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

by Apple

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 23.2 x 12.6 x 28.2 inches ; 42.4 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 54.4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000AO5OMA
• Item model number: MA356LL/A
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 7, 2006

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

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, and optical digital audio input and output. The Mac Pro also includes a DVI to VGA adapter and an Apple keyboard and Mighty Mouse.

Preloaded with Leopard, you'll enjoy enhanced productivity and a clutter-free desktop (thanks to the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks).

Preloaded with Leopard and iLife '08
The biggest Mac OS X upgrade ever, the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system features over 300 new features, including:

• 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, a new way to instantly see files without opening an application
• Spaces, an intuitive new feature used to create groups of applications and instantly switch between them
• A brand new desktop with Stacks, a new way to easily access files from the Dock
• Major enhancements to Mail and iChat

Leopard's new desktop includes the redesigned 3D Dock with Stacks, a new way to organize files for quick and easy access with just one click. Leopard automatically places web, email and other downloads in a Downloads stack to maintain a clutter-free desktop, and you can instantly fan the contents of this and other Stacks into an elegant arc right from the Dock. The updated Finder includes Cover Flow and a new sidebar with a dramatically simplified way to search for, browse and copy content from any PC or Mac on a local network.

Time Machine lets you easily back up all of the data on your Mac, find lost files and even restore all of the software on their Mac. With just a one-click setup, Time Machine automatically keeps an up-to-date copy of everything on the Mac. In the event a file is lost, you can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file.

The MacBook Air also comes with the iLife '08 suite of applications that make it easy to live the digital life. Use iPhoto to share entire high-res photo albums with anyone who's got an email address. Record your own songs and podcasts with GarageBand. Break into indie filmmaking with iMovie and iDVD. Then take all the stuff you made on your Mac and share it on the Web in one click with iWeb.

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 v10.5 Leopard, 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.

Product Description

Introducing the fastest, most configurable Mac ever—you choose the processor speed, memory, graphics cards, and drives. Experience industry-leading quad-core performance with the latest Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors—MA356LL/A comes with 2.66GHz (configurable up to 3GHz and 4MB of shared L2 cache per processor). A redesigned enclosure gives you greater capacity and expansion options, including eight DIMM slots for up to 16MB of memory, four cable-free direct-attach hard drive bays for up to 2TB of storage, and four PCI Express expansion slots—including one double-wide slot for high-powered graphics cards. Conveniently located front FireWire 800 and USB 2.0 ports let you plug in a variety of external devices with ease. And with high-end workstation graphics, dual digital display support, and out-of-the-box support for a 30-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, the Mac Pro is the ultimate desktop workstation. Purchase the AppleCare Protection Plan (sold separately) to extend your service and support to up to three full years from the purchase date of your Mac Pro. The plan provides support for the Mac Pro, the Mac OS, and many Apple consumer applications, along with one display when you purchase it with the Mac Pro. Extended service for additional monitors is sold separately.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Mac OS Workstation, November 14, 2006

By 

J. Hirota "MJ" (Torrance, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple Mac Pro MA356LL/A Desktop (Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

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.

57 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Misleading review by David Johnson..., October 3, 2006

By 

David Siegel "hn4404" (Silver Spring, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple Mac Pro MA356LL/A Desktop (Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

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.

73 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best Mac Ever...And I've Had Several, September 4, 2006

By 

Greg Robertson (Historic Quincy, MA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Apple Mac Pro MA356LL/A Desktop (Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive) (Personal Computers)

I've been an Apple addict since the Classic was first introduced and have traveled through the good, great, and struggling years with them. Thus, I feel well-qualified in saying that Apple's new Mac Pro MA356LL is THE best Mac ever made. (Which, by extension, also means the best desktop computer ever made.)

First, it's incredibly fast. When I'm working full tilt, which is often, I'm running Photoshop, Quark, Illustrator, Acrobat, Word, and Final Cut Pro all at once, switching back and forth between programs often and in need of quick results. On this baby, everything flows smoothly and reaction times are instantaneous.

Second, it's resiliently stable. I run an advertising and design agency, so I keep the aforementioned programs running all day, all at the same time, plus iTunes, FileMaker Pro, and Internet programs, off and on. Even on my previous generation Mac G5, every now and then things would get bogged down and I'd have to reboot, then take the time to open everything again, etc., etc. Not even a hint of that on this one, so far. (As of this writing, I've had it about a month.)

Also, while the Mac Pro certainly resembles the G5 in size and casing, this new one has additional ports that make for increased productivity right out of the box. And, yes, you can add plenty more, although I'll probably just go with the factory build for the moment.

Lastly, it's worth noting that although Macs have traditionally cost somewhat more than PCs upfront (although I've always found them to be worth it), in this case, you'd be hard pressed to find a better value than the Mac Pro. Match it function for function and capability for capability with a PC, to the extent that you can, and the PC costs AT LEAST as much, and usually more.

Take this baby out and rev her up. You're in for a great ride.