I recently received my 2.8 GHz (Octo), 4 (4 x 1) GB, 500 GB HD, 8800GT Mac Pro and have been using it for one week, with not a single problem. I have put it in sleep mode several times. One time, it took quite a while to wake up (I got scared) but it did eventually (maybe like 10-12 seconds, seemed like an eternity). But it has never restarted or had any real problems. So... to answer the original question, Yes, as a Mac Pro with 8800GT owner, I am very happy (but will be even happier when my 23" ACD arrives).
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Buy Mac Pro now or wait for fixes (or, is any 8800 owner happy)?
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I got my new Mac Pro w/8800GT exactly one week ago and I must say, I couldn't be happier. I did have a problem with some third-party RAM that I bought but that's certainly not Apple's fault.
Overall I think the architecture of the hardware is amazing. After doing some thinking earlier this week, I realized that my new Mac Pro is more powerful than all of the computers I have ever owned combined.
Furthermore, think about how much an HP, Dell, or IBM workstation would cost in this kind of configuration. I've spec'd out HP xw8400 workstations for my developers at work whose computational power does not match that of the Mac Pro. The only thing the HP has on the Mac is a RAID card and SAS drives. Each one of those HP workstations costs around $7000, more than twice the price of the Apple.
You would have to pry my Mac Pro out of my cold, dead fingers before I'd give it up. I am absolutely in love with it.
Overall I think the architecture of the hardware is amazing. After doing some thinking earlier this week, I realized that my new Mac Pro is more powerful than all of the computers I have ever owned combined.
Furthermore, think about how much an HP, Dell, or IBM workstation would cost in this kind of configuration. I've spec'd out HP xw8400 workstations for my developers at work whose computational power does not match that of the Mac Pro. The only thing the HP has on the Mac is a RAID card and SAS drives. Each one of those HP workstations costs around $7000, more than twice the price of the Apple.
You would have to pry my Mac Pro out of my cold, dead fingers before I'd give it up. I am absolutely in love with it.
Got mine on Monday (2.8GHz, 8800GT). Absolutely fantastic machine. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat if I had to make the same decision again.
- Martin
- Martin
it depends ....
my advice to you is to make up your mind soon about this. you won't lose nothing anyway.
the "wake from sleep - Reboot" issue - which I have - will probably get solved via firmware update.
I did not like how I felt though about this beautiful Pro, when the Reboot issue decided to not leave me alone after trying every solution I know and found online.
if you are willing to risk having to wait for fixes in case your Pro is affected, then go ahead, buy now you wont lose anything.
if not then wait until the fixes came out.
you see my point?
my advice to you is to make up your mind soon about this. you won't lose nothing anyway.
the "wake from sleep - Reboot" issue - which I have - will probably get solved via firmware update.
I did not like how I felt though about this beautiful Pro, when the Reboot issue decided to not leave me alone after trying every solution I know and found online.
if you are willing to risk having to wait for fixes in case your Pro is affected, then go ahead, buy now you wont lose anything.
if not then wait until the fixes came out.
you see my point?
Spaces seems to lag as well the longer the machine is on. A fresh reboot makes it fly at first. 10GB w/ 8800GT would think it would stay fast all the time. I'm sure it is a driver issue.
I got mine yesterday.
A 2x2.8 + 8800GT. Still on basic config (2Gb and 320Gb) plus the Logitech Z4.
The only issue I had ... was with the speakers which are being replaced. This machine is fantastic. And will get better I guess once I put in more juice.
Sure I expect to have the reboot after sleep issue sooner or later but the first sleeping night went well.
If I were you ... I would go and buy one!
A 2x2.8 + 8800GT. Still on basic config (2Gb and 320Gb) plus the Logitech Z4.
The only issue I had ... was with the speakers which are being replaced. This machine is fantastic. And will get better I guess once I put in more juice.
Sure I expect to have the reboot after sleep issue sooner or later but the first sleeping night went well.
If I were you ... I would go and buy one!
Thanks for posting this, only ATI 2600XT owners have experienced the screen freezing problem before. Can you give a bit more detailed description of the circumstances of the freeze so we can determine if it is exactly the same as the freezes that the ATI 2600XT owners have? These are the crucial questions:
1). Does the freeze happen at completely random times, or only when waking from sleep?
2). When the freeze occurs, can you still move the mouse cursor around the screen, but you are unable to click on anything?
3). Is there any graphical disturbance when the freeze occurs (white dots or lines on the screen or other random shapes)?
4). Is there a particular application or action that causes the freeze to happen, or can it occur at any time regardless of what you are doing?
Basically the ATI freeze can happen at any time, in any application, there is usually some graphical disturbance, and you can still move the mouse cursor. If your freeze is different to this then it is probably due to an unrelated issue.
I have the 8800 and the 3.2's My computer has been running great (no sleep issues, etc.)
Yesterday, though, I experienced some weirdness. Install some software and when prompted, hit restart. The screen throws up a fractured, graphic card all messed up, kind of a screen and the computer completely locks up. I had to push the power button to reboot, which worked fine.
About an hour later, I tried to install another app, and the restart prompt caused the same lockup. Screen is all jumbled pixels and blocks. Cursor, when visible, is a spinning beach ball, and won't move. Again, had to reboot with the power button.
Other than that, she runs like a dream and I couldn't be happier with the raw performance.
Cheers, Chuck
Yesterday, though, I experienced some weirdness. Install some software and when prompted, hit restart. The screen throws up a fractured, graphic card all messed up, kind of a screen and the computer completely locks up. I had to push the power button to reboot, which worked fine.
About an hour later, I tried to install another app, and the restart prompt caused the same lockup. Screen is all jumbled pixels and blocks. Cursor, when visible, is a spinning beach ball, and won't move. Again, had to reboot with the power button.
Other than that, she runs like a dream and I couldn't be happier with the raw performance.
Cheers, Chuck
I have had my dual 2.8 & 8800GT for over 2 weeks now. The only issue it had was the wake from sleep. That happened twice in the first 3 days. I reset the power management control ( had to when adding RAM ), zapped the PRAM, and it hasn't happened since. It was in sleep mode for 48 hrs straight and when I touched the keyboard it woke perfectly without rebooting. I'm very satisfied with my purchase.
If I were you I'd buy the MP with 8800 now! I have a 2.8 octocore witht the 8800 and am able to play Crysis and Call of Duty 4 with NO problems. Great machine. Very happy with it!!!
No problems here
My 8800 MP has been working great with the 2 original Gb ram plus 8Gb from OWC. My wife is a designer so we bought the monster for her. She uses Photoshop CS3 in OSX plus Autocad and Autodesk Viz in Vista Home Premiun 64 bit via boot camp. Everything works great in both operating systems !!
My 8800 MP has been working great with the 2 original Gb ram plus 8Gb from OWC. My wife is a designer so we bought the monster for her. She uses Photoshop CS3 in OSX plus Autocad and Autodesk Viz in Vista Home Premiun 64 bit via boot camp. Everything works great in both operating systems !!
Answers:
1). Does the freeze happen at completely random times, or only when waking from sleep? Both times when waking
2). When the freeze occurs, can you still move the mouse cursor around the screen, but you are unable to click on anything? I can see the cursor on the screen but not move it, no sound coming from box, keyboard/mouse does nothing.
3). Is there any graphical disturbance when the freeze occurs (white dots or lines on the screen or other random shapes)? Not that I have noticed? Maybe I saw a little flutter once?
4). Is there a particular application or action that causes the freeze to happen, or can it occur at any time regardless of what you are doing? No, I had nothing open both times it happened.
I just got off the phone again with a "product specialist", nice enough, but they are really wanting me to do an entrie OS erase and reinstall, I just hope I dont get screwed when I go out of my 14 day window.
Should I also do the reset power mgt. control that big bird mentions?
1). Does the freeze happen at completely random times, or only when waking from sleep? Both times when waking
2). When the freeze occurs, can you still move the mouse cursor around the screen, but you are unable to click on anything? I can see the cursor on the screen but not move it, no sound coming from box, keyboard/mouse does nothing.
3). Is there any graphical disturbance when the freeze occurs (white dots or lines on the screen or other random shapes)? Not that I have noticed? Maybe I saw a little flutter once?
4). Is there a particular application or action that causes the freeze to happen, or can it occur at any time regardless of what you are doing? No, I had nothing open both times it happened.
I just got off the phone again with a "product specialist", nice enough, but they are really wanting me to do an entrie OS erase and reinstall, I just hope I dont get screwed when I go out of my 14 day window.
Should I also do the reset power mgt. control that big bird mentions?
The 14 day window is for a simple "return", but when there's a problem with the machine you have at least a 1 year warranty on it 3 if you bought AppleCare.
Looks like a crapshoot man, I'm gonna wait. A lot of people seem to be saying "...other than that, it works beautifully!", "Other than it crashing every time it wakes from sleep, it's great!".
"Aside from the people with guns who try to break into my house every night and rob me, this neighborhood is wonderful!!!"
"Aside from the people with guns who try to break into my house every night and rob me, this neighborhood is wonderful!!!"
I had that problem. Using disk tools to check the drive revealed some problems. I did the recommended reset and also a clean install from CD onto a new Seagate TB drive and still had a problem, which turned out to be the mouse. I played with a bit and the machine has been solid, although I turned off all power saving and would like to remove that before I say for sure. All updates are installed also.
Mine is a 3.2GHz with 8800 card, wireless kb and mouse--ordered with min memory and drives.
I would not hesitate to recommend getting one. But you should be willing to reinstall the OS.
Conrad
no problems here and its been a little over a week. well - other than spending every waking moment on it!
seriously - why wait? Compared to anything else i have ever used (typing this on a on a quad core 64bit windows machine with 4 gigs of RAM) - its magic.
As i mentioned on another thread - i few extra reboots isnt going to phase me - i have been dealing with far worse issues on dells, gateways, compaqs, intergraphs and even the big SG's for a long time.
Go for it - by the time you get your box the reboot issue may be fixed...
seriously - why wait? Compared to anything else i have ever used (typing this on a on a quad core 64bit windows machine with 4 gigs of RAM) - its magic.
As i mentioned on another thread - i few extra reboots isnt going to phase me - i have been dealing with far worse issues on dells, gateways, compaqs, intergraphs and even the big SG's for a long time.
Go for it - by the time you get your box the reboot issue may be fixed...
YES - BUT
JUST DONT PUT IT TO SLEEP! I turn mine off everytime i walk away from it for more than 30 mins - its not going to break the switch... (is it?
OR just leave it on all the time - if you spend over 3 - 4 thosand dollars on a computer, i doubt the slightly larger electric bill will break the bank.
Yeah but the fact that you can't put a computer that you spent 4000 dollars on to sleep is a problem, its like getting a lamborghini without power windows
I put mine to sleep every night and it wakes up normally, no reboots. I've reinstalled OSX when I got my new HDD's though.