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2010 Mac Pro or wait...

rtrueman

rtrueman

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 5, 2009
80
70
I've read a number of posts here regarding new and classic Mac Pros and I've been able to find a local 2010 2x2.4 8-core machine with 22gb ram, 1tb hdd, ATI Radeon 5770 w/ 1gb ram for $1,800. I'm currently using a Late 2008 MBP with a 2.8 GHz core 2 screamer, so I know anything is a huge upgrade. I was convinced to wait for the nMP and get the 4core version, but started looking at the classic pros when I found the one above. I have a 256gb ssd in the MBP I can use as boot/apps and four 3TB drives in my drobo for a raid 10 in the pro.

I do wedding photography (lots of Aperture with plug ins and Photoshop CC) and web development (with multiple virtual machines) and I'm starting to get into video.

So what does the group think? Is this a good price? What about upgrades? I'd like USB 3 for fast image downloading and see a bunch of cards listed in the USB 3 thread. I know the graphics card is older, but is it an immediate replacement? I'm trying to conserve cash, but also don't mind plunking down on a new lower end nMP.

Thoughts?

Rob
 
If you're in that price range (or making money with it), just spend some more and get an entry level new Mac Pro. It will be twice as fast at Aperture and anything else using four or fewer cores. And if Apple updates Aperture to use those GPUs, you're golden. And if you're looking to use Final Cut at some point, it's a no-brainer. ;)
 
According to these preliminary benchmarks, your 2010 2.24Ghz 8-core benches at 13,995. The new Mac Pro (nMP) 4-core 3.6Ghz benches at 13,333. So the 2010 would actually be faster on certain tasks as well as being $1,200 less expensive. Could you invest that difference in something more meaningful to your photography (eg a new lens etc?). Only you can answer that.

Although the 2010 MP won't come with a 256Gb SSD, like the nMP, it will also cost money to upgrade the nMP from 12Gb RAM. If you're just starting to get into video, you many not need dual D300 GPUs. A regular 5770 or 5870 might be just fine for editing wedding videos etc. AFAIK Aperture will benefit from more GPU power. But a single 7950 card (approx $450) may suffice without spending for dual D300s.

AFAIK, a 2-port USB 3.0 card is only $15. With the 2010 MP you wouldn't even need an external USB 3.0, or Thunderbolt enclosure, because of the 4 SATA2 drive bays. If you want PCIe speed SSD, a PCIe-SATA3 card is only about $40. Also, the 2010 MP should have 3 free PCIe slots, to add any current capability, negating the need for Thunderbolt.

You've really got to ask yourself if spending $1,200 more, NOW, will truly benefit your wedding photography. If you get into video editing in a big way in the near future, you can sell the 2010 then and upgrade to a nMP. Undoubtedly even the nMP will be out of date by 2015. In some ways it already is.

http://cdn.macrumors.com/article-new/2013/11/mac_pro_2013_geekbench_estimate.jpg
 
cinealta and VirtualRain, These are exactly the two arguments I keep running into and both make a lot of sense. Since I'm making money from photography, I don't have a problem investing in good hardward. But both seem like good options. I have the hardware needed to get up and running with a 2010 MP ie. 256 ssd, 4 drives for storage, and a great platform to build upon as suggested by cinealta. But there's certainly the lure of the new MP with built in USB 3 and Thunderbolt and what Aperture may do in the next release. Of course with PCI in the cMP, I don't need TB... ugh.

You see where the problem is. I think I may pull a Sheldon Cooper and roll a 20 sided die. 1-10, I get the classic. 11-20, I wait for the nMP. ;)
 
rtrueman said:
cinealta and VirtualRain, These are exactly the two arguments I keep running into and both make a lot of sense. Since I'm making money from photography, I don't have a problem investing in good hardward. But both seem like good options. I have the hardware needed to get up and running with a 2010 MP ie. 256 ssd, 4 drives for storage, and a great platform to build upon as suggested by cinealta. But there's certainly the lure of the new MP with built in USB 3 and Thunderbolt and what Aperture may do in the next release. Of course with PCI in the cMP, I don't need TB... ugh.

You see where the problem is. I think I may pull a Sheldon Cooper and roll a 20 sided die. 1-10, I get the classic. 11-20, I wait for the nMP. ;)
Click to expand...

just get nMP...no question ask..or get 2012
 
VirtualRain said:
Natural 20! :D. Get the nMP... Do you really want a 3 year old computer?
Click to expand...

:D Very true. I'd certainly like to see the iFixIt breakdown and a true comparison to classic models. Now if Apple would just release it...

Thanks, folks!
 
rtrueman said:
I've read a number of posts here regarding new and classic Mac Pros and I've been able to find a local 2010 2x2.4 8-core machine with 22gb ram, 1tb hdd, ATI Radeon 5770 w/ 1gb ram for $1,800. I'm currently using a Late 2008 MBP with a 2.8 GHz core 2 screamer, so I know anything is a huge upgrade. I was convinced to wait for the nMP and get the 4core version, but started looking at the classic pros when I found the one above. I have a 256gb ssd in the MBP I can use as boot/apps and four 3TB drives in my drobo for a raid 10 in the pro.

I do wedding photography (lots of Aperture with plug ins and Photoshop CC) and web development (with multiple virtual machines) and I'm starting to get into video.

So what does the group think? Is this a good price? What about upgrades? I'd like USB 3 for fast image downloading and see a bunch of cards listed in the USB 3 thread. I know the graphics card is older, but is it an immediate replacement? I'm trying to conserve cash, but also don't mind plunking down on a new lower end nMP.

Thoughts?

Rob
Click to expand...

Hi Rob. I guess it's hard to decide when there are features that you'd need from both the classic Mac Pro and new MPro. The deal on the $1800 2.4ghz Mac Pro is reasonable given it's upgrades. I've been using this machine for heavy design, photo edits and After Effects rendering and runs cool. If you're considering the new Mac Pro, might be best to wait for a few months before buying to get feedbacks from users and to see how it performs,manages heat for long hours of usage. I am continuing on using the classic tower and noted on the pros and cons. Pricing, workflow needs and flexible internal storage were my needs. I am fine if the machine's hardware is old as long as it gets the job done at the end of day and rings the cash register. And with the nMP being first generation and pricing constraints and not yet tested, I'm skipping on the nMP and just wait and see on the 7.1 MPro. Good luck.
 
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