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Local Thrift Store has a Mac Pro for sale. Problem.

MetalGearTW

MetalGearTW

macrumors member
Original poster
Feb 3, 2013
61
0
619
It's only $99 not including a 15% discount since I'm a student, with 7 day return if it doesn't work.

Now here's the problem... I've never used a tower computer before. I've always been using laptops and am currently using a mac mini. Is there any way to tell which model the Mac Pro is without plugging it into a monitor and turning it on? The shop owner said he doesn't know either and has no way of finding out.

Also I have some general questions on Mac Pro's,

1. Are Mac Pro's 100% customizable?
2. Can the oldest Mac Pro be customized to be more powerful than a 2012 Mac Mini?
3. How hard is it to replace Mac Pro parts (hard drive, ram, graphics card..?)

I'm wondering if I should buy the Mac Pro and replace my Mac Mini... I don't mind spending extra money the next few months to upgrade the hard drive to an SSD from OWC and fully maximize the Mac Pro's potential, but I thought I'd come here and ask first.

Thank you!
 
Could you grab the serial number off the back?

In general, Mac Pros are expandable but we won't know by how much until we know what the machine is.

Also keep in mind if it only has one DVD drive bay, it is a G5, not a Mac Pro.
 
goMac said:
Could you grab the serial number off the back?

In general, Mac Pros are expandable but we won't know by how much until we know what the machine is.

Also keep in mind if it only has one DVD drive bay, it is a G5, not a Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

hmm... i'll go back to the store and check. It's been sitting there for a month now.
 
MetalGearTW said:
hmm... i'll go back to the store and check. It's been sitting there for a month now.
Click to expand...

Yeah, there isn't really a model number somewhere that tells us what kind of Mac Pro it is. Serial number would be the quickest way (should be on the back.)

If it's a G5 and not a Mac Pro, the price is decent, but there is not way it would perform anywhere nears the speeds of a 2012 Mac Mini or be able to run new software. The price and thrift store thing have me suspecting it's a G5 and not a Mac Pro.
 
goMac said:
Yeah, there isn't really a model number somewhere that tells us what kind of Mac Pro it is. Serial number would be the quickest way (should be on the back.)

If it's a G5 and not a Mac Pro, the price is decent, but there is not way it would perform anywhere nears the speeds of a 2012 Mac Mini or be able to run new software. The price and thrift store thing have me suspecting it's a G5 and not a Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

I have to agree: based on the price I suspect is is a G5 PowerMac and not Intel Mac Pro.

It's easy to tell the difference: the G5 only has 1 DVD Drive, the Mac Pro has 2.

If it is a Mac Pro, then $100 is a steal (regardless of what year) as long as it works.
 
I believe that the case - if empty - is still worth more than $99 if it is in decent shape. If there is anything else inside then that is a bonus.

Even if you never get the machine to run, you will not be out the money. Be aware that someone may have already scooped it.

I wouldn't even think twice if I saw a MacPro case for $99... I'd have bought it.

Good Luck. Keep us posted...
 
snberk103 said:
I believe that the case - if empty - is still worth more than $99 if it is in decent shape. If there is anything else inside then that is a bonus.

Even if you never get the machine to run, you will not be out the money. Be aware that someone may have already scooped it.

I wouldn't even think twice if I saw a MacPro case for $99... I'd have bought it.

Good Luck. Keep us posted...
Click to expand...

The thrift stores (looks like US junk & antique shops) here in Japan have G5 (MacPro looking) machines about 3 or 4 times a year for just about that - (Between $50 and $100). I'm always tempted to get one and play with it.

IMO if it's Intel based I'd snatch it up. If it's G5 based I'd pass - unless you're looking to take on a project.
 
MetalGearTW said:
It's only $99 not including a 15% discount since I'm a student, with 7 day return if it doesn't work.

Now here's the problem... I've never used a tower computer before. I've always been using laptops and am currently using a mac mini. Is there any way to tell which model the Mac Pro is without plugging it into a monitor and turning it on? The shop owner said he doesn't know either and has no way of finding out.

Also I have some general questions on Mac Pro's,

1. Are Mac Pro's 100% customizable?
2. Can the oldest Mac Pro be customized to be more powerful than a 2012 Mac Mini?
3. How hard is it to replace Mac Pro parts (hard drive, ram, graphics card..?)

I'm wondering if I should buy the Mac Pro and replace my Mac Mini... I don't mind spending extra money the next few months to upgrade the hard drive to an SSD from OWC and fully maximize the Mac Pro's potential, but I thought I'd come here and ask first.

Thank you!
Click to expand...

Thrift shop you say?

I'm gonna pop some tags
Only got $99 in my pocket... :D
 
It turns out it was a G5 after all... it only had 1 dvd slot.

I disappointed myself ;_; thanks everyone for the useful tips.
 
GermanyChris said:
That is location dependent..

Here a dual 1.8 will still bring 200 euro.
Click to expand...

That might be true, but since we are talking about Dollars (based on the use of the $ sign in the original post), then we need to take location into value. Therefore $55, $75, and $85 are relevant and the 200 euro (and your $509 value) is not. People around here can't "give away" (meaning trying to sell for less than $100) their old GX macs. Heck I bought my 2006 Intel Mac Pro last summer for less than $400. So as you said, location is the key factor and we are discussing a location in the US.
 
paulrbeers said:
That might be true, but since we are talking about Dollars (based on the use of the $ sign in the original post), then we need to take location into value. Therefore $55, $75, and $85 are relevant and the 200 euro (and your $509 value) is not. People around here can't "give away" (meaning trying to sell for less than $100) their old GX macs. Heck I bought my 2006 Intel Mac Pro last summer for less than $400. So as you said, location is the key factor and we are discussing a location in the US.
Click to expand...

Then you ought to take a stroll through the PowerPC section and see what G5's are still bringing around the US.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3669441930.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3698760868.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3669919061.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3685315144.html

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/sys/3716082477.html

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/sys/3691845263.html

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/sys/3709239313.html

yup still looking like 85 is a good deal
 
GermanyChris said:
Then you ought to take a stroll through the PowerPC section and see what G5's are still bringing around the US.
Click to expand...

We only know the asking price. Presumably since these are still listed, they haven't sold.
 
GermanyChris said:
Then you ought to take a stroll through the PowerPC section and see what G5's are still bringing around the US.

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3669441930.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3698760868.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3669919061.html

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/sys/3685315144.html

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/sys/3716082477.html

http://kalamazoo.craigslist.org/sys/3691845263.html

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/sys/3709239313.html

yup still looking like 85 is a good deal
Click to expand...

Yep and those are the ones that don't sell. I can pull up a crap load of ads on craigslist for all kinds of things such as computers, cars, houses, etc. that NEVER sell because the asking price is too high. I know for a fact that in my city, any thing for a G4/5 Over $150 just gets reposted over and over again. The ones that are at $100 (or less) are the only ones that are removed (thus most likely sold).

I assume you've been to this site called Ebay? Ever notice how a lot of the Buy It Nows sit there forever at outrageous prices. They sit there because no one is willing to pay those numbers. People tend to think their stuff is worth way more than it really is (especially Apple computers).
 
The only PowerPC G5's worth the money these days are the Dual Core models, or Late 2005-2006. They can still hold their own and keep up with youtube, flash etc..

The other G5 models, especially the dual 2.7 and dual 2.5 I would stay away from due to their unstable LCS leaks.. As far as a G4? The only ones I can recommend would be the MDD 2003 with the quieter power supply and case fan.. running either at Dual 1.25 w/2MB L3 Cache and or Dual 1.42 w/2MB L3 Cache also.

PowerBooks: I would say any 1.67 7447A/B should keep up somewhat.. The dual-layer is the best bang for the buck as the earlier G4 PowerBook Aluminums did not come with a dual-layer drive and DDR2 memory, though DDR2 is not fully realized until the G5.

There is really no difference in performance with DDR MDD's either - again, architecture does not support double data memory speeds.

I expect the G5 Quads to remain at the higher 350-400 for a used model... and only if its pristine and hardly used - around the 600-800 range.

The rest of the G5's, including the 2.3 and 2.0 dual core models should be around 200-500, respectively. The only G5 model worthy of 85 dollars would be the single 1.6 PCI and 1.8 PCI/PCI-X model.

Just my .02
 
PowerPCMacMan said:
I expect the G5 Quads to remain at the higher 350-400 for a used model... and only if its pristine and hardly used - around the 600-800 range.

The rest of the G5's, including the 2.3 and 2.0 dual core models should be around 200-500, respectively. The only G5 model worthy of 85 dollars would be the single 1.6 PCI and 1.8 PCI/PCI-X model.

Just my .02
Click to expand...

Wherever you live, I'm buying a crap load of G5's in my area and bringing them to you. You'd be lucky to get half that here.
 
Hehe.. I would be interested in only Dual-Core and Quads as I know I could make a banging with those.. Think about it.. For those who just use the G5 for basics and some light editing, Leopard is still no slouch and neither are those machines. I could sell them 300 a piece for the Dual core 2.3/2.0 and 400 for the Quad G5.

Couple that with the fact if they came with 16GB DDR2 memory and flashed Nvidia Geforce 7800GTX cards at 512MB a pop...

If I was selling PPC machines, it would be the high end models of the G4 and G5 and the rest anyone can find.

paulrbeers said:
Wherever you live, I'm buying a crap load of G5's in my area and bringing them to you. You'd be lucky to get half that here.
Click to expand...
 
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