Supposedly, we’ll see them early next year. If so, and if it uses Gulftown, that’d give Apple a small window of exclusivity with the speed demon chip. [HardMac via AppleInsider]

It does provide a bump over the cheaper GT 120, but as Rich Brown says, it only pushes the Mac Pro’s gaming performance from “mediocre” to “acceptable.” And this is on his $US3499 review machine.

Obviously there are way cheaper and more powerful Windows alternatives for gaming, especially if you build your own, but the option for an even awesomer (if pricier) graphics card from Apple, like a Radeon HD 4870 X2, would be nice. We know the Mac Pro isn’t built for gamers, but still. Let’s hear your best “Macs suck for gaming” comments below anyway. Be clever, people! [Crave]

Press releases are below for your enjoyment:

Apple Updates Consumer Desktop Line

Sydney, Australia – 4 March, 2009 – Apple today announced updates to
its iMac and Mac mini desktop lines, including faster processors and
twice the memory for all iMacs and a new Mac mini with powerful new
integrated graphics. The entire iMac line comes with faster Intel Core
2 Duo processors up to 3.06 GHz, the latest graphics technology,
double the memory and up to one terabyte of storage. Delivering up to
five times better graphics performance, the updated Mac mini now
features the same groundbreaking NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated
graphics introduced with the aluminium unibody MacBook family.* The
Mac mini is the world’s most energy efficient desktop, drawing less
than 13 watts of power when idle.** All iMac and Mac mini systems come
with Mac OS X Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system, and
iLife ‘09, Apple’s unparalleled suite of consumer applications for
managing and organising photos, making movies and creating and
learning to play music.

The elegant, full-featured iMac line starts with the 20-inch iMac at a
recommended retail price (RRP) of A$1,999 inc GST with a 2.66 GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, a 320GB
Serial ATA hard drive and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics.
The 24-inch iMac features a beautiful 1920-by-1200 pixel widescreen
display that offers 30 percent more screen real estate than the 20-
inch model, and starts at RRP A$2,499 inc GST. The 24-inch iMac
includes up to a 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of 1066 MHz
DDR3 memory, a 640GB or 1TB Serial ATA hard drive, and a variety of
graphics technology from NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics to
the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 or ATI Radeon HD 4850 discrete graphics for
ultimate performance.

Every iMac features a glossy display with a built-in iSight video
camera, mic and speakers in a thin aluminium and glass design. The new
iMac also includes a Mini DisplayPort connector for a pure digital
signal to Apple’s new 24-inch LED Cinema Display with adapters
available for DisplayPort, VGA, DVI and Dual-Link DVI displays. iMac
includes built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi networking; Bluetooth
2.1+EDR; Gigabit Ethernet; a total of six USB 2.0 ports (including two
on the Apple Keyboard); and one FireWire 800 port.

Starting at RRP A$1,049 inc GST, the Mac mini is an innovative, tiny
desktop measuring only 16.51 cm by 16.51 cm by 5.08 cm. Available in
two models, Mac mini features a 2 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up
to 4GB of DDR3 1066 MHz memory, up to 320GB Serial ATA hard drive,
five USB 2.0 ports, FireWire 800 and a SuperDrive. The Mac mini
features NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics for up to five times
better graphics performance than before* and now with dual display
support can drive two Apple or third-party displays with Mini
DisplayPort or DVI connections. Using less than 13 watts of power at
idle, up to 10 times less power than a typical desktop PC, the new Mac
mini is the most energy efficient desktop in the world.**

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, both iMac and Mac
mini extend their leadership in green design. Both iMac and Mac mini
exceed current Energy Star 4.0 requirements and are leading the
industry as early adopters of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0
requirements which will become effective later this year. Both iMac
and Mac mini use PVC-free internal components and cables and contain
no brominated flame retardants. Both iMac and Mac mini feature
material-efficient system and packaging designs and use highly
recyclable materials. Apple’s new desktop lineup joins its recently
introduced aluminium unibody MacBook family in achieving EPEAT Gold
status.***

Every Mac comes with Apple’s innovative iLife ‘09 suite of
applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and
learning to play music. iLife ‘09 features iPhoto, which introduces
Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organise and
manage your photos; iMovie with powerful easy-to-use new features such
as Precision Editor, video stabilisation and advanced drag and drop;
and GarageBand which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to
play piano and guitar. Every Mac also includes Leopard, the world’s
most advanced operating system which features Time Machine, an
effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a
redesigned Finder that lets users quickly browse and share files
between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way to instantly see files
without opening an application; Spaces, an intuitive feature used to
create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail
with easy setup and elegant, personalised stationery; and iChat, the
most advanced video chat.

Apple also announced that its popular AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi
Base Station and Time Capsule now feature simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5
GHz dual-band networking for optimal performance, range and
compatibility. An innovative Guest Network feature allows setting up a
secondary network for friends and visitors with Internet-only access
so you don’t have to hand out your WiFi password. Time Capsule
combines an 802.11n router and server-grade hard disk for automatic
wireless back-up with Time Machine, and is immediately available in
two models: a 500GB model for RRP A$479 inc GST and a 1TB model for
RRP A$799 inc GST. The AirPort Extreme Base Station is also available
immediately for a suggested retail price of RRP A$279 inc GST.****

Pricing & Availability
The new iMac and Mac mini lines are now shipping and available through
the Apple Store (www.apple.com/au), Apple’s retail stores and Apple
Authorised Resellers.

The new 20-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of A$1,999
inc GST, includes:
• 20-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
• 2GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 2.66 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of A$2,499
inc GST, includes:
• 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
• 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 2.93 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of A$2,999
inc GST, includes:
• 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 120; with 256MB GDDR3 SDRAM memory;
• 640GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

The new 24-inch 3.06 GHz iMac, for a suggested retail price of A$3,699
inc GST, includes:
• 24-inch widescreen LCD display;
• 3.06 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 6MB shared L2 cache;
• 4GB 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 130; with 512MB GDDR3 memory;
• 1TB Serial ATA hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort for video output (adapters sold separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme 802.11n wireless networking & Bluetooth
2.1+EDR;
• built-in iSight video camera;
• Gigabit Ethernet port;
• four USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port;
• built-in stereo speakers and microphone; and
• the Apple Keyboard, Mighty Mouse.

Build-to-order options and accessories for the iMac include: a 3.06
GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 8GB DDR3 SDRAM, up to 1TB Serial
ATA hard drive, and NVIDIA GeForce GT 130, or ATI Radeon HD 4850 with
512MB GDDR3 memory on the 24-inch iMac, and up to 8GB DDR3 SDRAM and
up to a 1TB Serial ATA hard drive on the 20-inch iMac. Additional
options include: Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad, Apple Wireless
Keyboard and Wireless Mighty Mouse; AirPort Express, AirPort Extreme
Base Station, Time Capsule; Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter, Mini
DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display), Mini
DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, the
AppleCare Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork ‘09,
Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 2.

The new 2.0 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of A$1,049 inc
GST, includes:
• 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
• 1GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
• 120GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold
separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
• five USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port; and
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both
optical digital and analog.

The new 2.0 GHz Mac mini, for a suggested retail price of A$1,399 inc
GST, includes:
• 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor with 3MB shared L2 cache;
• 2GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 SDRAM expandable up to 4GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce 9400M integrated graphics;
• 320GB Serial ATA hard drive running at 5400 rpm;
• a slot-load 8x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/
CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort and mini-DVI for video output (adapters sold
separately);
• built-in AirPort Extreme wireless networking & Bluetooth 2.1+EDR;
• Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 BASE-T);
• five USB 2.0 ports;
• one FireWire 800 port; and
• one audio line in and one audio line out port, each supporting both
optical digital and analog.

Build-to-order options and accessories for the Mac mini include: a
2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, up to 4GB DDR3 SDRAM, 80GB, 250GB
or 320GB 5400 hard drives. Additional options include: LED Cinema
Display, Apple Keyboard, Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad, Apple
Wireless Keyboard and Wireless Mighty Mouse; AirPort Express, AirPort
Extreme Base Station, Time Capsule; Mini DisplayPort to DVI Adapter,
Mini DisplayPort to Dual-Link DVI Adapter (for 30-inch DVI display),
Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter, Apple USB Modem, Apple Remote, the
AppleCare Protection Plan; and pre-installed copies of iWork ‘09,
Logic Express 8, Final Cut Express 4 and Aperture 2.

*Testing conducted by Apple in January 2009 using preproduction Mac
mini units with 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processors. Based on Quake 4
using 1280 x 1024 High Quality setting. Performance tests are
conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate
performance of Mac mini.

**Claim based on energy efficiency categories and products listed
within the EPA Energy Star 4.0 database as of February 2009.

***EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare
the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products
meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the
optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT
program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard
for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more
information visit www.epeat.net.

****AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule are based on an IEEE 802.11n
draft specification. Actual performance will vary based on range,
connection rate, site conditions, size of network and other factors.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the
Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the
Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation
with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and
professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital
media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and
iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its
revolutionary iPhone.

Apple Introduces New Mac Pro

Features Intel “Nehalem” Xeon Processors & High-Performance Graphics

Sydney, Australia – 4 March, 2009 – Apple today introduced the new Mac
Pro using Intel “Nehalem” Xeon processors and a next-generation system
architecture to deliver up to twice the performance of the previous
generation system.* The new Mac Pro starts at a recommended retail
price (RRP) of A$4,499 inc GST and features the latest graphics
technology and an updated interior that makes expansion even easier
than before.

The new Mac Pro includes Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to
2.93 GHz, each with an integrated memory controller with three
channels of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC memory that delivers up to 2.4 times the
memory bandwidth while cutting memory latency up to 40 percent.**
Every Mac Pro comes standard with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB
of GDDR3 memory, a high-performance graphics card with nearly three
times greater performance when compared to the previous generation
system.*** An optional ATI Radeon HD 4870 is available for even more
performance. With both a Mini DisplayPort and DVI port, the new Mac
Pro provides out-of-the-box support for the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema
Display, the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, or other DVI based
displays.

An updated interior provides easy access to all components within the
Mac Pro for hassle free expansion. The Mac Pro includes four direct-
attach cable-free hard drive carriers for installing up to 4TB of
internal storage when using 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA drives. An
optional cable-free Mac Pro RAID card delivers performance up to 550MB/
s**** and allows the four internal drive bays to be set up in RAID 0,
1, 5, or 0+1 configurations for improved disk performance and
redundant data protection.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, the new Mac Pro
exceeds Energy Star 4.0 requirements and is leading the industry as an
early adopter of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements which
will become effective later this year. The Mac Pro enclosure is made
of highly recyclable aluminium and the interior is designed to be more
material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and
components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Mac
Pro achieves EPEAT Gold status.*****

Every Mac includes Leopard, the world’s most advanced operating system
which features Time Machine, an effortless way to automatically back
up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder that lets users quickly
browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way
to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces, an
intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly
switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalised
stationery; and iChat, the most advanced video chat. Every Mac comes
with Apple’s innovative iLife ‘09 suite of applications for managing
photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. iLife
‘09 features iPhoto, which introduces Faces and Places as breakthrough
new ways to easily organise and manage your photos; iMovie with
powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video
stabilisation and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand which
introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar.
Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture, Final Cut
Express, Final Cut Studio, Logic Express, Logic Studio and Shake.

Pricing & Availability
The new Mac Pro will be available mid March through the Apple Stores (www.apple.com/au)
, Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers.

The new quad-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of A$4,499
inc GST, includes:
• one 2.66 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 3500 series processor with 8MB of
L3 cache;
• 3GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 8GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics with 512MB of GDDR3 memory;
• 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort and DVI (dual-link) for video output (adapters sold
separately);
• four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
• five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
• ships with Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Mighty Mouse.

The new 8-core Mac Pro, with a suggested retail price of A$5,899 inc
GST, includes:
• two 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5500 series processors with 8MB of
shared L3 cache;
• 6GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory, expandable up to 32GB;
• NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 graphics with 512MB of GDDR3 memory;
• 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s hard drive running at 7200 rpm;
• 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW);
• Mini DisplayPort and DVI (dual-link) for video output (adapters sold
separately);
• four PCI Express 2.0 slots;
• five USB 2.0 ports and four FireWire 800 ports;
• Bluetooth 2.1+EDR; and
• ships with Apple Keyboard with numerical keypad and Mighty Mouse.

Build to order options and accessories include: one 2.93 GHz Quad-Core
Intel Xeon processor for the quad-core Mac Pro; two 2.66 GHz or two
2.93 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors for the 8-core Mac Pro; up to
8GB for the quad-core Mac Pro and up to 32GB for the 8-core Mac Pro of
1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM memory; up to four 1TB Serial ATA hard drives
running at 7200 rpm; Mac Pro RAID card; up to two 18x SuperDrives with
double-layer support; ATI Radeon HD 4870 graphics with 512MB of GDDR5
memory; AirPort Extreme 802.11n; Apple Keyboard, Apple Wireless
Keyboard; Apple Wireless Mighty Mouse; Mac OS X Server Leopard.
Complete build-to-order options and pricing are available at www.apple.com/au/macpro
.

*Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac
Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz systems and previous generation Mac Pro 8-core 3.2
GHz systems. Based on estimate SPECfp_rate_base2006 results, SPEC is a
registered trademark of the Standard Performance Evaluation
Corporation (SPEC); see www.spec.org for more information.

**Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac
Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz systems with 6GB of RAM and shipping previous
generation Mac Pro 8-core 3.2 GHz systems with 8GB of RAM. Results are
based on the STREAM v. 5.8 benchmark (www.cs.virginia.edu/stream/ref.html)
using OMP support for multiprocessor-compiled builds. Memory latency
data provided by Intel.

***Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac
Pro 8-core 2.93 GHz systems with 6GB of RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GT 120,
and shipping previous generation Mac Pro 8-core 3.2 GHz systems with
8GB of RAM and ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT. Results based on Call of Duty 4
v1.7.1, Timedemoambush, Timedemobog, Timedemopipeline, maximum
graphics quality, 4x antialiasing, at 1680 x 1050.

****Testing by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac Pro 8-
core 2.93 GHz configured with Mac Pro RAID card. Testing conducted
using Iometer 2006.07.27 with a 30-sec ramp-up, five-min run, 512KB
request size, and four outstanding IOs. System configured with the OS
and test volume on a single four-drive SAS RAID 0 volume. Performance
tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the
approximate performance of Mac Pro RAID Card.

*****EPEAT is an independent organisation that helps customers compare
the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. Products
meeting all of the 23 required criteria and at least 75 percent of the
optional criteria are recognised as EPEAT Gold products. The EPEAT
program was conceived by the US EPA and is based on IEEE 1680 standard
for Environmental Assessment of Personal Computer Products. For more
information visit www.epeat.net. Systems configured with multiple
graphics cards, a Mac Pro RAID card, or a Fibre Channel card do not
meet Energy Star or EPEAT Gold requirements.

Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the
Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the
Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation
with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and
professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital
media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and
iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its
revolutionary iPhone.

I love the smell of Nehalems in the morning, and the new Mac Pro adds the new Xeon Processors up to 2.93 GHz, new memory architecture, and graphic options for less money than before. Updated

Update: According to Apple, the will be available on March 9

The Xeon “Nehalems” is a quad-core 64-bit processor with 8MB of fully shared Level 3 cache, with integrated memory controllers that plug into 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM memory with Error Correction Code, which according to Apple boosts access 2.4 times over the previous version. The base model has dropped from $US2,499 from $US2,799.

On the graphics front, the new Mac Pros come with Nvidia GeForce GT 120 with 512MB GDDR3 from the factory, which Apple says is almost three times faster than the previous card, which to me sounds like it can go up to 11. If you want more graphic power, you can boost the graphics adding an ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512MB of GDDR5. According to Apple, that makes the ATI two times as fast as the Nvidia, thanks to a faster processor and memory (see, GDDR5 is better than GDDR3 because five is
more than three).

The cards come with the new Mini DisplayPort in addition to the DVI output, so you can connect them to the Apple LED Cinema Display in addition to any other display out there.

Apple Introduces New Mac Pro

Features Intel ‘Nehalem’ Xeon Processors & High-Performance Graphics

CUPERTINO, Calif., March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple® today introduced the new Mac® Pro using Intel “Nehalem” Xeon processors and a next-generation system architecture to deliver up to twice the performance of the previous generation system.* The new Mac Pro starts at $2,499 and features the latest graphics technology and an updated interior that makes expansion even easier than before.

“The new Mac Pro is a significant upgrade and starts at $300 less than before,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “The Mac Pro features an advanced system architecture, new faster processors and our best-ever graphics options to deliver a faster, more powerful system that our professional customers are going to love.”

The new Mac Pro includes Intel Xeon processors running at speeds up to 2.93 GHz, each with an integrated memory controller with three channels of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC memory that delivers up to 2.4 times the memory bandwidth while cutting memory latency up to 40 percent.** Every Mac Pro comes standard with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, a high-performance graphics card with nearly three times greater performance when compared to the previous generation system.*** An optional ATI Radeon HD 4870 is available for even more performance. With both a Mini DisplayPort and DVI port, the new Mac Pro provides out-of-the-box support for the 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display, the 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, or other DVI based displays.

An updated interior provides easy access to all components within the Mac Pro for hassle free expansion. The Mac Pro includes four direct-attach cable-free hard drive carriers for installing up to 4TB of internal storage when using 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA drives. An optional cable-free Mac Pro RAID card delivers performance up to 550MB/s **** and allows the four internal drive bays to be set up in RAID 0, 1, 5, or 0+1 configurations for improved disk performance and redundant data protection.

Continuing Apple’s commitment to the environment, the new Mac Pro exceeds Energy Star 4.0 requirements and is leading the industry as an early adopter of the more stringent Energy Star 5.0 requirements which will become effective later this year. The Mac Pro enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminium and the interior is designed to be more material-efficient. The Mac Pro uses PVC-free internal cables and components and contains no brominated flame retardants. The new Mac Pro achieves EPEAT Gold status.*****
Every Mac includes Leopard®, the world’s most advanced operating system which features Time Machine™, an effortless way to automatically back up everything on a Mac; a redesigned Finder™ that lets users quickly browse and share files between multiple Macs; Quick Look, the best way to instantly see files without opening an application; Spaces®, an intuitive feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them; Mail with easy setup and elegant, personalised stationery; and iChat®, the most advanced video chat. Every Mac comes with Apple’s innovative iLife® ‘09 suite of applications for managing photos, making movies and creating and learning to play music. iLife ‘09 features iPhoto®, which introduces Faces and Places as breakthrough new ways to easily organize and manage your photos; iMovie® with powerful easy-to-use new features such as Precision Editor, video stabilisation and advanced drag and drop; and GarageBand® which introduces a whole new way to help you learn to play piano and guitar. Optional Apple professional applications include Aperture™, Final Cut® Express, Final Cut Studio®, Logic® Express, Logic Studio® and Shake®.

Modder Widefault made this contraption himself, using hand-shaped mesh and sheet aluminium for the body. Inside, it’s an Aaeon GENE-9310 sub-compact mobo, sporting an Intel Core Duo T2500 processor, 2GB of RAM, integrated Wi-Fi connectivity and a 2.5-inch Seagate Momentus hard drive.

Personally, I prefer the design of the Mac Mini for wee computers, but you’ve gotta respect the craftsmanship of this guy. [Technabob]

At first glance, it’s just like a current Mac Pro, but with some extra/updated ports. A closer look reveals a new surface perforation (a product of Apple’s new unibody construction process) and also what I find most notable about the design—two slot loading drives that mimic Apple’s laptops while finalising the minimalist, utilitarian styling of the Mac Pro.

So are these changes alone enough for you? For me, it’s enough. But then again, I’ve sorta become a laptop guy anyway.

RP Cuento sent us this time-lapse video showing how he built his 2,558-pieces Lego Mac Pro, which he dubs Bricked Mac. He also told us a few more facts about this fantastic Lego computer, starting with a basic question: Does it overheat?

It doesnt really overheat too badly. If I’m running batch compressor stuff, I’ll just pop open the side, which is removable.

The box took 14 hours to build. It includes a Mac Mini with a 250GB hard drive hack, with the system drive being an ESATA drive. The Hackintosh running Mac OS X, the second computer inside the box, uses:

2.4GHz Intel Q6600 Quad Core
Gigabyte ep35-ds3l motheboard
BFG NVIDIA 8800gt with 512 Mbytes
2GB of 800MHz RAM
750 and 400GB harddrives

[Thanks RP Cuenco]

At first sight, this looked like a perfect working reproduction of a Mac Pro made of Lego, so I was ready to call it the best Lego computer in the history of best Lego computers. Then, when I learnt that it houses one full PC running Mac OS X and a Mac Mini, I felt something happening, this tingling sensation, this turgidity that made me feel a bit dizzy. And when I finally saw the Steve Jobs minifig standing there and took a closer look at it, nerdgasm finally ensued:

Made out of 2,588 Lego bricks, the Mac Pro was designed in Lego Digital Designer 2.0 for the MacMod Challenge 2008. The Hackintosh is a plain PC with a Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.4Ghz CPU running Mac OS X, while the Mac Mini is a Core Duo 1.66Ghz. And the Steve Jobs minifig doesn’t have any CPU, because he runs on mercurial power, tofu, and puppies’ blood, like the real one.

And talking about the Steve Jobs minifig, remember we are still running our Go Miniman Go video contest, with the chance of winning priceless vintage Lego sets, shrink-wrapped, still in their boxes (if a new Lego Windmill can go for $US1,700, imagine how many thousands a Galaxy Explorer or the original Yellow Castle will cost).

If you want to participate, check the contest rules here.