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Mac Pro 1.1 is it a god deal? Should I buy

E

evilclaw2321

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 17, 2008
7
0
So I've found a deal on a Mac Pro 1.1 but its been upgraded.
2 x 2.66 quad cores
500 gb hdd
16 gb ram
wifi,bluetooth, lion pre installed

asking 1100

What do you think?

It seems that most others in the price range have much less ram and in the older models buying more is not cheap so this seems good but guess I'm not sure since it is an older computer.
 
Are you sure it is 2 - 2.66ghx QUAD cores? The original Mac Pro (1,1) actually had 2 - 2.66ghz DUAL cores that was a "QUAD" core because it had 4 cores total... I just don't want you to end up with only 4 cores when you think you are getting 8....
 
evilclaw2321 said:
the seller said it had 2x3.0Ghz Dual core CPUs upgraded to 2x Quad core 2.66Ghz
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Just wanted to make sure is all. Just to point out, the current rumor is that the 1,1's will not get Mountain Lion. Obviously it is only a rumor and until the final release comes out no one will know for sure and it may not matter to you either. I am just pointing out a few items to keep in mind.
 
That is not a bad deal, its got a lot of RAM which is quite expensive, the real question though it what will you be using it for? Do you need that much RAM? How many years do you expect to get out of it? I think it would be better to look for a Mac Pro 3,1, while they still use expensive DDR2 memory, they are true 64 bit machines (EFI) and you'll get a few more years out of them then the 1,1. Just my 2 cents.
 
ashman70 said:
That is not a bad deal, its got a lot of RAM which is quite expensive, the real question though it what will you be using it for? Do you need that much RAM? How many years do you expect to get out of it? I think it would be better to look for a Mac Pro 3,1, while they still use expensive DDR2 memory, they are true 64 bit machines (EFI) and you'll get a few more years out of them then the 1,1. Just my 2 cents.
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perhaps you're right and I should keep looking for a newer model. I'm a physicist and work on reducing quite large datasets so 12-24gb of ram is typical. I know I could build a cheaper linux box that has what I need I'm just such a mac addict. But I only have a budget of ~1000-1500$.
 
evilclaw2321 said:
perhaps you're right and I should keep looking for a newer model. I'm a physicist and work on reducing quite large datasets so 12-24gb of ram is typical. I know I could build a cheaper linux box that has what I need I'm just such a mac addict. But I only have a budget of ~1000-1500$.
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It's a decent rig for the price according to the spec (just make sure it's indeed 8 cores). But two things you should consider - it's EFI32, so Mountain Lion will likely not run and will definitely not be supported. Another concern - the age of the machine. Even though Mac Pro has great components, after so may years everything wears out. There's a chance you may have to start replacing parts and getting those parts may not be so easy due to the age of the model.
 
You might look at refurb iMacs and Minis. They can take 16gb of ram and have speedy chips.

As already mentioned, I'd be worried about the age of the hardware. The ram would be expensive to upgrade further (I have 32 gb of fb-dimms, the pricing in them always sucked). But on the other hand, my ten year old G4 still works. You might get another 4 yrs out of the system. I don't think you will find a better pro for this price.
 
There are many people out there still using Mac Pro 1,1's and many who have upgraded them, and they all report that they are still running fine. While they are getting on in terms of years, the durability of the hardware speaks for itself. Whether or not they may last another 3-5 years of course, remains to be seen, so of course you should be prudent when it comes to the age of the machine, but they are tough and do appear to last quite a long time. As I have suggested however, I think a newer machine, in terms of Mac Pro 3,1 or 4,1 would be a better investment.
 
evilclaw2321 said:
perhaps you're right and I should keep looking for a newer model. I'm a physicist and work on reducing quite large datasets so 12-24gb of ram is typical. I know I could build a cheaper linux box that has what I need I'm just such a mac addict. But I only have a budget of ~1000-1500$.
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Unless you're using software that's seriously threaded, and most isn't (although the sciences do tend to be the exception), you're likely better off with a new Mac mini. RAM for the mini is cheap and the newer bus architecture makes large data sets go faster. You can also get an SSD from Apple as a BTO-option, but it's expensive.

BUT, if you're going to be rendering any of this, or you use software that can use the GPU resources for data crunching, then you're going to need a real card. And then the MacPro1,1 becomes very good indeed.

I'm going through this right now, considering upgrading my 1,1 to a 4,1. I'm going to wait, there's really no reason for me to change now.
 
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The Mac Pro 1,1 with Octo 2.66 (5355) will still beat up on a 2.0 i7 Mini in processing power. I have the exact same setup. But the mini is getting close to it...so I do have to say pretty impressive that a mac from 2006 upgraded can match up to a computer 5+ years later.

SDAVE said:
The new Mac Mini i7 will run circles around that Mac Pro. Sans graphics card.
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macpro2000 said:
The Mac Pro 1,1 with Octo 2.66 (5355) will still beat up on a 2.0 i7 Mini in processing power. I have the exact same setup. But the mini is getting close to it...so I do have to say pretty impressive that a mac from 2006 upgraded can match up to a computer 5+ years later.
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true, but look at the price difference between the mini and the pro
 
Look for a 2009, got mine on ebay for $1200 (exception not the rule) and couldn't be happier. I looked for a few months before finding the right deal, just be patient if you can. Good luck.
 
huh I'm surprised to hear you guys recommend the mini, I always assumed those weren't too beefy. what about the mac mini vs the imacs, aren't the imacs more powerful? Or is it the price factor of the minis?

I think I'll wait and shop around a bit more, buying one so many years old for still high price does make me a bit nervous. Just have to keep my eye on ebay for some good deals or maybe look into those newer minis.
 
macpro2000 said:
The Mac Pro 1,1 with Octo 2.66 (5355) will still beat up on a 2.0 i7 Mini in processing power. I have the exact same setup. But the mini is getting close to it...so I do have to say pretty impressive that a mac from 2006 upgraded can match up to a computer 5+ years later.
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It won't beat the high end mini (I think it's called Server on Apple's site). It has a faster bus and the Quad Mini i7 whoops major butt. Yes, the graphics card is not that great, but it is an AMD Radeon...you can't upgrade the graphics card, but still, the Mac Pro 1,1 only supports PCIe x 16, which is not that bad, but still very old. In my opinion, $1,100 for a 5 year old system is not worth it. I have a 2008 Mac Pro and just upgraded the graphics card to the 5770, it's showing it's age, but still does what it does well. My 2011 MBP (high end) is close as far as the speed goes.


evilclaw2321 said:
huh I'm surprised to hear you guys recommend the mini, I always assumed those weren't too beefy. what about the mac mini vs the imacs, aren't the imacs more powerful? Or is it the price factor of the minis?

I think I'll wait and shop around a bit more, buying one so many years old for still high price does make me a bit nervous. Just have to keep my eye on ebay for some good deals or maybe look into those newer minis.
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The iMacs are great. You get a nice screen and it saves space. Yes, the iMacs are more powerful. Graphics wise an CPU wise. I think most people here recommend the mini because it's cheaper than the used Mac Pro, but it's newer. Plus it saves space.

If you really want a desktop with upgradability, you should definitely wait for a new MP announcement (or whatever Apple is doing with their desktop line). You will definitely see prices drop on older MPs and you might even snag a good deal from the Apple refurb store.

I like the Mac Pro's, they have their own place (production houses). I just don't find them feasible in it's current form. Why would some home user need 2 CPUs? I just don't see it. If you want to play games, I suggest building a PC. For $1,100 you can build a really really good one. Even hackintosh it and dual boot Windows. If you're a designer, etc and don't play games, a mac mini or an imac should suffice.

I guess if you're an occasional gamer, then you might want a Mac Pro, but don't think you're going to get amazing performance out of it. Most games aren't even multi-threaded enough to use 2 CPUs.
 
evilclaw2321 said:
huh I'm surprised to hear you guys recommend the mini, I always assumed those weren't too beefy. what about the mac mini vs the imacs, aren't the imacs more powerful? Or is it the price factor of the minis?

I think I'll wait and shop around a bit more, buying one so many years old for still high price does make me a bit nervous. Just have to keep my eye on ebay for some good deals or maybe look into those newer minis.
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They say that because they don't really know anything. Better form factor :rolleyes:? If you should buy a mac pro depends on how you benefit from its features. If it's upgraded to 2x quad core cpus meaning 8 cores total, compare the benchmarks on the 2,1 to some of the newer models for a good point of reference. They are slower than current cpus, but it matters how well you can make use of 8 cores, and if you require other features of the mac pro. Consider that it is never going past 32 bit efi and I doubt it'll ever see any new gpu options or many compatible pci options. It still houses more drives than the other mac options. On anything pre 2009, ram is quite expensive, so that is a benefit. Personally i'm biased toward a 2009 model with a hex cpu dropped in. The next mac pro update is likely to be a disappointment.
 
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