Mac Pro - Should I ?

tsinc80697

tsinc80697

tsinc80697

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Hi,

Im just about to sell my PC as I seem to use it once a fortnight to play a game for 30mins and thats it! Only real reason for keeping it is for storage and backup for everything on my macbook pro. But Ive had a good offer for the PC which I cant really refuse!

I was just wondering what peoples thoughts are on Mac Pros, they're obviously a great bit of kit but expensive. If you were to buy one would you just get the basic one and keep it for years or do you think it will soon be old tech and you would start to see a slow down on things you're doing?

I mainly use my MBP for graphic/web design so its not stuff that is overly powerful, but I do find my MBP slowing down sometimes which really gets irritating! Espcially when I have Parallels running alongside OSX and a good few apps.
Would a base spec mac pro with 8GB ram keep everything running smoothly for a good few years or would I be needing to upgrade again?
The money mac pro's need is a lot so buying something would really have to be an investment for 5+ years.

Another question, can iMac's be used as a second screen for my MBP? If the mac pro is overkill then I might be tempted to sell my Dell 24" and get a 24" iMac, but then again I would love to have 2x24" with a mac pro eventually!
 
The Mac Pro will handle all you throw at it for a good while. That was part of the reason I invested in mine, so I wouldn't keep on upgrading the PC and spending a fortune.

The iMac can't be used as a monitor or extension of a monitor from another computer, this is something that it would be excellent for, if it did do it.
 
well an iMac is out of the question then!

Just dont know whether I need the mac pro or whether saving the money for a while and just using my MBP will do fine! Only thing I can think of missing with selling the PC is the very odd bit of gaming my MBP cant handle
 
couldnt fit mbp/24" and imac on my desk!

its really between MBP+24" Dell+mac pro or just leave it as MBP+24".

~£1000 for a mac pro is expensive ubt its really an investment i think
 
Im in the same situation.

A Mac Pro is crying out to compliment my MBP...

Depends on money flow tho ha ha

What would sell it to me would be the ability to wack a 3.2Ghz or another 2.8 into the single quad setup...

I shall ask that in the Applestore when Im closer to deciding :p
 
Well Im definitely selling my PC, might just stick the cash in another account and see if I can afford a mac pro in a few months! Otherwise i will just stick to my MBP until it dies lol
 
Well, I'm running a very similar specced machine to a Mac pro (*cough* hackingtosh *cough*) and I can say OSX flys along nicely with 8gb. :)

I also use 2 x TFT's, it's nice having the extra screen space... In other words - get the Mac pro. :)
 
If you can afford it, go for the Mac Pro. Like Mike I was running a hack but was putting the cash together to buy a Pro. One came up second hand at the right price so with the cash I saved I bought an AppleTV and some other nice toys.
 
Definitely not getting hackintosh because everytime Ive gouth a pc/built it, I have spent twice as much keeping it running normally. Hard drives dying or motherboads etc etc
MBP been reliable for 2 years so I want to move 100% away from windows and only have it as VM on a mac.

I think ill look at keeping the money in 1 account for a few months and hopefully get something for about £1500 with 2GB ram and upgrade it myself. Cant see me needing more than 8 cores anytime in the next 5 years lol
 
Well seems it'd be safer to spend the money as quick as you can instead of having it in a bank ;-)

I also run my second machine as a *beeeeeep*intosh, my first being a 2*G4 1.42 (!). I'm hesitating to get a MacPro now, or wait for the upgrade... My problem is that an upgrade is surely going to require DDR3 which I find silly, and very expensive... I'm used to 8GB too you know :D
 
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You know you want too!

;)
 
BusError said:
Well seems it'd be safer to spend the money as quick as you can instead of having it in a bank ;-)

I also run my second machine as a *beeeeeep*intosh, my first being a 2*G4 1.42 (!). I'm hesitating to get a MacPro now, or wait for the upgrade... My problem is that an upgrade is surely going to require DDR3 which I find silly, and very expensive... I'm used to 8GB too you know :D
Click to expand...

That the thing, paying £1500~ and in a few years its classed as old tech, but would it be slow? Thats another question.

Only real thing holding me back besides money at the moment is only certain GPU can go in there. If more GPU were available for mac pro then it'd be even easier to decide.

I mean DDR3 will be faster than DDR2, but if you have 8GB DDR2 now, do you really even need DDR3? Everything wiuld run perfectly on a 2x2.8quad 8gb ram, even in 5 years it probably would, its just being picky and always wanted the best!
 
If I downgraded the CPU to a single quad core, can I then buy a quad core myself to make it 8 core? or if I pick the lowest 8 core can I upgrade it to the 3.2 myself?
 
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