2013 Mac Pro - Introduction

Apple announced the new revision for its 2013 Mac Pro line at the company's WWDC and provided more details at their keynote in October. Coming in December, the new Mac Pro boasts an all-new, substantially revamped design. Apple Mac Pro Memory, for example, will use a four channel memory controller at speeds of 1866MHz.  Let's take a look at the new machine and compare it to its recent predecessors.  Each individual user will have different needs for their machines, so we'll cover all the different components and let you be the judge as to how the 2013 Mac Pro will stack up for you.

Pros and Cons

From the get go, the new machine looks radically different then previous modules of the Mac Pro (which shared a body design with the original G5 towers); the cylindrical design is a definite departure from previous models. At first glance, your initial question might be, “Where do I put my stuff?” With no obviously accessible panels or optical bays, it is a fair question to ask. So before we get into the core “pros and cons," it is important to state from the onset that Apple intends for you to do most of your expansion externally through the Thunderbolt 2 ports on the back of the machine.
With that said, let's move on to the core components.

Aesthetic Footprint

Easily the most obvious change to the 2013 Mac Pro is its design. The overall footprint and weight of the machine has been noticeably decreased. The new design is much sleeker then its previous incarnation and a definite departure from standard PC builds. While this is definitely a plus to some users, there are downsides. With the smaller design, there is less room for internal upgrades. Compared to earlier Mac Pro models, there really is not much you can upgrade internally after purchase. This can be further exacerbated depending upon the peripherals you use. If you have already made the shift to Thunderbolt or USB 3.0, then this should be a minor concern; however, if you have been using mainly internal expansions (slots and drive bays), this can present numerous issues such as eSata compatibility, MIDI plug-ins, etc. Also, the sorts of peripherals available at release are still highly speculative, as Thunderbolt is still relatively new technology.

Dimension Specs:

Continue reading to learn more about the 2013 Mac Pro Internal Storage