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Wait for new Mac pro or Build windows PC

C

Cgrichyrich

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 25, 2012
7
0
Hello everyone, I have been debating on this topic for awhile now. I want a powerful desktop setup, this will be used for developing and video editing. At the same time I would like to be able to do a small bit of gaming as well. The only game I play is Pretty much World Of Warcraft so I know I will be fine for that aspect. But Is the price of the Mac Pro truly going to worth it over building my own windows PC? One last thing I would like to add I would like to start live streaming WoW at some point and I know that you have to have a pretty hefty mac to do this.

Any suggestions or commets are greatly appreciated. :)
 
Nothing to fancy some small slacklineing clips long-boarding etc, maybe even some WoW videos latter on.
 
You mentioned development... What kind of development did you mean?

What video editing software are you using?
 
I do not see a Mac Pro being worth it for what you need.... unless you want to do iOS or Mac development, I think building a PC would be a much better choice, but if there is any apple specific needs, I'd say get an iMac.
 
Well I have done some app development, but I just prefer Mac over PC. I know I could probably build a PC that is more powerful than the Mac Pro if i really wanted to to. Honestly I wish Linux was more popular lol.
 
Bottom Line. Any computer you build yourself is going to be cheaper than a similar store bought system. Period. If you want cheap, then build the PC. If you want peace of mind and easy - buy a computer. One is cheap, the other one makes life easier. Only you know what is more important to you.

If you must have OSX, then you are talking either a Mac or Hackintosh.

If OS X is not important, then you are probably talking a Windows PC. From your description, you don't appear to actually need a workstation - like a MacPro. So look at either an iMac or top of the line Mini for OS X... or, well I don't know Windows PCs so you're on your own there. But I understand that you can get a very nice Windows PC too.
 
Cgrichyrich said:
Well I have done some app development, but I just prefer Mac over PC. I know I could probably build a PC that is more powerful than the Mac Pro if i really wanted to to. Honestly I wish Linux was more popular lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah, trying to get to the crux of the issue here. What kind of app development?
 
Taking a class on IOS development but nothing but that. I mean I do have my macbook pro for that.
 
snberk103 said:
Bottom Line. Any computer you build yourself is going to be cheaper than a similar store bought system. Period. If you want cheap, then build the PC. If you want peace of mind and easy - buy a computer. One is cheap, the other one makes life easier. Only you know what is more important to you.
Click to expand...

I don't agree. All the computers I ever built had top tier hand picked components. This costs more than a PC at best buy or comp USA, but chances are it would have better performance and reliability. That is peace of mind for me.
 
cutterman said:
I don't agree. All the computers I ever built had top tier hand picked components. This costs more than a PC at best buy or comp USA, but chances are it would have better performance and reliability. That is peace of mind for me.
Click to expand...

You know what he meant. Hardware of comparable quality tends to cost more when you're buying a pre-built machine. The selection at Comp USA or Best Buy isn't really the limit in performance or quality.
 
I used to build a lot of gaming computers. This was fine for the off-the-shelf parts, even for very premium parts.

Then I tried building a workstation. Find a good chassis, motherboard, the right processors, the right cooling solution, picking out this and that, all I find to be a total hassle. If something doesn't work, a lot of time wasted. I find it's simply cheaper to buy from an OEM.

My suggestion is if you want a Mac Pro, get a refurbished Mac Pro and upgrade it a bit. If you don't need OS X and are fine with Windows 7, just get workstation like a Dell Precision.
 
Power vs. Money with current Mac Pro:
$1200.00 PC waaaay faster than $2000.00-$3500.00 Mac Pro.
So no. Not worth it. Unless it IS worth it, you know?
 
Cgrichyrich said:
Taking a class on IOS development but nothing but that. I mean I do have my macbook pro for that.
Click to expand...

Ah, you don't need a Mac Pro then...

For "small bit of gaming" you'd probably be just fine with a high end iMac. Get a 27" iMac with a nice GPU and SSD and you'll be flying.

It doesn't sound like you need Mac Pro power.

Or sell your current Macbook Pro, and get a similarly powered Macbook Pro with an external display. I'm not sure you even need a desktop for what you're asking.
 
For WOW and hobby development any iMac or MBP will suffice.

A Mac Pro will be overkill, personally I'd save the money and buy an iMac (stick 16gb of ram in it) for what you're doing.

I do the same sort of stuff, and run more power hungry games on my 2011 15" MBP just fine.
 
thekev said:
You know what he meant. Hardware of comparable quality tends to cost more when you're buying a pre-built machine. The selection at Comp USA or Best Buy isn't really the limit in performance or quality.
Click to expand...

That may be true if you can find a comparable machine. However, the vast majority of consumer PC's sold use lower tier components and are sold in the big-box stores.

I responded to that post because I thought snberk103 was making rather authoritative statements for someone who likely never built a computer.
 
cutterman : you may have missed the 'similar' in my post...
...going to be cheaper than a similar store bought... system
Click to expand...

So I've bolded it for you in the snippet. Sorry if it wasn't obvious enough initially.

cutterman said:
I don't agree. All the computers I ever built had top tier hand picked components. This costs more than a PC at best buy or comp USA, but chances are it would have better performance and reliability. That is peace of mind for me.
Click to expand...

Quality is good. But I wouldn't call that "similar".

cutterman said:
...
I responded to that post because I thought snberk103 was making rather authoritative statements for someone who likely never built a computer.
Click to expand...
Actually, I started building my own computers in the days of DOS. Well technically, I bought that first computer - a 286. Then I kept it running and current for many years through doing my own upgrades. Bought a Pentium, and then kept that system going through Windows 3.1, 3.11, OS/2 through to eComStation. And then I got tired of the whole sourcing, researching, adjusting scene and moved to Macs. Lovely.

My point still stands. And, apologies if you don't like authoritative. But with similar systems a build-your-own is always cheaper because you aren't paying for someone else's labour, nor are you getting a one-stop warranty coverage. Both of these add to the $$ costs of store bought system. Build it yourself, and you transfer those $$ costs to yourself and your time. It's not free, it's just a different measurement of cost.
 
While I purchased my 27" Thunderbolt Display I asked the guy if Apple would discontinue the Mac Pros and he said no. I hope he's right though.
 
cutterman said:
My bad for making an incorrect assumption, based on your statement above.
Click to expand...

When I read the Jobs biography, I was reminded just how many OSes there has once been, at the start of the PC era. Several flavours of DOS and several multitasking methods and of course there was several flavours of GUIs.

I was working for firm at one point (hotel software) that was using SuperDOS. It had the ability to run several monitors and several printers, all through serial ports (including the monitors - they were made by Wyse). And all the others that popped up as well. I don't miss those days. Trying to find a free IRQ when adding a new card. IIRC, it was something like.... The sound card will take IRQ 3 or 5 (in that order), the Modem will take IRQ 5 or 6 (in that order) but the parallel port needs IRQ 5.... so you listed them in the AutoExec.bat file (or was it the Config.sys file? I forget) in an order so that they would take their IRQs in a such a way as leave the last device in the list getting a free IRQ. Until you added another card or swapped a different card in.

Nope. Don't miss those days at all. IRQs were always my personal demon.

derbothaus said:
You asked "The guy"? Well glad that's all settled:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

But was he in an elevator. Makes all the difference, you know.
 
If I were building a video editing station today, it would be a custom system from ADK, or one I built myself... but either way, it would be a PC instead of a Mac.

I love my Mac Pro, and have dumped a lot of money into it. It's excellent and stable, yet I'm afraid to use Lion and still don't like Final Cut X. You really have to focus on what tools you want to use, then build the system that works best with those (software) tools.
 
snberk103 said:
When I read the Jobs biography, I was reminded just how many OSes there has once been, at the start of the PC era. Several flavours of DOS and several multitasking methods and of course there was several flavours of GUIs.
[...]
Nope. Don't miss those days at all. IRQs were always my personal demon.
Click to expand...
There have been more OS's - and not all of them were plagued with this IRQ hell (take the Amiga for example). As much as i enjoy the easiness today, i wouldn't mind to have another _true_ (i.e. no hobby project with a few dozen users) alternative (or two) for choice, as i feel that there is some lack of competition nowadays, with the three "big players" having arranged themselves in their individual niche quite comfortably.
 
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