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Convince me to get a Mac Pro not an iMac

Junk DNA

Junk DNA

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 30, 2008
104
0
London
Okay, so i currently I have a MBP (2007) that take every where and gets pretty heavy usage both for work and for watching DVDs etc.

So I've been thinking it would be a good idea to have an iMac at home to use both for work and and also as a kind of media centre (my TV's on the way out as is my hifi).

But having just seen the unboxing pics of the new Mac Pro I'm thinking how sweet it would be to have one... only problem is the cost...

However, maybe there is an argument for getting an entry level MP, which can then be easily upgrading over the years thus making the initial - apparently - extravagant expenditure into a very prudent investment .

come on, convince me I would be a fool not to buy a Mac Pro...
 
Get a Mac Pro because:

1) Its freakishly faster

2) 8 cores is better than 2

3) You can hook up more than 2 monitors

4) The imac's hdd goes out you have to ship to apple to put a new hdd in OR you can try to take the whole imac apart and try not to get dust inside the LCD or damage it.

5) imac's lcd dies then it becomes like a mac pro but much slower

6) You can upgrade your gpu in the future not with the imac

7) Mac Pro will last you more than 4-5 years.

8) Imacs dont have the gorgeous LED backlighting like the one on the 24" LED ACD (which you could hook up 4 of them onto your mac pro if you preferred).

9) Way better under gaming

10) imacs only take 8 gb of RAM which even the newer 17" mbp can do (32gb is the sweet spot)!

11) Have you seen its geekbench score lately?!?

12) And finally, the ULTIMATE SNOW LEOPARD MACHINE!!!
 
jjahshik32 said:
Get a Mac Pro because:

1) Its freakishly faster

2) 8 cores is better than 2

3) You can hook up more than 2 monitors

4) The imac's hdd goes out you have to ship to apple to put a new hdd in OR you can try to take the whole imac apart and try not to get dust inside the LCD or damage it.

5) imac's lcd dies then it becomes like a mac pro but much slower

6) You can upgrade your gpu in the future not with the imac

7) Mac Pro will last you more than 4-5 years.

8) Imacs dont have the gorgeous LED backlighting like the one on the 24" LED ACD (which you could hook up 4 of them onto your mac pro if you preferred).

9) Way better under gaming

10) imacs only take 8 gb of RAM which even the newer 17" mbp can do (32gb is the sweet spot)!

11) Have you seen its geekbench score lately?!?
Click to expand...

its so damn tempting.......

i wonder if i could argue the a Mac Pro will last me twice as long as an iMac - say 6-8 years instead of 3-4.... Believable, or am I just fooling myself
 
No.

If you already have a MBP you probably don't need a Mac Pro. Go for the 24" iMac and load it up with RAM. If you want to watch TV on a Mac Pro, you'll have to spend even more on a high-quality display, which the iMac already has.
 
Dude, back away from the nerd porn...

There is no way to justify this machine for what your doing. It would be a serious waste of horsepower.

Even a Single CPU would probably be a waste. The only justification would be to get a single core/4870 and use it for gaming under bootcamp.

Seriously, a Mac Mini and an NAS would be more suited to what your doing.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
No.

If you already have a MBP you probably don't need a Mac Pro. Go for the 24" iMac and load it up with RAM. If you want to watch TV on a Mac Pro, you'll have to spend even more on a high-quality display, which the iMac already has.
Click to expand...

well..yeah, but .... I mean the Mac Pro could deal with everything I might need to throw at it in the next few years where as the iMac could start to seem really limited in just 3 years......

(you do realise you are the guy telling a kid the Christmas has been cancelled)
 
bozz2006 said:
Mac Pro will kick the imac's ass. no doubt.

It's up to you to decide if that's something you need.
Click to expand...

I don't actually need it - in the sense that I need food, water and shelter...

But I would really, really, really like to have it...
 
Junk DNA said:
I don't actually need it - in the sense that I need food, water and shelter...

But I would really, really, really like to have it...
Click to expand...

Hahahaha, I sat around earlier in the week thinking about picking one of these up.

I'm getting laid off at the end of the Week, I don't think the wife would be too happy...
 
pilotError said:
Dude, back away from the nerd porn...

There is no way to justify this machine for what your doing. It would be a serious waste of horsepower.

Even a Single CPU would probably be a waste. The only justification would be to get a single core/4870 and use it for gaming under bootcamp.

Seriously, a Mac Mini and an NAS would be more suited to what your doing.
Click to expand...

the voice of reason.....

But, come on, what about the argument that a Mac Pro could last me years and years... I mean every year when need faster and more powerful machines... Isn't there an argument to invest in something that will last?
 
pilotError said:
Hahahaha, I sat around earlier in the week thinking about picking one of these up.

I'm getting laid off at the end of the Week, I don't think the wife would be too happy...
Click to expand...

that's a pretty sobering argument. My job seem safe at the moment - but that could change very quickly and then the money spent on a MP would look pretty stupid.


I wish you the best of luck getting a new job
 
Junk DNA said:
well..yeah, but .... I mean the Mac Pro could deal with everything I might need to throw at it in the next few years where as the iMac could start to seem really limited in just 3 years......

(you do realise you are the guy telling a kid the Christmas has been cancelled)
Click to expand...

Well, what are you going to use it for? I'm just trying to save you some money because you may not be doing much that will even tax an iMac, let alone use the full power of the Death Star...I mean Mac Pro.
 
IgnatiusTheKing said:
Well, what are you going to use it for? I'm just trying to save you some money because you may not be doing much that will even tax an iMac, let alone use the full power of the Death Star...I mean Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

yeah, this is a major stumbling block in my campaign. Everything that I'm doing currently could pretty easily be handled by an iMac...
 
pilotError said:
Dude, back away from the nerd porn...

There is no way to justify this machine for what your doing. It would be a serious waste of horsepower.

Even a Single CPU would probably be a waste. The only justification would be to get a single core/4870 and use it for gaming under bootcamp.

Seriously, a Mac Mini and an NAS would be more suited to what your doing.
Click to expand...

He is absolutely right in every way possible -- but get the Macpro anyway -- it will last forever and look cool doing it.
 
I understand you OP! We always want more than needed power!!

I'm drooling over the 2.93Ghz mac Pro and I do have 5.5k to just easily spend it (after student adc discount) but I'm trying to keep enough money in the bank especially in this tough economy!
 
jjahshik32 said:
I understand you OP! We always want more than needed power!!

I'm drooling over the 2.93Ghz mac Pro and I do have 5.5k to just easily spend it (after student adc discount) but I'm trying to keep enough money in the bank especially in this tough economy!
Click to expand...

yeah, the economy is really screwing our acquisitive-mac natures...

2 years ago I think I would have just bought it almost without thinking - but today we're in a different world.....

Regardless of whether I opt for the iMac, MP, or neither, I have to wait until after 5 April (tax reasons) before buying. So I have a while to cool off still
 
Junk DNA said:
the voice of reason.....

But, come on, what about the argument that a Mac Pro could last me years and years... I mean every year when need faster and more powerful machines... Isn't there an argument to invest in something that will last?
Click to expand...

Its true the Mac Pro is a better upgrade path. However, you need to take a look at what you are using your computer for. My "vote" is a Mac Mini with a nice external display. If your into gaming, build your own PC, much more cost effective IF you are just using the machine for that.
 
econoline06 said:
Its true the Mac Pro is a better upgrade path. However, you need to take a look at what you are using your computer for. My "vote" is a Mac Mini with a nice external display. If your into gaming, build your own PC, much more cost effective IF you are just using the machine for that.
Click to expand...

ummm, I don't actually play any games on a mac....
 
While RAM and HD are easily upgradable on a basic Mac Pro, the second CPU board isn't sold separately as far as I know. So you'd need to get lucky on Ebay or something..
 
The Core 2 duo is quite an old chip now. The CPU in the Mac Pro is a 2009 model. So if you want to experience the best humankind can do... :)
 
one thing I forgot to mention is that I have to have Fusion running as I use a windows based database at work..

so some evenings I might be running Fusion, Safari, mail , Pages, itunes play and a torrent downloading, whilst ripping a dvd...

my MBP really starts to stutter at that point.... Whereas, surely, a Mac Pro would purr ????

(desperate attempt to drum up support)
 
Junk DNA said:
Okay, so i currently I have a MBP (2007) that take every where and gets pretty heavy usage both for work and for watching DVDs etc.
Click to expand...

I have a 2006 MBP and try to use Aperture for my photography. I'm now leaning towards the 2.26 GHz Octo. The lack of upgradability past 8GB is a big stumbling block for me with the Quad. The price difference for the config I want between the Quad and Octo is $500. I only meant to by the iMac awaiting this upgrade but the lack of quad cores there made me choose the Mac Pro.
 
ender78 said:
I have a 2006 MBP and try to use Aperture for my photography. I'm now leaning towards the 2.26 GHz Octo. The lack of upgradability past 8GB is a big stumbling block for me with the Quad. The price difference for the config I want between the Quad and Octo is $500. I only meant to by the iMac awaiting this upgrade but the lack of quad cores there made me choose the Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

to my mind the Octo is definitely the way to go. If (big if) I bite the bullet and order MP, then it will certainly be an Octo as that must really extend its useful life...
 
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