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Buying Mac Pro - RAM or GPU - GHz or Cores

C

cdpage

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 14, 2011
79
40
Canada
Buying a New Mac Pro

what option would you do?

1. 3.5GHz 6-core
_a. 16GB RAM w/ AMD D500
_b. 32GB RAM w/ AMD D300

= $4099

2. 3.7GHz Quad-core with 32GB + AMD D500

= $3999


Primary - Photoshop, Illustrator (going to be creative cloud)
Secondary - InDesign, iMovie


i'm looking for any feedback

Is there a site that does benchmarks for things like this?

I can only ever find benchmarks for 1 model versus last year or to that effect, never a side by side comparison of current models.
 
Last edited:
F

Fearless Leader

macrumors 68020
Mar 21, 2006
2,360
0
Hoosiertown
How long do you think you will hold onto it? Comfortable with upgrades in the future?

I prioritized GPU over CPU cores over RAM. GPU seems unlikely to be upgradeable, CPU is possible but hard, RAM is simple. And lots of gpu and cpu cores work well for me.

But single threaded CPU seems most important for your uses. How much RAM do you use now? I'm leaning to A or C.
 
0

0x2102

macrumors member
Feb 1, 2014
77
23
Get the 6c, 32GB RAM, D300, 512GB SSD (optional 1TB SSD).

I have yet to see a benchmark where the D500 shows any speed gain. The D700 can be up to 20-25% faster in some GPU optimized applications and in gaming than the D300. None of your apps will really benefit from a D700 and even then 20% is right there were you need to get the stop watch out to see a difference. Again, not with your applications.
 
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h9826790

h9826790

macrumors P6
Apr 3, 2014
16,614
8,546
Hong Kong
My biggest concern will be the expandability.

Since the GPU is not upgradable at this moment. I will choose GPU over RAM. If required, I can get more RAM later on.

For CPU, prefer Hex core to make a good balance between core and clock speed.
 
C

cdpage

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 14, 2011
79
40
Canada
Currently running

I currently have a

3.2 Quad-core Xeon
8GB RAM (1066 DDR3)


I run out of RAM constantly.
Faster would be nice, but consistently faster would be nicer.

Funny how mixed the response is.


I'll need to look into GPUs helping out with PS. I know that they used to help with redrawing and anti alias work, but i think thats tapped out now. but i could be wrong.

Knowing that my work is buying this, I doubt i'll be getting the option to add more RAM later on. Though I could save some money by buying RAM elsewhere. problem is I can't order it with a 8GB chips pre installed so i'd have to dump the chips it comes with.

Questions about Balance.
if the RAM is 1866Hz, that's half the 3.7GHz. isn't that a better balance?

I'm leaning toward Otp. 2 at this point. and if that's too much for hem i can take off the added GPU. Maybe get the 512 SSD drive? that's $3899
 
F

Fearless Leader

macrumors 68020
Mar 21, 2006
2,360
0
Hoosiertown
cdpage said:
Questions about Balance.
if the RAM is 1866Hz, that's half the 3.7GHz. isn't that a better balance?

I'm leaning toward Otp. 2 at this point. and if that's too much for hem i can take off the added GPU. Maybe get the 512 SSD drive? that's $3899
Click to expand...

RAM and the cpu have been decoupled with QPI replacing FSB, no need to worry about that.

I think you'll be very happy with C/Opt. 2. RAM seems to be your biggest bottleneck. PS and iMovie are the only apps that currently make use of the GPU and the CPU should be wonderful for the rest.
 
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