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td2243

Cancelled
Original poster
Mar 14, 2013
382
247
Santa Fe, NM
So, I've been lurking on these boards for quite awhile and been checking out macrumors for a good year or so. Here's my story, I have a really crappy old Dell that is pretty much done. I am using my wife's 7 year old Macbook Pro to answer emails and print out eBay labels, etc.

Here's my frustration, I am in school and NEED a new computer. I do heavy video editing and have taken several classes on Protools and other music production software. I want to get into film editing and music and there will be a point soon at which I won't have access to the school computers. If I take a summer class, I'll be okay through the end of summer.

I'm getting sick of waiting for a new Mac Pro. As someone who is trying to convert to Mac and planning on giving them thousands of dollars, the secrecy is somewhat insulting. I have a hard time stomaching the idea of buying a decked out iMac, knowing that I essentially can't replace any parts except the RAM. That is just seems foolish to me. Generally, I can 'milk' a computer for a very long time by replacing parts and not replacing the whole computer every three years. Since we are not even remotely wealthy, I'd rather pay more up front for a Mac Pro and use it for a really long time.

I just wish Apple would tell us something. I've been holding off for over a year hoping they will give a substantial update to the Mac Pro line, but my inkling is that they are trying to get rid of it altogether. In the same way that the last version of Final Cut Pro was dumbed down, they may be trying to dumb down their desktop line as well. I refuse to buy another Windows machine, but I can't wait forever.

Frustrated, like many others.
 

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
Dude,

I feel your pain.. Secrecy is insulting and for the past 14 years since I have been with Apple, Apple Computer and PowerPC secrecy was a norm and somewhat still is at Apple when it comes to its products.

Again, no one knows for sure what the new Mac Pro will look like and if it will even be worth it. I have a hunch its going to be nothing like what we in this forum have right now. I can detect that it will be somewhat of a xmac or hybrid of mac mini and iMac with PRO on it. I am sure it won't be as highly expandable as our current machines are.

If you are in dire need of a Mac Pro and can't stand the wait, BUY NOW. For the kind of work you are doing I would recommend a 12-core 2010/2012 Mac Pro. It will be fast enough and efficient enough for what you plan to do and it will grow with your needs.

You can't keep up these days with computers and technology, you can evade it but can't outrun it. AFAIK, with the path Apple has taken towards the consumer and shifting away from the pro users, I can bet the new Mac Pro will be geared to prosumer rather than REAL PROFESSIONALS.


So, I've been lurking on these boards for quite awhile and been checking out macrumors for a good year or so. Here's my story, I have a really crappy old Dell that is pretty much done. I am using my wife's 7 year old Macbook Pro to answer emails and print out eBay labels, etc.

Here's my frustration, I am in school and NEED a new computer. I do heavy video editing and have taken several classes on Protools and other music production software. I want to get into film editing and music and there will be a point soon at which I won't have access to the school computers. If I take a summer class, I'll be okay through the end of summer.

I'm getting sick of waiting for a new Mac Pro. As someone who is trying to convert to Mac and planning on giving them thousands of dollars, the secrecy is somewhat insulting. I have a hard time stomaching the idea of buying a decked out iMac, knowing that I essentially can't replace any parts except the RAM. That is just seems foolish to me. Generally, I can 'milk' a computer for a very long time by replacing parts and not replacing the whole computer every three years. Since we are not even remotely wealthy, I'd rather pay more up front for a Mac Pro and use it for a really long time.

I just wish Apple would tell us something. I've been holding off for over a year hoping they will give a substantial update to the Mac Pro line, but my inkling is that they are trying to get rid of it altogether. In the same way that the last version of Final Cut Pro was dumbed down, they may be trying to dumb down their desktop line as well. I refuse to buy another Windows machine, but I can't wait forever.

Frustrated, like many others.
 

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
Join the club buddy, I am stuck working on a 8-core mac pro that is now ages old and I have SEVERAL THOUSAND dollars I am just waiting to shove down tim cooks throat in exchange for what kind of bull crap they come up with this year
 

td2243

Cancelled
Original poster
Mar 14, 2013
382
247
Santa Fe, NM
It's so absurd to me that thousands of people are hanging on the one sentence that Tim Cook said late last year. There may be no new Mac Pro for all we know. Seriously, who knows? We think so, and can have threads about the speculation of it, meanwhile we wait. And wait. And wait.
 

MacProFreak

macrumors regular
Feb 14, 2013
124
8
If apple drops the ball, will Linux be ever an alternative? There are some distributions that are really good, not as eye-candy as OS-X but fast and reliable. The latest Open Suse KDE plasma desktop isn't bad at all.
 

tjlazer

macrumors member
Jul 27, 2005
93
3
Tacoma, WA USA
Don't understand why everyone is bitching and whining and waiting. You need a new Mac Pro? Buy one! They do sell a nice 12 core last I checked! You could of owned it 14 months ago... Everyone wants the latest and greatest. Well that's not possible with Muphys Law.
 

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
I will only say this once..

GOD HELP all of us is the new Mac Pro is not what we had all hoped for. Cutting down its size with a revamped case is a good idea, but please for the love of God and the pro-users keep the expansion slots!!!

I still think its gonna be like a hybrid of mac mini and iMac.. and if this is the case.. the percentage of it being highly expandable like what we all currently use is going to drop to almost nil.

----------

Eh, I own a 6-core and i still don't completely max out my cores.. and its plenty fast for my needs. Sure, I could go 12-core if I desired, but for my needs the 6-core is the sweet spot and a really fast system overall.

w3680 and also w3690 are no slouches.

Don't understand why everyone is bitching and whining and waiting. You need a new Mac Pro? Buy one! They do sell a nice 12 core last I checked! You could of owned it 14 months ago...
 

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
If apple does go the consumer route. I will just buy whatever 12-core machines are left at the apple store once the announcement is made at mac-world. Then I will upgrade that machine until it no longer meets my needs in about 6 years.


And then, gulp I don't wanna think about it :rolleyes:
 

MacProFreak

macrumors regular
Feb 14, 2013
124
8
Eh, I own a 6-core and i still don't completely max out my cores.. and its plenty fast for my needs. Sure, I could go 12-core if I desired, but for my needs the 6-core is the sweet spot and a really fast system overall.

w3680 and also w3690 are no slouches.

That's what I have. W3690 with ML on a 840 Pro and I'm pretty happy with it. Will last for a while.
 

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
I think this is what is predicted to happen. Apple is a consumer based company now with iToys leading the company. Apple goes where the money is, and the Mac Pro does not make Apple much money as its a niche product.

I hope I and many others are wrong and the 2013 MP will be a nice, and beefy, highly upgradable system.. but the direction Apple is in now leads me to think OTHERWISE.

If apple does go the consumer route. I will just buy whatever 12-core machines are left at the apple store once the announcement is made at mac-world. Then I will upgrade that machine until it no longer meets my needs in about 6 years.


And then, gulp I don't wanna think about it :rolleyes:
 

td2243

Cancelled
Original poster
Mar 14, 2013
382
247
Santa Fe, NM
Don't understand why everyone is bitching and whining and waiting.


I'm "bitching and whining" because while the current machines may be fast, they aren't current in the least. If anything in the Apple line has been neglected, it's the Mac Pro. I'm not an Apple fanboy, so I'm not willing to give away $3K for a computer that hasn't been truly updated in 3-4 years. I'm not a programmer, but I understand that when buying Apple, the upcharge in cost is because you want the OS. Parts are parts, but the OS is what makes it work smoother than a Windows machine with the same parts, or close to it.

Unfortunately, I have no experience with Linux or anything other than Apple or Windows.
 

thejadedmonkey

macrumors G3
May 28, 2005
9,180
3,326
Pennsylvania
If apple drops the ball, will Linux be ever an alternative? There are some distributions that are really good, not as eye-candy as OS-X but fast and reliable. The latest Open Suse KDE plasma desktop isn't bad at all.

No. Gnome 4 is useless in a VM, I can only imagine it running directly on hardware. Ubuntu is switching up window managers, so you'll run into compatibility problems between Ubuntu and everything else for a little while. I don't have any experience with KDE Plasma since it came out in beta years ago.

But if you're looking for professional programs, they're not really in Linux anyway and your best bet would be to go to Windows.
 

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
I'm "bitching and whining" because while the current machines may be fast, they aren't current in the least. If anything in the Apple line has been neglected, it's the Mac Pro. I'm not an Apple fanboy, so I'm not willing to give away $3K for a computer that hasn't been truly updated in 3-4 years. I'm not a programmer, but I understand that when buying Apple, the upcharge in cost is because you want the OS. Parts are parts, but the OS is what makes it work smoother than a Windows machine with the same parts, or close to it.

Unfortunately, I have no experience with Linux or anything other than Apple or Windows.

So buying a computer when we need a new one is somehow a stuipid method that makes us "fanboys"

where as your method of going onto a random forum and throwing a tantrum is better How?
 

td2243

Cancelled
Original poster
Mar 14, 2013
382
247
Santa Fe, NM
So buying a computer when we need a new one is somehow a stuipid method that makes us "fanboys"

where as your method of going onto a random forum and throwing a tantrum is better How?

Didn't mean to offend, my friend. I like the way Apple does some things and don't like the way they do other things. Simple as that. As someone who has never bought an Apple computer, but would like to, the lack of an update to the line I am most interested in is not inviting. It makes me wonder if they want professionals using their products.

If my frustration is equivalent in your books to a 'tantrum', you live in a very comfy world. LOL Seriously though, I'll probably do what you said if it comes to it. Buy the 12 core in a few months and be a happy camper. As least I can take my Dell out back and blow it up. (I'll make a video of it of course and edit it on the MP.) :)

As you guys know more about this than I do, how much better is a 12 core MP than the newest iMac? Not talking about expandability, but speed, performance. etc. Thanks
 
Last edited:

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
For massive video editing, encoding, 3D animation, and music production work, the 12-core will be a lot faster in performance as those applications such as Final Cut PRO X, Logic Pro 9, etc.. are ALL multi-core, hyperthreaded applications and they will use all of your cores, hence performance will beat the iMac in that respect.

For normal applications such as non-multithreaded and non-hyperthreaded apps, the iMac might be faster in clock speed than the 12-core. The 12-cores in the Mac Pro are what gives it its power to get things done, but only a few apps take advantage of more than 4-cores.

As you guys know more about this than I do, how much better is a 12 core MP than the newest iMac? Not talking about expandability, but speed, performance. etc. Thanks[/QUOTE]
 

DisMyMac

macrumors 65816
Sep 30, 2009
1,087
11
You can't keep up these days with computers and technology, you can evade it but can't outrun it. AFAIK, with the path Apple has taken towards the consumer and shifting away from the pro users, I can bet the new Mac Pro will be geared to prosumer rather than REAL PROFESSIONALS.

Every professional field gets automated, and video will go the same way. It's been one lost art after another. Even auto-tune songs will advance to replace actual music.

Don't know where we are headed in a world without work, and play seems meaningless.
 

phoenixsan

macrumors 65816
Oct 19, 2012
1,342
2
Sure, you are not....

alone. Not point in calling names or say "we are bitching". I like the current Mac Pro. Also like the abiility to upgrade/tinkering things. But I know for sure, my work and associated workflows will be better if we got a Mac Pro what:

a)Have better graphics support and more options for graphic cards
b) Have modern I/O options native, as USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt
c) Have a better power consuption/management

Not too worried by form factors. If Apple makes a Mac Pro what fit the bill for me, in a toilet shape, I will buy it. Paramout is no loss in expasion slots. And no cutting the cord in the FireWire 800 yet.

Apple secrecy? Get accustomed. But I have the faith, eventually Apple will addresses the Mac Pro situation. In a way that will or not to please all. And I can be proved wrong, in the future. Or right now.....:(:eek:

:):apple:
 

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
alone. Not point in calling names or say "we are bitching". I like the current Mac Pro. Also like the abiility to upgrade/tinkering things. But I know for sure, my work and associated workflows will be better if we got a Mac Pro what:

a)Have better graphics support and more options for graphic cards
b) Have modern I/O options native, as USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt
c) Have a better power consuption/management

Not too worried by form factors. If Apple makes a Mac Pro what fit the bill for me, in a toilet shape, I will buy it. Paramout is no loss in expasion slots. And no cutting the cord in the FireWire 800 yet.

Apple secrecy? Get accustomed. But I have the faith, eventually Apple will addresses the Mac Pro situation. In a way that will or not to please all. And I can be proved wrong, in the future. Or right now.....:(:eek:

:):apple:

Oh please Apple seems to always flop with secrecy near the launch of a product, Take the great g5 leak where the entire specs sheet was made available by some website updater
 

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
And...

Apple to this VERY DAY still DENYS, sometimes blatantly that the G5's with LCS don't leak.. Well, maybe now they do.. but a few years back they denied these things could happen.

I very well do remember this though I never owned a G5 with an LCS before that time.

Oh please Apple seems to always flop with secrecy near the launch of a product, Take the great g5 leak where the entire specs sheet was made available by some website updater
 

phoenixsan

macrumors 65816
Oct 19, 2012
1,342
2
Ok, I get you....

Oh please Apple seems to always flop with secrecy near the launch of a product, Take the great g5 leak where the entire specs sheet was made available by some website updater

Apple is not the MI-6. And then, a Silva happens.....:eek:


:):apple:
 

Consultant

macrumors G5
Jun 27, 2007
13,314
34
If you are fine working on a "7 year old Macbook Pro", then any computer you buy will be faster than that.

A refurb MacBook Pro will be fine for your purpose.
 

PowerPCMacMan

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2012
800
1
PowerPC land
Even my PowerBook G4 1.67 DLSD works fine for my purpose outside the house, and all I do on that is watch youtube, browse my emails and conduct business on it + Microsoft Office.. nothing extravagant.

If you are fine working on a "7 year old Macbook Pro", then any computer you buy will be faster than that.

A refurb MacBook Pro will be fine for your purpose.
 

Lil Chillbil

macrumors 65816
Jan 30, 2012
1,322
99
California
Even my PowerBook G4 1.67 DLSD works fine for my purpose outside the house, and all I do on that is watch youtube, browse my emails and conduct business on it + Microsoft Office.. nothing extravagant.

I don't do much outside the house either, thinking bout dropping some of my fortune (yes thats what I call my savings account I am constantly filling with my earnings from doing work) on a $250 google chromebook, sounds like it would work perfectly for sending emails and updating clients while on the go
 

rezwits

macrumors 6502a
Jul 10, 2007
811
414
Las Vegas
Seriously

Buy a cheap $500 Mac Pro, get your monitors 3D monitors whatever. Get a get good video card for it. Use it till the new Mac Pro (2013) comes out. Then when you are done, Carbon Copy the OS over or such things like this. Then use the new machine all setup with your apps and docs. AND DO NOT USE Bootcamp. Run the new Mac Pro with 4 Bays of HD/SSD etc in full Raid mode and use it for Mac. After this take the old "Prep Mac Pro" and turn it into a Bootcamp machine and put Windows 7 x64 on it or whatever. Buy a nice KVM switcher and you will be in heaven. And as long as you've got a good video card for the earlier Mac Pro it will play games just fine.

You're not going to be able to play "Crisis 3 or 4 or whatever" at 4K display resolution with 400 fps but WHO GIVES A F^@&!

It will play LOL, Diablo, and Starcraft and what not. If you even play games. Oh and you also get some Legacy Ports in case of old drives. And the old Pros are still good machines...

Have Fun...

I mean think about it. You're going to wait 4 months about, that worth a 5 x $100 bills...
 
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