Hi there! So after seeing the specs and price point on the new Mac Pro, I simply can't justify the expense. I've been waiting 5 years for it! Haha. So I currently have a 2 x 2.8GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon with 8GB of Ram and an ATI Radeon 5770 1Gb Graphic card. Does anyone have any suggestions to upgrade to a powerful beast? Looking at getting it to the benchmark scores of the top-end iMac at the least. Thanks!
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Is It Possible to Just Upgrade my MacPro to a beast?
- Thread starter FELLiNi
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I wouldn't put much money into the machine. I considered an old Mac Pro but the lack of SATA 3, USB 3, and Thunderbolt stopped the plan. Also, some conveniences are also not available, like HDMI and the new 802.11ac standard. You should start saving now for a new system. There are just so many improvements you're missing out on.
True. I have enough for the new Mac Pro, but I don't think it warrants the expense and it needs time to be tested by new buyers. I would like a "bridge" computer to handle stuff until then. Something that can handle heavy video editing, minor after effects and colour correction. Would you recommend a refurbed 2010 Mac Pro or just an all-out new iMac?
Sounds like you have a 3,1 from 2008. Although you can't do a lot better in the CPU department, you can add everything treestar talks about but Thunderbolt, and who needs TB anyway? You have PCIe, and can add USB3 and SATA3 cards plus a better GPU (with HDMI) if you need it.
How about an SSD for your boot drive? If you haven't gone there yet, just do it. You will be very happy. Don't worry about SATA2 or 3. Just do it. And while you are at it, note the space in your current MP for expansion... a thing in the nMP's past.
If you want a new toy, the nMP will assure you of a painful and spendy upgrade that will constantly remind you how "new" it is.
Used/Refurb 4,1 and 5,1 MPs will abound in the months ahead, and you can do a hell of a lot with a lot less money with one of these. Look into a 4,1 single-CPU for <$700, flash to 5,1 for free and upgrade the CPU to a hex 3680. You'll top the top iMac and almost double the performance of your current machine. Or, if you are using heavily multi-threaded apps, get a used or refurb dual processor 5,1 and live large with 12 cores. You can upgrade CPU and GPU there, too.
You'll probably only notice the difference between SATA2 and SATA3 when backing up drives, and then only if you are backing up SSD to SSD. Sooo... drop in a SATA3 card if it's an issue. Same with USB3.
The nMP is an incremental performance upgrade in a *neat* case which abandons inexpensive and readily-available expansion in favor of costly Thunderbolt, largely to the customer's detriment.
Dem's my thoughts.
How about an SSD for your boot drive? If you haven't gone there yet, just do it. You will be very happy. Don't worry about SATA2 or 3. Just do it. And while you are at it, note the space in your current MP for expansion... a thing in the nMP's past.
If you want a new toy, the nMP will assure you of a painful and spendy upgrade that will constantly remind you how "new" it is.
Used/Refurb 4,1 and 5,1 MPs will abound in the months ahead, and you can do a hell of a lot with a lot less money with one of these. Look into a 4,1 single-CPU for <$700, flash to 5,1 for free and upgrade the CPU to a hex 3680. You'll top the top iMac and almost double the performance of your current machine. Or, if you are using heavily multi-threaded apps, get a used or refurb dual processor 5,1 and live large with 12 cores. You can upgrade CPU and GPU there, too.
You'll probably only notice the difference between SATA2 and SATA3 when backing up drives, and then only if you are backing up SSD to SSD. Sooo... drop in a SATA3 card if it's an issue. Same with USB3.
The nMP is an incremental performance upgrade in a *neat* case which abandons inexpensive and readily-available expansion in favor of costly Thunderbolt, largely to the customer's detriment.
Dem's my thoughts.
We have the same exact machine. The new Mac Pros are great, but I can't justify the expense either. We could easily afford them for the office, but I don't know if we'd be using them to their full potential, at least not yet.
Also, HD card. What are you going to upgrade it to? What's the best for an Early 2008 that will work well, and hopefully smoke an HD 5770?
Also, HD card. What are you going to upgrade it to? What's the best for an Early 2008 that will work well, and hopefully smoke an HD 5770?
I'm thinking of adding a 960GB Crucial SSD as my boot drive to replace the original one. I'm also looking at the 2.5" to 3.5" adapters. Has anyone dealt with these? Do they significantly increase the speed? It seems like my best bet!
Thanks
Thanks
I put an SSD in my 2008 MP 3,1 back in 2010 and it was one of the best upgrades I ever did. I used a Cooler Master 3.5 to 2.5 adapter and have never looked back. It's a dramatic increase in speed.
There are FAR better SSDs than the OCZ Vertex 2 that I installed now but hey... everything improves.