Future-proofing a 3,1

[Zeebedy]

Hey guys,

Im considering selling my 24" iMac 2009, for a 2008-2009 Mac Pro. What I would like to know is how that will stand up for the next couple of years regarding OS upgrades?



cheers, RTJ

 

[Pressure]

The Mac Pro (Early 2008) 3,1 does have 64-bit EFI as the newer models, so technically it should be supported for some time to come but it is over 7 years old now, so no idea how long Apple will support it with future OS X versions.

Even though I have an 3,1 model I would probably invest the extra $$ and get the 4,1 model, which can easily be upgraded to the 5,1 model firmware and use modern processors and less expensive memory (FB-DIMM is still somewhat expensive if you can find it for the 3,1 model).

 

[yaboo007]

I would get a 4,1.

I have a 3,1 and upgraded everything. Even thou I do not push the machine to its limits. I purchased everything for the reason that in the future when I want to upgrade it may not be available to obtain.

I am doing the unit as a web development machine. Video editing etc go to the 4,1

 

[Zeebedy]

Cheers guys,

went for the 4,1



RTJ

 

[IowaLynn]

The Mac Pro (Early 2008) 3,1 does have 64-bit EFI as the newer models, so technically it should be supported for some time to come but it is over 7 years old now, so no idea how long Apple will support it with future OS X versions.

Even though I have an 3,1 model I would probably invest the extra $$ and get the 4,1 model, which can easily be upgraded to the 5,1 model firmware and use modern processors and less expensive memory (FB-DIMM is still somewhat expensive if you can find it for the 3,1 model).

Price for FBDIMMs on Amazon have been very good though that could dry up, I paid $23 for 2x2GB.

While 2008 was the first and has EFI 64-bit, UEFI 2.0, I read that even Microsoft does not support that model, that firmware, for booting in UEFI mode on Windows 8.1 and later.

All my reading has given me that inkling feeling that the 3,1 has some kind of personality quirk, trouble with sleep and power management. Even though there was a SMC and EFI firmware update to fix the "freeze on wake from sleep issue" that the first edition had in first few months, I don't think it really solved it fully. Coupled with the fan and some issues and a recall on the OEM ATI 2600XT and I would vote it as most likely to fail.

The day that UEFI moves to 128-bit is probably the day that a 4,1 will be doomed kidding but likely. GPUs already have much larger firmware and ROMs probably now.

Putting internet recovery install into firmware could also be a factor, something that the 6,1 was the first and only Mac Pro to have. Though why and how would be pure imaginative wild guessing.

My Mac Pro is nearing its 9th birthday come August and probably has another decade of grinding though not running OS X 20

 

[Pressure]

Price for FBDIMMs on Amazon have been very good though that could dry up, I paid $23 for 2x2GB.

Well, 800Mhz FB-DIMMs are nearly 3 times as much. Although the slower 667Mhz FB-DIMMs runs just as fine in it.

 

[IowaLynn]

Well, 800Mhz FB-DIMMs are nearly 3 times as much. Although the slower 667Mhz FB-DIMMs runs just as fine in it.

Prices have gone up A LOT in the last month or so on 800MHz. They were nothing like it is now. So yea, the 667MHz $19 for 2x2GB while 800 use to be $39 is now $60 and up. And 4GB DIMMs (4x4GB kit) was not so astronomical.

Craigslist 2009's $495 though makes the 4,1 too attractive to drop a cent into the 2008.