would it be stupid to buy a 2010 quad core now ?

[sinser]

I have been waiting for the new iMacs like forever, but now that they are out, I changed my mind
-still no matte screen
-21 looks small, 27 looks huge
-yellow tint problem still somehow present
-gaming issues

I don't really MacPro performance as it will be only for basic stuff (iLife, some Photoshop, Office, maybe some C/Java programming) and playing WOW and SC2, but it looks like the only Apple desktop I really like. Buying a PC is out of question and I don't really care about some extra money spent if I can live for the thing in the next 5/6 years.... I don't need a monitor since I already own a 20" matte ACD that I still love. I already feel a bit stupid for buying such a beast, but should I wait ? Are there any remote chances of upgrades happening before December ? I have been looking at refurbs for a while, but no Mac Pro has popped up on Italian store...
You know, it would hurt a bit to buy the thing and then see a refresh after a few weeks...

 

[Hellhammer]

There is no hardware to update the Mac Pro with. Q4 '11 is when the Xeons meant for Mac Pro are scheduled to be released so we are looking at several months till the update.

If your usage is really that light, I would take a look at used Mac Pros. Even the first gen Mac Pro should be decent with an upgraded GPU. They go for around 1000$ nowadays.

 

[mcnallym]

If you want a Matte Screen then unless Apple have a big change of heart (unlikely) then the iMac is not for you, although I find it amusing that you are happy with the 20" ACD yet find the 21.5" iMac screen too small. However the Matte / Glossy debate makes the iMac irrelevant too you.

It is likely that there will be no updates of Mac Pro till the new LGA2011 Xeons launch which is currently Q4/2011 or even Q1/2012, only thing is possibly a speed bump however is looking pretty unlikely unless the new Xeons slip further away. Apple did do a speedbump on the MacPro 2009 on the BTO so not saying impossible there won't be speedbump but don't expect a new MacPro this year is what I would say.

 

[sinser]

There is no hardware to update the Mac Pro with. Q4 '11 is when the Xeons meant for Mac Pro are scheduled to be released so we are looking at several months till the update.

If your usage is really that light, I would take a look at used Mac Pros. Even the first gen Mac Pro should be decent with an upgraded GPU. They go for around 1000$ nowadays.

Yep, my home needs are low, it's mostly about gaming (I don't game a lot, but when I do I want it stress free), since my MacBook Pro has begun to show its age.
From your answer I understand that there would be no update before January, February, but why do i see some people talking about June ???
A used MP + ATI 5870 would be ok, but the 32 bit architecture of the 1.1 model looks really outdated....maybe...

If you want a Matte Screen then unless Apple have a big change of heart (unlikely) then the iMac is not for you, although I find it amusing that you are happy with the 20" ACD yet find the 21.5" iMac screen too small.

Touche'...that's true But, you know, the 21.5 basically looks like the same screen space I already have. I love my ACD not becuase of it's size, but because the quality is still great...and....well...it's not glossy...

 

[Hellhammer]

Yep, my home needs are low, it's mostly about gaming (I don't game a lot, but when I do I want it stress free), since my MacBook Pro has begun to show its age.
From your answer I understand that there would be no update before January, February, but why do i see some people talking about June ???
A used MP + ATI 5870 would be ok, but the 32 bit architecture of the 1.1 model looks really outdated....maybe...

There are always those people who fail to see the fact that there is no newer hardware available for the Mac Pro. A marginal increase in CPU frequency and AMD 6000-series is all what Apple could do but knowing their history, they prefer selling the old hardware with a nice premium.

First gen Mac Pro uses 64-bit CPUs, just like all Mac Pros. Its EFI is 32-bit which adds some limitations (no 64-bit kernel, newer NVIDIA GPUs not supported etc) but none of them is important. All AMD GPUs work and 64-bit kernel does not really add any benefit.

You could save 1500$ or even more by getting the first gen. Spend the $ on RAM, SSD, HDs, GPU etc. 2500$ is just for the base Mac Pro, it can easily get close to 3500$ when you add some upgrades.

 

[sinser]

Would this be a decent price ? Looks like an early 2008 one

1560 euro


Intel Xeon QuadCore 2,8GHz (8 core)
2Gb Ram (Max 32Gb)
HD 500Gb Sata 7200rpm
SuperDrive DL 16x

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512Mb
2 x Ethernet Gb
Os X 10.5 Leopard

 

[chaosbunny]

Would this be a decent price ? Looks like an early 2008 one

1560 euro


Intel Xeon QuadCore 2,8GHz (8 core)
2Gb Ram (Max 32Gb)
HD 500Gb Sata 7200rpm
SuperDrive DL 16x

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512Mb
2 x Ethernet Gb
Os X 10.5 Leopard

Don't know what these things are usually going for, but it sounds not like a really good deal to me.

You'll need to upgrade ram, HD(s) - 2gb and 500 gb are nothing these days, OS (newer games like Portal2 require 10.6) and I'm sure you'll want the ATI 5870 for gaming. With all this you might end up spending close to € 2500 - a couple hundred more will give you a new 2010 Mac Pro with warranty etc.

There might be better deals out there for used Mac Pros.

Btw, my 2010 2.8 quad with the 5870 runs like a champ, for example I play sc2 on ultra settings at 2560x1440 with 60-80 fps under OSX.

 

[cjgonzales1900]

There is no hardware to update the Mac Pro with. Q4 '11 is when the Xeons meant for Mac Pro are scheduled to be released so we are looking at several months till the update.

If your usage is really that light, I would take a look at used Mac Pros. Even the first gen Mac Pro should be decent with an upgraded GPU. They go for around 1000$ nowadays.

I agree. I recently bought a Mac Pro 1,1 and love it + 20" ACD. I do basiaclly the same as you just no gaming. You will need a better graphics card. Apple price for the 5770 $250. so take that into account.

 

[cjgonzales1900]

Would this be a decent price ? Looks like an early 2008 one

1560 euro


Intel Xeon QuadCore 2,8GHz (8 core)
2Gb Ram (Max 32Gb)
HD 500Gb Sata 7200rpm
SuperDrive DL 16x

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512Mb
2 x Ethernet Gb
Os X 10.5 Leopard

You also have to take into account that The newer Mac Pro might have a redesign, if that matters to you. If not then its ok. And yea they should be using the same type of components inside the Mac Pro, just a speed bump. SO i would buy a used MP with warranty if thats what you want or a cheaper one without. 2008 and up should do it.

 

[azentropy]

There are always those people who fail to see the fact that there is no newer hardware available for the Mac Pro. A marginal increase in CPU frequency and AMD 6000-series is all what Apple could do but knowing their history, they prefer selling the old hardware with a nice premium.

And there will always be those people who fail to see the fact that there is more to "hardware" than just CPU and GPU.

I'd stay away from the entry level Quad Mac Pro. I feel it was a horrible value price/performance wise when released, even worse now. Apple makes some tremendous margins using a < $300 CPU, a < $120 GPU, < $50 HD, < $30 optical drive and < $50 of memory on a $2500 system. I point out those specs as they are the specs Apple highlights at the store. It is a great case and power supply, but seriously???

Really hoping the next refresh is a better value as like you I hate the glass/glossy screens of the iMac for myself.

 

[Hellhammer]

Would this be a decent price ? Looks like an early 2008 one

1560 euro


Intel Xeon QuadCore 2,8GHz (8 core)
2Gb Ram (Max 32Gb)
HD 500Gb Sata 7200rpm
SuperDrive DL 16x

NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512Mb
2 x Ethernet Gb
Os X 10.5 Leopard

You could try to get it down by a hundred or two, that would turn it into a great deal. At that price, it is still decent though. eBay might give you better deals but then again, not all sellers ship internationally and even if they do, the shipping can be pretty expensive.

Don't know what these things are usually going for, but it sounds not like a really good deal to me.

You'll need to upgrade ram, HD(s) - 2gb and 500 gb are nothing these days, OS (newer games like Portal2 require 10.6) and I'm sure you'll want the ATI 5870 for gaming. With all this you might end up spending close to € 2500 - a couple hundred more will give you a new 2010 Mac Pro with warranty etc.

There might be better deals out there for used Mac Pros.

Btw, my 2010 2.8 quad with the 5870 runs like a champ, for example I play sc2 on ultra settings at 2560x1440 with 60-80 fps under OSX.

2010 2.8GHz quad isn't going to be 2500€ either. Add 5870, some RAM, HD etc and you are easily over 3000€. I would say OP has no need for 5870 as 8800 is an okay GPU too, especially since OP's display is only 20" (=low res).

And there will always be those people who fail to see the fact that there is more to "hardware" than just CPU and GPU.

Those are the main ones when we look at updates. Apple has never updated the Mac Pro without new CPUs and GPUs.

 

[chaosbunny]

2010 2.8GHz quad isn't going to be 2500€ either. Add 5870, some RAM, HD etc and you are easily over 3000€. I would say OP has no need for 5870 as 8800 is an okay GPU too, especially since OP's display is only 20" (=low res).

That's why I wrote "a couple hundred more".

But you are right, these "couple hundred" can certainly be spent in a better way by the op.

I'd still recommend the 5870 though, since the op mentioned gaming is important to him. While the 8800 certainly can play any game out there, it won't be at high/max settings even at 1680x1050.

 

[sbb155]

And there will always be those people who fail to see the fact that there is more to "hardware" than just CPU and GPU.

I'd stay away from the entry level Quad Mac Pro. I feel it was a horrible value price/performance wise when released, even worse now. Apple makes some tremendous margins using a < $300 CPU, a < $120 GPU, < $50 HD, < $30 optical drive and < $50 of memory on a $2500 system. I point out those specs as they are the specs Apple highlights at the store. It is a great case and power supply, but seriously???

Really hoping the next refresh is a better value as like you I hate the glass/glossy screens of the iMac for myself.

There will be an update... They can always update the bottom line with the 3.2 hex
It is hard to imagine that they wouldn't update.

The quad core MP are a poor value.

 

[sinser]

There will be an update... They can always update the bottom line with the 3.2 hex
It is hard to imagine that they wouldn't update.

The quad core MP are a poor value.

I see this as possible...also, 3 GB Ram...c'mon, that's silly...

By the way...I ordered a MP 2.8 from the online store this morning just to cancel the order a few minutes later. I did the same the last week for a 27" iMac. Guess I'm not really good in taking decisions...

 

[hayduke]

Maybe I missed something, but why not a Mac Mini?

 

[sinser]

Maybe I missed something, but why not a Mac Mini?

I don't think a mac mini would be good for gaming...

 

[you39]

As a general advise, I'd only buy used equipment, of whatever kind, if you know your stuff well. Hunting for good deals on ebay etc. can be exciting, worthwhile, frustrating or costly. Add to that the market in Italy is much smaller compared to the US. You can buy from EU or overseas, but that can add a headache or two. Also a used Mac Pro at ebay is not necessarily maxed out with RAM & HDs either. And a 5870 is 450€ for a used MP and 200€ when bought with a new one.

 

[sinser]

Sorry...last advise pls...

What about this ?
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120726526091&ssPageName=ADME:X:BOCOR:IT:1123

Sure, it doesn't have the 5870 but it's new and comes with warranty. He would sell it for 1950 eur. Italian Apple store prices is 2399 eur.
Is the 5770 a decent card ?

 

[scottsjack]

Maybe I missed something, but why not a Mac Mini?

If a MP quad is a poor deal a current 2.66GHz C2D mini is really an extra-crappy deal. It's like buying an new antique. While the current one has a slightly better weak nVIDIA card than the previous weak nVIDEA card the 2009 model is easier to live with considering the hard drive replacement issues built in to the current one.

 

[sinser]

Sorry...last advise pls...

What about this ?
http://cgi.ebay.it/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120726526091&ssPageName=ADME:X:BOCOR:IT:1123

Sure, it doesn't have the 5870 but it's new and comes with warranty. He would sell it for 1950 eur. Italian Apple store prices is 2399 eur.
Is the 5770 a decent card ?

Some feedback please...I must take a decision within today
Thanks.

 

[you39]

Some feedback please...I must take a decision within today
Thanks.

Difficult to judge, not speaking italian. The price is somewhat lower than a refurb in spain fe... (2039€, free shipping vs. 1970€ with shipping)...

http://store.apple.com/es/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_pro?mco=MjEwNzM3NTk

It might be a little odd, though, he sells a number of these new for a price 450€ less than Apple. 35 feedbacks isn't too much either.

 

[sinser]

Difficult to judge, not speaking italian

Translated...I asked about warranty and he said that everything will be fine with the SN since it looks like I won't get any receipt... Looking on his ebay he has sold several iPads, one iMac 27, and two MP...


Apple Mac Pro 4 Core - Apple Italy
Italian official Apple warranty

Delivery by courier
I accept all payment methods, but if you pay by bank transfer you to dispatch my treat!

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN A DIFFERENT MODEL? CONTACT U.S., WE HAVE ALL APPLE COMPUTERS AVAILABLE!


A quad-core Intel Xeon processor at 2.8 Ghz Westmere
3 GB of memory
Hard Drive 1 TB
18x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon HD 5770 with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory

Package Contents

Mac Pro
Power Cable
Apple keyboard with numeric keypad
Magic Mouse
USB Keyboard Extension
Install DVD / Restore
Printed and electronic documentation

Software Included

Mac OS X Snow Leopard + iLife 11

Delivery by courier
I accept all payment methods, but if you pay by bank transfer I'll pay for dispatch!

 

[you39]

Translated...I asked about warranty and he said that everything will be fine with the SN since it looks like I won't get any receipt...
[/B]

Not sure if that's true. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[HelsinkiMac]

Don't know if you went ahead with that purchase? I just got a great deal here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130520781425&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It's a brand new, unopened 2009 MacPro 2,93Ghz quadcore (single CPU) with 6Gb ram, 2 superdrives, Ati 4870 512Gb, 1GB HD, Snow Leopard etc. I made a best offer and got them to sell for £1400 plus £50 postage to Finland (I had to phone to ask about the best offer as I was impatient!). I've just scanned a copy of the receipt, which they provide, and sent to Apple, who have confirmed it for the years coverage starting from the purchase date, meaning I can also get extended 2 years AppleCare if I want too!

After throwing in a couple of spare HDs and maybe doubling the ram and getting a small boot system SSD as cheaply as I can I should have a killer machine, that can be upgraded to the latest ATI cards if I feel the need (I might hold out for the next 6 series versions that will presumably come whenever the next Pro refresh is), up to 48GB ram according to OWC, a hexacore 3.4Ghz processor if you do the 2010 EFI hack/update, it should all last me a long long time!

Went for this plus a cheap Dell ultrasharp U2711 over the 27"imac because of the gloss, the difficulty of adding an internal ssd cheaply, ease of working on it, upgradeability over time, and the extra input options on the Dell, couldn't be happier with it all!

 

[philipma1957]

Don't know if you went ahead with that purchase? I just got a great deal here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130520781425&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

It's a brand new, unopened 2009 MacPro 2,93Ghz quadcore (single CPU) with 6Gb ram, 2 superdrives, Ati 4870 512Gb, 1GB HD, Snow Leopard etc. I made a best offer and got them to sell for £1400 plus £50 postage to Finland (I had to phone to ask about the best offer as I was impatient!). I've just scanned a copy of the receipt, which they provide, and sent to Apple, who have confirmed it for the years coverage starting from the purchase date, meaning I can also get extended 2 years AppleCare if I want too!

After throwing in a couple of spare HDs and maybe doubling the ram and getting a small boot system SSD as cheaply as I can I should have a killer machine, that can be upgraded to the latest ATI cards if I feel the need (I might hold out for the next 6 series versions that will presumably come whenever the next Pro refresh is), up to 48GB ram according to OWC, a hexacore 3.4Ghz processor if you do the 2010 EFI hack/update, it should all last me a long long time!

Went for this plus a cheap Dell ultrasharp U2711 over the 27"imac because of the gloss, the difficulty of adding an internal ssd cheaply, ease of working on it, upgradeability over time, and the extra input options on the Dell, couldn't be happier with it all!

you did well. let us know when you get it.