Quick review after using MP6,1 for a few days

[bxs]

We have a new MP6,1 (12-core, D700s, 1TB SSD, 64GB RAM). Have been using it for a few days over past weekend and today.

Adobe software being used primarily during this time.

Observations and comparing to two high-end 2013 iMacs 16GB RAM, 2009 MP 4-core Nehalem 24GB RAM and a 2009 8-core Nehalem 32GB RAM.

1) Video playback is seamless... especially on the large screen TV... no stuttering or freezing to be seen.
2) The iMacs and 2009 MacPros always had issues with my video playback.
3) Rendering is 2x as fast
4) Would like to start using FCP-X again but the learning curve is too steep and will take to long to improve skills etc using it at this time while having ongoing projects to deal with.

Setting up 3 displays (20" with mini-display port, 27" Thunder display and a large screen TV via HDMI) is/was a snap. Used HDMI, Port #3 and Port #6 for this.

Port #1 used with Sonnet Thunderbolt-ExpressCard/34 adapter and 2-port eSATA ExpressCard/34 to connect a Burly eSATA Port Multiplier 5-bay enclosure. Had to download Sonnet driver software for the ExpressCard|34.

Port #4 used for daisy chaining two LaCie 4TB RAID-0 2big Thunderbolt devices

Still have 2 Thunderbolt ports empty. Could daisy chain the Burly eSATA enclosure off the last LaCie 2big I suppose if I want to free up an onboard Thunderbolt port on the MP6,1. The Burly is for archiving project data.

 

[VirtualRain]

We have a new MP6,1 (12-core, D700s, 1TB SSD, 64GB RAM). Have been using it for a few days over past weekend and today.

Adobe software being used primarily during this time.

Observations and comparing to two high-end 2013 iMacs 16GB RAM, 2009 MP 4-core Nehalem 24GB RAM and a 2009 8-core Nehalem 32GB RAM.

1) Video playback is seamless... especially on the large screen TV... no stuttering or freezing to be seen.
2) The iMacs and 2009 MacPros always had issues with my video playback.
3) Rendering is 2x as fast
4) Would like to start using FCP-X again but the learning curve is too steep and will take to long to improve skills etc using it at this time while having ongoing projects to deal with.

Setting up 3 displays (20" with mini-display port, 27" Thunder display and a large screen TV via HDMI) is/was a snap. Used HDMI, Port #3 and Port #6 for this.

Port #1 used with Sonnet Thunderbolt-ExpressCard/34 adapter and 2-port eSATA ExpressCard/34 to connect a Burly eSATA Port Multiplier 5-bay enclosure. Had to download Sonnet driver software for the ExpressCard|34.

Port #4 used for daisy chaining two LaCie 4TB RAID-0 2big Thunderbolt devices

Still have 2 Thunderbolt ports empty. Could daisy chain the Burly eSATA enclosure off the last LaCie 2big I suppose if I want to free up an onboard Thunderbolt port on the MP6,1. The Burly is for archiving project data.

That's an insane machine... congrats.

I'm guessing money was no object but I'm curious why you chose the 12-core... that's a lot of extra $$$. Can your Adobe apps leverage all of that?

 

[bxs]

Yep... You're right, it's an insane/awesome/beautiful and easy to use machine.

This MaCPro 6,1 was purchased by my Son and I. We split the cost.

My son runs a small video/editing business and wanted large memory and I wanted as many cores as I could afford.

My Application is computational fluid dynamics simulations and it needed 4GB RAM per core.

My son today uses Adobe software. He used to use FCP, but when Apple messed it all up he migrated over to using Adobe software. He's aware what Apple has done with FCP X tuning for the new MacPro 6,1 and will, time permitting, start using FCP X again so long as it does not disturb his current work-flow methods. My son holds out hope Adobe will soon optimize their software for this new MacPro 6,1.

So, pooling my son's requirements and mine we looked at each other and decided if we split the cost for the high-end new MacPro 6,1 with just 16GB RAM and then used OWC's 64GB RAM product with trading in the Apple's stock 16GB RAM for $100 we could both afford it and get the resources we both needed, rather than each getting say a 6-core new MacPro.

We agreed to share the new MacPro 6,1 and I can at times use LogMeIn to access the new MacPro 6,1 from a remote location when my son has idled the Mac. My work gets launched and runs unattended overnight and sometimes several days. It's output is easily access and transferred to my location and used with my MacBookPro8,3 (17-inch late 2011) for final visualization and sanity checking.

Our decision was easy once we figured out how to share the new MacPro 6,1 resource.

I had ordered the 6-core Dec 20, and on Dec 21, 2014, after having discussed things with my son, I cancelled the 6-core and ordered the 12-core. We received our new MacPro 6,1 on Feb 24th 2014.

The OWC 4x 16GB RAM modules easily slipped in and the 4x 4GB RAM modules have been shipped to OWC for the $100 credit.

This Mac hardly breaths when under load, is awfully quiet, is unassuming and all the accessories simply plug into the backside ports and it's truly plug-and-play with absolutely no messing about. It has to be the easiest Mac I've ever configured.

The one important thing to be aware of when connecting multiple displays is that if HDMI port being used you can only run the HDMI connected display (in our case a very large TV screen for client viewing pleasure) and one other display on the Thunderbolt Bus 0. If you connect a 3rd display in Bus 0 it will not light up. This is well documented by Apple and is not a bug.

 

[Ezlivin]

I had ordered the 6-core Dec 20, and on Dec 21, 2014...

Damn. That is just insane future planning.