Extreme Makeover: Mac Edition

[ActionableMango]

Not having video until after you boot up is 100% fine until the day your computer doesn't finish booting up--then it's a really big deal.

If this Mac Pro is how you make your living, I'd insist on having boot screens. This leaves you with official Apple cards, third party Mac Edition cards, and properly-flashed PC cards.

 

[Jprice32]

Ok guys so I have taken everything into account and this is what I have purchased after much time and research.

2 x Xeon 6-core 5690's
128Gb DDR3 1333 ram
1TB Samsung SSD
500GB Samsung SSD (this will accompany my 4TB HD that contains my instruments folders)
Sapphire HD 7950 mac edition graphics card
Sonnet tech. 4 x USB 3.0 pcie card

Thank you guys for your input I can't thank you enough!

 

[h9826790]

Ok guys so I have taken everything into account and this is what I have purchased after much time and research.

2 x Xeon 6-core 5690's
128Gb DDR3 1333 ram
1TB Samsung SSD
500GB Samsung SSD (this will accompany my 4TB HD that contains my instruments folders)
Sapphire HD 7950 mac edition graphics card
Sonnet tech. 4 x USB 3.0 pcie card

Thank you guys for your input I can't thank you enough!

Looks reasonable to me. Not very sure why you go for the Sapphire Mac Edition card. For 7950, flash it by yourself usually is the better way to do it. e.g.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...tem-information.1808938/page-14#post-21607156

And just a friendly reminder about your CPU upgrade. You have either de-lid the CPU, or study how to upgrade the 4,1 with normal CPU properly. Also, make sure you do the firmware upgrade BEFORE you install the new CPU.

Make sure the RAM are dual rank (2Rx4), quad rank RAM may not able to boot properly, or will slow down to 1066MHz (virtually zero penalty on real world, but I guess that's not what you want to have).

Sonnet card is good, but if you rarely stress all ports at the same time. KT4004 usually is the more cost effective choice.

 

[Jprice32]

Looks reasonable to me. Not very sure why you go for the Sapphire Mac Edition card. For 7950, flash it by yourself usually is the better way to do it. e.g.

https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...tem-information.1808938/page-14#post-21607156

And just a friendly reminder about your CPU upgrade. You have either de-lid the CPU, or study how to upgrade the 4,1 with normal CPU properly. Also, make sure you do the firmware upgrade BEFORE you install the new CPU.

Make sure the RAM are dual rank (2Rx4), quad rank RAM may not able to boot properly, or will slow down to 1066MHz (virtually zero penalty on real world, but I guess that's not what you want to have).

Sonnet card is good, but if you rarely stress all ports at the same time. KT4004 usually is the more cost effective choice.

Thank you for you words of wisdom. Here's what I got:

RAM: https://www.dncomputers.com/parts-a...-kit-to-12-core-3-46ghz-xeon-x5690-slbvx.html

Memory:
https://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other World Computing/1333D3X9M128/

I have already done the firmware update so my mac now reads 5,1.

I would love to see your thoughts.

 

[Gazember]

If you are worried about fan noise, get a passively cooled GT 630...
View attachment 697581
GT 630 ZONE Edition | ZOTAC

I have had two of those burn up in one year in a Windows desktop. They still need fans and rely on case ventilation, so if your case does not have enough air flow they can overheat.

 

[zoltm]

Ok guys so I have taken everything into account and this is what I have purchased after much time and research.

2 x Xeon 6-core 5690's
128Gb DDR3 1333 ram
1TB Samsung SSD
500GB Samsung SSD (this will accompany my 4TB HD that contains my instruments folders)
Sapphire HD 7950 mac edition graphics card
Sonnet tech. 4 x USB 3.0 pcie card

Thank you guys for your input I can't thank you enough!

It would be cool if you could update the folks here how's your make over. I am in a similar boat getting a cMP make over as a replacement to my dead Mac Mini 2009.

I love h9826790's very pragmatic and balanced approach in terms of upgrading not upgrade for the sake of upgrade. Always put things into perspective and workflow. Truly word of wisdom.