Apple Mac Pro MC560LL/A Desktop (OLD VERSION)

by Apple

• One 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor
• 3GB (three 1GB) memory
• 1TB hard drive
• 18x double-layer SuperDrive
• ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1GB GDDR5

Product Description

Amazon.com

The new Mac Pro is the fastest, most powerful Mac ever. Its new Intel Xeon processors increase performance up to 1.5x, and advanced graphics processors deliver high-performance graphics. It can even be configured with up to 12 processor cores. You can add up to 16 GB of memory, four PCI Express expansion cards, and up to 8 TB of hard drive storage. And the Mac Pro includes built-in Wi-Fi and the Magic Mouse.

The Apple Mac Pro (see larger image).

This Mac Pro (model MC560LL/A) is powered by a single hyper-threaded 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" series processor with a Turbo Boost feature that automatically boosts the processor clock speed based on workload. It also features the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory.

It's outfitted with 1 TB of hard drive storage and 3 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 RAM. The interior provides easy access to all components within the Mac Pro for hassle-free expansion and upgrade capability--up to 16 GB of RAM and four hard drive bays for up to 8 TB of storage under the hood. And while it comes standard with a 18x SuperDrive (compatible with burning DVD±R/RW and CD-R/RW discs), you can also add a second writing SuperDrive.

It also comes with the Mac OS X Lion operating system as well as the iLife software suite, which includes the latest versions of iPhoto, iMovie, and GarageBand.

Key Features

Easy Expansion

With the easy-to-access interior of the Mac Pro, all you need to do is simply remove the side panel in order to add hard drives and memory. And adding a new hard drive to take advantage of the 8 TB maximum capacity of the Mac Pro is a cinch--just slide out one of the four direct-attach, cable-free drive bays to add a Serial ATA hard drive or solid-state drive. Lock the drives with the side door latch, and you're done.

The easy-to-access interior (see larger image).

Maximize your system memory up to 16 GB from the four memory slots of this single-processor Mac Pro model. And just like adding storage, the easy access interior makes it a snap to re-configure your memory--slide out the processor tray, then simply snap new memory into place.

Multiple Video Output Options

The Mac Pro features two Mini DisplayPorts and one dual-link DVI port. The additional Mini DisplayPort output allows you to connect two displays without an additional graphics card or adapter, and the dual-link DVI port supports legacy DVI-based displays up to a resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels.

Apple Magic Mouse

You'll be able to cut the cord with the included Magic Mouse, which connects to the Mac Pro using Bluetooth wireless technology. The Magic Mouse features a seamless Multi-Touch surface that enables you to use the same intuitive gestures used on the MacBook trackpad to easily scroll through long documents or swipe to move forward or backward through a collection of web pages or photos. And it can be configured as either a single- or two-button mouse.

Rear ports (see larger image).

Key Specifications

• Single 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon W3530 "Nehalem" processor with 8 MB of fully shared L3 cache per processor, Turbo Boost dynamic performance up to 3.06 GHz, and Hyper-Threading technology for up to 8 virtual cores.
• ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory, PCI Express 2.0, and option to install two ATI Radeon HD 5770 cards (which provides support for up to six displays).
• 1 TB Serial ATA hard drive (3Gb/s; 7200 rpm) with up to 8 TB of internal storage (hard drives or solid-state drives) in bays four 3.5-inch cable-free, direct-attach drive bays.
• 3 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM (three 1 GB DIMMs) with four memory slots supporting up to 16 GB of main memory
• 18x SuperDrive with double-layer support (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW): 18x DVD±R, 8x DVD±R DL, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 32x CD-R/RW (one open optical drive bay for optional second SuperDrive)
• AirPort Extreme 802.11n Wi-Fi
• Bluetooth 2.1 + Enhanced Data Rate (EDR)
• Networking: Two independent 10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet (RJ-45) interfaces with support for jumbo frames
• Expansion: Three open full-length PCI Express expansion slots (one PCI Express 2.0 x16 slot; two PCI Express 2.0 x4 slots); all slots provide mechanical support for 16-lane cards
• Four FireWire 800 ports (two on front panel, two on back panel)
• Five USB 2.0 ports (two on front panel, three on back panel) plus two additional USB 2.0 ports on included keyboard
• Video output: Two Mini DisplayPort outputs, and one dual-link DVI port
• Audio I/O: Front-panel headphone minijack and internal speaker; optical digital audio input and output TOSLINK ports; analog stereo line-level input and output minijacks
• Dimensions: 8.1 x 20.1 x 18.7 inches (WxHxD)
• Weight: 41.2 pounds

What's in the Box

Mac Pro, Apple Keyboard with numeric keypad, Magic Mouse, USB extension cable, power cord, install/restore DVDs, printed and electronic documentation

Limited Warranty And Service

The Mac Pro comes with 90 days of free telephone support and a 1-year limited warranty, which can be extended to 3 years with the AppleCare Protection Plan.

Installed software

Mac OS X Lion is an even more powerful and refined version of the world's most advanced operating system. In ways big and small, it gets faster, more reliable, and easier to use. New core technologies unleash the power of today's advanced hardware technology and prepare Mac OS X for future innovation.

• Mac OS X v10.7 Lion (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, and more)

iLife helps you do more with photos, movies, and music than you ever thought possible. In iPhoto, you can browse, edit, and share your photos in stunning new full-screen views. Create epic Hollywood-style movie trailers from your home video in iMovie. And GarageBand gives you everything you need to make a great-sounding song--including tools for keeping your song in perfect rhythm and guitar and piano lessons.

• iLife (includes iPhoto, iMovie, GarageBand, iWeb, and iDVD)

AppleCare Protection Plan

Because Apple makes the hardware, the operating system, and many applications, the Mac is a truly integrated system. And only the AppleCare Protection Plan gives you one-stop service and support from Apple experts, so most issues can be resolved in a single call. Extend the complimentary service and support on your Mac to 3 years from the original Mac purchase date with the AppleCare Protection Plan. You get direct telephone access to Apple experts for technical questions, and you get global repair coverage--including both parts and labor--for your Mac and select Apple peripherals.

Optional Accessories and Related Products

	Time Capsule Back up a lifetime's worth of memories with Time Capsule, a wireless hard drive that works seamlessly with Time Machine in Mac OS X. It's also a full-featured 802.11n Wi-Fi base station with simultaneous dual-band support. Choose from 1 TB and 2 TB models.
	AirPort Extreme Base Station Speed, range, and easy setup make AirPort Extreme the perfect wireless solution for home, school, and small business. It offers simultaneous dual-band support and lets up to 50 people share Internet access, a wireless network, a hard drive, and a printer.
	27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display The stunning 2560-by-1440 resolution, built-in camera and speakers, and easy connectivity of the 27-inch Apple LED Cinema Display add up to a viewing experience unlike any other.
	Apple Magic Trackpad Magic Trackpad is the first Multi-Touch trackpad designed to work with your Mac desktop computer, and it supports a full set of gestures. Click, scroll, swipe, and rotate to control what's onscreen. Use it along with your mouse or as an alternative to one.
	Apple Wireless Keyboard The sleek aluminum Apple Wireless Keyboard lets you type in front of your computer, on your lap, or anywhere within range. It's also incredibly thin and streamlined, so it sits on your desk surrounded by nothing but glorious space.
	Apple Battery Charger The Apple Battery Charger comes with a high-performance, power-efficient charger and six ready-to-use AA NiMH batteries that are exceptional at holding a charge and can last for up to 10 years.

Product Description

Thanks to the next-generation Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” processors and new system architecture, the Mac Pro now delivers performance thatʼs nearly twice as fast as before.(1) Each processor features an integrated memory controller and 8MB of fully shared L3 cache. With blazing-fast 1066MHz DDR3 ECC SDRAM, high-performance graphics, a redesigned interior for easier expansion, itʼs the most advanced Mac Pro ever. (1)Testing conducted by Apple in February 2009 using preproduction Mac Pro 8-core 2.93GHz units and shipping Mac Pro 8-core 3.2GHz units. SPEC® is a registered trademark of the Standard Performance Evaluation Corporation (SPEC); see www.spec.org for more information. Performance tests are conducted using specific computer systems and reflect the approximate performance of Mac Pro.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Quality Workstation February 4, 2011

By David Chan

Amazon Verified Purchase

I stepped up from an 2010 iMac i7 to the 2.8 Quad Core Mac Pro after realizing that I wanted a system that can grow with me as new tech comes down the pipeline. You can easily upgrade RAM, videocard, drives, and even the CPU if you are careful. The base 2.8 model gives you the best bang for the buck. I bought from Amazon and got 12 GB of RAM with the money I saved vs. Apple and no tax. And now the machine flys with all the extra memory. I still can't believe Apple only includes 3 GB standard. Most of the apps I run including Photoshop, Aperture, FinalCut Express really don't take advantage of multiple cores and getting the dual core 2.4 would have been an unwise choice unless you really need to upgrade your RAM up to 64 GB. Plus the 2010 model can be upgraded to the Hex Core chip to future proof my investment once the chips come down in price. Overall, I feel that I made the right purchase even though the cost is higher upfront. The ability to customize and upgrade makes the Mac Pro an easy choice to make.

PROs:
1)Industrial designed Chassis with good looks and ease of access for upgrades
2)Decently fast components (scores almost 9000 on 32bit version of Geekbench)
3)Quiet operation but not as quiet as an iMac
4)Ability to use whatever monitor you may want
5)Holds value well should you decide to resell later on

CONs:
1)Expensive for the what you get vs. PCs of the same build
2)Performance already being matched by highest level iMac (i7 model)
3)USB 2.0 only
4)No built in eSATA port
5)Western Digital Black drive is a bit noisey
6)Apple upgrade videocards much more expensive vs. PC version
7)Not a cost effective option for someone who might want to do any gaming in Bootcamp
8)Only 3 GB of RAM with base model

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Another triumph for Apple September 21, 2010

By I miss W

I just replaced my five-year-old Dual 2.7 GHz PowerMac G5 with the Apple 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Mac Pro and what an improvement! The new Mac is at least three times faster doing processing tasks (exporting a movie from QuickTime, for example) than the old unit, and it's SILENT. Photoshop is a lot speedier and so is Quark (although the lengthy delay in startup hasn't changed--dang you Quark!). I've pushed it hard (transferring files from the old Mac while exporting a movie from QT, listening to iTunes, and working in Photoshop) without hearing the fans speed up even once! I have three 1-TB drives installed in the enclosure with one bay free, plus six 2-TB external drives hooked up via a Kensington USB Hub and file transfers happen reliably and quickly.

Tasks such as installing hard disks can be tedious on less well designed computers, but not on the Mac Pro! Fit and finish are perfect and the hardware shows the usual attention to detail for which Apple is renowned. For instance, to install a new disk drive in one of the four drive bays: simply lift the locking lever on the rear of the case and take the cover off, thereby exposing the bays. Remove one, attach it to the new drive and tighten the four captive fasteners, then slide it back into the Mac Pro enclosure--elapsed time less than a minute! Installing RAM and PCI Express cards is equally simple.

I'm not much for gaming but I do like playing Unreal Tournament 2003 online. There's not a native Intel version of UT2003, so it runs using the Rosetta translator, but the ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics processor and Nahalem processors handle the load with barely a hiccup--there is a slight reduction in frame rates (noticeable but not annoyingly so).

In retrospect, I'd have bumped the RAM up from 3 GB, but that's the closest I can come to a regret with this computer.

There's been some little controversy over the last year as to whether the Mac Pro is worth the price premium over iMacs because they've been closing the performance gap. For me it was no contest: I needed as much internal disk storage as I could get, plus the flexibility to add RAM and monitors as needed was a crucial factor. The iMac is a great computer, but I'm happy with my Mac Pro.

I highly recommend this machine!

[edit] Removed link to 4GB RAM upgrade because it was incorrect.

19 of 23 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars DIY Notes April 23, 2011

By Andrew Wilcox

This is a great computer -- no question about it. And if you need lots of monitor real estate, you have to go with this machine. It will handle three 30" monitors out of the box and will support three more with an additional graphics card. For those of you who miss the Apple 30" monitor, I recommend the Dell U3011. It's a better monitor and costs less than what Apple charged for theirs.

The MacPro graphics card has two Mini DisplayPort interfaces and one dual link DVI. The Dell monitor has Dual Link DVI and DisplayPort outputs. This means you'll need a Display Port to Mini Display Port adapter. I recommend the Accell B112B-001B UltraAV Mini DisplayPort/DisplayPort Adapter. It's inexpensive and works flawlessly.

If you have a Mac and intend to use the Apple Upgrade Assistant to transfer your files, I expect that you can do so without a problem. If you're a genius and are planning to sneak in some DIY action, here are some helpful hints:

Situation: You are a genius and have decided to purchase a high quality Solid State Drive from a third party rather than pay Apple's premium.

Problem: The four drive bays in the MacPro only support 3.5" drives. This is a problem since all SSDs are 2.5". Rail and sled conversions kits will not work.

Solution: Buy the IcyDock converter, which you can purchase at Amazon. It's not too expensive ($14.99 -- keep in mind how much you already paid for that uber fast SSD), is easy to setup and works like a charm.

Situation: You are a genius and have decided to purchase a high quality Solid State Drive from a third party rather than pay Apple's premium.

Problem: You've now blown your budget.

Solution: You can, from time to time, purchase refurbished MacPros from Apple. These are usually sold at a 15% discount (this varies by model and age)

Situation: You're a genius and decided to clone your existing drive using a utility like Carbon Copy Cloner. This means you can just stick the cloned SSD into your brand new IcyDock, slap that into your MacPro and will be up and running in no time.

Problem: You've just booted your MacPro for the first time and are staring triumphantly at the login screen when you realize that your old wireless mouse (or the wireless mouse that came with your MacPro) doesn't work.

Solution: You can use the tab key to select a user and login.

Situation: You're a genius and have just successfully logged into your MacPro without using a mouse. You're feeling a bit like MacGyver (there's a pun there), and feel that there is no problem that you cannot solve because, well, you're a genius.

Problem: You need to have a mouse to setup your wireless mouse.

Solution: You're a genius who has never thrown away any piece of computer hardware you're ever owned, so you have a spare USB mouse with which you can setup the wireless mouse.

Situation: You're pairing an existing wireless mouse with your MacPro.

Problem: You're not a genius. You forgot to unpair your old mouse.

Solution: If you're too lazy to boot up your old machine and unpair the mouse, you can try taking out the batteries and then putting them back in. For some unknown reason this works for mice but not for wireless keyboards. But hey, you're no longer a genius and can't be expected to know everything.

Situation: Your old computer was a MacBook(Pro) and you do a lot of voice chatting on Skype/IChat.

Problem: Your shiny, brand new, 33 pound MacPro doesn't have a built in microphone, so you can listen to your friends talk but you can't respond to them.

Solution: buy a headset, preferably before you click on the Voice Chat icon ;-)