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Should I buy this $1080 8-core Mac Pro on Craigslist?

What's the best way to buy a used Mac?

  • Craigslist

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Ebay

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • Apple Official Refurb

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • Mom & Pop Used Mac Store

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Other

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Total voters
    15
Amofolis

Amofolis

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Nov 29, 2015
7
0
Hey folks, been a lurker for a while but now I'd like to see what you guys think of an editing rig I'm thinking of picking up from Craigslist. My intent is to start a serious YouTube channel, using mainly 4K mobile phones for cameras. Might eventually make some short films as well, but the rig is going to be for some heavy YouTube production. For now I'm going to use the latest iMovie and then upgrade to Premiere at some point, although I might go for FCPX.

Anyways, Here are the specs. I'm pretty cheap, wondering how good of a deal this is compared to getting something on EBay. I've already had a convo with the guy selling this on CL who is an editor and he seemed like a good fellow, not wasting time to tell me about the specific upgrades I could do to make it into a monster machine.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/5333353802.html

SPECS: $1080
- El Capitan
- 8 core, Dual Xenon X5365 processors
- 32 GB Ram
- Nvidia GTX 680, 4 GB Video Ram
- 120 GB Samsung EVO 840 SSD
- 2 TB 7200 RPM
- 4 USB 3 Ports
No monitors or extra software.

Anyways, should I grab this? It is a good deal? Can I get something better on EBay/Apple refurb? I'm going to take a look this Saturday.
 
Yeah the 1,1 is going to be limited to OS X 10.7.5. Also upgrades for hardware and apps are very limited.

Look for at least a 2009 - Mac Pro 4,1 or newer. There were some nice model changes made that make upgrading easier.
 
Hell no.

That machine is stupendously overpriced and the seller knows it. They're purposefully avoiding the machine identifier ("MacPro1,1") while going out of their way to describe how awesome it is compared to a more modern day Mac system. There is no way that they don't know what it is, because it's running El Capitan (which requires additional workarounds to install and boot) with an aftermarket PC graphics card.

I would steer clear of that one. $1080 USB is way too much for a MacPro1,1. They are antiquated boxes that Apple doesn't even support anymore, and the core technologies it uses like FBDIMM memory are really slow (also, he doesn't even have Apple spec FBDIMM heatsinks on his memory there, so that stuff is going to operate at redline temperatures and eventually burn out).

I would highly recommend buying a MacPro4,1 (single CPU) or MacPro5,1 (dual CPU) machine instead. Note that the 4,1 requires lidless CPUs in a dual CPU configuration, whereas the 5,1 does not (so the 5,1 is easier to upgrade because you can just buy any old Xeon chip and throw it in there).

I would not recommend a 3,1 or earlier, just because of the FBDIMM memory and what not.

-SC
 
Thanks guys, that's the one thing I was surprised at.

SC, by workarounds, are those software or hardware?

Also, what do you all think about buying a computer off of eBay?

Anyways, thanks!
 
They're all software. Someone else could probably explain it better, but I think you need to install a custom boot loader that works around the limitations in the 32-bit EFI implementation (newer classic Mac Pros all shipped with a 64-bit UEFI implementation instead).

eBay is fine, as long as the machine looks like it's in good condition. You should ask for the machine serial number first (or at the very least, the model number) and check it to make sure that you're actually bidding on a legit machine. There's a lot of MacPro4,1 machines drifting around right now that have been crossflashed with the MacPro5,1 firmware. This doesn't make that much of a difference (since 90% of the machine is the same between the two), except that the dual CPU MacPro4,1 requires lidless CPUs (as I previously mentioned). Maybe that doesn't matter to you, but I'd be mighty pissed off if I bid on a 5,1 expecting that to show up and it was really a crossflashed 4,1 instead.

-SC
 
Here is a link to a page where you can at least have some comparison
http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/index-macpro.html
This is just in case you are about to miss a deal and need to make an on the spot decision
Anyone selling a "masqueraded" 1,1 will probably say they will throw this in to sweeten the deal :)
BB.png
 
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Amofolis said:
SC, by workarounds, are those software or hardware?
Click to expand...
Software workarounds. More specifically, replacing the boot.efi file with one modified to boot the OS on 32-bit EFI. I'm running Mavericks on mine with this modification, and it works quite well.

However, I agree $1080 is too much for it. You can find a newer model such as a 2009 for that price, which is officially supported by El Capitan and will run it without any modification.
 
Here's an update in case anyone was interested. I texted him "Dude, that's a 1,1 isn't it. Not cool."

And he responded:
Nope, it's a 2,1 and its modified to run Yosemite and ElCapitan so there is no difference between it and any other Mac Pro. The reason Apple discontinued supporting the 1,1 and 2,1 is that the bios was set to run as 32 but if you change a bit of the code then it runs 64 bit just fine as the hardware is identical as 32 bit.$1100 on eBay so I believe my price is fair. Plus what I say is still true, you can't get a Mac with that power (any system that will handle 4K) for $1100 anywhere else. If you don't want it, that's fine, I understand and take no offense, but btw, Stock 2,1 s (without the OS mod, video card, ssd or extra ram) are going for 800.
 
That guy is trying to scam money out of somebody.

You can pick up a stock 1,1/2,1 for $100-$200, 32gb server ram is only $40 more, dual x5365's is $80, 120gb SSD is $40, 2tb HDD for $50 and then there's your choice of GPU, you can get an r9 280 for $130.

Around $600 or less you can get the same thing. For what he's asking you can go for a octa-core 4,1/5,1 and still have a few hundred dollars to upgrade.
 
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BS, even a used 4,1 in stock config only worth about $400 ATM, there is no way the stock 2,1 can double that price. Also, if that's a 1,1 "upgrade" to 2,1, it worth even less. From memory, there is a guy here pick up a 1,1 for just $80 few months ago. Even though that may be an extreme case, the 1,1 should not worth more than $200. Anyway, for $1100...

$400 for a 4,1
$100 for a HD7950
$200 for a W3690
$200 for RAM 8Gx4
$50 for 120G 840 Evo
$20 USB3.0
$80 2T HDD

It cost < $1100, but this is a 4,1, a much newer machine. After the firmware "upgrade", it will support the Westmere CPU, and a single W3690 is about 50% faster than dual X5365. Besides, the 4,1 has PCIe 2.0, dual x16 slot, much more bandwidth than the 1,1. This config support 1333MHz DDR3 RAM, but not 677MHz DDR2. With the 7950, this 4,1 can easily edit 4K video. This 4,1 also support El Capitan natively.

Also, you will have an extra stock GT120, a W3520, 3x1G 1066MHz ECC DDR3, a WD black 640G HDD (all these are included in the $400).
 
Last edited:
Price is outrageous. Seller is hiding model number. Much of the "power" he talks about is actually being throttled due to old architecture.

I would not waste any more time on this guy.
 
I agree with what others have said, someone selling a cMP and claiming to be a Pro that knows all this info about the machine, but doesn't list the model identifier, is trying to take advantage of people. Who knows what else about the machine he is hiding? I'd stay away.
 
Walk away. Let him run his scam, Ebay is a Buyer's Paradise, months later you can return for full refund. So if he ships it to someone who realizes after the fact that they got the shafteroni, they will get their money back and he will be out the shipping.

Live and learn.

You should forget and look for a 4,1 or later.
 
Yep, I noticed quickly looking at Craigslist that there were a lot of people doing the same sort of obfuscation of gen to try and sell you an old and relatively worthless gen model. At least with eBay you have the sometimes-stupidly-in-the-buyer's-favor options, and it beats getting beat up in a dark alley any day.
 
I bought a 2.1 off CL with 16gb for 300 and a 4.1 from local mom and pop with 16gb for 500 both with the stock GPU and 8 core. Bought a 7970 off ebay for 120.00 had an old 6870. Recently got 32gb ram for 4.1 for 82 on ebay and you can get a 250gb SSD for 89.99 from Microcenter.
 
Thanks guys, it's been a while since I've been editing (think Core 2 Duo!). If anyone wants to unload a 5,1 machine, let me know! Either that or something super cheap that I can edit mobile phone 4K on. Thanks! <3
 
Amofolis said:
Hey folks, been a lurker for a while but now I'd like to see what you guys think of an editing rig I'm thinking of picking up from Craigslist. My intent is to start a serious YouTube channel, using mainly 4K mobile phones for cameras. Might eventually make some short films as well, but the rig is going to be for some heavy YouTube production. For now I'm going to use the latest iMovie and then upgrade to Premiere at some point, although I might go for FCPX.

Anyways, Here are the specs. I'm pretty cheap, wondering how good of a deal this is compared to getting something on EBay. I've already had a convo with the guy selling this on CL who is an editor and he seemed like a good fellow, not wasting time to tell me about the specific upgrades I could do to make it into a monster machine.

http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/ele/5333353802.html

SPECS: $1080
- El Capitan
- 8 core, Dual Xenon X5365 processors
- 32 GB Ram
- Nvidia GTX 680, 4 GB Video Ram
- 120 GB Samsung EVO 840 SSD
- 2 TB 7200 RPM
- 4 USB 3 Ports
No monitors or extra software.

Anyways, should I grab this? It is a good deal? Can I get something better on EBay/Apple refurb? I'm going to take a look this Saturday.
Click to expand...
you could wait and pick up 7,1.
 
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