Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Small bytes of hard drive space may spell big problems for Apple’s new Mac Pro

By
mac pro desktop spec problem final
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Now that Apple’s latest hardware reveal event has concluded, we know a bit more about its upcoming Mac Pro desktop. We all agree that it sports intriguing aesthetics and generally impressive specs. To top it off, who can argue with an $800 price drop over the previous Mac Pro? Despite the fact that the new Mac Pro seemingly shines in multiple areas at first glance, we have one key concern that could trouble the market that Apple is targeting with the Mac Pro.

The Mac Pro portion of Apple’s presentation yesterday included music producers, mentions of A-list pop stars like Lady Gaga and other signs that Apple is clearly aiming at one key constituency with the Mac Pro: creative professionals. Workstations like the Mac Pro are designed specifically who spend make a living creating content, like video, music. The reason why workstations like the Mac Pro are priced the way they are ($3,000 this time around) is due to the fact that the hardware has to match up with the workload that the target crowd deals with on a daily basis. Editing audio, video and photos puts a lot of stress on the CPU and GPU, which is why the new Mac Pro sports multiple GPUs and a server-class Intel Xeon processor. Audios, videos and photos also take up a lot of hard drive space, which is why the previous-generation Mac Pro offered up to 8TB of storage.

Recommended Videos

With this in mind, its worth pointing out that the new Mac Pro and its 256GB SSD, while certainly speedier than any mechanical drive that the previous generation Mac Pro had, will fill up rather quickly. This could pose a significant problem for creative professionals who likely won’t want to be constantly swapping files between their new $3,o00 workstation and a multitude of external hard drives. Those in the market for a new Mac Pro will be able to configure their system’s storage and bump it up to 512GB and 1TB, but neither of those measure up to 8TB.

Just something to keep in mind if you’re a video editor looking forward to the new Mac Pro, which will be released this December.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Konrad Krawczyk
Konrad Krawczyk
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Konrad covers desktops, laptops, tablets, sports tech and subjects in between for Digital Trends. Prior to joining DT, he…
MacBook Pro 16 vs. MacBook Pro 14: The important differences
MacBook Pro laptops.

MacBooks are typically seen as some of the best laptops money can buy, thanks to their combination of performance and longevity. It's not uncommon for MacBooks to be running flawlessly years after purchase -- so while their upfront costs are a bit steep, they're great long-term investments.

That holds true for the MacBook Pro lineup, which comes in two sizes -- 14 inches and 16 inches. Both are top-of-the-line computers designed to handle pretty much anything you can throw at them, offering access to the M3 chip, vibrant Liquid Retina XDR displays, and plenty of other high-end hardware.

Read more
The biggest threat to the MacBook this year might come from Apple itself
The MacBook Air on a white table.

MacBooks have held a dominant position in the laptop world for the past few years. Though there have been meaningful rivals from the Windows side of the aisle, the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro still feel like they hold an unshakeable lead at the moment.

But according to the latest reports, the most serious challenger to the MacBook's reign won't come from Windows -- it'll come from within Apple in the form of some very advanced new iPads.
What's a computer?

Read more
Why you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air
The 14-inch MacBook Pro on a window sill.

There are plenty of reasons to buy a MacBook Air instead of a MacBook Pro. If you want a MacBook on a budget, you don't necessarily need the goodies that come with upgrading to the MacBook Pro.

That being said, I'm going to argue for spending a little more. In my experience, the MacBook Pro offers several distinct advantages that help justify a higher price, especially with the introduction of the more affordable MacBook Pro 14 with the base M3. If you can stretch your budget a bit, here's why I think you should buy a MacBook Pro instead of a MacBook Air.
Setting the stage: pricing

Read more