dual-core Xeon to be more efficient, it consumes less power than similar workstation-level processors, so your system fans don't have to work as hard to keep them cool. Working with Mac OS X Tiger, it also continues the tradition of enabling 64-bit computation. Ideal for scientific applications, the 64-bit Intel Xeon processors can express the extreme precision needed for floating-point mathematics and to express integers up to 18 billion billion.

Hard Drive
The 250 GB Serial-ATA hard drive is plenty big and fast (with a transfer rate of 3 GB per second) for most home users, but the Mac Pro provides four SATA hard drive bays, each on its own independent channel. This enables you to load it up with four 500 GB hard drives for up to 2 TB of data storage. Using Mac OS X, you can stripe two, three, or all four of those drives in a RAID 0 array to increase performance and create a massive volume for video editing; or create a RAID 1 array for instant backups--as you work--of photos or other digital media.

Memory
While this Mac Pro comes loaded with just 1 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 RAM--which is satisfactory--you can easily add up to a total of 16 GB of 667 MHz DDR2 fully-buffered Error-Correcting Code (ECC) memory. And with its 256-bit-wide memory architecture, the Mac Pro offers 2x the width of the memory architecture in the Power Mac G5. It comes with two memory riser cards, each with four fully-buffered DIMM slots--for a total of eight DIMM slots.

Optical Drive
If you enjoy having one 16x SuperDrive at your disposal, think how much more productive you could be with two. Imagine backing up your data to two dual-layer DVDs at once. Or exporting Aperture projects to one DVD, while importing music from a CD into your iTunes library. The installed SuperDrive is compatible with writing to DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, DVD+R DL (dual layer), and CD-R/RW media. It will burn DVD-R discs at up to 16x, DVD+R DL at 6x, and CD-R/RWs at up to 24x.

Graphics
The NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT graphics card provides excellent all-around performance for creative applications. It comes with one dual-link DVI and one single-link DVI port, allowing you to connect one 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display to the dual-link DVI port and one 20-inch or 23-inch Cinema Display to the single-link DVI port. And thanks to the new double-wide PCI Express graphics slot, the Mac Pro provides room for three additional PCI Express expansion cards--and up to eight simultaneous displays (with compatible optional video card).

Mac Pro Connections

Expansion and Connectivity
Install PCI Express cards such as video capture, audio DSP, fibre channel, or additional graphics cards into the three full-length PCI Express expansion slots. A newly designed PCI bracket with captive thumb screws allows tool-less installation and removal of cards. It includes the following connectivity and audio options:

Two FireWire 800 ports (one on front panel, one on back panel)
Two FireWire 400 ports (one on front panel, one on back panel)
Five USB 2.0 ports (two on front panel, three on back panel)
Two USB 1.1 ports on included keyboard
Front-panel headphone minijack and speaker
Optical digital audio input and output Toslink ports
Analog stereo line-level input and output minijacks

Dimensions
It measures 20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 inches, and weighs 42.4 pounds.

Dimensions
Mac Pro MA356LL/A, Apple keyboard, Apple Mighty Mouse, USB keyboard extension cable, DVI-to-VGA adapter, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation.

Customer Reviews:

Powerful Mac OS Workstation
First of all, the included 1GB RAM will not do justice to this machine. I added additional 2GB for total of 3GB, but I still need more when I use professional apps. I upgraded from a Dual G5 2.3, and Mac Pro is quite a bit faster in every operation except PPC only apps. For them, it's about as fast as before, provided you give it enough RAM. Rosetta translation works effectively, but it requires considerable amount of memory. This is my observation that (even for Universal Binary apps) Intel Macs seem to require more memory than G5. So do yourself a favor and get extra memory when you get a Mac Pro. Unfortunately FB-DIMMs are not cheap.

Once RAM issue is taken cared, this machine is a dream. It's quiet, a lot quieter than G5 which was relatively quiet to begin with. Expansion option is great. With 4 drive bays, you can easily create RAID configuration internally.

One big bonus of using a Mac Pro (or any Intel Mac for that matter) is, by using Parallels software, I can run Windows at native speed in virtual environment. Windows runs so fast (disk array helps) that booting up to Windows desktop is considerably faster than my AMD 64 based PC.

The only other thing I might add to the system at a later time is a more powerful graphics board. The included GeForce 7300 is seriously underpowered for such a high performance system.

Overall, I highly recommend this Mac to anyone considering getting one.
--2006-11-15

Great working machine
I order the MacPro few weeks ago and I was working on a G4 Powerbook for more than two years. This machine is way superior in all the aspects and if you use Universal programs, it flies. I'm working with thousand of photos and I use several different work flow to generate DVD's, video slide shows. This is the perfect computer for this kind of work. If you just use office software and word processors this is not for you.
--2006-11-09

Misleading review by David Johnson...
What David Johnson forgot to mension was that the Dell has only ONE dual core processor. The Mac Pro has two. That will put you back much more than a lcd, tv tuner and everything else you mensioned. We're talking XEONS! Kind of expensive...
Anyway, compare the other features of the mac pro such as 4 sata hard drive sleds, 8 memory risers, dual gigabit ethernet, dual firewire 800, faster fsb on EACH PROCESSOR...lets not forget that there are not 1, but 2 dual core processors working side by side.
Anyway, before writing such a biased review, please research your topic.
--2006-10-03

Mac vs Dell price
The Dual 2.67 MacPro configured standard is $2350 today at Amazon, free ship. Add $199 for three year Apple care=$2550

The Dual 2.67 Dell configured below (identical other than the graphics card, but using the cheapest, and similar one) is $3441 + shipping, or at least $900 more. I think the other guy forgot the second processor.

That does not include the required $79 annual subscription to Norton Antivirus... Even if you want to run XP, get a Mac...

-=-=-=-=-=-

Dell Precision Workstation 490 MiniTower - 32bit
$3,441

Date 9/12/2006 9:37:45 PM Central Standard Time
Dell Precision Workstation 490 MiniTower - 32bit:
Dual Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5150 2.66GHz, 4MB L2,1333
Genuine Windows® XP Professional, SP2 with Media
2nd Processor:
Dual Core Intel® Xeon® Processor 5150 2.66GHz, 4MB L2,1333
128MB PCIe x16 ATI FireGL V3400, Dual DVI or Dual VGA or DVI + VGA
1GB, DDR2 SDRAM FBD Memory, 667MHz, ECC (2 DIMMS)
250GB SATA 3.0Gb/s,7200 RPM NCQ Hard Drive with 8MB DataBurst Cache
48XCDRW AND 16XDVD+/-RW, w/Cyberlink PowerDVD(tm) and Roxio Creator(tm)
No Floppy Drive
No Monitor Option
Dell USB Enhanced Multimedia Keyboard with built-in 2-port USB Hub
Dell USB 2-Button Optical Mouse with Scroll
1394a Controller Card
--2006-09-13

Mac Pro Rocks, UPS sucks
This computer is well worth the price for what you get and is a kickass workstation. Just be sure to do yourself a favor and spend a few extra dollars and have it shipped via FedEx. You will save yourself a headache and get your computer in one piece, on time. UPS has dropped the ball one too many times for me. Oh well at least UPS's turd brown is an appropriate corporate color.
--2006-09-12

- Apple Computer