Mac Pro (2006)
The Power Mac G5 case with two dual-core Xeons: the Mac Pro is born.
Overview
The first Mac Pro closed the three-quarter-year transition from PowerPC to Intel. Two dual-core Xeon processors at 2.66 GHz, with options up to 3.0 GHz, powered a workstation that shared its exterior with the G5.
The interior was reworked: four hard drive bays, two optical bays, four PCI Express slots and eight FB-DIMM memory sockets for up to 16 GB. Standard graphics was an Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT, with an ATI Radeon X1900 XT and an Nvidia Quadro FX 4500 as options. An eight-core model with two quad-core Xeons followed in 2007.
It had five USB 2.0 ports, two FireWire 400 and two FireWire 800, plus dual Gigabit Ethernet.
Why it mattered
It finished the move to Intel and introduced the Mac Pro name that lasted until 2026.
At a glance
- Announced
- August 7, 2006
- Released
- August 7, 2006
- Discontinued
- January 8, 2008
- Launch price
- $2,199
- Chip / processor
- Dual Intel Xeon 5100 dual-core, 2.66 GHz
- Storage
- 250 GB
- Status
- Vintage
Highlights
- Two dual-core Xeon processors
- Four PCI Express slots and four drive bays
- Up to 16 GB of FB-DIMM memory
- Two Gigabit Ethernet ports
Tech specs
Specifications as published at launch. Some values (like battery life) are manufacturer estimates.
Chip
- Chip
- Two dual-core Intel Xeon 5100, 2.66 GHz (options to 3.0 GHz)
- CPU cores
- 4
Memory
- RAM
- 1 GB FB-DIMM DDR2, expandable to 16 GB
- Storage options
- 250 GB standard; options up to 750 GB
Graphics
- GPU
- Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT, 256 MB
Expansion
- Slots
- Four PCI Express slots
Ports
- Ports
- 5 USB 2.0, 2 FireWire 400, 2 FireWire 800, 2 Gigabit Ethernet, optical audio in and out
Design
- Dimensions
- 51.1 x 20.6 x 47.5 cm (20.1 x 8.1 x 18.7 in)
- Weight
- 19.2 kg (42.4 lb)
Software
- Launch OS
- Mac OS X 10.4.7 Tiger
- Latest supported OS
- Mac OS X 10.7 Lion
Availability
- Announced
- August 7, 2006
- Released
- August 7, 2006
- Discontinued
- January 8, 2008
- Launch price
- $2,199
Colors
- Finishes
- Aluminum
How it compares
More in the Mac Pro family
Mac Pro (Early 2008)
Eight Harpertown Xeon cores as standard.
Mac Pro (Early 2009)
Nehalem Xeons and DDR3 memory arrive in the Mac Pro.
Mac Pro (Mid 2010)
Westmere Xeons bring a 12-core Mac Pro.
Mac Pro (Mid 2012)
A modest update that was the end of the aluminum cheese-grater tower.
Mac Pro (Late 2013)
A black cylinder with two workstation GPUs and a single fan.
Mac Pro (2019)
The tower returns, modular and with a 1.4 kW power supply.
Mac Pro (2023)
The last Mac Pro: an M2 Ultra tower with PCIe slots but no GPU upgrades.