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Are all Mac Pro owners Pros?

S

supercooled

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Sep 6, 2007
737
1
Ok, why did you decide to buy a Mac Pro when a Macbook would suffice or even a Mini? I would like to see where the median is in this group of consumers who buy the best of the best, the greatest money can afford, etc.

Can I reason this to the guy who has 6 figures and buys an M5 with 400hp just to commute to work because he can afford it? Can I reason that a computer is more of an appliance that would not get gawkers as you cruise by at 30mph so unlike a nice ride, a nice computer will only serve as eye candy to you, principally.
 
Mac Pros are owned by a garden variety of users. Software developers, artists, musicians, videographers and etc. I don't consider myself a "pro" even though I own a 2007 MP (early 2008 MP on the way). BUT, I'd rather have the extra boost and not need it than not have it and need it.
 
I play games, like Mac's and have enough money. When I am ready to use pro software I will have the system sitting there already. It's the perfect machine : )
 
I don't understand why it matters.

It's just a computer.
If you can afford it and want something top of the line, do it.

I feel like your post reeks of elitism and is angry "undeserving" non-pros are using "your" machine.

Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
 
depends on your definition of pro.

I'm at a Mac 90% of my awake hrs. Do I require using a computer for my work, yes. Do I require a Mac over a PC, no. Am I more productive on a Mac, don't know, have never owned a PC.

Also, what if I have a PowerBook? Was I a pro in 2005 when I bought it, only to become a novice in 2006?
 
I'm not a 'pro' but I'm an artist who works with a lot with video, I also work with a lot of high-res scans of film negatives, photoshop occasionally, music apps and gaming.

I bought a PowerBook G4 a few years ago, which will to compliment a Mac Pro. I can't see myself plonking down the cash for another Pro laptop this time, when I can get one of the most powerful desktops available for very similar price.

I want longevity, maximum upgradeability and all round power, which I know the MBP will offer most of, but not all.

I also enjoy gaming, and although I have a console for that, I am a big fan of RTS games and they simply do not port well.

So no, I am not a 'pro' although I do earn money for my work, it is not my primary income, and I am in the market for a Mac Pro.
 
To be perfectly honest, a 24" iMac would probably take care of my needs pretty nicely from a simple processing perspective, but I need a better GPU, more internal storage and expansion capabilities, and I like my current 26" LCD display just fine.

I've always tended to buy a new desktop Mac only once every four or five years or so. I'm getting to the end of that time frame already with my Rev A Dual 2.0GHz PowerMac G5. I think even the low-end quad-core Mac Pro with a GeForce 8800GT should serve me just as well for just as long.

(Yes, I guess I am a "pro" in that I make a living with my Macs, but I'm not a super heavy horsepower user except for using Aperture and working with video files and the occasional Adobe CS3 work.)
 
I'm not a pro, although I do use Photoshop a lot (and would eventually like to do something work-related with it.)

I purchased my Mac Pro not only to future proof myself (this setup should easily last me over 5 years), but also because I'm used to being able to easily add hard drives, expansion cards, etc, on the PC.

Why don't I get a mini or an iMac? I have a lot of hard drives in my current PC, and I don't want to have 3 or 4 external disks sitting around my desktop. It's messy, and takes up too much space. Also, Photoshop runs better with 4+ gigs of RAM, so the mini's definitely out with that one. And as for the iMac, I just don't like the idea that if the screen goes out on me, I don't have a computer.

Call me picky, but I'll spend the cash for a good system that meets (and even currently exceeds) my needs.

This is also my FIRST Mac, so I'm really happy to be away from Windows - I'm already more productive using Spaces than I ever was in XP.

-Bryan
 
Nope, the last PowerMac I bought I bought used, a highend (then) machine with a lot of ram, upgraded graphicscard etc. etc., and that was jut some rich kid that almost didn't know what a Mac was. :)

I couldn't care less, Ijust know that if you buy to game etc., it's not a good buy, so most people buying these machines (that aren't way too rich), buy it for pro-purposes, as that's where it's able to earn it's keep. :)
 
matthews said:
I don't understand why it matters.

It's just a computer.
If you can afford it and want something top of the line, do it.

I feel like your post reeks of elitism and is angry "undeserving" non-pros are using "your" machine.

Correct me if I'm wrong, though.
Click to expand...

Funny thing is, I just wanted to find out what the average use of Mac Pros are; at least from the pool of buyers on this forum.

You see, to me the iMac family of computers are great all in one machines that resists any conventions. It's great for the family room, the kitchen, the den, etc. It's great for teenagers who need a computer. Apple really took to this and priced it accordingly so. With the Mac Pro it was in their intention to price it high up in the stratosphere so people who actually would use it, could buy it.

The well to do person, for whom a Mac Pro and 30" ACD is a mere drop in the bucket really isn't what tickles me, but it's the ones that would buy a Mac Pros because it's the best of breeds and then they barely use a fraction of the computing power. Why should I care, it's not my money, but it's not a case of elitism. I would call it something between curious observation and pet peeve, but not quite as strong.
 
Not a pro in the slightest. I went MP for longevity. It may cost me more than an iMac now but it'll be good for the next 4 or 5 years (I hope!), and I can upgrade it easily with RAM, hard drives, and video cards as time passes and my needs change.
 
I'm not a Pro, and I have a Mac Pro. Reason why I picked one over an iMac is because of the internal expandability, because I really do use the speed it gives me (video editing, CAD, music creation) and because I can have a lot more (or bigger) monitors with this thing.
 
Got Pro?

I agree this question has a hint of snobbery but I understand the fascination in the question which springs (for me) from the huge gap in performance and functionality wise between the best imac and the lowest mac pro. Given they overlap in price the options you get once you move up to a single proc mac pro blossom exponentially. I really think (and I've stated this before) apple should bring something into the middle and give the mac mini a big brother. Ideally I could see....

Single processor Quad core
2 3.5 sata bays
Fullsize graphics Card with options
1-2 additional PCIe expansion slots
4 Slots for RAM accepting full size 4gb dimms
Single optical bay
all the usual built in i/o ports
all in a smaller form factor

If this existed many of Pros I know would opt for that at home and possibly at work. Rather than the full Mac Pro.

And yes I am a Pro if you must know, an out of work pro (inbetween shows), but a pro nonetheless.
 
supercooled said:
Apple really took to this and priced it accordingly so. With the Mac Pro it was in their intention to price it high up in the stratosphere so people who actually would use it, could buy it.
Click to expand...

The mac pro is the cheapest compared to the same parts in another brand name. For the same hardware its the best deal. The imac is over priced for similar hardware. The mac pro is over $1000 cheaper then the dell equivalent. Its a great system, it does things the imac and mac mini would lag at doing.
 
edesignuk said:
Not a pro in the slightest. I went MP for longevity. It may cost me more than an iMac now but it'll be good for the next 4 or 5 years (I hope!), and I can upgrade it easily with RAM, hard drives, and video cards as time passes and my needs change.
Click to expand...

I echo this reply which is why I will buy a MP over an iMac.
 
I see the point you're trying to make, Supercooled.

I just don't agree with it.

It's just a computer, and if some guy wants to throw one of his gold bricks at Apple to have one for his 4th computer room in his mansion, what the heck do I care.
 
LostSunrise said:
Single processor Quad core
2 3.5 sata bays
Fullsize graphics Card with options
1-2 additional PCIe expansion slots
4 Slots for RAM accepting full size 4gb dimms
Single optical bay
all the usual built in i/o ports
all in a smaller form factor
Click to expand...

God, does that get old. And it sure sounds a lot like a PM G5. Everybody sure was happy when the MP brought more drive bays.

I've got a MP on order to replace my G5. Do I make my living with my Mac? Nope. It's a computer. I enjoy it.
 
I am not a Pro. Not yet at least. Why did I buy a Mac Pro then? The Mini never even crossed my mind as a viable purchase. The iMacs are dead sexy, but I hate the glossy screen and I simply refuse to buy an all-in-one system where if one component dies, the whole system goes in for repair. The MacBooks are much like the Mini in my mind. They would probably do alright for now, but they would very quickly become inadequate. That basically left me with either the MacBook Pro or the Mac Pro. I have no need for portability (not too keen on carrying around a $3000 laptop anyways) and for the same price (already had purchased a 24" monitor) I could get the Mac Pro. Done deal.

Will I ever use the Mac Pro to it's full potential? Probably not. But will the Mac Pro last me for quite a few years to come? Definitely. By spending the money now, I basically don't have to think about upgrades at all. Maybe some more storage (1.5TB currently) and definitely more ram (stock 2GB), but other than that, the hardware is pretty static.
 
supercooled said:
Ok, why did you decide to buy a Mac Pro when a Macbook would suffice or even a Mini? I would like to see where the median is in this group of consumers who buy the best of the best, the greatest money can afford, etc.

Can I reason this to the guy who has 6 figures and buys an M5 with 400hp just to commute to work because he can afford it? Can I reason that a computer is more of an appliance that would not get gawkers as you cruise by at 30mph so unlike a nice ride, a nice computer will only serve as eye candy to you, principally.
Click to expand...

There is no part of your post that a true Pro would ever say. Pro's have nothing to prove.

You know the opposite of pro? Noob.
 
I bought my Mac Pro to be a photography computer primarily. And although I occasionally sell prints here and there, I'm not a professional seeing as how I keep a day job to get by. But I needed the configurability and storage the Mac Pro provides.
 
My girlfriend is an actress and we are ripping all her work and storing it digitally.

We love to travel and take HDV video with reckless abandon.

I make music.

I take loads of RAW photos.

The iMac wasn't enough.
 
I am a hobbyist

I want OSX versus XP

I want Aperture/PSCS3

I want to edit HDvideo

I want gobs of HD options without it being external

I want a faster processor, more ram and a monitor of my choice

I would settle for a mid tower but had to buy the big boy instead....and my M5 has 500hp because it is all about the drive :D
 
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