The new Mac Pro has been popular and criticized in equal parts, but there's no doubt that Apple is blaming some of its loyal ones ridiculous high prices according to the hardware that integrates their equipment. This machine has a processor Intel Xeon W-3223 8 cores at 3.5 GHz (Turbo up to 4 GHz), via 32 GB of RAM ECC DDR4, 256 GB of SSD storage and a dedicated image AMD Radeon Pro 580X 8 GB GDDR5.
With this material resource, let's look at how much it would cost to install it ourselves.
A PC equivalent of a Mac Pro costs more than a third
We start with the processor Intel Xeon W-3223, which we can buy from mainstream online stores and will have to ask distributors. Its sale price is for sale 750 euros.
To be able to install the Xeon W-3223 processor and ECC memory we have to choose the motherboard for the servers, and in this case what we need ASUS Z11PR-D16 which, in fact, supports two processors if we want. This motherboard is priced for 676 euros on Amazon right now.
To cool the heatsink, we prefer a Noctua NH-D9 DX-3647 his price is around 90 euros and that ensures efficient and quiet operation to keep the processor at optimum temperature. It is also a heatsink built for Xeon processors.
As RAM we don't have too many options for ECC, so we prefer the 32 GB DDR4 kit at 2,666 MHz Crucial CT32G4RFD4266 his price 160 euros.
As for the graphics card, we have a XFX AMD Radeon RX 580 of 178 euros equivalent (or nearly) to Radeon Pro for Mac Pro, and as SSD we choose 256 GB Corsair Force MP300 which is PCIe 3.0 and NVMe for 67 euros.
We complete the suspension of the elements in a box Phanteks Enthoo Pro 100 euros and electric power EVGA 1000GQ 1000 watts has an 80Plus Gold efficiency certificate, much better than the one installed by Apple's equipment company. Its price is about 169 euros.
Hardware Configuration Summary
The sum of all things is equal 2,272.59 euros, that compared to the 6,499 euros that Apple is asking for the basic suspension of its Mac Pro, we have a savings of less than 4,226.41 euros, and will have paid more than a third of what the Pro Pro costs.
