[BUY] iMac 24" 3,06Ghz or MacPro 2x2,8Ghz, now or later?

[cbass]

Hi guys,

I got more or less a little problem, sitting here in front of my crappy win Laptop.
I want definately a mac, because of my job. I am doing a lot of multimedia stuff like webdesign, Flash, video and as well 3d. I work a lot with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
Now I am wondering weather an Mac Pro would be a good choice since the iMac 24" 3Ghz is pretty attractive as well. But what do you think when will be new iMacs available? Nahlem? Should I wait?

What about the MacPro is there such a huge difference in performance if I just do print and webdesign. I know that the mac pro is much faster in rendering 3d but I don't render out myself so what do you think?

An I mac with 3,06Ghz, 4GB RAM and the NVidia 8800GS, 1TB HD would cost about 2100 Euros
An MacPro with pretty much the same configuration except the CPU will cost about 3100 Euros so is it worth it?

How much faster will be the Nahlem Mac Pro?

iMac or MacPro?!?!?!?

Thanks for your help!
C-Bass

 

[mwpeters8182]

Hi guys,


What about the MacPro is there such a huge difference in performance if I just do print and webdesign. I know that the mac pro is much faster in rendering 3d but I don't render out myself so what do you think?

Thanks for your help!
C-Bass

I've got a Mac Pro at work, and it really is the fastest machine I've used in a long time. I do a lot of CPU intensive work, so I see the gains there (8 cores are nice when you're compiling a lot of stuff).

That said, the top of the line iMac is probably more than enough to suit your needs, though you don't get the upgrade paths that the Mac Pro gives you. You'd also need to purchase a monitor for the Pro.

 

[rake_mistry]

I've got a Mac Pro at work, and it really is the fastest machine I've used in a long time. I do a lot of CPU intensive work, so I see the gains there (8 cores are nice when you're compiling a lot of stuff).

That said, the top of the line iMac is probably more than enough to suit your needs, though you don't get the upgrade paths that the Mac Pro gives you. You'd also need to purchase a monitor for the Pro.

I agree... That's about it for my post here...

 

[iToaster]

The Mac Pro is much better than the iMac, though you don't really need the 8 cores. The quad core Mac Pro would do just as well for your work as you aren't really doing much that needs 8 cores, with the saved money you put it into other things (like more RAM or a larger hard drive). I've got a single quad and it's never choked up even while running the processor at near 100% for months now.

 

[alphaod]

Whichever you buy, don't buy Apple branded RAM.

 

[cbass]

Thanks to all for answer. What I am afraid of a little bit is that if I buy a iMac now and in soon future, like 2nd quater 2009 I'll buy a MacBook Pro to take with me to the customers, the mac book will be faster than the iMac if it'll have a newer CPU and so on (Monteviena or Nahlem)
isn't the iMac pretty much some kind of "desktop laptop" having a mobile CPU and mobile graphics?

Whichever you buy, don't buy Apple branded RAM.

Why not the apple branded RAM? So you would say I should replace the RAM by my own? How does this work with the iMac?

 

[tri3limited]

I just ordered a 3.06 iMac for the exact purposes you described, as I am freelancing along side my main job.

Website design is more than feasible along with graphics work and video stuff on these beasts.

RAM can be upgraded by removing the panel at the bottom of the iMac (one screw) and it doesn't void your warranty. Very very easy to do!

I suggest ordering 2x2gb from Corsair.

 

[Dmac77]

If you can afford the MP, go for it. It is a much more capable then the iMac, and will last you much longer. As to your question about Nehalem, there won't be Nehalem MP's until MWSF or possibly later then that. The iMac uses laptop parts, and The mobile version of Nehalem is about a year away.

Don

 

[cbass]

If you can afford the MP, go for it.

Yeah, well I can afford it, but the buyers guide says don't buy and I don't really want to wait until febuary or so thats really too long, need it for work. But if the new pros will come out in oktober or november, it'll be great.
I don't know if it is worth it to wait for the updated ones, since the one now is powerfull enough!