please help on decisions... I can't make my mind up :(

[iancapable]

Do I buy a Mac Pro with the following:

250GB HD, 2GB RAM, 2x Xeon 2GHz, GeForce 7300GT (will be replace at some point as I have limited budget)

This config with wireless keyboard, airport extreme and bluetooth comes to:

£1,789.0
------------

I was advised over buying the original system I wanted which was a 20" iMac with 2GB of RAM, 2.16GHz Core 2 Duo, 250GB HD, X1600XT with 256MB Ram, wireless keyboard etc etc, which comes to:

£1,208.0
-----------

But was advised that if I want to have better quality gaming I should go for the 24" with the GeForce 7600 with 256MB ram, with exactly the same spec as the 20" save for the bigger screen and much better gfx card. Which came to:

£1,589.01
-----------


Now there is a difference of roughly 200 (add 81 to 20") between the three... I have a 19" widescreen TFT at home I could use with any of them, but what tears me up is something between the Mac Pro and the iMac 24", as for the MUCH improved performance of having 4 processors I pay an extra 20 quid. My original budget was going to be 1300 quid, with a max of 1500. I don't know what to buy now as I'm so torn up and this will probably be my last pc buy for at least a year to eighteen months.

ADVISE, bearing in mind that I know everyone will go for the top notch system, but think about my pocket and how my girlfriend will argue about why I am spending (my money note) so much on a computer (she doesn't understand the needs of a programmer/ex-gamer (that wants to take the habit up when he finishes current freelance stuff))

 

[pianoman]

ok i'm from the United States so i don't know what quid are but i would go with the 24" iMac. it is the middle-of-the-road configuration for you and is definitely a powerful machine. perhaps you should try out the iMac and the Mac Pro at an Apple Store before making the final decision, though. it's all how you feel about the system after using it - i personally don't think the extra power from the Mac Pro will add anything that can't be gotten from a souped-up iMac.

 

[~Shard~]

ok i'm from the United States so i don't know what quid are

"Quid" is a slang term for the Pound Sterling, the unit of currency in England. It's just like saying "a buck" instead of "a dollar".

And yes, I agree, I don't think that the quad core processing is really necessary in your case, especially if you're only thinking of using the machine for 1-2 years. I think that extra processing may simply go underutilized. Since there is no headless version of the iMac, I'd recommend the iMac.

 

[iancapable]

"Quid" is a slang term for the Pound Sterling, the unit of currency in England. It's just like saying "a buck" instead of "a dollar".

And yes, I agree, I don't think that the quad core processing is really necessary in your case, especially if you're only thinking of using the machine for 1-2 years. I think that extra processing may simply go underutilized. Since there is no headless version of the iMac, I'd recommend the iMac.

Both you and above poster make sense... However one of the reaons I thought about the power mac was for virtual machines.. Although I think you may be right and I won't need more than a dual core for that!

 

[~Shard~]

Both you and above poster make sense... However one of the reaons I thought about the power mac was for virtual machines.. Although I think you may be right and I won't need more than a dual core for that!

Yeah, I wouldn't say that quad cores is necessary for virtual machines - dual core would be just fine.

Another thing to consider is the fact that, if you do indeed want to buy a new machine again in a couple years, how much do you really want to invest in this machine? If you spend the extra money on a quad-core Mac Pro, in some respects you almost have to hold onto it for several years just to justify the extra $$$ you paid for it! Not to mention the fact that it would be tough to justify buying a new machine when that quad core Mac Pro would still be meeting (and probably exceeding) all your needs a few years from now.

On the flipside of course, with the 24" iMac being an AIO it is also hard to justify "throwing away" a perfectly good 24" display just because you're done with the computer part of it.

 

[iancapable]

Yeah, I wouldn't say that quad cores is necessary for virtual machines - dual core would be just fine.

Another thing to consider is the fact that, if you do indeed want to buy a new machine again in a couple years, how much do you really want to invest in this machine? If you spend the extra money on a quad-core Mac Pro, in some respects you almost have to hold onto it for several years just to justify the extra $$$ you paid for it! Not to mention the fact that it would be tough to justify buying a new machine when that quad core Mac Pro would still be meeting (and probably exceeding) all your needs a few years from now.

On the flipside of course, with the 24" iMac being an AIO it is also hard to justify "throwing away" a perfectly good 24" display just because you're done with the computer part of it.

I like you!

I see your point totally, this is why originally I wanted a cheap 20" iMac. But a 24" would serve me better for a year to eighteen months, and ith rumours [english spelling], I would be better served waiting to see if I actually NEED that much power

(and hopefully by then I could get a couple apple displays too).

 

[FFTT]

Your girlfriend is probably either not interested in a gaming rig at all or thinks
you should be looking at things to buy her, like DIAMONDS.

If you are a hard core gamer, you'll appreciate the performance and expandability
of the Mac Pro, but I'd go for the 2.66 GHz with 2 GB RAM and cut corners on the rest for now.

If you want a pro-sumer entertainment rig, then you'll probably be quite content
with the iMac 24"

 

[iancapable]

Your girlfriend is probably either not interested in a gaming rig at all or thinks
you should be looking at things to buy her, like DIAMONDS.

If you are a hard core gamer, you'll appreciate the performance and expandability
of the Mac Pro, but I'd go for the 2.66 GHz with 2 GB RAM and cut corners on the rest for now.

If you want a pro-sumer entertainment rig, then you'll probably be quite content
with the iMac 24"

You must be a psychic... One of the reasons why I have not just gone out and bought a Mac Pro with all the cherries on top is quite frankly because she wants 3 diamonds to be exact set on white gold

Not to mention the fact that I would have to pay for a wedding in the bahamas and on top of that fork out another £10 000 for a bloody reception

Thankfully 2 years away... Hopefully now everyone understands why I'm struggling haha!

 

[FFTT]

I've been married 29 years.

BUY THE MAC PRO!

 

[THX1139]

You must be a psychic... One of the reasons why I have not just gone out and bought a Mac Pro with all the cherries on top is quite frankly because she wants 3 diamonds to be exact set on white gold

Not to mention the fact that I would have to pay for a wedding in the bahamas and on top of that fork out another £10 000 for a bloody reception

Thankfully 2 years away... Hopefully now everyone understands why I'm struggling haha!

This is easy. Obviously it's more important to have a MacPro than a girlfriend/wife. She must be hot if your willing to spend all that money on her. I would never marry someone who put their own needs ahead of my business if they were superficial, like diamonds and weddings in the bahamas that you can't afford. Again... she must be hot.

 

[THX1139]

I've been married 29 years.

BUY THE MAC PRO!

How does that saying go?...oh yeah, something like... "Diamonds are expensive, but a MacPro is a mans best friend."

 

[FFTT]

All kidding aside, if you start out this relationship sacrificing too much of yourself
to make someone else happy, you probably won't end up happy.

It's perfectly natural for a woman to want to be the center of your attention
if things are serious, but this particular lady seems to want it all with little consideration of what you want.

A big expensive wedding instead of a down payment on a house, a big fancy diamond, instead of savings for a rainy day.

What is she bringing into this relationship? Debt and a pretty face?

I've been there, married for looks and she turned out to be useless.

In fact I spend so much time here on MacRumors because things turned out so damn peachy.

Now my own happiness doesn't mean squat, but someone has to be responsible
for the kids.

She contributes nothing.

If you NEED a new computer to help your line of work, then you're not being
selfish.

If you simply WANT a new toy, then you might want to re-evaluate the entire situation.

 

[iBookG4user]

I say buy the Mac Pro because for just 200 quid more than the iMac you could have a multiple times faster Mac Pro use your existing monitor, have more room for ram, better graphics card, bigger hard drives etc. Instead of getting a new desktop in a year, you could just get a new graphics card, add more ram and it'll be a new computer basically. You'll be feeling a lot slower on an iMac in a year than you would on a Mac Pro.

 

[iancapable]

This is easy. Obviously it's more important to have a MacPro than a girlfriend/wife. She must be hot if your willing to spend all that money on her. I would never marry someone who put their own needs ahead of my business if they were superficial, like diamonds and weddings in the bahamas that you can't afford. Again... she must be hot.

I never said I couldn't afford them

I've got a friend who deals in diamonds... Did you know that jewlers markup their stock by at least 100%? My friend supplies a special store in London and they mark their stuff up 7 times!

 

[iancapable]

All kidding aside, if you start out this relationship sacrificing too much of yourself
to make someone else happy, you probably won't end up happy.

It's perfectly natural for a woman to want to be the center of your attention
if things are serious, but this particular lady seems to want it all with little consideration of what you want.

A big expensive wedding instead of a down payment on a house, a big fancy diamond, instead of savings for a rainy day.

What is she bringing into this relationship? Debt and a pretty face?

I've been there, married for looks and she turned out to be useless.

In fact I spend so much time here on MacRumors because things turned out so damn peachy.

Now my own happiness doesn't mean squat, but someone has to be responsible
for the kids.

She contributes nothing.

If you NEED a new computer to help your line of work, then you're not being
selfish.

If you simply WANT a new toy, then you might want to re-evaluate the entire situation.

Yes indeed! However I have 5 computers at home already....
I plan on buying a house probably a year after we get married (just in time to buy a new mac pro) and I've now stopped contracting and got a proper job (pays me the same )

Good thing about my missus is that she is an accountant... She would rather I spend my money wisely (ok ignore post about wedding as unfortunatly in this country it's how much they cost, and you know what women are like)!

I want a new computer, more as a toy (although I keep saying I need it for business needs). I also want a pair of CDJ1000 MK3's and a DJM 600 mixer... So I will end up eventually spending a fair bit on myself!

So after all that, I've decided to trash the idea of the 20" mac... I will go the extra yard and get the 24" souped up, unless by Jan there is a good reason to get the Mac Pro (anything can happen - like me getting a raise).

 

[Willis]

dont forget that with a MacPro, you can swop the CPU's when new ones come out. along with everything else. that way you could keep the computer longer and have a better investment in your machine. Ok, it gonna cost a bit more to get the damn thing, but for what its worth, you'd be one happy camper. Although, the 24" is a sweet deal too.

Im in a similar situation. Our windows box has conked out, so we need a new computer. Looking at an Mactel now, but its either the 24" iMac or a MacPro with some nice upgrades on it to keep it for the next 6-8years. Reason being is that we use about 3 pieces of software that are windows only AND then theres the gaming factor. I think we're getting the MacPro, but its just justifying that amount of money.

 

[iancapable]

dont forget that with a MacPro, you can swop the CPU's when new ones come out. along with everything else. that way you could keep the computer longer and have a better investment in your machine. Ok, it gonna cost a bit more to get the damn thing, but for what its worth, you'd be one happy camper. Although, the 24" is a sweet deal too.

Im in a similar situation. Our windows box has conked out, so we need a new computer. Looking at an Mactel now, but its either the 24" iMac or a MacPro with some nice upgrades on it to keep it for the next 6-8years. Reason being is that we use about 3 pieces of software that are windows only AND then theres the gaming factor. I think we're getting the MacPro, but its just justifying that amount of money.

What software are you using that is windows centric? (I'm a developer for one thing and secondly I could probably tell you about compatible alternatives)

I keep thinking a mac pro. But I think I will go for iMac as the idea was that it's nice and small.. If I get a big freelance job later on nect year I may get the mac pro (when it has 8 cores )

 

[~Shard~]

I like you!

Thanks. Just trying to help.

What software are you using that is windows centric? (I'm a developer for one thing and secondly I could probably tell you about compatible alternatives)

I keep thinking a mac pro. But I think I will go for iMac as the idea was that it's nice and small.. If I get a big freelance job later on nect year I may get the mac pro (when it has 8 cores )

Sounds like a wise decision. It all comes down to (as other posters here have mentioned) whether you truly want to upgrade your system in 1-2 years or not. If you want a brand new (8 core!) machine, that's one thing, but if you are perhaps okay with keeping the same machine and upgrading the components (RAM, video card, HDD, etc.) instead, then the Mac Pro probably would be fine. From what I've heard you say here though, I think you would not be disappointed with the iMac.

 

[iancapable]

Thanks. Just trying to help.



Sounds like a wise decision. It all comes down to (as other posters here have mentioned) whether you truly want to upgrade your system in 1-2 years or not. If you want a brand new (8 core!) machine, that's one thing, but if you are perhaps okay with keeping the same machine and upgrading the components (RAM, video card, HDD, etc.) instead, then the Mac Pro probably would be fine. From what I've heard you say here though, I think you would not be disappointed with the iMac.

Indeedie. One of the reasons I first wanted to go for the iMac was because I've grown out of upgrading and modding... Buy a machine use it for the length of the warranty, get rid of it (sell or donate to family member/school) and buy a new one, much easier doing that kind of upgrade.

 

[Willis]

What software are you using that is windows centric? (I'm a developer for one thing and secondly I could probably tell you about compatible alternatives)

I keep thinking a mac pro. But I think I will go for iMac as the idea was that it's nice and small.. If I get a big freelance job later on nect year I may get the mac pro (when it has 8 cores )

Its called Breeders Assistant. We breed Bengals cats, and this software allows us to make pedigrees, and with the Genetics function, we can also predict what kittens we can expect. I spoke to the developer and he has no intention of porting it to the Mac. Shame really.

 

[generik]

If "gaming quality" matters to you so much you should get a PC, no I am not trolling.

I got a PC with:

1) a Conroe 2.16Ghz... like hot off the press.. when prices are at its highest point
2) 2GB of DDR2-800 memory from Muskin
3) A pretty damned good mainboard
4) a 7600GT

All that for a bit over the price of a Mac Mini.

Personally I'd take the Mac Pro though. You sound like someone who needs a lot of performance headroom and upgradeability when you mentioned "gaming". Well that iMac might be good today but next year when DX10 cards hit the road you can basically pick up the computer, throw it into the trash, and buy a new one as your "upgrade", because there ain't any options left for the user when it comes to the iMac.

 

[iancapable]

Its called Breeders Assistant. We breed Bengals cats, and this software allows us to make pedigrees, and with the Genetics function, we can also predict what kittens we can expect. I spoke to the developer and he has no intention of porting it to the Mac. Shame really.

Ever considered using python? It's a nice easy language that could do you well, you could write your own better version.

 

[Mundy]

I have a Mac Pro 2.66 w/ 4 gigabytes of RAM and the Radeon X1900XT. The system is defnitely amazingly fast, and I bought it under the assumption that it would be my primary system for the next three or four years.

Yesterday, I set up two 24" iMacs for a client. They were both 2.33 GHz versions with 2 gigabytes of RAM, 500 GB hard drives, and the 7600GT.

I couldn't help but think when I was setting them up that they would probably accomplish at least 90% of what I do on my Mac Pro. They're amazingly fast systems, and I couldn't throw anything at them that at least felt as fast (or nearly so) as the Mac Pro. Certainly under intense loads, the Mac Pro will shine. But the Core 2 iMac is no slouch. All that it's really missing is internal expandability.

I'm not trying to make the decision harder for you, but the truth is, unless you know you really need the Mac Pro, do yourself a favor and get the 24" iMac.

 

[iancapable]

I have a Mac Pro 2.66 w/ 4 gigabytes of RAM and the Radeon X1900XT. The system is defnitely amazingly fast, and I bought it under the assumption that it would be my primary system for the next three or four years.

Yesterday, I set up two 24" iMacs for a client. They were both 2.33 GHz versions with 2 gigabytes of RAM, 500 GB hard drives, and the 7600GT.

I couldn't help but think when I was setting them up that they would probably accomplish at least 90% of what I do on my Mac Pro. They're amazingly fast systems, and I couldn't throw anything at them that at least felt as fast (or nearly so) as the Mac Pro. Certainly under intense loads, the Mac Pro will shine. But the Core 2 iMac is no slouch. All that it's really missing is internal expandability.

I'm not trying to make the decision harder for you, but the truth is, unless you know you really need the Mac Pro, do yourself a favor and get the 24" iMac.

The reason the iMac pretty much kept pace with the Mac Pro is because generally you are still using one CPU at a time. It also depends on how well symetric multi processing is implemented in Mac OSX. Basically the Mac Pro will only really show it's metal when you are really hammering it with work and it starts using all those cores.

iMac I think is the way to go

 

[Willis]

Ever considered using python? It's a nice easy language that could do you well, you could write your own better version.

I've just looked Python up, and honestly, it looks good, but I dont know anything about programming. I really wouldn't know where to begin.