Hi guys, I've long been a mac user, my actual mac is a G5 at 1.8, so finally I can replace mine with the new mac pro. I'm happy with my mac but I want more power, and this is where you come in. I use my mac to edit my kids videos in Imovie and then burn to Idvd maybe once a month. The burning process takes forever (3-4 hours but that's a lot for me). I use Itunes and Iphoto everyday. But now I get to dump my old gaming pc with bootcamp. I don't do a lot of gaming but maybe here's my chance. Oh I forgot, I also have 3 external drives for backup and all 3 have the same info. Why ? I can never be too careful. So guys, based on my use, can you help me out configuring my new mac pro? Please consider the gaming thing will be done in the windows partition, so I'm hoping all the new graphics cards will handle the new games. So, what are your suggestions ?
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Want a Mac Pro BUT:
- Thread starter roca250
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It sounds like you're more of an iMac user then a Mac Pro one. You already have the external drives. Are they FireWire 800 or 400?
The base 7300GT is fine for some light gaming but don't expect crazy performance in Quake 4/Oblivion.
If you did some more intensive work then the occasional iDVD and aren't crazy to keep upgrading your machine, I can't really recommend the Mac Pro.
I concur with Eidorian, If you are just going to be using a Mac Pro for iMovie, iTunes, iPhoto and maybe some windows games. I don't think you need all of that power. If you were using FCP and Photoshop etc then get a Mac Pro.
The iMac may be a better option for you. Unless you are looking for expansion, which is what I'm guessing, then perhaps go for the lower cpu of 2.0GHz etc.
But if you are set on the Mac Pro the stock version seems pretty damn good.
The iMac may be a better option for you. Unless you are looking for expansion, which is what I'm guessing, then perhaps go for the lower cpu of 2.0GHz etc.
But if you are set on the Mac Pro the stock version seems pretty damn good.
For your needs, the 2.0 ghz Mac Pro already seems overkill for you. There is no way you need four processing cores and all that expandability for iLife applications. The core duo iMac would probably be perfect for you. Please don't fall for all the marketing hype surrounding the Pro machines.
roca250 said:
Maybe you should give the McLaren a try, you know to get your kids to school/soccer practice/wherever faster. It has more power, and runs a little faster than whatever you are driving (im guessing!) But if I were you I'd re-consider, as it might be a bit much for what you need.
As for your mac situation, i think an iMac would be great for you, but im guessing you want the headless mac. In which case I would reccomend the mac mini core duo. Load that up with 2 GB of ram and you will have a very decent machine.
Overall though, I see a bit of a blank in the mac line up. . . . the Mac! The iMac is a great all in one, the Mac Mini is a great lower level consumer machine, the Mac Pro is a great pro level machine. But there is no 'high end consumer setup'. You know, the plain and simple "Mac" . . . basically a headless version of the iMac. And maybe with a couple expandable options, dual drives, or dual HD and an extra PCI slot. Until that comes out, I think youll have to decide, too much power (mac pro) or hopefully just enough power (mac mini)!
Boy, that was fast
Guys, I appreciate your help. Yes Imac is fine for Iphoto, Itunes and Imovie. It's the processing part of doing a dvd in Idvd that I hate the most. When I have time I will add many moving menus and the like but it takes forever processing all the scenes, and that's really the problem I want to overcome. Gaming wise, while I'm no hardcore gamer (compared to my xp using brother) I do the ocassional X-plane simulator that runs both in mac and pc and Motocross Madness 2 (about 2 years old) which is pc only. Back when my pc was new, I could play all the games my brother threw my way once finished but nowadays I can't run half of them, hence the video card. While I appreciate Eldorian, Tipdrill and Patch's recommendation of sticking to an Imac, I'm going to buy the Macpro anyhow, so I just need to configure it right, somehow I've always felt that it's better to have an excess of anything rather than a shortage and that's how I feel about the Imac, yes it's ok but WHAT IF...
wPod: Nice car, but too much money. That's why I drive a ... what the heck, no need to rub it your face (lol). Anyhow you do bring an interesting point about a JUST MAC, mac.
Thanks again guys.
Guys, I appreciate your help. Yes Imac is fine for Iphoto, Itunes and Imovie. It's the processing part of doing a dvd in Idvd that I hate the most. When I have time I will add many moving menus and the like but it takes forever processing all the scenes, and that's really the problem I want to overcome. Gaming wise, while I'm no hardcore gamer (compared to my xp using brother) I do the ocassional X-plane simulator that runs both in mac and pc and Motocross Madness 2 (about 2 years old) which is pc only. Back when my pc was new, I could play all the games my brother threw my way once finished but nowadays I can't run half of them, hence the video card. While I appreciate Eldorian, Tipdrill and Patch's recommendation of sticking to an Imac, I'm going to buy the Macpro anyhow, so I just need to configure it right, somehow I've always felt that it's better to have an excess of anything rather than a shortage and that's how I feel about the Imac, yes it's ok but WHAT IF...
wPod: Nice car, but too much money. That's why I drive a ... what the heck, no need to rub it your face (lol). Anyhow you do bring an interesting point about a JUST MAC, mac.
Thanks again guys.
>roca250
The Mac Pro is basically a Intel-based Server/Workstation ... a little expensive if you need it for light work.
But a deal if you want that type of machine on the desktop.
It is understandable if you drool over the machine and you don't mind depleting your wallet of some spare cash.
The Mac Pro is basically a Intel-based Server/Workstation ... a little expensive if you need it for light work.
But a deal if you want that type of machine on the desktop.
It is understandable if you drool over the machine and you don't mind depleting your wallet of some spare cash.
roca250 said:
Oh, I see, you must drive the worlds fastest 4 seater coupe I forgot, you actually want room for the wife and kids as you zoom from point A to point B! lol
Since money seems to be no options (sorry, im a college student working an engineering internship, so im always thinking about money! er how little i have to spend on cool mac stuff) Id go with the 2.66 processor. The 3.0 seems a bit steep in price for such a small gain in speed. I mean come on, the quad 2.66 will run circles around your 1.8 G5!! Where you should put the money is the ram. At least 2 GB, again, putting in more than 2 seems not worth it for the huge jump in price. Id stick with the stock NVIDIA card. ATI after being bought by AMD and seems to be in a transition phase. While the NVIDIA Quadro adds a huge jump in price. Also sticking with the stock card you can wait to upgrade until an SLI compatible card is ready for Mac. Next I would reccomend dual 500 GB drives. That way when Lepard comes out you will be set up for Time Machine. Finally, I would be sure and add the BT module. Cause well, a system just looks cleaner with a wireless keyboard and mouse!
It seems you need the extra storage and you like to be "future-proof" for awhile. Considering the almost 8 year old powermac G3's B&W still run Tiger, I'd say a powermac is the way to go if you have the money and want the extra storage and expandability. As much as I want one, I can't afford it so macbook here I come! For you I'd say add another gig of ram and upgrade the graphics card and you should be happy for a very very long time. You already said you have enough hard drives, but you can never have too many I guess in your case
. Good luck and be happy knowing I envy you!
. Good luck and be happy knowing I envy you!
roca250 said:
This is going to sound really picky and bitchy, but I'm going to say it anyway. Is it really that hard to correctly type the names of the products you are talking about? All of the applications you named, and the all-in-one Mac have lower-case i's.... iMovie, iDVD, iTunes, iPhoto, iMac...that is the correct way to type them. Like I said, sounds bitchy, but it takes little to no effort to use correct spelling/grammar/etc when typing on these forums. Also, Mac Pro, not Macpro....
My apologies for how that sounds, I just don't like it when people do this. About anything, not just the names of Apple's products.
I can see no reason in buying a MacPro instead of an iMac. Of course the iMac only has a 8x DL drive, while the MacPro has a possibilty of two 16x DL drives. Just get an external burner. Cheap, and just as good as the MP's. Now, it is my belief that the X1600 with 256 MB GDDR3 would pretty mich wipe out thw 7300GT with 256 MB GDDR2 memory right? So therfore, you go buy:
1: iMac 20".
iMac: $1699.
2 GB RAM. $300.
256 MB VRAM: $75.
Total: $2074. (perhaps you wanna add an external burner?)
2: MacPro:
MacPro: $2499.
2.0 GHz: -$300.
2 GB RAM: $300.
20" ACD: $699 (comparable to the iMac screen).
BT+AP: $79.
Total: $3.277.
You can save a few bucks buying another screen for the MB, but try and look at it, the iMac is your ultimate choice...
1: iMac 20".
iMac: $1699.
2 GB RAM. $300.
256 MB VRAM: $75.
Total: $2074. (perhaps you wanna add an external burner?)
2: MacPro:
MacPro: $2499.
2.0 GHz: -$300.
2 GB RAM: $300.
20" ACD: $699 (comparable to the iMac screen).
BT+AP: $79.
Total: $3.277.
You can save a few bucks buying another screen for the MB, but try and look at it, the iMac is your ultimate choice...
Maybe he doesn't need a screen and doesn't want to configure it that way. Also, he may want to upgrade parts in the future which is very difficult with the iMac. If he has the money and wants the power and upgradability, then he should get the Mac Pro
CPU: 2.66GHz
Mem: 1 x 1GB Memory
HDD: 1 x 160G HDD
GPU: 7300(still decent) or X1900(for newest 3D games and greater elec bills)
And Buy extra Memory and HDDs at Newegg.com or Macsales.com
Mem: 1 x 1GB Memory
HDD: 1 x 160G HDD
GPU: 7300(still decent) or X1900(for newest 3D games and greater elec bills)
And Buy extra Memory and HDDs at Newegg.com or Macsales.com
If you can afford it, get what makes you happy!
Roca250,
If you've got a tower G5 1.8, you've probaby had your computer for a while and don't purchase a new one every 8 months or so. If it's an iMac (I might be mistaken regarding the specs here), stick with what you already have.
The Mac Pro is a great computer for the money and it should serve you well for the next 4 years at least given what you currently use it for. If you already have a screen, you're set. If you have the capital and this is the way you choose to invest it, get the Mac Pro. You'll never question whether you made the right purchase and should you decide to delve into waters outside of iLife, you will be cruising in a yacht as opposed to a little rowboat (Mac Mini Solo). Granted, you'll still get there on a smaller boat (iMac), but why suffer needlessly? You may be paying 2x more for the Mac Pro, but it'll last you probably 2x as long as far as long term usability is concerned.
If you can afford it, get what you want.
For you, I'd recommend:
2.66 processor
1GB RAM & upgrade 1 or 2GB more from 3rd party
250GB Hard Drive (add more HDs later if you wish)
X1900 (for your gaming, not for you apps)
p.s.- Your 1.8 is fine. If you'd like, just keep using it and take some more time to ponder your next purchase (if you have less than 1GB, just add some RAM you'll get a noticeable difference in the way it flows; if you already have 1GB or more, you're set). Given that you don't necessarily need that much storage and expandability (though it is awfully useful), have you considered getting a portable machine to complement your G5? The Macbooks are pretty good for the price and the MB Pro will have the faster & more energy efficient Merom chip in it sometime later this month or the next. That would be a good time to purchase one if you were so inclined to do so.
Roca250,
If you've got a tower G5 1.8, you've probaby had your computer for a while and don't purchase a new one every 8 months or so. If it's an iMac (I might be mistaken regarding the specs here), stick with what you already have.
The Mac Pro is a great computer for the money and it should serve you well for the next 4 years at least given what you currently use it for. If you already have a screen, you're set. If you have the capital and this is the way you choose to invest it, get the Mac Pro. You'll never question whether you made the right purchase and should you decide to delve into waters outside of iLife, you will be cruising in a yacht as opposed to a little rowboat (Mac Mini Solo). Granted, you'll still get there on a smaller boat (iMac), but why suffer needlessly? You may be paying 2x more for the Mac Pro, but it'll last you probably 2x as long as far as long term usability is concerned.
If you can afford it, get what you want.
For you, I'd recommend:
2.66 processor
1GB RAM & upgrade 1 or 2GB more from 3rd party
250GB Hard Drive (add more HDs later if you wish)
X1900 (for your gaming, not for you apps)
p.s.- Your 1.8 is fine. If you'd like, just keep using it and take some more time to ponder your next purchase (if you have less than 1GB, just add some RAM you'll get a noticeable difference in the way it flows; if you already have 1GB or more, you're set). Given that you don't necessarily need that much storage and expandability (though it is awfully useful), have you considered getting a portable machine to complement your G5? The Macbooks are pretty good for the price and the MB Pro will have the faster & more energy efficient Merom chip in it sometime later this month or the next. That would be a good time to purchase one if you were so inclined to do so.
NamJangNamJa said:You could have written the same thing in not-so-bitchy-and-picky way.
Haha, true that
I'd recommend an Intel iMac and external burner, 2 GB of RAM.
Or why not just get the 3GHz Quad core + 8 GB of RAM, you cheap bastard!
Or why not just get the 3GHz Quad core + 8 GB of RAM, you cheap bastard!
Once Again, Thanks
wPod: I used to be a college student so I know what it's like, i'm 37 now, with my own business and wonderful toys so I can't complain. You keep doing what you are doing and hopefully someday you will have the the world's fastest 4 seater coupe or the McLaren. (btw, my car is 62 hp short of the MB CL 65 AMG and the cool thing is where I live I can max out the speedometer as we don't care about cops in the highway here, lol)
spencecb: Thanks for your bitchy advice, but true, I always get those capital letters mixed.
To all: Thanks for the help. The cool thing about all this is I can sell my G5 tower for very good money, so the amount I have to add for the new Mac Pro is probably half of it's cost (depending on config).
wPod: I used to be a college student so I know what it's like, i'm 37 now, with my own business and wonderful toys so I can't complain. You keep doing what you are doing and hopefully someday you will have the the world's fastest 4 seater coupe or the McLaren. (btw, my car is 62 hp short of the MB CL 65 AMG and the cool thing is where I live I can max out the speedometer as we don't care about cops in the highway here, lol)
spencecb: Thanks for your bitchy advice, but true, I always get those capital letters mixed.
To all: Thanks for the help. The cool thing about all this is I can sell my G5 tower for very good money, so the amount I have to add for the new Mac Pro is probably half of it's cost (depending on config).
roca250 said:
I just want to end up with a corvette. . . but sometime before im an old gray haird man driving a sports car 10 mph below the speed limit in the fast lane with the left blinker stuck on!
but wow, 550 hp! what are you driving?!! and um, where do you live? Montana?
but yeah, keep us posted with your setup once you get it!
If it's a 1.8 dual as in my sig. I'd be interested in knowing how much you get for it. I'm not all that excited about the MacPro's, but I am nervous about devaluation! If I'd be better off selling now and buying a MP, it's at least worth considering.
why not just max it out then? instead of being content with a girly 2.0 or 2.66, go for:
dual 3.0 GHZ dual core
16 Gig Ram
2 terabyte Storage
nVidia FX 4500 graphics
2 x 30" Displays
2 Superdrives
BT and AE
= $16,226.00
a fecking bargain
dual 3.0 GHZ dual core
16 Gig Ram
2 terabyte Storage
nVidia FX 4500 graphics
2 x 30" Displays
2 Superdrives
BT and AE
= $16,226.00
a fecking bargain