Mega-Mac Pro?

[katiem]

Hello!

I currently have two Mac Pro's in my office and am looking to consolidate and sell one of them.

Here are the specs of each:

2008 Mac Pro
(2) 2.8 Quad Core
10 GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
(2) 1TB 7200 RPM Drives
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD

2009 Mac Pro
(2) 2.2 Quad Core
22 GB RAM
Nvidia Geforce GT 512
(2) 1TB 7200 RPM Drives
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD


Is there a way to combine some of the components to make a faster computer? (For instance, swap the two 2.8's from the 2008 into the 2009? Or upgrade the 2009 to a 12 core?

I use this computer primarily for work - editing photos (Lightroom, Photoshop) and design (InDesign).

Thanks for your help!

Katie

 

[G4DP]

Sadly you cannot swap the CPU's. Different socket types.

 

[deconstruct60]

Here are the specs of each:

2008 Mac Pro
....
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
....
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD

2009 Mac Pro
....
Nvidia Geforce GT 512
(2) 1TB 7200 RPM Drives
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD


Is there a way to combine some of the components to make a faster computer?

Geforce GT 512? You sure the 2008 and 2009 aren't swapped on video cards and that is a GeForce 8800 GT 512MB that is actually in the 2008 ?

You can pull the m4 SSD from the 2008 if selling/retiring it and assign the SSD to scratch/working space.

Assuming the 2009 has a 500 or 600 series Nvidia card (not the quite old 8800 ), Depending upon how many monitors you drive on the 2009 you could pull the 5770 also. (e.g., if just one go to a two monitor setup by pulling card and monitor from 2008 set-up ).

The memory and CPU are antiquated at this point in terms of trying to move forward to newer boxes. The fundamental design principles changed at the architecture level. Comparing GHz doesn't mean a whole lot across that change.

 

[Macsonic]

Hello!

I currently have two Mac Pro's in my office and am looking to consolidate and sell one of them.

Here are the specs of each:

2008 Mac Pro
(2) 2.8 Quad Core
10 GB RAM
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024 MB
(2) 1TB 7200 RPM Drives
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD

2009 Mac Pro
(2) 2.2 Quad Core
22 GB RAM
Nvidia Geforce GT 512
(2) 1TB 7200 RPM Drives
Crucial 256 GB m4 SSD


Is there a way to combine some of the components to make a faster computer? (For instance, swap the two 2.8's from the 2008 into the 2009? Or upgrade the 2009 to a 12 core?

I use this computer primarily for work - editing photos (Lightroom, Photoshop) and design (InDesign).

Thanks for your help!

Katie

Hi Katie. You can try selling the 2008 Mac Pro, keep the 2009 Mac Pro but switch the videocards. Transfer the Radeon 5770 to your 2009 Mac Pro and place the Nvidia GT120 to 2008. As far as I know the 2008 MP goes for around $900 to $1100 average.

For the 2009 you can maybe upgrade the CPUs later to 3.33ghz 12 core when the prices of these cpus goes down hopefully. And upgrade the firmware to 5.1 so you can use Westmere cpus

 

[deconstruct60]

For the 2009 you can maybe upgrade the CPUs later to 3.33ghz 12 core when the prices of these cpus goes down hopefully. And upgrade the firmware to 5.1 so you can use Westmere cpus

Intel is pulling 5500/5600 CPUs from the retail market around December. They aren't likely to get too much lower if buying new. Wait too long and they will be cheaper because buying used.

 

[sbarton]

I would sell them both and buy a top spec 27" refurbished iMac from Apple and maybe an external thunderbolt or USB3 drive if needed.

The problem you have is there isn't a huge impact you can have on your newer 2009 machine without investing a fair bit of coin. A lot of people who have a 4,1 machine have done the 4,1 -> 5,1 firmware upgrade and put a 6 core 3.33 xeon in it. That route isn't for everyone and you would be sinking about $700 into technology that is already 3 years out of date and if you upgrade the video card to one of the newer ones available, your looking at another $400 - $600.

Just my .02

 

[wonderspark]

You can *totally* swap parts, sell the 2008 and MAKE money on the whole deal.

- Put SSD/HDDs and 5770 into 2009.
- Leave just a boot drive and GT120 in 2008 and sell it. (More money for fully working computer, obviously)

You can stop there and profit by as much as you sell the 2008 for, or continue on to upgrade the CPUs to a pair of 6-core CPUs, install more/better RAM and/or GPUs such as GTX 680 for Mac, etc.

No way would I sell both for an iMac. You have two monitors (one for each MP) at least, right? Hook them both up to the 2009 and you have dual screens for no extra cost.

 

[GermanyChris]

Why not just buy a tube when they come out?