considering a macpro

[sparkie1984]

good evening everyone!

i currently have an i5 27"imac which is going back tomorrow, its my 3rd one with flickering and this one has a dead line of pixels running up the screen!

anyway, im not having another imac, my minds made up on that now so im looking at other apple options, i have a macbook pro but would prefer a desktop to use mainly.

i was considering the base spec macpro, maybe with a ram upgrade and a 1tb hard disk (although maybe im better off just buying a 1tb drive and . and an apple 24" screen.

i mainly like the idea of being able to upgrade some components myself as tech moves on, i.e. graphics card and ram. i like the idea of gaming via bootcamp when i fancy it.

any thoughts guys? i read that the screen display cable is ludicrously short, how short is it? surely it would reach from a desk top to a macpro on the floor??

thanks for any input anyway

 

[AnimaLeo]

I think it's so short you have to have the Mac Pro on the table.

 

[sparkie1984]

I think it's so short you have to have the Mac Pro on the table.

oh, its no good to me then!! bummer. really wanted one too (was going to buy one this weekend)
so my only other apple choice of display is the 30" monster which is no good for me!

any other displays that come recommended?

 

[Cynicalone]

i read that the screen display cable is ludicrously short, how short is it? surely it would reach from a desk top to a macpro on the floor??

thanks for any input anyway

44 inches long. But there are some very cheap extension cables available.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024602&p_id=5502&seq=1&format=2

 

[sparkie1984]

44 inches long. But there are some very cheap extension cables available.

http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...=10246&cs_id=1024602&p_id=5502&seq=1&format=2

oh so i can extend it?

i thought id be stuck with the short lead!

have you got this setup (monitor extended) and it works?

if so ill go buy one tomorrow then, then i can order the macpro once ive shopped around a bit

 

[Habitus]

good evening everyone!

i currently have an i5 27"imac which is going back tomorrow, its my 3rd one with flickering and this one has a dead line of pixels running up the screen!

anyway, im not having another imac, my minds made up on that now so im looking at other apple options, i have a macbook pro but would prefer a desktop to use mainly.

i was considering the base spec macpro, maybe with a ram upgrade and a 1tb hard disk (although maybe im better off just buying a 1tb drive and . and an apple 24" screen.

i mainly like the idea of being able to upgrade some components myself as tech moves on, i.e. graphics card and ram. i like the idea of gaming via bootcamp when i fancy it.

any thoughts guys? i read that the screen display cable is ludicrously short, how short is it? surely it would reach from a desk top to a macpro on the floor??

thanks for any input anyway

While I understand your reasoning for the switch, that's quite a jump (not to mention pricey ).

What do you plan on doing that warrants a MacPro?

I'd go for the 30" display

Good luck,

Habitus

 

[sparkie1984]

While I understand your reasoning for the switch, that's quite a jump (not to mention pricey ).

What do you plan on doing that warrants a MacPro?

I'd go for the 30" display

Good luck,

Habitus

well to be honest the macpro wouldnt be maxxed out most days,

i do quite a lot of messing around with photos (not as a living, slowly trying to get into photoshop), do some encoding of movies, and also gaming, gaming probably being the biggest part, so it would have bootcamp on a seperate drive. im a bit concerned about the imacs graphics card being out of date quickly and the fact that i can only upgrade ram.

i wish they did a cheaper version of the macpro, but i dont really fancy a mac mini, totally gone off a imac!! sick of carting them around to be repaired, and maybe if im honest the screen is a little too large

i dont know what to do to be honest. money isnt too critical, id be going for the base mac pro option for now anyway and upgrade myself as it appears apple are a tad expensive!

 

[ChrisA]

any thoughts guys? i read that the screen display cable is ludicrously short, how short is it? surely it would reach from a desk top to a macpro on the floor??

Buy an extension cable for $30 or less. Youcan actually get them as long as you like up to hundreds of feet long but those are expensive because they have electronics at each end. A 10 or 12 foot cable is no big deal.

But you ask if a Mac Pro is a good idea? Why not a Mini? You don't say what the inteneded usage is so without knowing I have to save to go with the one that costs lless unless you have some reason to spend more such as maybe you run Logic or Final Cut or you have a huge Aperture library.

 

[pacers721]

well to be honest the macpro wouldnt be maxxed out most days,

i do quite a lot of messing around with photos (not as a living, slowly trying to get into photoshop), do some encoding of movies, and also gaming, gaming probably being the biggest part, so it would have bootcamp on a seperate drive. im a bit concerned about the imacs graphics card being out of date quickly and the fact that i can only upgrade ram.

i wish they did a cheaper version of the macpro, but i dont really fancy a mac mini, totally gone off a imac!! sick of carting them around to be repaired, and maybe if im honest the screen is a little too large

i dont know what to do to be honest. money isnt too critical, id be going for the base mac pro option for now anyway and upgrade myself as it appears apple are a tad expensive!

i feel like a mac pro is overkill. i would be cheaper to buy a macbook pro and a separate desktop pc. In your case, I feel like you'd be fine with oen of the new high end macbook pros and a $300 monitor. I don't really understand the need of the apple cinima display, especially considering its limitations.

 

[sparkie1984]

Buy an extension cable for $30 or less. Youcan actually get them as long as you like up to hundreds of feet long but those are expensive because they have electronics at each end. A 10 or 12 foot cable is no big deal.

But you ask if a Mac Pro is a good idea? Why not a Mini? You don't say what the inteneded usage is so without knowing I have to save to go with the one that costs lless unless you have some reason to spend more such as maybe you run Logic or Final Cut or you have a huge Aperture library.

hi chris, ive posted above my sort of usage,

i really want to avoid having to go buy a dell or similar for gaming as i love osx and want to retain the features of it and i dont really see a mac mini as a viable gaming machine or it being very upgradeable?

 

[bumzo1]

Don't order it until after Jan 27th. There is an Apple even that day and it is very likely that the mac pro may be updated.

 

[Badger^2]

new macpros are due soon...

as far as a screen goes: U2711
http://www.engadget.com/2010/01/07/dell-goes-pro-with-27-inch-ultrasharp-u2711-wqhd-lcd-monitor-ha/

I would wait a month for the all clear on the iMac myself.

ATI 5900 cards will be $350+ when they become available for a macpro.

 

[sparkie1984]

thanks everyone for your opinions!!

i think i will give it until the event and see how i feel!

as i say i dont mind spending the money for a system which may stay useable for longer, i.e. imac graphics card out of date in a month and unable to replace it. whereas a new mac pro may last me longer earning its cost back if you see what i mean???

anyhoo thanks again to everyone

 

[techound1]

It IS fun to be able to swap out parts. I took a brief hiatus from a MBP because I thought that would be a good way to go, but in the end went back to the MBP. Have fun experimenting!

 

[Habitus]

well to be honest the macpro wouldnt be maxxed out most days,

i do quite a lot of messing around with photos (not as a living, slowly trying to get into photoshop), do some encoding of movies, and also gaming, gaming probably being the biggest part, so it would have bootcamp on a seperate drive. im a bit concerned about the imacs graphics card being out of date quickly and the fact that i can only upgrade ram.

i wish they did a cheaper version of the macpro, but i dont really fancy a mac mini, totally gone off a imac!! sick of carting them around to be repaired, and maybe if im honest the screen is a little too large

i dont know what to do to be honest. money isnt too critical, id be going for the base mac pro option for now anyway and upgrade myself as it appears apple are a tad expensive!

I understand your situation. The MacPro will meet any need you present. Also, the base model will suffice, I presume. If you do go the MacPro route, you won't be sorry.

Good luck!

Habitus

 

[Techhie]

thanks everyone for your opinions!!

i think i will give it until the event and see how i feel!

as i say i dont mind spending the money for a system which may stay useable for longer, i.e. imac graphics card out of date in a month and unable to replace it. whereas a new mac pro may last me longer earning its cost back if you see what i mean???

anyhoo thanks again to everyone

Don't listen to those who repetitively harp about you "don't need" a Mac Pro. It's not as if it is the end-all be-all of computing, and you'll find most of them are just trying to knock you down a peg because of their jelousy =)

If you like the MP, buy it, you won't be disappointed

 

[Cynicalone]

oh so i can extend it?

i thought id be stuck with the short lead!

have you got this setup (monitor extended) and it works?

if so ill go buy one tomorrow then, then i can order the macpro once ive shopped around a bit

They are several users that have this setup in the Mac Pro forum. I still have older Apple displays, the few times I've used the new LED display is when one of mine is in for repair.

 

[sparkie1984]

thanks all!!

ill check back in after the apple event then, seems silly to not wait 2 weeks for a possible free upgrade to the pros

although does anyone reckon the prices will go up much higher? ive read about a 6 core processor possibly coming to it, but unsure if that will be the base model or the la, de, da model

 

[Eric5h5]

as i say i dont mind spending the money for a system which may stay useable for longer, i.e. imac graphics card out of date in a month and unable to replace it. whereas a new mac pro may last me longer earning its cost back if you see what i mean???

I got a Power Mac G5 over 5 years ago...I'm still using it just fine, but if I'd gotten one of the G5 iMacs that were available at the time, I would have been hurting long ago. Not to mention I can use whatever monitor I like and am not stuck with an iMac screen. No messing about with external hard drives either, which eliminate the "all-in-one" factor anyway.

A few people advocate constantly trading in your machine to stay up to date, and with typical Mac resale values that's not entirely wrong, but frankly the hassle just isn't worth it. If you have something that works well, why take the chance of trading it for something a little newer that may have problems or other things you don't like about it?

I'm finally looking at getting a replacement in the near future...5+ years is, after all, kind of forever in computer terms. It will be a Mac Pro, of course, probably the next time they're refreshed; if spending a little money on something good isn't an issue, then I wouldn't recommend anything else.

--Eric

 

[sparkie1984]

I got a Power Mac G5 over 5 years ago...I'm still using it just fine, but if I'd gotten one of the G5 iMacs that were available at the time, I would have been hurting long ago. Not to mention I can use whatever monitor I like and am not stuck with an iMac screen. No messing about with external hard drives either, which eliminate the "all-in-one" factor anyway.

A few people advocate constantly trading in your machine to stay up to date, and with typical Mac resale values that's not entirely wrong, but frankly the hassle just isn't worth it. If you have something that works well, why take the chance of trading it for something a little newer that may have problems or other things you don't like about it?

I'm finally looking at getting a replacement in the near future...5+ years is, after all, kind of forever in computer terms. It will be a Mac Pro, of course, probably the next time they're refreshed; if spending a little money on something good isn't an issue, then I wouldn't recommend anything else.

--Eric

thanks eric,

5 years is impressive! as you say the imac graphics card would presumably be stone age by then, whereas with a mac pro you could just upgrade to a newer one (presuming the pro supports it of course)

apple seem to make the macpro's so that they do last though, i was looking at pictures of it and it looks so well laid out and easily upgradeable, i like the way i could just add another hard disk, or have a hard disk just for bootcamp, or just do whatever i want with it basically

do you think the refresh will be quite a big one? i.e. get a better spec for the money? maybe some more memory, and presumably a processor bump too?

to be honest money isnt really an issue, i work hard and play hard, if i want something ill buy it after all you cant be buried with it can you! simple as. but i dont want to necessarily throw it away, i.e. the octo would be massive overkill, but the quad id use and i see it as a bit of future proofing for me really.

 

[Eric5h5]

apple seem to make the macpro's so that they do last though, i was looking at pictures of it and it looks so well laid out and easily upgradeable

They're even better in person...very slick.

do you think the refresh will be quite a big one? i.e. get a better spec for the money? maybe some more memory, and presumably a processor bump too?

I kind of got the impression that the last refresh wasn't great and presumably this one would be better, but for the other questions, I'd say 1) yes, 2) maybe not, 3) yep, that's the main reason for a new revision.

--Eric

 

[brendu]

Go with the MP and get a Dell monitor.. You have much more options for way less money and they look great! If I could afford one id sell my iMac today and pick up the base MP, unfortunately im gonna end up getting a Mini for my next mac most likely... anyway enjoy it when you get it.

 

[sparkie1984]

Go with the MP and get a Dell monitor.. You have much more options for way less money and they look great! If I could afford one id sell my iMac today and pick up the base MP, unfortunately im gonna end up getting a Mini for my next mac most likely... anyway enjoy it when you get it.

what monitor do you recommend from dell mate?

i returned my imac today, no discounts off a macpro offered by the manager or anything for my inconvenience x 3!

ill still get one though!!

id love the 24" apple display but it seems quite expensive for what it is, coupled with that 3" long mini display port cable