MacPro Configuration for Aperture/Photoshop

[speekez]

Greetings All.

I'm preparing to purchase a new Mac Pro in the next month or so. Photoshop and Aperture will be used on this machine. I'll be pairing it with a desktop LCD monitor, probably a 23" ACD.

I'd be curious to hear from other users, particularly Aperture and Photoshop users. Per the advice of others, I'm leaning towards the following configuration:

2.66GHZ (3ghZ comes at a pretty hefty mark-up and the gains don't seem substantial).

4GB RAM (I've read that RAM should be installed in matched pairs, so 4 x 1GB. I'll order the machine with the base 2 x 512MB and order the RAM elsewhere, as it will be cheaper. Would it be bad to keep the 2x512MB and add it to the 4x1GB for a total of 5GB? I know that might upset the 256bit memory architecture. Otherwise, I guess I could see the 2x512MB

Radeon X1900 - (I heard this upgrade is recommended for Aperture)

Hard Drive - I'll go with the stock drive and add later.

So I'd love to hear from other users, particularly on RAM or any other thoughts

 

[JasperJohnSon]

You just described my setup exactly. I purchased my system about 3 months ago and have been using Photoshop CS2.

Since the last update to the OS I've started noticing increasing instability, though I haven't had much time to test what's going on. That said, I would describe the performance as marginal.

The software runs under Apple's emulator Rosetta, and until Adobe ships a new version of the CS we just have to suffer through it.


I have no experience with Aperture, but unless it's been updated recently I would be prepared for similar marginal performance.

 

[speekez]

Thanks Jasper

So, did you buy 4 GB direct from Apple or did you order the base config and sell off the 2 x 512MB and purchase the 4GB elsewhere?

 

[SmurfBoxMasta]

mAxDaRam.....4GB minimum now, the more the merrier your apps will be

Get multiple HD's..... 1 for OS X & apps only, 1 for PS/Apeture scratch disk, and 1 for storage of your work. Maybe even 1 more for back-ups, maintenance etc

mAxDaGpU.....PS wont care but Apeture WILL!!!!

 

[JasperJohnSon]

Nah, I don't get fancy with the hardware - I got it all from Apple. I'm kinda a knucklehead when it comes to gear and that seemed like the easiest way.

I've heard that juicing up the ram helps with rosetta, but not having tried running the aps with less, it's hard for me to say. (Still, if the lags I'm getting with 4gigs is "good", I'd hate to try it with less.)