Is the average UK price of a 2006 Mac Pro likely to drop if/when new models arrive?

Diamond Dave · Jan 25, 2012

I'm in a position to possibly be able to afford a cheap Mac Pro. Given my budget this would only mean one of the original 2006 "1,1" models.

At the moment these seem to go on eBay.co.uk for between about £650 & £850 depending on the specifications.

Assuming Apple release new Mac Pros in the next few months, would people predict that this would cause all the earlier models to drop in price, including the original 2006 models?

I'd hate to pay, say, £700 now only to find the same spec. available in a couple of months for £500.

I appreciate that this is the hundred-billionth time that "Should I buy now or wait?" has been asked about a piece of technology on an internet forum, and that no-one has a crystal ball, but perhaps anyone with any particular insight (a second-hand Mac dealer perhaps?) could share their thoughts?

Many thanks.

Primus84 · Jan 25, 2012

That seems like an awful lot of money for such an old and relatively slow (now) Mac Pro. I'm sure that money would be better spent on an iMac - you could get a relatively recent 21.5" i5 for that kind of money which would kick the Mac Pro 1,1 all over the place!

Any particular reason you want a Mac Pro?

robbie12345 · Jan 25, 2012

do not buy it rip off if u can only afford that and need expandability get the mac mini sure the graphics isn't great but better then the stock on mac pro and u can get more and cheaper ram also the cpu will be much faster if not 21 iMac

do not say u like expandability it is so old that expandability has come to a halt because even fully loaded u can get something much cheaper and better and smaller now

gnasher729 · Jan 25, 2012

£850 gets you a Mac Mini with a quad core processor. Brand new, one year warranty, and I think it will compare very well performance wise with a 2006 Mac Pro.

Or look at the iMac; £999 gets you quad core plus a very nice monitor.

In both cases, look out for refurbished models where you can save another 15% or so (still as good as new and full warranty).

The iMac has the huge advantage that you can upgrade RAM to 16 GB very easily and very cheaply. An iMac with 16 GB will be a lot cheaper than a 2006 Mac Pro upgraded to 16 GB.

All in all: 2006 Mac Pro - not worth it.

Diamond Dave · Jan 26, 2012

Thanks for the replies, and apologies for not making it clear - iMacs & Mac Minis simply wouldn't suit my requirements - it has to be a Mac Pro.

Primus84 · Jan 26, 2012

May I respectfully ask why and what you're wanting to do with the Mac Pro?

Diamond Dave · Jan 26, 2012

Primus84 said:
May I respectfully ask why and what you're wanting to do with the Mac Pro?

When I wrote my initial post, I really hoped any discussion wouldn't get side tracked into a "why on earth don't you get a such & such instead?" type debate, and I still have that hope!

I'm determined not to get drawn into that type of debate. I've seen it, and all the arguments, pages & pages of them, all over this & many other forums.

You'll just have to take my word for it that A) I know my Mac hardware, and B) there's no option other than a Mac Pro.

What I'm not sure about is if the 2006 Mac Pro prices will drop much if/when new models are released. If anyone had any genuine experience/insight into this sort of situation, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks for your interest.

gnasher729 · Jan 26, 2012

Diamond Dave said:
When I wrote my initial post, I really hoped any discussion wouldn't get side tracked into a "why on earth don't you get a such & such instead?" type debate, and I still have that hope!

I'm determined not to get drawn into that type of debate. I've seen it, and all the arguments, pages & pages of them, all over this & many other forums.

You'll just have to take my word for it that A) I know my Mac hardware, and B) there's no option other than a Mac Pro.

What I'm not sure about is if the 2006 Mac Pro prices will drop much if/when new models are released. If anyone had any genuine experience/insight into this sort of situation, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks for your interest.

There is no debate. You either have a pretty good reason why it has to be a Mac Pro, in which case you could just tell us. Or you have some vague idea, in which case you are probably wrong.

paulrbeers · Jan 26, 2012

gnasher729 said:
There is no debate. You either have a pretty good reason why it has to be a Mac Pro, in which case you could just tell us. Or you have some vague idea, in which case you are probably wrong.

Yes and to further this, if you are looking at 2006 Mac Pro's, you should realize that many of today's Mini's and iMac's are just as fast if not faster! The only advantage that a 2006 would have is exapandability. But two dual core Core2Duo based Xeon's are not going to hold a candle to a quad core Sandy bridge processor. And you are buying a desktop that will have 5+ years of life already sucked from it. The motherboard will only last so long...

We just don't want you to waste your money.

Darth.Titan · Jan 26, 2012

Guys, the OP's position is quite clear. He wants a Mac Pro, and is not interested in a Mini or iMac. Period. His exact reasons are not germane to the question, "Will 1st gen Mac Pro prices drop if/when a new Mac Pro model is released?"

In answer to that question is probably. I expect the price for a used Mac Pro 1,1 would drop due to the fact that it would be yet another model older. However relative price decrease won't be as great as that of the Mac Pro 5,1. The Mac Pro 1,1 is pretty old and the prices are already pretty low.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Primus84 · Jan 26, 2012

If he's so familiar with Mac hardware then he doesn't need our help. I've replied with correct, relevant information, respectfully enquired as to what his requirements are and it's clear from his replies that he doesn't need or want help or suggestions so this thread is pointless!

Diamond Dave · Jan 26, 2012

gnasher729 said:
There is no debate. You either have a pretty good reason why it has to be a Mac Pro, in which case you could just tell us. Or you have some vague idea, in which case you are probably wrong.

I have several very good reasons why it has to be a Mac Pro, and I'm absolutely, categorically, not going to be drawn into a discussion/debate about the merits or otherwise of one set of hardware over another.

I've researched all of that side of things to death, and this forum needs yet another thread full of "yes but the blah-blah 356A35BC353 processor/motherboard/GPU/coffee maker is waaaaaaaaay faster/cheaper/sexier than the 8732435BS2343 one you fool!"-type posts like the Middle East needs more conflict.

Darth.Titan said:
Guys, the OP's position is quite clear. He wants a Mac Pro, and is not interested in a Mini or iMac. Period. His exact reasons are not germane to the question, "Will 1st gen Mac Pro prices drop if/when a new Mac Pro model is released?"

In answer to that question is probably. I expect the price for a used Mac Pro 1,1 would drop due to the fact that it would be yet another model older. However relative price decrease won't be as great as that of the Mac Pro 5,1. The Mac Pro 1,1 is pretty old and the prices are already pretty low.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Thank you for your intelligent, on topic, reply. I appreciate it, and it rings true to me.

Primus84 said:
If he's so familiar with Mac hardware then he doesn't need our help.

Nonsense. In my original post I didn't ask for help with Mac hardware. I asked for help with pricing of that hardware.

Primus84 said:
I've replied with correct, relevant information...

Correct - absolutely, relevant - no, not to what I'm asking about.

Primus84 said:
...it's clear from his replies that he doesn't need or want help or suggestions so this thread is pointless!

If I didn't want help or suggestions I wouldn't have posted the thread in the first place. I don't want or need help with choosing hardware. How can I make that any clearer? I'm after the thoughts/wisdom of those with expertise in second hand Mac pricing. If you feel the thread is pointless, then please feel free to ignore it.

0dev · Jan 26, 2012

IMHO, since it's already so old, the price won't drop significantly when new models arrive. I think the max price drop would be around £50.

rdas7 · Jan 27, 2012

Since you are set on an early gen Mac Pro, the price change once a new model comes out is likely to be low enough that my recommendation would be to simply purchase it now.

Waiting on new models in order to leverage price fluctuations is predominantly relevant for the latest generation. As soon as a new model is released, the prior generation will drop a few hundred pounds (because it is no longer the latest), the previous generation will drop similarly, but then 2+ generations beyond that, the prices are largely determined by the state of the machine (original box? upgrades? extra RAM?)

For a 2006 Mac Pro, these are Xeon based processors which benchmark at roughy the equivalent of a 2010 MacBook Pro or 2011 MacBook Air, which is not too shabby at all(!), so their value is likely to remain relatively high. Compare, for example, the price/performance of a MacBook, for which new models are released every year at the same price point with roughly 1.5x the speed, drastically impacting their value.

Of course, the choice is up to you, but if you're considering waiting several months to save £50 or so, the real question is what you could do within that time if you had the machine now. If you are using it for paid work, presumably you would be able to make up that cost in extra productivity.

The only caveat to this line of thinking is if Apple were to release a totally new Mac Pro design that somehow completely blew the old lineup away; hypothetically, if they were to release a Mac Pro model that offered a significant performance boost at a drastically lower entry price.

Even still, as they are quite performant machines, and you have made up your mind that you want a Mac Pro, you may be spending more time/effort reading this forum than just going ahead with the purchase!

The value of machines on the market will always depreciate over time. The value they provide to you remains constant, so long as they do what you require.

Diamond Dave · Jan 27, 2012

Darth.Titan said:
Guys, the OP's position is quite clear. He wants a Mac Pro, and is not interested in a Mini or iMac. Period. His exact reasons are not germane to the question, "Will 1st gen Mac Pro prices drop if/when a new Mac Pro model is released?"

In answer to that question is probably. I expect the price for a used Mac Pro 1,1 would drop due to the fact that it would be yet another model older. However relative price decrease won't be as great as that of the Mac Pro 5,1. The Mac Pro 1,1 is pretty old and the prices are already pretty low.

That's just my opinion, I could be wrong.

0dev said:
IMHO, since it's already so old, the price won't drop significantly when new models arrive. I think the max price drop would be around £50.

rdas7 said:
Since you are set on an early gen Mac Pro, the price change once a new model comes out is likely to be low enough that my recommendation would be to simply purchase it now.

Waiting on new models in order to leverage price fluctuations is predominantly relevant for the latest generation. As soon as a new model is released, the prior generation will drop a few hundred pounds (because it is no longer the latest), the previous generation will drop similarly, but then 2+ generations beyond that, the prices are largely determined by the state of the machine (original box? upgrades? extra RAM?)

For a 2006 Mac Pro, these are Xeon based processors which benchmark at roughy the equivalent of a 2010 MacBook Pro or 2011 MacBook Air, which is not too shabby at all(!), so their value is likely to remain relatively high. Compare, for example, the price/performance of a MacBook, for which new models are released every year at the same price point with roughly 1.5x the speed, drastically impacting their value.

Of course, the choice is up to you, but if you're considering waiting several months to save £50 or so, the real question is what you could do within that time if you had the machine now. If you are using it for paid work, presumably you would be able to make up that cost in extra productivity.

The only caveat to this line of thinking is if Apple were to release a totally new Mac Pro design that somehow completely blew the old lineup away; hypothetically, if they were to release a Mac Pro model that offered a significant performance boost at a drastically lower entry price.

Even still, as they are quite performant machines, and you have made up your mind that you want a Mac Pro, you may be spending more time/effort reading this forum than just going ahead with the purchase!

The value of machines on the market will always depreciate over time. The value they provide to you remains constant, so long as they do what you require.

Thanks for all these helpful replies.

The general consensus seems to be that there might be a slight price drop, but not a significant one. This makes sense to me when I think about it. When something moves from being 4 versions out of date to 5 versions out of date, that isn't a huge shift in its place in the pecking order, so I think it's best if I ignore any possible new Mac Pros when I decide if/when to buy an original one.

Olespice · May 1, 2013

Diamond Dave said:
Thanks for all these helpful replies.

The general consensus seems to be that there might be a slight price drop, but not a significant one. This makes sense to me when I think about it. When something moves from being 4 versions out of date to 5 versions out of date, that isn't a huge shift in its place in the pecking order, so I think it's best if I ignore any possible new Mac Pros when I decide if/when to buy an original one.

Diamond - I've had a MacPro 1.1 from its first date of sale in 2006. I edit FCP6 and HD on it with ease. It is not slow. It's efficient. All the people I've done films for over the years have been perfectly happy with the result and some have been "over the moon with delight" at the result. If you want one, get it. You won't be upset provided it is in proper condition like mine and has been accordingly updated. I'm entirely sympathetic with your point of view. All the nonsense one reads about, "this is best" and "this is fastest . . . "

The fact that you can do both SD and HD editing with a MacPro 1.1 gives you the advantage of SD as well as HD stuff whereas with the latest machines you are restricted to HD; and many people still like, for instance, copying off VHS tape into SD and producing discs. Admittedly, you'll need the extra equipment, such as a Sony DVCAM DSR11 and SVHS or VHS recorders but the HD guys can't do that.

But you have strongly shown your preference so you probably already know all those benefits!

Although this is an old post, I thought I'd contribute because there will still be some who would like the advice/information relevant to their wants/needs - and it's still valid today!

Lil Chillbil · May 1, 2013

Olespice said:
Diamond - I've had a MacPro 1.1 from its first date of sale in 2006. I edit FCP6 and HD on it with ease. It is not slow. It's efficient. All the people I've done films for over the years have been perfectly happy with the result and some have been "over the moon with delight" at the result. If you want one, get it. You won't be upset provided it is in proper condition like mine and has been accordingly updated. I'm entirely sympathetic with your point of view. All the nonsense one reads about, "this is best" and "this is fastest . . . "

The fact that you can do both SD and HD editing with a MacPro 1.1 gives you the advantage of SD as well as HD stuff whereas with the latest machines you are restricted to HD; and many people still like, for instance, copying off VHS tape into SD and producing discs. Admittedly, you'll need the extra equipment, such as a Sony DVCAM DSR11 and SVHS or VHS recorders but the HD guys can't do that.

But you have strongly shown your preference so you probably already know all those benefits!

Although this is an old post, I thought I'd contribute because there will still be some who would like the advice/information relevant to their wants/needs - and it's still valid today!

This thread has already been solved over a year ago this member has already gotten his computer

somedays I wonder about the mental state of newbies

ytk · May 1, 2013

Lil Chillbil said:
This thread has already been solved over a year ago this member has already gotten his computer

somedays I wonder about the mental state of newbies

Take a chill pill, Lil Chillbil.

Olespice explained in his response that he knew it was an old post, but was replying anyway just in case it helped someone out. There's no need to be insulting.

adenbeckitt · May 1, 2013

Olespice said:
The fact that you can do both SD and HD editing with a MacPro 1.1 gives you the advantage of SD as well as HD stuff whereas with the latest machines you are restricted to HD

Am I missing something? Since when can the latest machines not power through SD footage?

Lil Chillbil · May 1, 2013

ytk said:
Take a chill pill, Lil Chillbil. Olespice explained in his response that he knew it was an old post, but was replying anyway just in case it helped someone out. There's no need to be insulting.

I was not being insulting, I was just pointing out that no one should revive zombie threads

Olespice · May 2, 2013

adenbeckitt said:
Am I missing something? Since when can the latest machines not power through SD footage?

Okay - insert your SD disc and . . . oh, and I was referring to such matters as editing . . .

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Lil Chillbil said:
I was not being insulting, I was just pointing out that no one should revive zombie threads

I've never seen anything to that effect in the Apple 'rule book' so p'raps you'll enlighten me?

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Lil Chillbil said:
I was not being insulting, I was just pointing out that no one should revive zombie threads

I've never seen anything to that effect in the Apple 'rule book' so p'raps you'll enlighten me?

thekev · May 2, 2013

Lil Chillbil said:
I was not being insulting, I was just pointing out that no one should revive zombie threads

It was probably a late night spambot.

Lil Chillbil · May 2, 2013

thekev said:
It was probably a late night spambot.

indeed,

Olespice · May 2, 2013

Originally Posted by thekev
It was probably a late night spambot.

Lil Chillbil; indeed

One (or two) should never reveal their lack of understanding or appreciation without first putting the proverbial brain etc . . . . It usually reveals their mental age - to their observed detriment!

Olespice · May 3, 2013

Lil Chillbil said:
I was not being insulting, I was just pointing out that no one should revive zombie threads

. . . but you were!

Is the average UK price of a 2006 Mac Pro likely to drop if/when new models arrive?

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