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PC to Mac Pro - advice please

Q

qbaser

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 16, 2011
49
0
Edinburgh
Hi there. I'm an owner of a 2011 MBP and also a PC. So not precious either way on the Mac/PC thing. Considering upgrading hardware...

I opted for a top end PC a few months ago and wondering where my PC spec would fit into the current Mac Pro family in terms of power/speed etc. Note that my main use is Cubase music package so high end graphic intensive apps are definately not a requirement for my system.

My PC specs are;

Intel Core 7 - 930 2.8 Ghz
12 Gb DDR3 Ram
Win 7 64bit


So if someone could tell me their thoughts on where my PC stacks up against the current 4/8/12 core Mac Pro's I'd be grateful. And if they are faster (which I do predict), how much faster do you see things running for cubase?

Hope to hear back thanks.

Al
 
According to DAWbench, Cubase runs better on Win7, but I wouldn't call the test unbiased. Your PC config is essentially the same as the base-model MacPro, except for the RAM.
 
Thanks for that info. I'd say cubase is more stable on my MBP but that's just my experience.

Good to know where my PC compares to the four core Macpro.

Thanks

Al
 
qbaser said:
Thanks for that info. I'd say cubase is more stable on my MBP but that's just my experience.Al
Click to expand...

And I share that experience.
But you should say that on gearslutz.com for sh-ts and giggles, and watch the onslaught as Windows-enthusiasts will trip over eachother in their zeal to prove you wrong. It's fun! :D

qbaser said:
Good to know where my PC compares to the four core Macpro.
Click to expand...

Yeah, stability issues or not, in terms of power you should be okay, unless you do huge orchestral mockups.
 
Haha. Ye I'm sure the PC guys would fiercely defend their PCs! I'm just happy what works best for me PC or Mac I just want to get on with making music...I wonder how much time people spend arguing over spec etc instead of being productive.

I really really love the Mac OS. It just...works! Very simple too. Are there anything I need to think about? E.g. Has it got sandy bridge that people are talking about and what in basic terms is it?

Thanks
Al
 
qbaser said:
Are there anything I need to think about? E.g. Has it got sandy bridge that people are talking about and what in basic terms is it?
Click to expand...

You already have a MacBookPro, right? Not sure what your question is? The current MacPro is nearing the end of its lifecycle and should be replaced soon. It does not have Sandybridge CPUs, but its successor is likely to have them.
 
Yes I've got a MBP 2011 type. I dont know anything about sandybridge. Just hear it banded about a lot so it must be a good beneficial feature? I'll wiki it now. So should I hold off getting a new Mac Pro when they come out or go for a 12 core now?
 
Sandy Bridge is the name of Intel's current processor architecture. The current models are aimed at laptops and mid-to-high-range desktops. "Sandy Bridge-E" will replace the Core i7 920/930/.../990X series, the current high-end range, whose Xeon counterparts are found in Mac Pros, in Q4 2011 (soon!). (See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGA_2011) Current Sandy Bridge processors are very powerful, but not aimed at high-end gaming and workstation machines.
Basically, for any single-processor system, you can make a comparable PC at a much better price than a Mac Pro. But as soon as you go dual-processor, the difference shrinks drastically because of the cost of dual-processor-enabled Xeons.

Edit / Amendment:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandy_Bridge#Server_processors shows the upcoming models which will be used with the new Mac Pro. Based on this, they will likely offer a 6-core, 8-core, 12-core, and 16-core models. Curiously, there is no 8-core processor for a single-processor configuration, which is worth keeping in mind if you were planning on holding off for that config. (You can still do it, but as mentioned earlier, the dual-processor-enabled chips cost a lot more).
 
Last edited:
How easy would it be to put Mac OSX leopard 10.6. on my quad core PC? I have the Mac OSX disc from when I bought my MBP 2011. Do I just use that and is it easy enough? And will it run without any problems? I do prefer the MAC OS to any windows OS, it just...works!

Al
 
No. The process is not complicated per se, but a lot more involved than just popping in the DVD and press 'go'.

You wanna check this guy out:

http://tonymacx86.com/

There are lots of "how-to's" (including videos) on the net, like this one:

http://lifehacker.com/5672051/how-to-build-a-hackintosh-mac-and-install-os-x-in-eight-easy-steps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uayELibjHEA

These are a year old already, but OS installation hasn't changed much (if at all).

You can obviously skip the hardware assembly part, but follow the procedure for installing OSX carefully.

Not sure if this is the way to go for you, though. The whole "it just works" mantra is far from a given on hackintoshes.
 
Hey thanks for that reply.

Well I've been busy checking those links out and it's seems reasonable straight forward.

I accept that 'it just works' could be flaky until I get all the necessary extra kexts in place.

My big question is, when I'm using the new mac OS, if I stick my existing win formatted hard drives in will they be accessible? I'd think they won't be recognised?

Al
 
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