Apple has quietly updated its Mac Pro and Xserve lines with new configurations. The Mac Pro quad-core model now includes the option to replace the base configuration's 2.66 GHz Intel Xeon processor with a 3.33 GHz Intel Xeon. Price? $1,200 for the processor swap.

Newly available in both the quad-core Mac Pro and the eight-core model is the option to replace each of the base configuration's hard drives with 2 TB 7200 rpm drives. This brings the maximum capacity of the Mac Pro up to 8 TB, from 4 TB, and does so at the price of $350 for the first drive, and $550 for each subsequent drive.

Apple's Xserve lineup sees the same 2 TB hard drive upgrade option, at the price of $450 for the first drive and $550 for each subsequent drive. (Xserve drives are more expensive than Mac Pro drives due to the drive carriers and other reasons; see "Going Deep Inside Xserve Apple Drive Modules," 27 March 2009.) The new option brings the Xserve's maximum capacity to 6 TB, up from 3 TB.

Also, new to the Xserve quad-core model is the option to configure the machine with 24 GB of RAM, or 4 GB per slot, at the hefty price of $2,850. (The eight-core Xserve model features 12 RAM slots instead of the quad-core's 6 slots.)

Now that the iMac boasts substantial specs (see "New iMac Models Receive Larger Screens, SD Card Slot," 20 October 2009), upgrade options such as these help further define the Mac Pro and Xserve as the powerhouses of Apple's product line.