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Looking for advice last of the Mac Pro towers

C

Check 6

macrumors regular
Original poster
Nov 12, 2007
209
12
I have one of the last Mac Pro towers with the 3.33 6 core Xeon processor, 16 gigs of 1333 RAM and an ATI Radeon 5870 graphics card. The tower also has three internal Hd. a 512 SSD for applications and OS, a 1 TB drive for data and a 2 TB drive for auto back ups. I currently use a 30" Apple Cinima display.

At first I was thinking of getting rid of this assembly and getting an iMac for simplicity and to reduce space. The more I think about it the more I lean towards keeping the Mac Pro and getting a newer monitor and perhaps a newer graphics card.

Besides the normal email, document production, web research I also use it for Aperture, a little Photoshop and Final cut pro.

So the question, what is a excellent monitor to replace the aging Cinima display and is my graphics card up to the task or should I up grade it also.
Clarity is important due to an eye issue.

I am running Yosemite OS


Thanks for the comments as so many of your are more up to speed on this than I am. Oh to be young again
 
Check 6 said:
I have one of the last Mac Pro towers with the 3.33 6 core Xeon processor, 16 gigs of 1333 RAM and an ATI Radeon 5870 graphics card. The tower also has three internal Hd. a 512 SSD for applications and OS, a 1 TB drive for data and a 2 TB drive for auto back ups. I currently use a 30" Apple Cinima display.

At first I was thinking of getting rid of this assembly and getting an iMac for simplicity and to reduce space. The more I think about it the more I lean towards keeping the Mac Pro and getting a newer monitor and perhaps a newer graphics card.

Besides the normal email, document production, web research I also use it for Aperture, a little Photoshop and Final cut pro.

So the question, what is a excellent monitor to replace the aging Cinima display and is my graphics card up to the task or should I up grade it also.
Clarity is important due to an eye issue.

I am running Yosemite OS


Thanks for the comments as so many of your are more up to speed on this than I am. Oh to be young again
Click to expand...

I've used many iMacs in the past. The common problem I encountered is the screen corners tends to have dark smudges at the corners that you need to have it replaced by Apple. With AppleCare replacement is free. I visited an Apple Reseller store and all their demo iMacs already has those dark smudges at the corners. Though to some this is fine if they are not into photo or video editing. I think your classic Mac Pro is still adequate for your needs.

Though the iMac is more compact, I still need to use 2-3 external HDs. A clone of my main boot drive for back up and another HD for storing my work files as I keep my work files outside my main boot drive.

I am also using a 30" Aluminum ACD and still good for my work specially the matte screen. At least I don't need to worry on the screen corners having dark smudges. For the brightness control I only set it at halfway and its adequate. Hoping this would help prolong the life of the LCD. If you're considering the 5K iMac, maybe best to read user comments and feedbacks since the technology is new.
 
2010/2012 Mac Pro + 4K GPU + 4K monitor @60Hz = EyEcandy

Macsonic said:
I've used many iMacs in the past. The common problem I encountered is the screen corners tends to have dark smudges at the corners that you need to have it replaced by Apple. With AppleCare replacement is free. I visited an Apple Reseller store and all their demo iMacs already has those dark smudges at the corners. Though to some this is fine if they are not into photo or video editing. I think your classic Mac Pro is still adequate for your needs.

Though the iMac is more compact, I still need to use 2-3 external HDs. A clone of my main boot drive for back up and another HD for storing my work files as I keep my work files outside my main boot drive.

I am also using a 30" Aluminum ACD and still good for my work specially the matte screen. At least I don't need to worry on the screen corners having dark smudges. For the brightness control I only set it at halfway and its adequate. Hoping this would help prolong the life of the LCD. If you're considering the 5K iMac, maybe best to read user comments and feedbacks since the technology is new.
Click to expand...

+1 for your clear feedback on the iMac.

An even greater disadvantage of the iMacs imho are indeed those awful glossy screens. Using an Mac for quite some hours a day, an matte screen is much more relaxing for your eyes! Just go for the 2010/2012 Mac Pro add a 4K capable GPU a 4K monitor @60Hz... EyEcandy! Good monitor calibration can be done easily nowadays!

BTW: When I want to look myself in the eye, I'll just stand in front of a mirror, no need for an iMac! :rolleyes:
 
I would stick with your Mac Pro and just upgrade your monitor. Your current graphics card should be able to handle most sub-4K monitors.

I had a 27" Apple Cinema Display for a few years and I was disappointed with it. I paired it with a NEC 24" 1080 IPS 10-bit monitor and I could never get the colors to match between the two, even after using a Spyder Pro 3 color calibrator several times. The Cinema Display always looked a little greener than the NEC. Plus the Cinema Display had awful glare compared to the nice matte screen of the NEC. When color correcting within Aperture or Final Cut Pro I could see my reflection in the image thus making it more difficult to color correct.

I ditched the Cinema Display a while ago in favor of a Dell U3014 30" 2560x1600 and so far it's met all my expectations.
 
BDM STUDIOS NL said:
+1 for your clear feedback on the iMac.

An even greater disadvantage of the iMacs imho are indeed those awful glossy screens. Using an Mac for quite some hours a day, an matte screen is much more relaxing for your eyes! Just go for the 2010/2012 Mac Pro add a 4K capable GPU a 4K monitor @60Hz... EyEcandy! Good monitor calibration can be done easily nowadays!

BTW: When I want to look myself in the eye, I'll just stand in front of a mirror, no need for an iMac! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

This is the biggest negative to the iMac. My eyes don't handle extended viewing of a glare screen. I'm going to look at some of the NEC matte screen monitors. I appreciate all your comments and would welcome more
 
Looking for advice last of the Mac Pro towers

Check 6 said:
This is the biggest negative to the iMac. My eyes don't handle extended viewing of a glare screen. I'm going to look at some of the NEC matte screen monitors. I appreciate all your comments and would welcome more
Click to expand...


Exactly! Working or playing behind any Mac should be having a good time, instead of creating an aweful headache!

Never understood why Apple made those screens, only for the sake of adding some artificial contrast and briliance!

Total waste of money imho!
 
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The new iMacs use the laminated glass, right? If so, the glare should be substantially reduced, but I am yet to see one in person.
 
5K iMac screams rev 1 IMO. I used one in the store for Final Cut Pro X. Performance was meh on the 3.5, 290. It has a nice screen but I wouldn't expect much performance out of the GPUs especially with the throttling that happens and was documented here on these forums. I don't really know what else to say than upgrade the GPU in yours and keep chuggin!
 
Zwhaler said:
5K iMac screams rev 1 IMO. I used one in the store for Final Cut Pro X. Performance was meh on the 3.5, 290. It has a nice screen but I wouldn't expect much performance out of the GPUs especially with the throttling that happens and was documented here on these forums. I don't really know what else to say than upgrade the GPU in yours and keep chuggin!
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me
 
4k ips monitors are coming around, you should look into that. not exactly an 5k imac, but at least you can upgrade the gpu horsepower in the future, can't say the same for imac.
 
Thanks to all for the replies. My monitor desires (to replace the aging Apple 30" Cinema display) would be first and foremost an anti or reduced glare screen. Yes I know a matte or semi matte screen takes some of the brilliance out of colors but it is an eye issue. Since I would be keeping it for some time a 4K display would be ideal but pricy.

So, while my HD 5870 graphics card can handle (perhaps RAM limited with but 1 gig) most monitors shy of 4K is there a better card. The more I research it the more confusing the subject is and also it appears the market is limited for plug and play cards for apple OS. As I said in the first comment I'm running Yosemite, on a 3.33 6 core Pro with multiple drives and 16 gig of RAM

Suggestions for a graphics card better (maybe more correctly more current with more RAM) than the 5870 is appreciated.
 
Best thing to do is to go to the store and have a play with the 5k and see if your eyes can handle it. For my eyes it's still far too glossy and I would not invest in one if it's going to do hard, long GPU work unlike the 5,1.

My preferences are on the non glossy matte side of displays, I have owned an ACD and couldn't get on with the coating so I'm back on my Dell habit with their nice marbled semi gloss coating they have, despite being ugly as sin and utilitarian looking compared to an ACD/TBD. I can't justify the huge expense of using the brilliant NEC screens which are the best but cost a bomb!

Having seen the Dell U3014 I suggest you take a look at that as a replacement for your 30" ACD. Dell's next business day warranty on these models is also superb.
 
Gav Mack said:
Best thing to do is to go to the store and have a play with the 5k and see if your eyes can handle it. For my eyes it's still far too glossy.

My preferences are on the non glossy matte side of displays, I have owned an ACD and couldn't get on with the coating so I'm back on my Dell habit with their nice marbled semi gloss coating they have, despite being ugly as sin and utilitarian looking compared to an ACD/TBD. I can't justify the huge expense of using the brilliant NEC screens which are the best but cost a bomb!

Having seen the Dell U3014 I suggest you take a look at that as a replacement for your 30" ACD. Dell's next business day warranty on these models is also superb.
Click to expand...


Good advice! Or look at the LG 4K model?
 
BDM STUDIOS NL said:
Good advice! Or look at the LG 4K model?
Click to expand...

Could do - but over the years of owning Dell displays the moment I see an imperfection I pick up the phone and the next day it's gone. That and their default coating which since the demise of a matte option means is the next best thing without NEC pain in my pocket!
 
Gav Mack said:
Could do - but over the years of owning Dell displays the moment I see an imperfection I pick up the phone and the next day it's gone. That and their default coating which since the demise of a matte option means is the next best thing without NEC pain in my pocket!
Click to expand...

Good after sales customer service is also on my top 3 list before choosing a product! How is the dead pixel policy for a Dell monitor?
 
BDM STUDIOS NL said:
Exactly! Working or playing behind any Mac should be having a good time, instead of creating an aweful headache!

Never understood why Apple made those screens, only for the sake of adding some artificial contrast and briliance!

Total waste of money imho!
Click to expand...

You got absolutely no clue what you are saying.

Glossy = Natural
To make a glossy panel they put a clear, see-through, transparent screen in front of the LCD panel.

Matte = Blurry
To make a matte screen they need to diffuse the light which is accomplished by putting a screen that refracts [blurs] the light.

With a glossy screen you see the LCD panel exactly how it is which provides nice vibrant colors and a sharp picture at the trade off of glare. Think of it like looking into a polished surface, kinda like a mirror.

With matte it's the opposite. You get an anti-glare screen at the cost of colors and sharpness.

So given Apple's love of making the highest quality products possible it makes complete sense why they use glossy screens.
 
ToroidalZeus said:
You got absolutely no clue what you are saying.
Click to expand...

That's exactly why I'm a member on MacRumors, to have an opinion on a subject and then get corrected in a objectively and scientific way! Giving my advise to one => Getting even better advise for all! The best multiplier imho :cool:

So given Apple's love of making the highest quality products possible it makes complete sense why they use glossy screens.
Click to expand...

Not if your whole workspace surroundings lighting scheme are not adjusted for using those glossy screens! Calibrating your monitor is also subjected to the surrounding light sources etc. How many pro's are working with glossy monitors for colour critical projects?

I really like my car to be shiny and reflecting surrounding lights as much possible, but not my monitor. ;)

Cheers
 
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goMac said:
The new iMacs use the laminated glass, right? If so, the glare should be substantially reduced, but I am yet to see one in person.
Click to expand...

As someone who has always been against glossy screens, the new laminated glass does remove the majority of my issues. I still imagine in high-glare environments you'd want to adjust your setup, but it's not the sort of issue where I'm looking at myself whenever there's something dark on my screen anymore. That said... I still go matte where possible.

As to the OP: You don't give a lot of details on what you're using your setup for, but if you're primarily looking to upgrade your displays I'd say the upgrade path makes more economic sense. As you point out an iMac kills a lot of cable clutter, but monitors are cheaper than ever a 4K graphics card is far less than even a base model iMac.
 
BDM STUDIOS NL said:
Not if your whole workspace surroundings lighting scheme are not adjusted for using those glossy screens! Calibrating your monitor is also subjected to the surrounding light sources etc. How many pro's are working with glossy monitors for colour critical projects?

I really like my car to be shiny and reflecting surrounding lights as much possible, but not my monitor. ;)

Cheers
Click to expand...

Exactly.

If you have a BAD workplace environment--one with too much uncontrollable lighting-- then you have no choice but to get BAD display [matte] to compensate for that.

With that said it your statement about glossy being "artificial contrast and briliance!" is completely faulty.

Glossy doesn't have artificial brilliance. It looks good because it is the LCD exactly as it appears, a clear unadulterated view.
Matte's antiglare properties work on BOTH the outside (room) lighting and (inside) lcd lighting hence it actually is washed out and dull in comparison.

And professionals don't choose matte over glossy because it's "color critical." People chose glossy monitors if the have a good workplace environment and matte if they have a bad environment.
 
ToroidalZeus said:
You got absolutely no clue what you are saying.

Glossy = Natural
To make a glossy panel they put a clear, see-through, transparent screen in front of the LCD panel.

Matte = Blurry
To make a matte screen they need to diffuse the light which is accomplished by putting a screen that refracts [blurs] the light.

With a glossy screen you see the LCD panel exactly how it is which provides nice vibrant colors and a sharp picture at the trade off of glare. Think of it like looking into a polished surface, kinda like a mirror.

With matte it's the opposite. You get an anti-glare screen at the cost of colors and sharpness.

So given Apple's love of making the highest quality products possible it makes complete sense why they use glossy screens.
Click to expand...

NEC make the highest quality displays and have done so for as long as I've been in the game for 25 years with the old multisync CRT's. Put a 272 up against a ACD and you will see the difference - it has a hood to keep reflections away from the screen. Plus most bureaux have to have compromises and not work in a darkened room to minimise reflections and getting their colour matching totally accurate like I do. I could add gamut issues and not enough colour bits with Apple displays but I'm sure others can chip in now I have kids to deal with shortly!
 
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