MP All Models Which Mac Pro? 5,1 or 6,1 or 7,1

[mechanize]

Hi,
I’m looking to upgrade from MacBook Pro to Mac Pro for video editing and graphic design works:
I think I have following 3 options and I need your help to make the right decision,

Option 1:
Mac Pro 6,1 (Trashcan)
12 Core Dual Xeon E5-2697 V2 2.7GHz

Option 2:
Mac Pro 5,1 (cheese grater)
2x 6 Core Dual Xeon X5690 3.46 GHz (total 12 cores)

Option 3:
Mac Pro 7,1
12 core Xeon W-3235 3.3GHz
(This option is expensive for me at the moment)

Where can I find Geekbench / Cinebench etc. comparisons?
Any suggestions or opinions please?

 

[tommy chen]

best option at the moment is the 5.1
some of PCIe cards and drives you can use later in a 7.1
when you have money for

the speed of a fully upgraded 5.1 is not far from the 7.1 base

 

[bsbeamer]

MP5,1 processors are EOL'd by Intel, machine is not OFFICIALLY supported beyond Mojave.

MP6,1 is stuck with TB2, eGPU solutions are not OFFICIALLY available, and the built-in graphics cards have known issues. Would not expect much OFFICIAL support beyond macOS 10.15 or 10.16 for this machine, if it's even eligible for 10.16.

Have a very hard time recommending anyone sink money into either of these options at this point in time. If you can hold off a bit longer, keep checking eBay and local listings for a true deal. MANY machines are going up for sale recently as people receive their MP7,1's.

If MP7,1 is out of budget, wait for sale/deal or seriously consider MacMini, iMac/Pro, or MBP with eGPU.

Just for your reference and comparison, the "loaded" MBP16,1 is faster than max'd MP5,1 and most MP6,1 configs in nearly all benchmark testing. Rivals the MP7,1 entry level in many benchmarks.

 

[leon771]

Firstly, 2 questions.
1) Is this a hobby or something that you will be making a living from?
2) What model of MacBook Pro do you have?

If this is a hobby, then depending on which model of MacBook Pro you have (thunderbolt 3 enabled), you can look in to adding an external GPU to speed up video editing.

If you are making a living from this work, then the only answer is a 7,1
I wouldn't buy a 5,1 now if I was earning a living from it due to lack of support.
I wouldn't buy a 6,1 either as it is too underpowered and old technology.

 

[mechanize]

I really appreciate the responses and big thanks to everyone

In response to above, My MacBook Pro doesn't have thunderbolt !
I'm a freelancer and take small to medium size jobs (graphic design & video editing) so at the moment I can't afford a 12 Core MacPro 7,1 so after reading above do you think I should buy:

Mac Pro 5,1 with 2x 6 Core Dual Xeon X5690 3.46 GHz
or should I spend money on:
Mac Pro 6,1 12 Core Dual Xeon E5-2697 V2 2.7GHz

If I go with 5,1, I will be able to upgrade to SSD or may be NVMe, better GPU, USB3 am I right?
What GPU card should I buy?
I use Adobe Premier I read that Adobe Premier uses both CPU and GPU? So 12 with a decent GPU should work?

Kind regards to all
[automerge]1578001449[/automerge]

the speed of a fully upgraded 5.1 is not far from the 7.1 base

Oh wow, I didn't know that, are you able to give some details on it, what upgrades will be required?

 

[leon771]

I really appreciate the responses and big thanks to everyone

In response to above, My MacBook Pro doesn't have thunderbolt !
I'm a freelancer and take small to medium size jobs (graphic design & video editing) so at the moment I can't afford a 12 Core MacPro 7,1 so after reading above do you think I should buy:

Mac Pro 5,1 with 2x 6 Core Dual Xeon X5690 3.46 GHz
or should I spend money on:
Mac Pro 6,1 12 Core Dual Xeon E5-2697 V2 2.7GHz

If I go with 5,1, I will be able to upgrade to SSD or may be NVMe, better GPU, USB3 am I right?
What GPU card should I buy?
I use Adobe Premier I read that Adobe Premier uses both CPU and GPU? So 12 with a decent GPU should work?

Kind regards to all

I would go for a MacBook Pro (16” with best graphics option) or earlier model with tb3 and get an eGPU.

5,1 and 6,1 not really worth buying in to now.

I run and 4,1 and 5,1 Mac Pro both upgraded quite heavily so I have a passion for the machines, but I do t recommend them to people looking to upgrade.

Check out barefeats.com for recent benchmarks with Premiere.

 

[Silencio]

I have to agree with Leon. The 5,1 and 6,1 still have life left in them, but I would not buy one for the express purpose of upgrading them. The 16" rMBP is a very, very capable machine.

 

[bsbeamer]

ALL of the available processors for the MP5,1 are EOL'd by Intel, even the max'd dual 3.46 X5690's. Microcode updates are no longer being issued, which will leave these machines vulnerable to any and all security vulnerabilities moving forward. Anyone who is seriously considering purchasing this machine as a daily driver should absolutely reconsider. That is the largest reason why Apple is not making them officially compatible with Catalina.

Intel Side Channel Vulnerabilities: MDS and TAA

MDS and TAA are similar to previously disclosed speculative execution side channel vulnerabilities.

www.intel.com

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/corporate-information/SA00233-microcode-update-guidance.pdf

https://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/security-advisory/documents/IPU-2019.2-microcode-update-guidance-v1.0.pdf

MP6,1 has one more major OS release at the most. Unless you're finding a deal under $1K, carefully think about this. The D300 variations have "less" failure than the D500/D700 variations.

MBP16,1 is a fantastic machine, has fantastic benchmarks, but it's simply not a desktop. It really depends on your daily needs to determine if this is the "right" machine for you. I purchased to replace an aging MBP and the timing was right. I will still be getting a desktop to complement (either MP7,1 or MacMini/Pro if it's updated with i9 and more RAM) within the next 6-12 months.

 

[jinnyman]

If you really need a modular mac, there's no other option. Unless the price is dirt cheap, I see no point going 5,1 anymore. It's too slow and too power consuming. For hobby maybe.

I'd rather go mini than 6,1.

That leaves 7,1, but you gotta be able to bear the price.

 

[XNorth]

I also recommend the MPB 16‘. it‘s more productive and does everything better than my obsolete, decked out MP 5,1 including gaming. I only hang on to the old MP as a collectible and for the occasions when I need to fire up FCP legacy. for my work I wouldn’t invest in the 5,1 or 6,1 today.

Unless you have money to burn or need the horsepower for work, the MP 7.1 is overkill for most people.

 

[CC88]

If you need a machine for premiere and graphic design I think that with a mbp 16 you will have the fan at top speed all the time.

 

[MacPoulet]

Why not go for a decent Mac Mini and add an eGPU?

 

[bsbeamer]

If you need a machine for premiere and graphic design I think that with a mbp 16 you will have the fan at top speed all the time.

No, they will not. I'm currently rendering for 30+ minutes in AE CC 2020 with multiple monitors and eGPU. The fans on MBP are running light and RAM usage is currently reporting over 75%.

 

[monokakata]

Looking at the iMac Pro might be wise, although a well-specced one reaches 7,1 price territory.

 

[th0masp]

8-core 6,1 with D500/700 would be my recommendation. You'll want single core speed for your applications and the 12-core isn't looking too hot in that department.
Alternatively a 2018 Mini with eGPU. That combination will probably be at least as expensive though.

Or - perhaps you can find the iMP as a refurb? Assuming you'd even consider an all-in-one at this point.

 

[chrfr]

Hi,
I’m looking to upgrade from MacBook Pro to Mac Pro for video editing and graphic design works:
I think I have following 3 options and I need your help to make the right decision,

Option 1:
Mac Pro 6,1 (Trashcan)
12 Core Dual Xeon E5-2697 V2 2.7GHz

Option 2:
Mac Pro 5,1 (cheese grater)
2x 6 Core Dual Xeon X5690 3.46 GHz (total 12 cores)

Option 3:
Mac Pro 7,1
12 core Xeon W-3235 3.3GHz
(This option is expensive for me at the moment)

Where can I find Geekbench / Cinebench etc. comparisons?
Any suggestions or opinions please?

I'd probably not recommend a Mac Pro at all for that usage. A modern iMac or Mini would probably be faster for most usage, and cost you much less than the current Mac Pro.

 

[skippermonkey]

A year ago I would have heartily recommended a 12-core (dual six-core) 5,1. I've had one for decade and it's been magnificent. Runs fast, quiet, hardly any downtime. But it's decade old tech – my new 24-core Mac Pro absolutely smokes it. Yes the 5,1 is expandable, but you'll quickly reach the limits of GPUs because of the lack of internal power, and eGPUs aren't really supported. You won't have the latest 1/O and drivers, you'd need to hack it run Catalina, and you'll be forever playing catch up or working around problems of outdated apps or standards. The 5,1 was amazing for its day and for many will still be reliable daily workhorse – but I've found it just becomes harder and harder to rely on it as time moves on. Maybe a secondhand iMac Pro? It's aged a bit but the 10- 14- and 18-core models are still very potent machines.

 

[MisterAndrew]

I agree to stay away from the 5,1 and 6,1 now. Too old. I searched sold listings on eBay for an iMac Pro and it looks like they’re often selling in the $2k to $3k region. If you can find one for $2k with AppleCare that would be a great deal.

 

[iAssimilated]

The 8,1 Mac mini is worth the look. For your usage the i7 model with an eGPU would be a good fit. Also, it will not break the bank like the 7,1 Mac Pro.

 

[fuchsdh]

I'd agree with people suggesting a look at a MBP or Mac mini. The 5,1 has the advantage of having some components you could bring forward to a 7,1 in the future, but it's at the end of its support status and you'd have to invest in those components you could transfer in the first place. I think the 6,1 has more life in it than some of the people here, but it's still a relatively inflexible system for the money you'd be putting into it, with performance that's not much more than the 5,1.

A Mac mini or MBP with eGPU isn't "cheap", but it's gonna' give you a substantial speed boost under most workloads compared to the old Mac Pros. As others have mentioned, refurbs and used offer a way to drop the price further.

 

[defjam]

Perhaps you may want to pop into the Mini forum and see if anyone there has experience with Adobe Premier. I am not a fan of eGPUs but it might be a better, if less than ideal, solution than a 5,1 or 6,1.

 

[2013.1]

Mac Pro 2009 upgraded
Single core 677
Multi core 6974
Cinebench 3375
Metal 51587

Mac Pro 2019 base
Single core 1031
Multi core 8016
Cinebench 3941
Metal 41634

I am very happy with Metal. Affinity suite makes good use of it.

2009 results are mine. 2019 results are from Geekbench browser and cpumonkey. I bought the Mac Pro in 2009 (8-core 2.26) and upgraded CPUs RAM GPU NVMe in 2020 for a few hundred dollars. See signature ?

Mac Pro (09) 5,1 2x Intel X5690 48GB+NVME+BT4.0+Sapphire Radeon RX580 8GB+NEC2690wuxi2+CD20" Mojave 10.14.6
[automerge]1583255141[/automerge]

Oh wow, I didn't know that, are you able to give some details on it, what upgrades will be required?

Which Mac Pro? 5,1 or 6,1 or 7,1

Mac Pro 2009 upgraded Single core 677 Multi core 6974 Cinebench 3375 Metal 51587 Mac Pro 2019 base Single core 1031 Multi core 8016 Cinebench 3941 Metal 41634 I am very happy with Metal. Affinity suite makes good use of it. 2009 results are mine. 2019 results are from Geekbench browser and...

forums.macrumors.com

I don't know much about Adobe Premiere though.

 

[Itconnects]

why not 6.1 trashcan

 

[CC88]

why not 6.1 trashcan

After upgrading from a maxed out trashcan (12 core, 64gb, 1tb, dual D700) to a mini i5 with eGPU, it run faster and smooth. The only slow down then nMP6.1 is during rendering when CPU is involved. But in terms of experience the mini with eGPU is a lot faster than MP6.1.

 

[Successful Sorcerer]

If you depend on the computer for work be careful with buying old hardware. You don't want to have to go through ebay or whatever in the middle of a project because an end of life component failed. Depending on the software you use I'd wait for the release of the upcoming Apple Silicon iMacs if possible.