Mac Pro vs. iMac 24"

[DrStrangelove]

I am very sorry, I must have skipped the part with your iMac due to me reading MR in the morning. In that case I can see how my post didn't make sense at all.

If you have an iMac 20" (Intel I gather)now and don't feel it's enough for the task, I doubt an iMac will fill its shoes. Seeing as the only real difference is the graphics card and a bigger screen, it might not be snappier at all. Unfortunately a Mac Pro is probably more than enough for you right now (unfortunate because it's a lot of $$) but at least it will be able to handle what you throw at it.

Where 64-bit/multicore apps are going from here, only time can tell but if the development is just as slow as it has been for the past two years, it will iMO probably take two more years before it's the norm and you can do anything really useful with it... For now the OSs will be the ones taking care of the multicores and 64-bit.

Hope I was a little more clear this time...

Much. And I'm still hungover and understood it this time. So you've really stepped up your game.

The other diff between my current 20" iMac (first gen intel) and an iMac 24 is the processor. My current machine is a Core Duo, 2GHz, 2MB L2-- the 24" has the Core 2 Duo, 2.33GHz, 4MB L2.

I've gotta do some research in how great the performance gain is from Core Duo to Core 2 Duo-- I've been told it's considerable.

Happy Thanksgiving gang!

 

[paxx]

i don't know about you...but i wanted a computer i could constantly upgrade, shell out the extra bucks and then be happy with for at least 5 years. thats why i went mac pro. I still haven't used up all the processing power at once most ive pushed was 60% used with video editting and some other apps, i can now load it up with ram when i got the cash, add 3 more hdds, and upgrade the graphics card, and the burner is faster than that on the imac that i was contemplating getting around 3 months ago. If i were you...get the macpro and then you won't need to buy a new system in a year...just add some more ram if you find you're using it all up (i know i need more than the 1gb) .,...yeah...you got a display already...so there you go. any if you want more display space...get something like a 19" or 20"ws for around 250

I'm new to these forums although I am a long time Mac user (1992) and just add this insight. I am reading this thread because I too am looking to upgrade my desktop machines to something that is in the modern world and have had the same hesitance over which to buy: A Mac Pro or a 24" iMac. Hesitance that is, until my son said something the other day. I purchased back in around 2001, fairly close together, two different Mac desktops that he reminded me of. We purchased an iMac DV (you know the 400mhz G3 with firewire) and not long after I purchased a PowerMac 466 G4. To sum it all up, the iMac has been retired for a couple of years (even with upgraded hard drive (painful!) & memory) and the PowerMac is still used everyday for everything but the heavy lifting (no photo or Movie editing but everything else) and will continue to see use even after the NEW mac is brought home. I was able to upgrade the ram & hard drives easily and could have done a cpu if I was so inclined.

I guess my son's point is, that the PowerMac has a much longer life cycle/usage because of how upgradeable it is along with quad core vs. dual core. I am not a pro user, I would say a serious amateur photographer, and I can see that for long term the Mac Pro will give me a much more pleasant experience for a long time to come.

My .02 worth
Paxx

PS Another example of short term is my wife's ibook. 4 years old and end of life. Ram max-ed out at 640MB. Will that be what 3 GB's feel like in a few years?

 

[Jiddick ExRex]

Much. And I'm still hungover and understood it this time. So you've really stepped up your game.

The other diff between my current 20" iMac (first gen intel) and an iMac 24 is the processor. My current machine is a Core Duo, 2GHz, 2MB L2-- the 24" has the Core 2 Duo, 2.33GHz, 4MB L2.

I've gotta do some research in how great the performance gain is from Core Duo to Core 2 Duo-- I've been told it's considerable.

Happy Thanksgiving gang!

Only if you consider (pun intended) "considerable" a 10 % gain in performance on some areas. I still don't think it's enough to keep you being happy for a long time... Search your feelings, get the Mac Pro

 

[DrStrangelove]

Only if you consider (pun intended) "considerable" a 10 % gain in performance on some areas. I still don't think it's enough to keep you being happy for a long time... Search your feelings, get the Mac Pro

Well, at the very least (and I've already done this when I was less serious about the purchase) it's time to visit the Apple store- I"m lucky enough to have one about 20mins from my house- and play with both machines to compare.

 

[jaguarx]

The thing is it's not just the Mac Pro base price I mean for me it's Mac Pro + 23" + 4GB RAm + 2x 150GB WD Raptor and that's just the internal hardware. Whatever you're doing you want at least 2GB or you're never going to get anywhere near the best out of it.

 

[DrStrangelove]

The thing is it's not just the Mac Pro base price I mean for me it's Mac Pro + 23" + 4GB RAm + 2x 150GB WD Raptor and that's just the internal hardware. Whatever you're doing you want at least 2GB or you're never going to get anywhere near the best out of it.

I just got back from playing with both of them. I came VERY close to walking out with the 24" discounted $101 for today only.

The thing is that I couldn't WALK out with it. I could have only walked out with the base model 24". I've got until midnight tonight to decide what I want to do. If I go with the iMac I'll config/order it online.

It is a VERY sweet machine. And seems to perform a HELL of a lot better than this first gen Intel 20" w/ 1.5GB RAM.

God this is tough.

 

[paxx]

I just got back from playing with both of them. I came VERY close to walking out with the 24" discounted $101 for today only.

The thing is that I couldn't WALK out with it. I could have only walked out with the base model 24". I've got until midnight tonight to decide what I want to do. If I go with the iMac I'll config/order it online.

It is a VERY sweet machine. And seems to perform a HELL of a lot better than this first gen Intel 20" w/ 1.5GB RAM.

God this is tough.

I waited to see what today brought and ended up making a choice. Have now ordered a Mac Pro 2.0 with X1900 video, 1GB (upgrading to 2GB from ebay), 250 GB with a 500GB from macsales.com coming as well. Still trying to decide if to use my 19" CRT or buy a Viewsonic/Dell/Samsung/etc midrange monitor to go with it for now.

Once the order was placed I finally felt so relieved. Now I can't wait!!
Paxx

 

[trainguy77]

Still trying to decide if to use my 19" CRT or buy a Viewsonic/Dell/Samsung/etc midrange monitor to go with it for now.

I bought a viewsonic VX2025wm really good price (anywhere from $350 to $400 cdn) And its a great 20" wide screen. Well worth the money. I could never go back to a 17" CRT. The widescreen is so helpful.

 

[paxx]

I bought a viewsonic VX2025wm really good price (anywhere from $350 to $400 cdn) And its a great 20" wide screen. Well worth the money. I could never go back to a 17" CRT. The widescreen is so helpful.

I have been looking at that very monitor with interest. I am also in Canada and wondering where could I check to find that monitor at a good price? Any ideas?

Paxx

 

[trainguy77]

I have been looking at that very monitor with interest. I am also in Canada and wondering where could I check to find that monitor at a good price? Any ideas?

Paxx

I bought mine at best buy I got it from them for $400. About 20 days later I saw it with them for $350. But monitors only have a 14 day price check.......

 

[DrStrangelove]

So... here I am ready to make the purchase and my buddy calls me. I tell him my plans (he's a big mac head) and he says, "Can't you squeeze by with your 20" iMac for a little while longer?" I say, "Yeah, but I'm ready for a more powerful machine (I had decided on the 24" iMac beefed up)."

His replay, "I'd wait till Leopard is released if you can. I'd hate to have to see you upgrade the OS in a couple of months." For some reason he thinks Leopard might release Februaryish and not in the Spring as earlier thought.

That's only a few months away. I'm more fickle than a 16 year old girl. God it's embarrassing. I'm never like this when it comes to pulling the trigger on a purchase. It's just that from my previous PC experience there wasn't much to choose from, you know? You wanted a desktop and you bought the beefiest you could buy. In this instance, Apple has two serious product lines (iMac and Mac Pro) that simply make it harder to decide.

Then you throw this Leopard thing out there... crap. Seeing that I'm running current OSX and this mac is my first mac I have no frame of reference. How much typically does an OS upgrade cost?

 

[Macintosh Sauce]

I was debating whether to get the 24" iMac or the Mac Pro. Thankfully, I chose the latter. Since I have a new 21" Viewsonic G225FB CRT monitor, I was leaning more with the Mac Pro anyway.

This evening, I finally ordered my 3.00 GHz quad core Mac Pro. I should have it (depending on which day it is being shipped), either on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday. Finally, I am going to have the Mac I have always wanted! I will expand it with another 4 GB of RAM within three months.

 

[trainguy77]

How much typically does an OS upgrade cost?

$129 for 1 license and $199 for a family pack(5)

 

[THX1139]

The next best time to buy is MWSF. For those of you who like to have a latest options, we are beyond the halfway point to that big event. If you have something to hold you over, then it might be worth the wait. If you are a first time buyer, or need it for a project, then now is the time. That being said, I wouldn't let Leopard keep me from buying now if I needed the machine. The OS is probably the cheapest upgradable component.