I was ecstatic about the 2019 Mac Pro until I heard its price. $5999, which is well above the price range of the entry-level 2013 Mac Pro ($2999) and of other Mac Pro and Power Macintosh models, which have historically had an inflation-adjusted entry level price range of $2500-3000 for the past two decades. In fact, here's a list of prices for entry-level Power Macintosh and Mac Pro models in the last 20 years (all of these prices were found on Low End Mac):
Blue and White Power Mac G3 (January 1999) -- $1,599 ($2,453 in 2019 dollars)
Graphite Power Mac G4 (December 1999) -- $1,599 ($2,453 in 2019 dollars)
2001 Power Mac G4 (January 2001) -- $1,699 ($2,453)
2001 Quicksilver Power Mac G4 (July 2001) -- $1,699 ($2,453)
2002 Mirrored Drive Door Power Mac G4 (August 2002) -- $1,699 ($2,413)
2003 Power Mac G5 (August 2003) -- $1,999 ($2,776), reduced to $1,799 ($2,499) in November 2003
2006 Mac Pro (August 2006) -- $2,199 ($2,787)
2010 Mac Pro (July 2010) -- $2,499 ($2,929)
2013 Mac Pro (December 2013) -- $2,999 ($3,289.83 in 2019 dollars, but you can still purchase an entry-level 2013 Mac Pro today from Apple for $2,999 in 2019 dollars).
I wouldn't have been surprised if Apple had announced a $3,299 or $3,499 entry-level Mac Pro model given how inflation-adjusted prices have crept upwards over the past 20 years, but $5,999 is a gigantic leap from $2,999 or even $3,499.
There's no doubt that the 2019 Mac Pro has answered the needs of some classes of pro Mac users. For people in the movie and music industries as well as professionals working in certain engineering and architecture disciplines, they have clamored for user-serviceable, upgradeable Macs that are also very powerful, and are willing to pay top dollar for their equipment since time is money for them. The Mac Pro certainly delivers in these aspects, and I'm glad that Apple has recommitted itself to these users.
Unfortunately Apple has disappointed another class of Power Macintosh/Mac Pro user; those who want an affordable machine that is also user-serviceable. Apple used to provide entry-level Power Macintosh and Mac Pro models that catered to this group. Unfortunately the Mac lineup under Tim Cook has largely become unserviceable by users, complete with soldered RAM, soldered storage, and design decisions that make upgrading and repairs difficult to impossible. The 2019 Mac Pro is a tease, a kick in the face for this class of user. We finally have access to an expandable, upgradeable, user-serviceable Mac, but at unattainable prices. It's like being an Acura fan who clamored for the return for the Acura Integra or Acura RSX, which were affordable sports cars that would probably cost $30,000 brand new if they were sold today, but Acura points these fans to the Acura NSX, a $150,000+ supercar.
And, so, as a user of a 2013 Mac Pro, I have mixed feelings. I'm glad to see that Apple is committed to its pro users and to the longevity of macOS, but unfortunately Apple has doubled-down on its model of selling non-serviceable, non-upgradeable machines to all but the most wealthy of its customers.
Unfortunately I feel trapped as a Mac user. Windows 10 sucks and the Linux desktop is still not ready for prime time, but at least there are a wide variety of PCs out there that are user-serviceable, upgradeable, and affordable. macOS is the best operating system out there and is the only one in my opinion that is truly designed for users in mind, but unfortunately it is largely tied to hardware that is virtually closed off to repairs and upgrades unless you're willing to spend $6000+ on a computer, which is insanely expensive for a computer in 2019 unless you're in a field that absolutely needs the most powerful machine around.
Thankfully my 2013 Mac Pro provides ample power for my needs, and so I'll be using that for years to come. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up a used 2019 Mac Pro for a more affordable price once my 2013 Mac Pro gets long in the tooth.
I think if they would have released an i9 model with a better GPU at say, $3499, then they could have sold a lot of them. I don't see any point in server chips and ECC ram being bottle necked by a single weak GPU with proprietary upgrades.
There's no doubt that the 2019 Mac Pro has answered the needs of some classes of pro Mac users. For people in the movie and music industries as well as professionals working in certain engineering and architecture disciplines, they have clamored for user-serviceable, upgradeable Macs that are also very powerful, and are willing to pay top dollar for their equipment since time is money for them. The Mac Pro certainly delivers in these aspects, and I'm glad that Apple has recommitted itself to these users.
Unfortunately Apple has disappointed another class of Power Macintosh/Mac Pro user; those who want an affordable machine that is also user-serviceable. Apple used to provide entry-level Power Macintosh and Mac Pro models that catered to this group. Unfortunately the Mac lineup under Tim Cook has largely become unserviceable by users, complete with soldered RAM, soldered storage, and design decisions that make upgrading and repairs difficult to impossible. The 2019 Mac Pro is a tease, a kick in the face for this class of user. We finally have access to an expandable, upgradeable, user-serviceable Mac, but at unattainable prices. It's like being an Acura fan who clamored for the return for the Acura Integra or Acura RSX, which were affordable sports cars that would probably cost $30,000 brand new if they were sold today, but Acura points these fans to the Acura NSX, a $150,000+ supercar.
And, so, as a user of a 2013 Mac Pro, I have mixed feelings. I'm glad to see that Apple is committed to its pro users and to the longevity of macOS, but unfortunately Apple has doubled-down on its model of selling non-serviceable, non-upgradeable machines to all but the most wealthy of its customers.
Unfortunately I feel trapped as a Mac user. Windows 10 sucks and the Linux desktop is still not ready for prime time, but at least there are a wide variety of PCs out there that are user-serviceable, upgradeable, and affordable. macOS is the best operating system out there and is the only one in my opinion that is truly designed for users in mind, but unfortunately it is largely tied to hardware that is virtually closed off to repairs and upgrades unless you're willing to spend $6000+ on a computer, which is insanely expensive for a computer in 2019 unless you're in a field that absolutely needs the most powerful machine around.
Thankfully my 2013 Mac Pro provides ample power for my needs, and so I'll be using that for years to come. Hopefully I'll be able to pick up a used 2019 Mac Pro for a more affordable price once my 2013 Mac Pro gets long in the tooth.