mac pro alternate config ...

[sclusiv]

I am thinking of picking up a mac pro ... reason being that its upgradeable ... my Q to you mac-ers out there is ...

if i downgrade the processor to 2.0 and upgrade the ram to 2gb ... and leave the rest as is ... how would that affect the set up ... i am an average user ... nothing too fancy ...

i am going to be adding more ram and hd later down the road ....

also ... can i upgrade the processors later ... (8 core and up, etc)

thanks in advance ...

 

[0007776]

The processors can be upgraded later but just remember that it will void your warrenty.

 

[andy-ch]

The processors can be upgraded later but just remember that it will void your warrenty.

Correct!!
As long as the processor has LGA 771, you can upgrade your MacPro's Processor.

 

[brooker]

I am thinking of picking up a mac pro ... reason being that its upgradeable ... my Q to you mac-ers out there is ...

if i downgrade the processor to 2.0 and upgrade the ram to 2gb ... and leave the rest as is ... how would that affect the set up ... i am an average user ... nothing too fancy ...

i am going to be adding more ram and hd later down the road ....

also ... can i upgrade the processors later ... (8 core and up, etc)

thanks in advance ...

that sounds like a great plan for your usage... get the minimum system now, and add components as you need them. For 'average' usage, 4 cores will blow through most all tasks, at any GHz rating. The 2.0GHz should be fine for ya.

Remember, don't get your extra gig of RAM from apple. it's always cheaper and just as good from third parries, like OWC or Crucial (see link at top/bottom of page).

Adding components as you go will give you a very capable system, and probably save you a good bit of $$. the longer you wait to buy a component, the cheaper it will get!

 

[Pressure]

I strongly suggest you go with the base model featuring 2.66Ghz pocessors. The price difference is minimal and you gain a lot more for a relatively small price increase over the 2.0Ghz model.

 

[statikcat]

Yes get a 2.66.. especially if you plan on getting Applecare. This way you probably will not want to upgrade it until your warrenty is over. It is better bang for buck anyway.

 

[sclusiv]

thanks for the input ...

i am thinking of holding out till late this year and early next year ... see how leopard works out ... santa rosa ... blah blah blah ...

giggity giggity

 

[trainguy77]

Yeah if it all possible get the 2.66ghz its better bang for the buck. Also upgrading the CPU can get difficult and expensive to do.

 

[killmoms]

thanks for the input ...

i am thinking of holding out till late this year and early next year ... see how leopard works out ... santa rosa ... blah blah blah ...

giggity giggity

Well, Santa Rosa is a laptop chipset, so that won't help you much. Stoakley-Seaburg, on the other hand...

 

[dkoralek]

Well, Santa Rosa is a laptop chipset, so that won't help you much. Stoakley-Seaburg, on the other hand...

Actually, technically Santa Rosa is a laptop platform, of which a chipset is just one component (other components include the flash memory cache, wifi, and optional integrated graphics). It may impact the iMac line, although, I'd guess they are more likely to go with a desktop core 2 duo in the next rev. One limitation of going with the iMac or the laptops has been that the mobile chipset used with the core 2 duos is a modification of the core duo chipset. The new chipset should have some performance gains which may make the iMac (if they stick with the mobile chips) closer to the Mac Pro.

cheers.

 

[Mr.Texor]

Actually, technically Santa Rosa is a laptop platform, of which a chipset is just one component (other components include the flash memory cache, wifi, and optional integrated graphics). It may impact the iMac line

It's true that Santa Rosa is a laptop platform, but some of the components on that platform are also used on desktops. The new integrated graphics chip and the flasm memory could def. make it into imacs.. In fact, I'm abou 99% sure that there are several desktop motherboards already selling with the newer integrated graphics chipset...

 

[dkoralek]

It's true that Santa Rosa is a laptop platform, but some of the components on that platform are also used on desktops. The new integrated graphics chip and the flasm memory could def. make it into imacs.. In fact, I'm abou 99% sure that there are several desktop motherboards already selling with the newer integrated graphics chipset...

The entry level iMac (the one that replaced the eMac) would probably be the only one to possibly see the integrated graphics. The whole line would see the upgraded chipset if they stay with the mobile C2D variants. flash memory, i don't know about. I haven't read much about it on desktops. Mainly because the advantages of it are more useful for laptops where power usage is much more important, shutting down and booting is more common, etc.

cheers.

 

[Mr.Texor]

FSB speed bump is also good on desktops...

 

[dkoralek]

FSB speed bump is also good on desktops...

Conroe FSBs already beat out Merom. Now, supposedly in Q3 of this year, there will be a new desktop chipset out, and faster FSB conroes to match (1330, maybe?). If, as rumors are, Apple switches to desktop chips in the next revision of the iMac, chipset improvements as part of Santa Rosa are a moot point.

cheers.