7 years lifespan?

[VirtualRain]

Need a new computer? Perhaps every 3 years. (If you can get 7 years out of a Mac Pro, you probably didn't need it in the first place )

Want a new computer? Perhaps every 6 months!

 

[AAPLaday]

After 7 years i cant see any computer being used as someones primary machine unless all they need it for is web browsing, playing music and other light tasks.

 

[cjmillsnun]

Need a new computer? Perhaps every 3 years. (If you can get 7 years out of a Mac Pro, you probably didn't need it in the first place )

Want a new computer? Perhaps every 6 months!

Depends.

I have more than one computer, and I tend to cascade their roles down every few years.

An example of this is my (sadly dead) G4 Quicksilver.

I bought it as a powerhouse for PS work, it ended its days as a file server (needing next to no processing power). But it gave me useful service for 8 years.

 

[TheSpaz]

Although I've had this Mac Pro for 4 years now, it's still faster than my brand new MacBook Pro.

This is more computer than I needed 4 years ago and It's still more computer than I need, however, I bought it for the expandability and ruggedness. I was tired of buying a new computer every couple of years.

 

[nanofrog]

For what I do (Lightroom, Photoshop, some light video editing, running Windows games and MS Office), speed is a non issue with my 1,1 MP. I doubt that spending $3K+ on the newest MP would make me feel like I made a worthwhile investment.

Software availability does play a strong role. Not much is actually multi-threaded to the point it can utilize all the cores or the memory bandwidth in the Nehalem based systems.

Once the software catches up though, that will change. But it's senseless IMO to buy a computer for software that doesn't exist unless there's an announcement of a short time to its release.

As per the Sam Adam's beer, I missed that one. I'm not a beer drinker, but Scotch OTOH.... I'm partial to Balvenie.

Need a new computer? Perhaps every 3 years. (If you can get 7 years out of a Mac Pro, you probably didn't need it in the first place )

True.

Want a new computer? Perhaps every 6 months!

That long before the itch strikes?!?!

You could go a little crazy and set up a cluster linked together with Infiniband in QDR mode, including storage. That's the truly speed addicted prosumer.

 

[sidewinder]

I'm partial to Balvenie.

Now that is something I can unequivocally agree with!!

S-

 

[rtrt]

1

 

[TheSpaz]

Ok i can see where that view comes from but if you want the following

Mac OS
Support from apple
Internal expansion
Video card flexibility
Good (not exceptional) performance

Then you must buy a mac pro even tho you might not need everything else that the mp brings to the table.

Thats not an unreasonable set of requirements and the fact that you need to step up to a mp is nothing to do with the purchaser and everything to do with apple.

QTF. This is the reason why I went with Mac Pro instead of an iMac or Mac mini. I wanted something I could put multiple hard drives in (I did), upgrade the graphics card (I did), put tons of RAM in (I did) and serve me for longer than an iMac or Mac mini (it did). So I can't really complain about my Mac Pro. So far, there's nothing it can't do.

 

[nanofrog]

Now that is something I can unequivocally agree with!!

Really tasty stuff.

Ok i can see where that view comes from but if you want the following

Mac OS
Support from apple
Internal expansion
Video card flexibility
Good (not exceptional) performance

Then you must buy a mac pro even tho you might not need everything else that the mp brings to the table.

Thats not an unreasonable set of requirements and the fact that you need to step up to a mp is nothing to do with the purchaser and everything to do with apple.

I know, and in such cases, the difference between the iMac (particularly the i7 version) and Quad MP isn't that bad. The expandability can concievably extend it's value by allowing upgrades, and actually be less expensive in the long run.

I was thinking more along the lines of an Octad (or more cores when they ship, and what VirtualRain was indicating IMO) only being used as a web browser. Much more of a waste, and it might be better off swapping sooner with lower cost systems (major change in needs not withstanding).

 

[disconap]

Need a new computer? Perhaps every 3 years. (If you can get 7 years out of a Mac Pro, you probably didn't need it in the first place )

Want a new computer? Perhaps every 6 months!

Absolutely true. But if your needs are centered around good performance, though not top speeds, and expandability (i.e., you don't have or want to set up a server but need a ton of storage/scratch space or have, say, recording or digital gear that requires PCIx slots), a tower makes sense, so it comes down to whether you want to spend a little bit more for 2 towers during that seven year span, or just once on something that will meet your needs for 7 years. Either approach makes sense; the former requires you to spend a little more (though you might make that back on resale) and go through the buying/selling process, but you will end up with something that is a bit faster by the end of it, and plus you'll get that neat moment when you upgrade and everything is a bit faster than it was. Buying top of the line at first means you spend about the same and you don't have to worry about replacing for quite some time. Either meets your needs, so it's really your personal preference; I would say that in either example it would be silly to be buying the octo model (unless you get a good deal on it).

From my perspective, I tend to buy the best system I possibly can when I need to upgrade, so that I can do my job and not have to worry about upgrading until I reach the point of obsolescence. My needs are, again, still met by my G5, though I have replaced HDDs, upped RAM, upgraded the GPU, and added eSata to achieve what I need currently. Does this work for everyone? Of course not; I'd hate to have to, say, edit HD video with this box, as I doubt it would even be capable, much less adequate. So it's really again about wants and needs. If your requirements aren't for top of the line gear, a 2006 Mac Pro should work pretty solidly in 2011, and probably reach the NEED point around 2013-2014, again depending on your needs (and assuming there isn't another platform change that effects the software you need, like the full 64-bit change that's been mentioned several times here). I got lucky in that CS4 supports PPC still; I won't be so lucky next year.

Do I want a Mac Pro? Oh, totally. But I can't justify the expense until I need it. If I made the kind of money where plunking down $2-4K wasn't a stretch for me, I already would have...

 

[alleycat]

My previous Mac was a PowerMac 6500, and I got 10 years out of that sucker. Though it wasn't easy for the last couple of years. So I dove in and got a Mac Pro 1,1 in 2007 expecting it to be the best of the next generation. So far it's performance has lived up to expectations. However I certainly don't like the idea of being left out in OS X 10.7 and for Windows 7 drivers. Apple should update the EFI for our machines, otherwise they are purely more interested in selling hardware. For now I wouldn't sweat it, but when OS X 10.7 comes out we'll all have choices to make. I am seriously considering transferring my software licenses to Windows if I'm left out of 10.7.

 

[Bat Commander]

My previous Mac was a PowerMac 6500, and I got 10 years out of that sucker. Though it wasn't easy for the last couple of years. So I dove in and got a Mac Pro 1,1 in 2007 expecting it to be the best of the next generation. So far it's performance has lived up to expectations. However I certainly don't like the idea of being left out in OS X 10.7 and for Windows 7 drivers. Apple should update the EFI for our machines, otherwise they are purely more interested in selling hardware. For now I wouldn't sweat it, but when OS X 10.7 comes out we'll all have choices to make. I am seriously considering transferring my software licenses to Windows if I'm left out of 10.7.

It's sickening. You think for a Pro computer, you'd get more than a consumer computer.

By the way, even though my aluminum MacBook is 64bit EFI, it won't boot into 64bit kernel and it's incompatible with 64bit Windows 7 drivers. There's a little trick I used to install the 64bit bootcamp drivers and then run fine, so I don't understand why Apple put an artificial limitation on these machines.

Apple BETTER do something for us in the future because I'm sick of being left out in the cold. I bought a PRO computer that was top of the line and this is how I get treated for it?

I would understand if there was a technical reason that I couldn't run the 64bit kernel or the new graphics cards, but the only reason is because Apple won't release a firmware for our machines because they're older.

 

[Gomff]

I'm split on this one. On the one hand, I agree that 2007 Mac Pro users have been shafted by Apple on the GPU upgrades and EFI.

On the other hand, having used PCs until about three years ago, I really appreciate the reliability of Macs and the generally good service if they go wrong, provided you have Applecare or you're still under warranty. I have a 2007 Macbook Pro running SL and win7 64bit that is still pretty good for most tasks I throw at it, except for rendering. I also have a 2008 Octo Mac Pro which rocks - when I need some horsepower it never lets me down.

Right now there's no money for new hardware so I'm glad I have what I do rather than anything else. To get back on topic I'm hoping to get at least four or maybe even five years out of both machines.

 

[xraydoc]

My previous Mac was a PowerMac 6500, and I got 10 years out of that sucker. Though it wasn't easy for the last couple of years. So I dove in and got a Mac Pro 1,1 in 2007 expecting it to be the best of the next generation. So far it's performance has lived up to expectations. However I certainly don't like the idea of being left out in OS X 10.7 and for Windows 7 drivers. Apple should update the EFI for our machines, otherwise they are purely more interested in selling hardware. For now I wouldn't sweat it, but when OS X 10.7 comes out we'll all have choices to make. I am seriously considering transferring my software licenses to Windows if I'm left out of 10.7.

Don't assume that it's all roses on the Windows side. There are often motherboard BIOS updates required for new OSs or new processor models, and if your motherboard vendor isn't in the mood, you may end up waiting a long time for the proper updates.

While I agree Apple tends to be fairly short-sighted about maintaining a machines viability several years down the road, many PC vendors aren't much better.

 

[nanofrog]

Don't assume that it's all roses on the Windows side. There are often motherboard BIOS updates required for new OSs or new processor models, and if your motherboard vendor isn't in the mood, you may end up waiting a long time for the proper updates.

While I agree Apple tends to be fairly short-sighted about maintaining a machines viability several years down the road, many PC vendors aren't much better.

That can be the case with the consumer systems, especially the budget boxes, but not so with enterprise systems. They'd loose customers and substantial income if they just ignored issues. Also, the support time frame for enterprise systems is typically 5 years.

 

[sidewinder]

That can be the case with the consumer systems, especially the budget boxes, but not so with enterprise systems. They'd loose customers and substantial income if they just ignored issues. Also, the support time frame for enterprise systems is typically 5 years.

Enterprise does not leave old systems in place long enough for it to be a problem. Most replace systems at least every 3 years and often after 2 years.

S-

 

[nanofrog]

Enterprise does not leave old systems in place long enough for it to be a problem. Most replace systems at least every 3 years and often after 2 years.

I didn't elaborate, but even at a 3yr MTBR, that gives them 2yrs to space the purchases over with 3yrs of support for the newest machine.

What happens after that will depend on specific needs, but they can either be kept in place to continue with their current duties, or if out-grown, downlined to other locations with less intensive usage.

 

[ncc1701d]

I managed to keep a home built, (read clapped out from the begining) pc through god only knows how many os changes for 7 years. I'm fully expecting to do the same with my macpro (09) - or even longer. I also expect that when I do need to get a new system it will be as a radical change as I made from the windows environment to the mac. As with everyone, it will come down to usage.

 

[nanofrog]

I managed to keep a home built, (read clapped out from the begining) pc through god only knows how many os changes for 7 years. I'm fully expecting to do the same with my macpro (09) - or even longer. I also expect that when I do need to get a new system it will be as a radical change as I made from the windows environment to the mac. As with everyone, it will come down to usage.

What are you doing that will allow it to last you that long for the same function?
Or do you use multiple systems (or plan to), as you outgrow it for it's primary function to another it's still well suited to?

 

[VirtualRain]

I managed to keep a home built, (read clapped out from the begining) pc through god only knows how many os changes for 7 years. I'm fully expecting to do the same with my macpro (09) - or even longer. I also expect that when I do need to get a new system it will be as a radical change as I made from the windows environment to the mac. As with everyone, it will come down to usage.

Here's my computer history in the last 7 years...
2002 - Intel P4 Northwood (XP on 2x80GB RAID0)
2005 - AMD X2 4400 Athlon64 Toledo (XP on 2x74GB Raptors RAID0)
2007 - Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield (Vista on Areca 1210 w/4x74GB Raptors RAID0)
2009 - Intel Xeon W3540 Quad Bloomfield (OSX on 2x80GB X25-M SSD RAID0)

The biggest improvements in performance were from the single core to dual core, and then mechanical storage to SSD's.

BTW, that 2005 build was a rock-star, it could still be doing HTPC duty today if I hadn't abolished all Windows computers from my household and replaced it with a Mac Mini.

 

[nanofrog]

Here's my computer history in the last 7 years...
2002 - Intel P4 Northwood (XP on 2x80GB RAID0)
2005 - AMD X2 4400 Athlon64 Toledo (XP on 2x74GB Raptors RAID0)
2007 - Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 Kentsfield (Vista on Areca 1210 w/4x74GB Raptors RAID0)
2009 - Intel Xeon W3540 Quad Bloomfield (OSX on 2x80GB X25-M SSD RAID0)

The biggest improvements in performance were from the single core to dual core, and then mechanical storage to SSD's.

BTW, that 2005 build was a rock-star, it could still be doing HTPC duty today if I hadn't abolished all Windows computers from my household and replaced it with a Mac Mini.

Now all you need is another pair of SSD's, and run all 4 on the ARC-1210 in the new machine, and guinea pig that.

Just don't drool too much, as you could kill the mouse and/or keyboard.

 

[VirtualRain]

Now all you need is another pair of SSD's, and run all 4 on the ARC-1210 in the new machine, and guinea pig that.

Just don't drool too much, as you could kill the mouse and/or keyboard.

I sold the Areca awhile back... although I toyed with trying it in the MP, it's sooo slow to boot (mind-numbing) and doesn't add a lot of value in RAID0.

However, the empty drive bay in my MP has gotten the better of me, and I just purchased another G1 X25-M off Craigslist (early Xmas present to myself) in hopes of hitting the ICH limit with 3xSSD's in software RAID0.

I suspect I won't notice a performance increase (2 drives is as already blazingly fast) but the added 80GB of storage will help a lot. I'll post a thread when I get around to getting the new array setup after Christmas.

 

[nanofrog]

I sold the Areca awhile back... although I toyed with trying it in the MP, it's sooo slow to boot (mind-numbing) and doesn't add a lot of value in RAID0.

Hmm... I've not used that specific model, but gugucom's indicated it's essentially identical to what I am (ARC-1231ML and ARC-1680ix/12/16 versions) of ~25s for both the firmware POST and PCIe bus test before the option ROM actually kicks in and the OS begins loading. Another 30s after that. It can be annoying though. Given the sytem it was in, there shouldn't be a drastic time difference for the entire system to post (maybe 10 - 15s longer, but that can seem like an eternity to the impatient such as myself... ).

But my reasoning for mentioning it, was that you can get past the 660MB/s limit of the ICH10R with it.

However, the empty drive bay in my MP has gotten the better of me, and I just purchased another G1 X25-M off Craigslist (early Xmas present to myself) in hopes of hitting the ICH limit with 3xSSD's in software RAID0.

Addict.

I suspect I won't notice a performance increase (2 drives is as already blazingly fast) but the added 80GB of storage will help a lot. I'll post a thread when I get around to getting the new array setup after Christmas.

I'll look forward to it.

 

[ncc1701d]

What are you doing that will allow it to last you that long for the same function?
Or do you use multiple systems (or plan to), as you outgrow it for it's primary function to another it's still well suited to?

the only reason I went for the MP over anything else was the HDD sizes. Storage of media from itunes and editing. Tested the OS and hardware quality with a 2008 iMac and realised I needed to have huge storage, which the iMac doesn't have. Overkill? Maybe - but I'm enjoying every cent spent so far

 

[Keniff]

Looks like I will probably get 7 years or more out of this 06 Mac Pro. Is this possible or will something break or OS X not be supported in the future?

I have 16GB on this thing, the Apple 4870 512MB card 4x 2.66Mhz, 10.6.2.

It runs games great, Trading on this runs with no issue either. And CPU 96% idle right now.

(This with two virtual machines running on an other spaces, Fedora 12 and XP)

It seems the Macs are long life computers compared to yesteryears desktops.

Funny you should mention this, before I upgraded, I had a PowerMac G4
Dual Optical, I had it about 7 and a half years, and I only upgraded cause all new software I wanted to use was all Intel based.
Otherwise it was a rock solid work horse, and I'm glad I found a good home for it.
I just hope this one will last me as long, before they get us buying into the next thing, that we're all gonna so eFFing need!