Im trying to build Mac pro base on 2012 version but all parts like CPU, Motherboard, RAM, HDD, and etc have short life cycle around 5 years I believe. I do need desktop computer performance but can't spend more than $1500. So I wonder if it's worthy to buy and build classic Mac Pro or not.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Is it ok to buy and build classic Mac Pro?
- Thread starter mavericks7913
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Can you clarify? I can't figure out if you're trying to find enough spare parts to cobble together your own Mac Pro or build your own Hackintosh built on 5 year old parts.
Well Im gonna buy classic Mac pro with spare parts from classic Mac pro basically. But all of them except for 2012 version are quite older than 5 years and that bother me.
I think the sum of the parts in trying to build a Mac Pro will be much higher than just buying a used Mac Pro.
Well my 10yr old MacPro1,1 and hundreds of others still living productive lives would like to disagree with this statement.
Maybe in the pentium days, but not in todays age. Unless your doing hardcore video editing the difference between 30 cores and 12 cores isnt much anymore. These 12 core machines are still faster than alot of DIY setups these days. You only need so much power to meet your needs, once those needs are met then it doesnt matter the age of the computer as long as it still works. This is also another reason why apples mac pro refreshes are very slow.
This is kinda how cars are today. They are all pretty fast and most cars in the mid range have about 200-400hp. We could have reached 1000hp on all cars by now but there is no point. We don't have the roads/streets or ability's to be able to use that kind of power so its basically just wasted power.
When programs unlock the power of all cores these 12 core machines will get even faster since they have 24 cores when hyperthreading. Right now the only programs that really use this kind of power are video editors. Gaming as just started to use more threads (direct x12) but its just still just at its infancy stage.
OK, not really comprehending why you want to try and find all of the parts individually (likely used, parted out pieces) for a 2012 Mac Pro. Mac Pro's certainly weren't sold as 'build your own'. Just my opinion, but I think you'll spend way more with that approach opposed to just buying a used 09-12 tower.
For what it's worth the 2009, 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro all use the same components. You can pick up a 2009 and flash it to 5,1 for a real bargain.
For what it's worth the 2009, 2010 and 2012 Mac Pro all use the same components. You can pick up a 2009 and flash it to 5,1 for a real bargain.
They don't sell what I want and need. That's why I have to buy parts individually. I can find them all from Ebay but just worry about the price since my max price is $1500. I would prefer mid 2012 since it supports Max OS.
By Max OS, do you mean maximum as in current version, or the new macOS as in Sierra ?
Note the lowercase "m" in mac.
Just can't see the reason why worth to do this.
A used 2009 model (4,1) just around $400 (single processor), $600 (dual processor), which effectively the same machine as the 2012 model (5,1) after firmware flashing.
And you still have around $1000 to upgrade (SSD, GPU, CPU, RAM, USB 3.0...). This can gives you a very good cMP with $1500.
To build another one.....
Case $500 (NEW)
Processor cage $25 (NEW)
Front Fan $45 (NEW)
Rear Fan $40 (NEW)
PCIe Fan $25 (NEW)
Power cord $20 (NEW)
PCIe card bracket $10 (NEW)
PCIe fence power cover x3 $60 (assume only graphic card installed in Slot 1, so 3 cover required)
Memory $70 (assume using 3rd party RAM to improve the cost to performance ratio)
CPU tray $650 (NEW, dual processor model)
CPU tray support plate $20 (NEW)
logic board $330 (NEW)
Super drive $50 (NEW)
Optical drive cage $10 (NEW)
CPU $200 (assume using used CPU to improve cost to performance ratio)
Heatsink A $180 (NEW)
Heatsink B $240 (NEW)
PSU $290 (NEW)
PSU cable cover $30 (NEW)
GPU $150 (Assume get a used GPU and flash it by yourself to improve cost to performance ratio)
Airport card $50 (assume you get a 802.11ac card)
HDD tray x4 $120 (or you can go for SSD adaptor straight away, Stock Apple SSD tray $45 each NEW)
Keyboard, mouse, thermal paste, cables.... $100
Not sure if I miss anything else, however, up to this point, this "NEW" build already cost $3200
If I really want to build something from scratch now, sure I will go for the Hackintosh, which can gives me a 6700K + 980Ti, PCIe SSD......with much lower cost.
A used 2009 model (4,1) just around $400 (single processor), $600 (dual processor), which effectively the same machine as the 2012 model (5,1) after firmware flashing.
And you still have around $1000 to upgrade (SSD, GPU, CPU, RAM, USB 3.0...). This can gives you a very good cMP with $1500.
To build another one.....
Case $500 (NEW)
Processor cage $25 (NEW)
Front Fan $45 (NEW)
Rear Fan $40 (NEW)
PCIe Fan $25 (NEW)
Power cord $20 (NEW)
PCIe card bracket $10 (NEW)
PCIe fence power cover x3 $60 (assume only graphic card installed in Slot 1, so 3 cover required)
Memory $70 (assume using 3rd party RAM to improve the cost to performance ratio)
CPU tray $650 (NEW, dual processor model)
CPU tray support plate $20 (NEW)
logic board $330 (NEW)
Super drive $50 (NEW)
Optical drive cage $10 (NEW)
CPU $200 (assume using used CPU to improve cost to performance ratio)
Heatsink A $180 (NEW)
Heatsink B $240 (NEW)
PSU $290 (NEW)
PSU cable cover $30 (NEW)
GPU $150 (Assume get a used GPU and flash it by yourself to improve cost to performance ratio)
Airport card $50 (assume you get a 802.11ac card)
HDD tray x4 $120 (or you can go for SSD adaptor straight away, Stock Apple SSD tray $45 each NEW)
Keyboard, mouse, thermal paste, cables.... $100
Not sure if I miss anything else, however, up to this point, this "NEW" build already cost $3200
If I really want to build something from scratch now, sure I will go for the Hackintosh, which can gives me a 6700K + 980Ti, PCIe SSD......with much lower cost.
People have been through this before, building a 3,1 and 5,1. It cost a lot and there was trouble. One of the problems is that the logic board is "serial numberless" since the serial number is injected at the factory. Serial-less causes problems with iMessage. Also there was incorrect information about compatible parts so people had to deal with returning parts and trying over. There was also one guy that thought 4,1 and 5,1 parts were all the same. They are almost all the same, but the software on them can be different. He found out the hard way that if you mix 4,1 and 5,1 logic board and CPU tray you end up with fans out of control.
Basically you are worried about a non existent problem (5 year expiration), but in reality will lead to all sorts of problems by trying to build, and spend more money and time getting to that problematic place.
I say just get a nice clean 4,1 or 5,1 and replace parts over time if or when needed.
Basically you are worried about a non existent problem (5 year expiration), but in reality will lead to all sorts of problems by trying to build, and spend more money and time getting to that problematic place.
I say just get a nice clean 4,1 or 5,1 and replace parts over time if or when needed.
Would suggest that it may be best you purchase a used cMac Pro as a whole or assembled and not by individual parts. If you buy them by single parts and after assembling the computer, and by chance the computer was not working properly, it may be hard to trace where the source of the problem is. And if you purchased the parts from various stores, you'll have to contact several people instead of just one store which is a hassle. And the $1500 would not be enough to buy a computer by single parts. And as others suggested, the life span of computers can exceed 5 years. Best to get a whole cMac Pro on eBay and choose a reliable seller.
[doublepost=1472190833][/doublepost]
Yep. Good observation. I purchased a used 2009 cMac Pro on eBay years ago for a client and the machine was in mint condition and until now still running fine. The former owner probably took good care of the machine.
My old Tandy TRS-80 Model 4p (1984!) still starts up. I just need to set date and time, and my writing software scriptsit still works fine (not for modern times, but for fun, ones a year!).
So: 32 years old, and still in fact working ok!!!!
Don't worry about lifespan: Everything can break, that goes for old parts AND for new parts.
Buy a cMP that suits Your needs and be happy with it (i'm very happy with my two 5.1 cMPs, 6 cores).
Regards
Jean
Tell that to the Hellcat, Viper, Z06, ZL1, Shelby or etc owner. I drive a much modified Lexus ISF that puts down 400HP to the wheels. You can never have too much
Sort of like, well you knowLou
Tell that to the Hellcat, Viper, Z06, ZL1, Shelby or etc owner. I drive a much modified Lexus ISF that puts down 400HP to the wheels. You can never have too much
Lou
Haha My metaphor was towards the mid range prices which is why we don't have l1000 hp Bmws, Lexus, , ford, Hondas under 30k lol
I'd give craigslist a look. I'm out of town and just looked because of this thread and found 2 under $600, 1 of them $490 for a 2009 quad core. I know once I get back home, North Texas, there's always 5 or so on CL at any given time.
True. My wife's SUV (the soccer mom car as she calls it) is 450HP/520TRQ stock and my pickup is close 500HP/1000TRQTell that to the Hellcat, Viper, Z06, ZL1, Shelby or etc owner. I drive a much modified Lexus ISF that puts down 400HP to the wheels. You can never have too much
Lou
Just can't see the reason why worth to do this.
A used 2009 model (4,1) just around $400 (single processor), $600 (dual processor), which effectively the same machine as the 2012 model (5,1) after firmware flashing.
And you still have around $1000 to upgrade (SSD, GPU, CPU, RAM, USB 3.0...). This can gives you a very good cMP with $1500.
To build another one.....
Case $500 (NEW)
Processor cage $25 (NEW)
Front Fan $45 (NEW)
Rear Fan $40 (NEW)
PCIe Fan $25 (NEW)
Power cord $20 (NEW)
PCIe card bracket $10 (NEW)
PCIe fence power cover x3 $60 (assume only graphic card installed in Slot 1, so 3 cover required)
Memory $70 (assume using 3rd party RAM to improve the cost to performance ratio)
CPU tray $650 (NEW, dual processor model)
CPU tray support plate $20 (NEW)
logic board $330 (NEW)
Super drive $50 (NEW)
Optical drive cage $10 (NEW)
CPU $200 (assume using used CPU to improve cost to performance ratio)
Heatsink A $180 (NEW)
Heatsink B $240 (NEW)
PSU $290 (NEW)
PSU cable cover $30 (NEW)
GPU $150 (Assume get a used GPU and flash it by yourself to improve cost to performance ratio)
Airport card $50 (assume you get a 802.11ac card)
HDD tray x4 $120 (or you can go for SSD adaptor straight away, Stock Apple SSD tray $45 each NEW)
Keyboard, mouse, thermal paste, cables.... $100
Not sure if I miss anything else, however, up to this point, this "NEW" build already cost $3200
If I really want to build something from scratch now, sure I will go for the Hackintosh, which can gives me a 6700K + 980Ti, PCIe SSD......with much lower cost.
lol are you sure? On eBay there are tons of cMac Pro cheaper than $1000 and I just need to upgrade RAM, GPU, and or CPU. That's why I estimate the max price is around $1500.
[doublepost=1472231448][/doublepost]Guys, base on what I researched I can get what I want within $1000~1500 and all of them are cMac Pro genuine parts. I don't see any issues of using genuine parts at all and it was meant to upgrade like that.
