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Dilemma on next apple equipment to buy

gtg465x said:
I would buy a 27" iMac. You can get a 2017 model with a 4.2GHz Core i7, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, Radeon Pro 580 with 8 GB video memory, and a 2 TB Fusion drive for $2699. Upgrade RAM and storage if needed. That should be cheaper and more powerful for most tasks than the 2015 Mac Pro, and will come with a really nice glossy screen you can use when not doing professional work. Then you can hook it up to your current matte display for professional work and have a dual monitor setup, one for professional work and one for other stuff.
Click to expand...

2013 actually
 
h9826790 said:
2013 actually
Click to expand...

Oh, right. Taking them way too long to update that thing. Which is why I wouldn't wait for it. It may not be until 2019 that the new Mac Pro comes out, and you can bet it'll be hella expensive when it finally does.
 
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To OP, if you want to know the "effect" of the SSD. Spend $30-40 to get a 128GB SATA SSD, plug that into your optical bay. Install an OS and boot from it. I have 90% confidence that you suddenly realise that you don't need a new machine indeed.

Compare to a new Mac, $30-40 is nothing. The biggest bottleneck in your current config is the HDD. Not anything else.
 
h9826790 said:
Wrong, CPU upgrade is definitely not required to run Sierra or higher. You reversed the logic.

The firmware upgrade allow you to install better CPU AND install newer OS natively.

But there is no relationship better CPU model and OS version on the cMP. You can run any OS with any CPU as long as the firmware support.

To make it simple, all you need is just the firmware upgrade if you want to install Sierra or later. Zero new hardware required.

A better CPU, more RAM, SSD... will give make your machine run faster, smoother, etc. But NOT required for the latest OS.
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Thank You I downloaded a firmware upgrade and may try that. After firmware upgrade I could install Sierra on one internal HD and leave El Capitan on another. But I really would like to know for sure before I spent over a couple hundred bucks on more ram.
gtg465x said:
I would buy a 27" iMac. You can get a 2017 model with a 4.2GHz Core i7, 16 GB DDR4 RAM, Radeon Pro 580 with 8 GB video memory, and a 2 TB Fusion drive for $2699. Upgrade RAM and storage if needed. That should be cheaper and more powerful for most tasks than the 2015 Mac Pro, and will come with a really nice glossy screen you can use when not doing professional work. Then you can hook it up to your current matte display for professional work and have a dual monitor setup, one for professional work and one for other stuff.
Click to expand...
Thanks but the only non apple device I have is a NEC monitor with a Mat screen. I don't like glossy screens and you can't really calibrate an apple monitor. NEC has there own software to do that and viewing there screen is like looking at a piece of paper. Great for designers and Photographers who care to color correct there image so they don't wast too much ink and paper. I hate all the reflections, would make it very difficult to do graphic designing on hour after hour.
 
offtheroad said:
Thank You I downloaded a firmware upgrade and may try that. After firmware upgrade I could install Sierra on one internal HD and leave El Capitan on another. But I really would like to know for sure before I spent over a couple hundred bucks on more ram.

Thanks but the only non apple device I have is a NEC monitor with a Mat screen. I don't like glossy screens and you can't really calibrate an apple monitor. NEC has there own software to do that and viewing there screen is like looking at a piece of paper. Great for designers and Photographers who care to color correct there image so they don't wast too much ink and paper. I hate all the reflections, would make it very difficult to do graphic designing on hour after hour.
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Yeah, I'm saying to continue using your NEC monitor with a new iMac. But you can calibrate the built in Apple display as well with something like this: https://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-i1Dis...pID=41nov1fCgdL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch. There are other cheaper calibration devices as well.
 
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Thats a good option, wasn't sure iMac's could hook up another monitor.
[doublepost=1510255678][/doublepost]Wow learning a lot from this forum, Thank you all.
 
offtheroad said:
Thank You I downloaded a firmware upgrade and may try that. After firmware upgrade I could install Sierra on one internal HD and leave El Capitan on another. But I really would like to know for sure before I spent over a couple hundred bucks on more ram.

Thanks but the only non apple device I have is a NEC monitor with a Mat screen. I don't like glossy screens and you can't really calibrate an apple monitor. NEC has there own software to do that and viewing there screen is like looking at a piece of paper. Great for designers and Photographers who care to color correct there image so they don't wast too much ink and paper. I hate all the reflections, would make it very difficult to do graphic designing on hour after hour.
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If you have Mavericks, use that to perform the firmware upgrade.

If you do that via El Captain, please 100% sure you disabled SIP.

Also, for an unknown reason, the firmware upgrade won't be performed from some HDD. No need to worry, not a single case that did any damage, the upgrade just won't start at all. If you have that happen, try another HDD. The stock one is always the best choice on this purpose.
 
offtheroad said:
Thank You I downloaded a firmware upgrade and may try that. After firmware upgrade I could install Sierra on one internal HD and leave El Capitan on another. But I really would like to know for sure before I spent over a couple hundred bucks on more ram.
Click to expand...
Just upgrade it all:
  • 32GB RAM - $75.00 on Ebay (auction ID: 232496926596)
  • X5677 3.46GHz quad core CPU - $27.00 on Ebay (auction ID: 382275217138)
  • Afore mentioned 128GB SD - $30.00 - $40.00 (from h9826790 post)
Total $142.00 using the highest dollar figures. If that doesn't solve your problem you've pretty much exhausted your options for this system (unless video is your issue).
 
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h9826790 said:
If you have Mavericks, use that to perform the firmware upgrade.

If you do that via El Captain, please 100% sure you disabled SIP.

Also, for an unknown reason, the firmware upgrade won't be performed from some HDD. No need to worry, not a single case that did any damage, the upgrade just won't start at all. If you have that happen, try another HDD. The stock one is always the best choice on this purpose.
Click to expand...
What's SIP? And I was going to run the upgrade from my desktop should I run it from a usb stick? I have El Capitan 10.11.6
 
Thanks that really gives good instructions. I should have mentioned first in all these posts that you guys are dealing with a geezer 70.
[doublepost=1510262269][/doublepost]After I disable SIP then boot back into HD that has firmware upgrade on desktop to install?
 
offtheroad said:
Thanks that really gives good instructions. I should have mentioned first in all these posts that you guys are dealing with a geezer 70.
[doublepost=1510262269][/doublepost]After I disable SIP then boot back into HD that has firmware upgrade on desktop to install?
Click to expand...

Correct, and do that via HDD, not any USB drive
 
Well I tried the firmware upgrade and got an 5570 error. I got as far as the window saying upgrade to 2010 but after I clicked the button then I got the error msg. Yes I disabled SIP after I finished I reenabled SIP.
 
offtheroad said:
Well I tried the firmware upgrade and got an 5570 error. I got as far as the window saying upgrade to 2010 but after I clicked the button then I got the error msg. Yes I disabled SIP after I finished I reenabled SIP.
Click to expand...

Did you actually download the firmware (MacProEFIUpdate1.5.dmg) from Apple and put that on your desktop?
[doublepost=1510268744][/doublepost]
h9826790 said:
Did you actually download the firmware (MacProEFIUpdate1.5.dmg) from Apple and put that on your desktop?
Click to expand...

Also, what's your current firmware version now?
 
No I got the script from a forum
my current firmware
Boot ROM Version: MP41.0081.B08
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
It won't down load no indication that anything is downloading
[doublepost=1510270411][/doublepost]Just to show you I went to correct place but if you notice the download button is empty even after I select on other page correct file to download
[doublepost=1510271066][/doublepost]OK i see what I may have done wrong. I didn't open the icon. Didn't know it was a folder with a script inside. Here's the info that came with it kinda long with a tiny link at bottom is where I got the script.
 

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  • firmware pages.png
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  • Firmware update script.rtfd.zip
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Last edited:
offtheroad said:
No I got the script from a forum
my current firmware
Boot ROM Version: MP41.0081.B08
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
It won't down load no indication that anything is downloading
[doublepost=1510270411][/doublepost]Just to show you I went to correct place but if you notice the download button is empty even after I select on other page correct file to download
[doublepost=1510271066][/doublepost]OK i see what I may have done wrong. I didn't open the icon. Didn't know it was a folder with a script inside. Here's the info that came with it kinda long with a tiny link at bottom is where I got the script.
Click to expand...

You need the 5,1 firmware, not the 4,1
 
offtheroad said:
No I got the script from a forum
my current firmware
Boot ROM Version: MP41.0081.B08
SMC Version (system): 1.39f5
It won't down load no indication that anything is downloading
[doublepost=1510270411][/doublepost]Just to show you I went to correct place but if you notice the download button is empty even after I select on other page correct file to download
[doublepost=1510271066][/doublepost]OK i see what I may have done wrong. I didn't open the icon. Didn't know it was a folder with a script inside. Here's the info that came with it kinda long with a tiny link at bottom is where I got the script.
Click to expand...
h9826790 said:
You need the 5,1 firmware, not the 4,1
Click to expand...
Thanks I thought thats what the script does is takes my 4,1 and upgrades it to 5,1 2010 Mac Pro
[doublepost=1510275957][/doublepost]Dosent really matter I can't download anything from that page.
 

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  • Firmware update script.rtfd.zip
    3.5 KB · Views: 213
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