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The star of the show this year is Intel’s Xeon W silicon, a workstation-class processor with an insane amount of cores for intense multithreaded performance. Not all of that can be replicated in any one Windows PC, but let’s start with the processor. Some have estimated that a fully configured Mac Pro will cost upwards of $35,000. Creative professionals, however, will find plenty to love with an Intel Xeon W processor, 32GB RAM, AMD Radeon Pro 580X GPU, a massive 1.4-kilowatt power supply, Apple’s custom Afterburner ASIC card, 256GB SSD encrypted with T2 security chip, and eight available PCIe slots. The base Mac Pro starts at $6,000, and even at this price, it will be priced out reach for most people. For graphical power you get in the Mac Pro’s size, it’s in a league of its own. The boxy Aventum X, for comparison, starts at 75 pounds and comes measuring 25.7 × 28.3 × 10 inches, and its wheel-less design makes it difficult to move. To match the quad-GPU support of the Mac Pro, you’ll likely need to upgrade to a far larger desktop on the Windows side, like Digital Storm’s Aventum X. Most notably, you’re limited to dual-graphics and fewer opportunities for PCIe expansion. Though these PC competitors may be more compact and lighter than Apple’s flagship computing powerhouse, all of these Windows 10-powered systems have some serious limitations compared to the Mac Pro in terms of performance expandability. HP’s similarly-sized Omen Obelisk measures 23 pounds, while Alienware’s Aurora R8 gaming desktop adds a top carry handle to its more bulbous 32-pound chassis. Well, the Mac Pro weighs more than double the 18-pound Origin Neuron, which comes in a more compact body. How do some of the familiar faces in the world of high-powered gaming PCs stack up? Measuring 20.8 × 17.7 × 8.58 inches, the Mac Pro is one of the most compact desktops you can buy today that supports quad-graphics. To accommodate its new design, the Mac Pro has increased in footprint, growing from an 11-pound canister to a 40-pound tower. The Mac Pro has increased in footprint, growing from an 11-pound canister to a 40-pound tower.
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