is Xserve then the best desktop mac too?? ...

solrac

solrac

Mac Ninja
Wait, if Xserve has a dual 1 Ghz, with like this way better cache, and this way better RAM, and a better architecture....

can't you just connect a monitor to it and run OS X on it (the non-server version) and just have the best Desktop mac? It's upgradeable too, right??

Can it connect to a flat screen from Apple?
 
Originally posted by solrac
Wait, if Xserve has a dual 1 Ghz, with like this way better cache, and this way better RAM, and a better architecture....

can't you just connect a monitor to it and run OS X on it (the non-server version) and just have the best Desktop mac? It's upgradeable too, right??

Can it connect to a flat screen from Apple?
Click to expand...

If you wish, you can definitely use it as a desktop Mac. Apple has a BTO option to take out the second gigabit ethernet and put in an ATI Radeon 8500 AGP card. Note that you'll only have another 2 PCI slot for expansion (the Xserv has 2 PCI and 1 PCI/AGP slot) versus the PowerMac's 4 PCI slot plus 1 AGP slot.
 
On the Xserve page Apple is promoting its use as a rackmount workstation for graphics pros when some things are tweaked in the BTO options.
 
but...
I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that the new desktop systems that come out at MWNY will have DDR RAM and faster system architecture.
 
Does it really have an AGP slot? I thought the AGP cards just plugged into the PCI slot on a riser.

-Rob
 
From Apple's site:

TI Radeon 8500 graphics processing unit (GPU): If you’re a creative professional who plans to use Xserve as a rack mount workstation, you can order a system with an ATI Radeon 8500 graphics processing unit (with 64MB of DDR video memory, dual display support, and DVI, VGA and S-video connectors) preinstalled in the AGP 4X slot.
 
I can't find anything on it. It seems there is a riser, but I would think they couldn't call it a 4x AGP slot unless it had all the right plumbing. Their tech specs don't give much detail on this.
 
I also wanted to add that it's ideal for music professionals... most of which already have racks for their equipment...
 
Seems to me this thing has a lot of extra crap to be worth it for use as a workstation. I magine those sleds for the HDs are pricey. I'm banking on updated towers at or shortly after MWNY.
 
Xserve would not be quite ideal for music pros, Yes it fits in a standard width rack mount, but look how long it is, 28 inches, That's way deeper than any standard audio-type rack. I don't see units much deeper than 20 inch??
 
It's a PCI/AGP combo slot, not just a riser. I am thinking it's like the older PCI/ISA slots some of us PC coverts used to have in our PC systems. You do get the 4x speed.

From Apple's Xserv tech page...

One half-length 32-bit 66MHz PCI/AGP combination slot with one of the following:
— Gigabit Ethernet card (standard configurations)
— AGP 4X graphics card (build-to-order option)
 
Correct me if Im wrong, but the Gigabit Ethernet goes in that AGP/PCI slot because the normal PCI slots don't have enough bandwidth?
 
No, PCI Gigabit ethernet goes into that port, because it's a half size one, and they leave the only other external full size PCI slot free.
 
From the Xserve data sheet:

BTO Options:
(...)
-Graphics: ATI Radeon 8500 AGP 4x graphics card (includes AGP riser)
(...)
 
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