The new architecture is really impressive with CPUs and their memory controller installed on a daughter card as well as the RAM modules. However, one should clear mention that if you are choosing a single Quad Core configuration, you will not be able to add a second Xeon (and its associated heatsink) later on. Indeed, the single Quad Core Xeon belongs to the Series 3000 and is not designed to work with a second CPU. The memory controller integrated in the CPU should provide a clear gain of performance without forgetting the support of hyperthreading giving access to 16 logical cores for the Octo Core model
However, we are also disappointed by some choices made by Apple. First the premium price applied for most Octo Core models. The high-end model will cost more than 5000 €, a price most likely to high even for Pro users looking for the fastest machine. Of course, it might directly be linked to the exclusive Xeon Nehalem installed inside. While the design of the case has been revised, it is a pity that Apple did not think of including a 2.5" enclosure instead of the second optical drive space; it could have been used to install a SSD. Indeed, we have recently shown that a SSD might be faster than a RAID volume composed of two Velociraptor...
