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  4. OctoMac Memory Bus Issue

  • OctoMac Memory Bus Issue

    P
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    From Barefeats, via Macrumors:

    "The 8-Core Mac Pro came out up to 40-55% faster on some tasks, such as Cinebench 9.5, GeekBench, and Quicktime Export speeds, but provided little advantage in the limited Photoshop CS3 and Aperture testing. The 8-Core also proved to be no faster across the board in the Gaming tests.

    "Barefeats speculates that the 8-Core Mac Pro maybe bottlenecked by the memory bus and also considers the possibility that Mac OS X Tiger may not be well optimized for the 8-Core Mac Pros."

    I think this is what christian had been discussing. No doubt the next Logic will be optimized at least for the CPU's. But bus throughput remains a hardware issue of particular importance to us.
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    J
    Plowman--

    I just saw the barefeats report myself this morning. I agree that many things christian and others mentioned are quite spot on with this particular machine.

    It's not that it's a bad machine... (which can easily be the impression when a critical discussion is in progress). It's a machine that would be a tremendous asset for any Mac user who has one, but it was mentioned that this first 8-Core appears to be more of a stop-gap release than a formal rollout. Other than the cores, it's otherwise the same machine as its siblings in the 4-Core department.

    Also, one important aspect of barefeats' testing was the use of different graphics cards in gaming tests. DAW users don't have quite the intense screen rendering issues that gamers do, but the graphics cards do help *when and where they are needed*. I would imagine for those using Final Cut Pro or similar would probably benefit, but perhaps those DAW users who are running video concurrently with real time virtual instruments will be helped as well.

    But as you've mentioned, as long as throughput remains fixed or otherwise not substantially improved, virtual instruments remain at serious issue considering the cost of upgrading vs net gains.

    Apple is allegedly going to demo the new version of Final Cut Pro Studio 2 next month:
    http://www.macworld.com/news/2007/04/16/tour/index.php

    This should give us some idea of Apple's own multimedia softerware performing on these new machines, assuming that they will be using the 8-Core for demostration (I don't see why they wouldn't). If nothing else, it might be the beginning of a series of their new pro software updates in advance of a possible (probable?) Logic update announcement to come.
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    P
    As I follow these matters, it seems to me that your quad core purchase was well timed. No Logic 8 at Musikmesse / NAB, Leopard pushed back to October, and the OctoMac was little more than a chip replacement. Well done.
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    J
    Funny-- I was wondering how the delays and other lack of info might create some sort of setback for me, but I am pleased to the extent that my transition will be less worrisome. I'm actually delighted not to have to deal with a lot of "point-zero" or RevA releases.

    I'll keep reading the facts and rumors while Apple's "iToys" continue to invade the general market.