Buying help please! iMac or Mac Pro

[Dj123]

i apologies in advance i am a very very out of the loop and need some help here!
which is the more more powerful system and the system that will last the longest? (hopefully the same computer)

27-inch iMac 3.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Retina 5K display
27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display; 5120-by-2880 resolution with support for one billion colors
8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory
2TB Fusion Drive
FaceTime HD camera
Radeon Pro 580 with 8GB video memory

Mac Pro 3.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5

Originally released December 2013
3.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5
12GB memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage
Dual AMD FirePro D300 graphics processors with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

Mac Pro 3.5GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5
Originally released December 2013
3.5GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5
16GB memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage
Dual AMD FirePro D500 graphics processors with 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

 

[SecuritySteve]

Good god man, don't buy a 2013 Mac Pro. Those systems are probably going to become obsolete in the next two years. The iMac will last longer, but it is limited by that Fusion Drive. If you can upgrade that to an SSD, you should be good to go.

 

[MDF314159265]

Is iMac Pro out of your running? I elected for the iMac Pro for the purposes of SSD, better components (for sake of longevity) and the fact that my configured iMac was already just shy of iMac Pro price.

Edit: Also, everything I’ve read, concerning the HDD/SSD/Fusion is stay away from the HDD and Fusion drives. Primarily for the sake of read/write speeds. SSD is the future...

 

[mreg376]

Good god man, don't buy a 2013 Mac Pro. Those systems are probably going to become obsolete in the next two years. The iMac will last longer, but it is limited by that Fusion Drive. If you can upgrade that to an SSD, you should be good to go.

I second that! In fact I thought the tread title was a typo, and that the OP meant "iMac or iMac Pro."

 

[Samuelsan2001]

i apologies in advance i am a very very out of the loop and need some help here!
which is the more more powerful system and the system that will last the longest? (hopefully the same computer)

27-inch iMac 3.8GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 with Retina 5K display
27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display; 5120-by-2880 resolution with support for one billion colors
8GB of 2400MHz DDR4 memory
2TB Fusion Drive
FaceTime HD camera
Radeon Pro 580 with 8GB video memory

Mac Pro 3.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5

Originally released December 2013
3.7GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5
12GB memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage
Dual AMD FirePro D300 graphics processors with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

Mac Pro 3.5GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5
Originally released December 2013
3.5GHz 6-Core Intel Xeon E5
16GB memory
256GB PCIe-based flash storage
Dual AMD FirePro D500 graphics processors with 3GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

You give us no idea what you want to use the computer for we can't advise you at all without that knowledge. There is no such thing as better in computers there is only the most suitable for your work case and budget constraints.

 

[maflynn]

You need to define what your usage will be. We cannot help what solution works best if we don't know the intended work
[doublepost=1528280297][/doublepost]

Good god man, don't buy a 2013 Mac Pro.

Agreed, the low water mark for Mojave is 2012, so it won't be long when 2013 drops off the list.

 

[MandiMac]

I'd personally go for the iMac. But also, what are you going to use it for?

 

[Fishrrman]

A 2017 iMac 27" will probably do you much better than a 2013 Mac Pro.

I suggest the "midrange" model (3.5ghz) with an internal SSD upgrade. 512gb is "good enough" unless you want to pay Apple's exorbitant price for the 1tb SSD.

 

[MandiMac]

A 2017 iMac 27" will probably do you much better than a 2013 Mac Pro.

I suggest the "midrange" model (3.5ghz) with an internal SSD upgrade. 512gb is "good enough" unless you want to pay Apple's exorbitant price for the 1tb SSD.

Basically what the Fishrrman said. @Dj123, based on your posting history you seem to be a DJ and doing a lot with music. If you‘re using your machine for that, I understand why you‘re asking because it‘s all about CPU. I‘d go with the iMac as well (or even wait for this October for an even better machine?), because you have the whole package. Just make sure to stick to the 2 TB Fusion Drive, it seems you need all the space you‘re gonna get The CPU in the current iMac is at least on par with the one in the Mac Pro, it‘s cheaper, will be longer supported, and you get a great 5K screen in the deal as well for actually doing some work. Nuff said

EDIT: Fusion Drive FTW.

 

[pam14160]

There is one thing to remember when buying a new Mac, and that is they all use the same OS. . ..

 

[kschendel]

I'd expect the Kaby Lake i5 in the iMac to be noticeably faster than the Ivy Bridge vintage E5 in the Mac Pro. The 6-core MP will have more threads but that's unlikely to help you in most cases.

 

[shaunp]

Having had a 2013 MB (6-core, D700's, 64GB RAM) I wouldn't bother buying one now. There are much faster and much more cost-effective options. Expansion is limited and you will find the number of TB2 components starting to diminish and these are the only real expansion ports these Macs have.

Of the two the iMac is a better buy, but I'd be tempted to save and buy either a higher spec iMac or a iMac Pro.

 

[StellarVixen]

You need to define what your usage will be. We cannot help what solution works best if we don't know the intended work
[doublepost=1528280297][/doublepost]
Agreed, the low water mark for Mojave is 2012, so it won't be long when 2013 drops off the list.

Maybe no, because it is 2018, and there is still no proper Mac Pro replacement from Apple. 2013 Mac Pro is still an actual Mac Pro.

I think they are gonna support it much longer.

I am not saying to the OP to buy it, just thinking current Mac Pro might be an exception.

 

[bigtomato]

Wait till the fall for new machines