Should I wait or buy used?

[Andrew H]

First off, I know this will have been asked numerous times over the last few months, but I genuinely have searched and haven't found a definitive answer or an opinion which I thought, 'ah, makes sense to ... then'.

I have been in the market for a Mac Pro for a while - I use it for CS6 and Capture One 7 (tethered with a 5D3). I'm currently using a 2.8Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo MBP upgraded to 8gb RAM and it struggles, a LOT, both in the studio and whilst retouching.

So I decided I need to buy a used MP, and having done a lot reading came to the conclusion that a 6 core 3.33Ghz was my best option due to cost and performance with the applications I use.

So... I keep searching and quite a few have come up on eBay and Gumtree recently for what I consider to be a good price. However, in the back of my mind I keep thinking that I should wait until (possibly the 22nd or soon after?) the New Mac Pro release. The reason being that I think the prices will come down, or there will be a mass of sellers all trying to sell up for the new machine so I will find a better one.

I don't have the budget for the NMP, and I'm not overly bothered about owning the old one, but I have read more and more people saying they are waiting or advising others to wait for similar reasons. On the other hand, some are saying the price of the NMP will be too expensive so in fact not that many people will sell up. This is what is making me think that buying now may be a good idea whilst there are more sellers looking to sell to fund the NMP.

Any opinions on this all please?

 

[ActionableMango]

Nobody knows what will happen, but I speculate that there is pent-up demand for a newer model as the CPUs in the current gen are so far behind. In that case, we will see more than normal supply on the used market as all those people upgrade.

But I speak of the US market and you are in Europe where the Mac Pro hasn't been available for a while anyway. Supply has been constrained there for so long I have no idea what will happen there.

 

[crjackson2134]

You've waited this long, a few more days won't hurt you. You'll have more options to choose from. Don't expect prices to BOTTOM-OUT just because a new model is released. Older models hold their value very well, but there will probably be more on the market, and more competition, so you can be more selective.

 

[Andrew H]

Nobody knows what will happen, but I speculate that there is pent-up demand for a newer model as the CPUs in the current gen are so far behind. In that case, we will see more than normal supply on the used market as all those people upgrade.

But I speak of the US market and you are in Europe where the Mac Pro hasn't been available for a while anyway. Supply has been constrained there for so long I have no idea what will happen there.

I hadn't thought of the difference in markets - it will certainly be interesting to see the difference in eBay.co.uk/.com. I had initially contemplated buying from the U.S., then I saw the import charges...ouch!!

You've waited this long, a few more days won't hurt you. You'll have more options to choose from. Don't expect prices to BOTTOM-OUT just because a new model is released. Older models hold their value very well, but there will probably be more on the market, and more competition, so you can be more selective.

I agree, I don't expect to see a huge drop, any decrease in the average will be welcome, but I imagine it wont be more than ~£200 for a machine initially listed for ~£2000. I am hoping you are right, but this is my dilemma - will there be more used items on the market, or is the price of the NMP going to force current MP owners to hold on to their older machines? I guess part of it will come down to the 'average' user and whether the upgrade is a necessity.

I understand it's impossible for anyone to give me a definitive answer, after all, no one knows what the price structure will be! It's great to hear opinions though, so thank you both.