The “Nehalem” advantage.
Many quad-core processors are composed of two separate dies, which means some cached data has to travel outside the processor to get from core to core. That’s an inefficient way to access information. Enter the Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processor. Its single-die, 64-bit architecture makes 8MB of fully shared L3 cache readily available to each of the four processor cores. The result is fast access to cache data and greater application performance. Combine that with the other technological advances and you get a Mac Pro that’s up to 1.9x faster than the previous generation.

Power when (and where) you need it.
The new Mac Pro introduces Turbo Boost: a dynamic performance technology that automatically boosts the processor clock speed based on workload. If you’re using an application that doesn’t need every core, Turbo Boost shuts off the idle cores while simultaneously increasing the speed of the active ones, up to 3.33GHz on a 2.93GHz Mac Pro.

The virtue of virtual cores.
The new Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors support Hyper-Threading, which allows two threads to run simultaneously on each core. So an 8-core Mac Pro presents 16 virtual cores that are recognized by Mac OS X. Performance is enhanced because Hyper-Threading enables the processor to take better advantage of the execution resources available in each core.

Path of least resistance.
A new bidirectional, point-to-point connection — called QuickPath Interconnect — gives the Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processor quick access to the disk, I/O, and other Mac Pro subsystems. In the new 8-core Mac Pro, there’s a QuickPath Interconnect between the two quad-core processors as well. This connection acts as a direct pipeline, so processor-to-processor data doesn’t need to travel to the I/O hub first. It’s another way the new Mac Pro boosts performance across the board.

Powerfully efficient.
Based on an industry-leading 45-nm process technology and combined with improved power management capabilities, the new Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors are more energy efficient than before. So the Mac Pro is faster than ever, while using less energy when idle.



The redesigned interior of the new Mac Pro feels like the well-organized workstation it is. No rat’s nest of components here. You don’t need to turn the system on its side or struggle to reach into awkward spaces to make changes. Just remove the side panel for instant, easy access to everything. Slide out the processor tray to add memory. Slide out hard drive bays to add storage. Slide a simple bar to change up to four expansion cards at once. And with plenty of I/O ports both front and back, you’ll have room for all your external devices.

Don’t keep those pixels waiting.
If you’re a pro who wants a desktop computer that keeps pace with your imagination, the Mac Pro delivers with faster graphics application performance across the board. Whether you’re decoding H.264 content in Final Cut Pro, creating 3D graphics in Motion, processing massive RAW images in Aperture, or playing the latest games, the graphics hardware in the new Mac Pro makes graphics applications faster.

The foundation of this new graphics architecture is the latest generation of GPUs connected to the system via a fast and wide PCI Express 2.0 16-lane bus. Couple that with Core Animation, Core Image, and Core Video technologies in Mac OS X Leopard. The result is a graphics platform for applications to seamlessly tap into a teraflop of graphics power.

Performance. It’s in the cards.
All-new high-performance graphics cards from AMD and NVIDIA make Mac Pro graphics technology faster than before. Perfect for motion graphics, 3D modeling, rendering, or animation, the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory comes standard — and provides up to 2.9x the performance of previous Mac Pro standard graphics cards.

For even more graphics horsepower, upgrade to the ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512MB of GDDR5 memory. An ideal choice for the most demanding applications, this card features a wider memory bus and higher-performance GPU, resulting in up to 2x faster performance compared with the NVIDIA GeForce GT 120.

Graphics on display.
Every new Mac Pro graphics card features two display ports for maximum workspace flexibility. A Mini DisplayPort connects the new 24-inch Apple LED Cinema Display with ease. A dual-link DVI port connects a 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display or any other DVI display. And with support for up to four NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 cards, you can connect more displays — up to eight total.

Specifications

• Processor: -core: Two 2.26GHz, 2.66GHz, or 2.93GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon 5500 “Nehalem” series processor
• Cache: 8MB fully shared L3 cache per processor
• Memory: Eight memory slots (four per processor) supporting up to 32GB of main memory using 1GB, 2GB, or 4GB DIMMs
• Graphics and displays: Double-wide, 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 graphics slot with one of the following graphics cards installed:
  - NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, PCI Express 2.0, one Mini DisplayPort, and one dual-link DVI port (pre-installed)
  - ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512MB of GDDR5 memory, PCI Express 2.0, one Mini DisplayPort, and one dual-link DVI port
  
• Storage: 640GB Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 16MB cache, Optional 1TB Serial ATA 3Gb/s, 7200 rpm, 32MB cache
• Optional Drive: 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
  - Writes DVD+R and DVD-R discs at up to 18x speed
  - Writes DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL discs at up to 8x speed
  - Writes DVD+RW discs at up to 8x speed
  - Writes DVD-RW discs at up to 6x speed
  - Reads DVDs at up to 18x speed
  - Writes CD-R and CD-RW discs at up to 32x speed
  - Reads CDs at up to 32x speed
  - One open optical drive bay for optional second SuperDrive
  
• Communications:
  - Two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames
  - Bluetooth 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
  - Optional AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi card with 802.11n2 (based on an IEEE 802.11n draft specification); IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
  
  
• Electrical and operating requirements:
  - Line voltage: 100-120V AC or 200-240V AC (wide-range power supply input voltage)
  - Frequency: 50Hz to 60Hz single phase
  - Current: Maximum of 12A (low-voltage range) or 6A (high-voltage range)
  - Operating temperature: 50° to 95° F (10° to 35° C)
  - Storage temperature: -40° to 116° F (-40° to 47° C)
  - Relative humidity: 5% to 95% noncondensing
  - Maximum operating altitude: 10,000 feet
  
  
• Firewire: Four FireWire 800 ports (two on front panel, two on back panel)
• USB: Five USB 2.0 ports (two on front panel, three on back panel). Two USB 2.0 ports on included keyboard
• Audio: - Front-panel headphone minijack and internal speaker
  - Optical digital audio input and output TOSLINK ports
  - Analog stereo line-level input and output minijacks
  
• PCI Express expansion: Three open full-length PCI Express expansion slots - One PCI Express 2.0×16 slot
  - Two PCI Express 2.0×4 slots
  - All slots provide mechanical support for 16-lane cards
  - 300W combined maximum for all PCI Express slots
  
• Software:
  - Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard (includes iTunes, Time Machine, Quick Look, Spaces, Spotlight, Dashboard, Mail, iChat, Safari, Address Book, QuickTime, iCal, DVD Player, Photo Booth, Front Row, Xcode Developer Tools)
  - iLife ’09 (includes iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, and GarageBand)
  
  Size and weight
• Height: 20.1 inches (51.1 cm)
• Width: 8.1 inches (20.6 cm)
• Depth: 18.7 inches (47.5 cm)
• Weight (standard configuration):
  - 8-core: 41.2 pounds (18.7 kg)6
  - Quad-core: 39.9 pounds (18.1 kg)
  
  Environmental
  
• BFR-free
• PVC-free (internal cables)
• Highly recyclable aluminum enclosure
• Meets ENERGY STAR 5.0 requirements
• Rated EPEAT Gold