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Zeebedy

Zeebedy

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jun 10, 2011
362
71
Scotland, UK
Hey guys,

Sorry to be spamming this forum, but hey, I am a bit of a noob :roll eyes:

will a - "Apple Mac Pro 2008 3,1 2.8GHz Quad Core Xeon" be fast? I plan to upgrade to a SSD and the Ram to 12-16.

Will that be a good combination for 2-3 years without becoming obsolete?



RTJ
 
rip-the-jacker said:
Hey guys,

Sorry to be spamming this forum, but hey, I am a bit of a noob :roll eyes:

will a - "Apple Mac Pro 2008 3,1 2.8GHz Quad Core Xeon" be fast? I plan to upgrade to a SSD and the Ram to 12-16.

Will that be a good combination for 2-3 years without becoming obsolete?



RTJ
Click to expand...

Your usage will determine your definition of "obsolete".

I'm using a 2009 iMac i7 2.8GHz with 16GB memory and a 1TB SSD. For me, it's still fine. For others, it's several years overdue for replacement.
 
santaliqueur said:
Your usage will determine your definition of "obsolete".

I'm using a 2009 iMac i7 2.8GHz with 16GB memory and a 1TB SSD. For me, it's still fine. For others, it's several years overdue for replacement.
Click to expand...

by meaning obsolete I was thinking along the lines of OS support. Also will it be a fairly nippy machine, for basic tasks, as - web browsing, e-mail, spotify etc...



RTJ
 
rip-the-jacker said:
Hey guys,

Sorry to be spamming this forum, but hey, I am a bit of a noob :roll eyes:

will a - "Apple Mac Pro 2008 3,1 2.8GHz Quad Core Xeon" be fast? I plan to upgrade to a SSD and the Ram to 12-16.

Will that be a good combination for 2-3 years without becoming obsolete?
RTJ
Click to expand...

My 1,1 is better no, with blade style boot SSD but have not gone to Yosemite so out of support loop for security updates.

GPU performance can lag on 2008 and hampered by older PCIE slots.

You can even put a matched second 5400 processor. FBDIMM prices and quality are better today but.... I'd look for a 4,1 for $495 instead today.
 
The changes and updates between the 2008 and 2009 Mac Pros are significant. If you are looking for something that behaves at all like a modern computer, it's time to, like with the 1,1 and 2,1, let the 3,1 go.

If all you want is a cheap machine, an old Mac Pro will last longer and is easier to work on than any of the other Mac lines. its also nice in that you can add 4 to 6 hard drives for a ton of storage.
 
9 out of 10 people here are going to tell you to hold out for a 4,1 or newer; even a single processor machine will be worlds better than a 3,1. Plus, that thing kicks out an unreal amount of heat. It was actually the reason I replaced mine with a newer machine. As far as OS support, who knows? Apple hasn't killed anything in a while, so some machines are long overdue for their blade of "Planned Obsolescence." However, I'm SURE there will be a way to install a newer OS, especially since the GPU is upgradable in ANY Mac Pro, AND it has native 64bit EFI.
 
NOTNlCE said:
9 out of 10 people here are going to tell you to hold out for a 4,1 or newer; even a single processor machine will be worlds better than a 3,1. Plus, that thing kicks out an unreal amount of heat. It was actually the reason I replaced mine with a newer machine. As far as OS support, who knows? Apple hasn't killed anything in a while, so some machines are long overdue for their blade of "Planned Obsolescence." However, I'm SURE there will be a way to install a newer OS, especially since the GPU is upgradable in ANY Mac Pro, AND it has native 64bit EFI.
Click to expand...

Like you stated, and to confirm - there really worth the extra for a 4,1. Looking around just now and is JUST in budget!



RTJ
 
thats all folks said:
The changes and updates between the 2008 and 2009 Mac Pros are significant. If you are looking for something that behaves at all like a modern computer, it's time to, like with the 1,1 and 2,1, let the 3,1 go.

If all you want is a cheap machine, an old Mac Pro will last longer and is easier to work on than any of the other Mac lines. its also nice in that you can add 4 to 6 hard drives for a ton of storage.
Click to expand...

Eh? I've had a 3,1 since release, pretty sure it's behaving like a "modern computer"

I can even go on the internet on it! :)
 
rip-the-jacker said:
Like you stated, and to confirm - there really worth the extra for a 4,1. Looking around just now and is JUST in budget!



RTJ
Click to expand...

In my (and most other people's) opinions, yes. It is worth the little bit extra for a 4,1, but it would depend on what that "little bit extra" is. In Scotland, that "little bit extra" might not mean the same as it does in the US. For example, I sold my 3,1 for around $400, and can buy a 4,1 for $500. Might not be the same in Scotland.
 
NOTNlCE said:
In my (and most other people's) opinions, yes. It is worth the little bit extra for a 4,1, but it would depend on what that "little bit extra" is. In Scotland, that "little bit extra" might not mean the same as it does in the US. For example, I sold my 3,1 for around $400, and can buy a 4,1 for $500. Might not be the same in Scotland.
Click to expand...

I bit the bullet guys, i went for a 4,1 with modest specs, will upgrade ram and sad later on, also a full year warranty from a reputable company on eBay! i will post a few photos when i get on tuesday. only problem is the case isn't the worlds greatest condition but hey-ho, not the end of the world. cheers for the persuasion on the 4,1 as apposed to the 3,1!!



RTJ
 
rip-the-jacker said:
I bit the bullet guys, i went for a 4,1 with modest specs, will upgrade ram and sad later on, also a full year warranty from a reputable company on eBay! i will post a few photos when i get on tuesday. only problem is the case isn't the worlds greatest condition but hey-ho, not the end of the world. cheers for the persuasion on the 4,1 as apposed to the 3,1!!



RTJ
Click to expand...

Congratulations on your new machine! I think you're going to be very happy with the decision, especially when it comes to upgrades. There's a lot more wiggle room when it comes to the 4,1s, and parts are cheaper and more efficient. There are a ton of threads about upgrading them. Did you go for a single processor machine or a dual processor?
 
NOTNlCE said:
Congratulations on your new machine! I think you're going to be very happy with the decision, especially when it comes to upgrades. There's a lot more wiggle room when it comes to the 4,1s, and parts are cheaper and more efficient. There are a ton of threads about upgrading them. Did you go for a single processor machine or a dual processor?
Click to expand...

Thanks dude, can't wait till Tuesday now :D

Its only the single processor version, but I'm guessing it will still be quicker than my C2D from my old iMac?



RTJ
 
hey guys,

just starting to scratch the surface with the MP customisation, DAMN!!

a quick q, I'm trying to understand but could i put a X5690 into my single processor machine and what would need to be altered etc to do so?

i used to be big back in the day for pc building and I'm guessing processor changing etc is similar all round for macs also?



RTJ
 
Hello,

rip-the-jacker said:
I'm trying to understand but could i put a X5690 into my single processor machine
Click to expand...

Yes you can. Read all about it here.

Biggest info points: on a quad 2009, the CPU upgrade is easy (no need to get delidded CPUs) and rather cheap. You can put the hex cores ones like your X5690 (or the W3690) in them, but for that you need to upgrade your machine's firmware FIRST.

All other info and how-to will be in the linked thread's original post.

Loa
 
Loa said:
Hello,



Yes you can. Read all about it here.

Biggest info points: on a quad 2009, the CPU upgrade is easy (no need to get delidded CPUs) and rather cheap. You can put the hex cores ones like your X5690 (or the W3690) in them, but for that you need to upgrade your machine's firmware FIRST.

All other info and how-to will be in the linked thread's original post.

Loa
Click to expand...

cheers Loa, wow, i mean....just, wow!



RTJ
 
hey guys, for the mac pro 4,1 - will i need anything different, or can i simply stick in a SSD / 16GIG RAM / X5690 Processor? And obviously tools for it.

Is the X5690 upgrade really that simple?



RTJ
 
Hello,

I've done the CPU switch myself and it is really easy. Philipma1957 has produced a great guide he lists what's required.

For the RAM, 16GB is a good starting number, but you should adjust according to your needs. You could start with that and see how much swap memory is used, and the page-in/page-out ratio (use Activity monitor to find out) after a few hours of intense work.

For the SSD, you have quite a few options. Sticking a modern SSD in one of the HD slots will severely handicap it. It will be bottlenecked to about 275MB/s. It's not bad, but current SATA3 SSDs usually go up to 500MB/s. You can buy a SATA3 PCIe card and plug your SSD either directly on the card, or using a SATA3 cable.

-Cheapest card around: ASM1061 SATA3 card, will let you boot from it, with eSATA ports as a bonus, but weak speeds: 350MB/s.
-Simple system with good speed: the velocity series of card from Apricorn allowing you to put 1 or 2 SSDs directly on the card, thus leaving the 4 HD bays free.
-Interesting system using up to four mSATA SSDs directly on the PCIe card come from Addonics.
-There are a lot of RAID systems from highpoint that give max speed and possibilities, but they're more expensive and require you to mount the SSDs in the Mac somehow.
-But currently, if you want max speed, you should look here. In this long thread you'll find lots of info on the newest PCIe SSDs that can reach 1500MB/s in your 4,1.

There are other options, but those cover the usual ones. Read up before selecting, there are a few details and caveats.

Loa
 
A side note - You'll find that the X5680 or its respective W-series counterpart will be SIGNIFICANTLY cheaper for a negligible difference in performance. And yes - it will be WAY better than any C2D system.
 
Join the club. I got my 5,1 (basically, the same as a 4,1) a couple of years ago. Over the last 2 years, I gradually upgraded my system (PCIe SSD, new graphics card, more RAM, upgraded processors). It was fun, but now I'm in the depressing state of having basically maxed it out (except for the newest graphics cards, which I can't well afford).

I have to say that I'm thrilled with my machine, and expect it to last quite a few more years, provided Apple doesn't burry it with a lack of ongoing support...

Oh, an for what it's worth, the X5690 or X5680 switch really is quite easy. Philipma's guide is well worth poring over, though.
 
Thanks guys,

appreciate the info, will be reading up, and will post a few photos when I get the machine at some point tomorrow.

Think I will go down that route with the SSD, does it still install / recognise the SSD in the OS the same as using one of the caddy slots?



RTJ
 
Loa said:
Hello,

I've done the CPU switch myself and it is really easy. Philipma1957 has produced a great guide he lists what's required.

For the RAM, 16GB is a good starting number, but you should adjust according to your needs. You could start with that and see how much swap memory is used, and the page-in/page-out ratio (use Activity monitor to find out) after a few hours of intense work.

For the SSD, you have quite a few options. Sticking a modern SSD in one of the HD slots will severely handicap it. It will be bottlenecked to about 275MB/s. It's not bad, but current SATA3 SSDs usually go up to 500MB/s. You can buy a SATA3 PCIe card and plug your SSD either directly on the card, or using a SATA3 cable.

-Cheapest card around: ASM1061 SATA3 card, will let you boot from it, with eSATA ports as a bonus, but weak speeds: 350MB/s.
-Simple system with good speed: the velocity series of card from Apricorn allowing you to put 1 or 2 SSDs directly on the card, thus leaving the 4 HD bays free.
-Interesting system using up to four mSATA SSDs directly on the PCIe card come from Addonics.
-There are a lot of RAID systems from highpoint that give max speed and possibilities, but they're more expensive and require you to mount the SSDs in the Mac somehow.
-But currently, if you want max speed, you should look here. In this long thread you'll find lots of info on the newest PCIe SSDs that can reach 1500MB/s in your 4,1.

There are other options, but those cover the usual ones. Read up before selecting, there are a few details and caveats.

Loa
Click to expand...

Does the Apricorn velocity NEED to be the 2 ssd one, or would this one do? - 331443331141 (copy item no. into eBay search please).

As i only intend to use one SSD anyway, with some mechs for storage.


RTJ
 
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