Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Did I make the correct choice?

chrono1081

chrono1081

macrumors G3
Original poster
Jan 26, 2008
8,924
6,642
Isla Nublar
I just bought my first mac back in april and I LOVE it. Its perfect for what I need it for...at the moment. However my workload is about to grow tremendously so I am looking between an iMac and a Mac Pro. I really love the look of the iMac but I believe I am more suited for a mac pro. Please let me know if I am on the right track here as my experience with macs is little.

Here is what I will be doing:

-Creating multiple virtual windows machines on the mac OS desktop. These machines are running games that I code.

-Maya: Lots of it. This is used to create in-game models not cinematics. So no super heavy rendering will be done.

-Photoshop. Working with very large photoshop files with many many layers.

-Lightroom. I do a lot of batch processing of files that are from a 21mp camera.

-Corel Painter X - Lots of this as well. I work with large painter files.

-Logic Pro - Loaded with many virtual instrument packs

Many harddrives will be connected to this computer as well. I have 4 5-Bay raid enclosures (e-sata, I know iMac doesnt have e-sata though) that will be attached to this thing that store my goodies that I make plus my extra junk. (Like I said, I work with really big files)

Here is my reasoning for an iMac: Maybe an iMac runs all this stuff just fine. (I really don't know as I am not familiar with the mac pros that much so I have no idea what the difference is like. I am basing my knowledge off of windows machines) I also really like the look :) But, I fear that maybe its not practical for what I need.

Here is my reasoning for an Mac Pro:
-Large amount of drives I can put inside the machine, freeing up some of my external cases for more drives when I need them.

-Extra processing power for things like lightroom and virtual machines and maya although what I do in maya is not that intensive.

-Ability to put in graphics cards that windows can detect.

-Faster processing speed overall for the stuff I do.


I just want some honest feedback to see if I am overkilling by getting a mac pro verses an iMac.
 
Given your needs and applications, you would be very much disappointed by an iMac. Get the Mac Pro. No question about it.
 
I think the newest iMacs (with nvidia 8800 cards) have become serious entry level 3D machines, but If you plan on doing a lot of 3D then I think the upgradability of the Mac Pro will be a much better investment for the future (up to 32GB ram, Up to 4TB of internal storage, more slots and ports than you can shake a stick at). Even if you don't think you need quite that much power now, you know how fast the CG world moves.

I recently got the Mac Pro, mainly for modeling in Modo and painting in Photoshop, but now even my test renders can have GI, SSS, displacement maps and goodness knows what else turned on, and they still render in seconds. It's shockingly fast.

On a side note, they are really really quiet. I mean, almost silent. It's a quality bonus if you like modeling with some tunes playing. :D
 
Absolutely the Mac Pro, the iMac will be very slow at all these tasks, and it's not made for it. Plus with the new os, that is being released in about a year, you will be able to take more advantage of the mac pro's 8 cores. So your machine will be insanely fast.

and by the way, what games are you coding? shooters, racing, etc?
 
Thank you guys for all the suggestions :) Mac Pro it is :) I figured thats what I need but I was basing my needs off of windows machines (still new to mac).

As far as games coded right now I am working on a (cliche) space shooter but this is more or less to familiarize myself with programming again. (When I made games the first time around Direct X was still all split up :) So nothing too fancy yet but I am getting back in the swing of things :)
 
This forum is clogged up with people questioning their need for the Mac Pro when really an iMac will suffice.

You Sir, most definitely would benefit from the Mac Pro. No question about it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with the machine.
 
MIDI_EVIL said:
This forum is clogged up with people questioning their need for the Mac Pro when really an iMac will suffice.

You Sir, most definitely would benefit from the Mac Pro. No question about it.

Good luck and let us know how you get on with the machine.
Click to expand...

thats exactly what I was going to say :D
 
Mac Pro. No doubt about it. The iMac is a great machine, but it is a better choice as an all purpose home user machine. You need a powerhouse workstation.
 
I'm going to agree with everybody else and suggest the Mac Pro. It was created for exactly what you are going to be doing.
 
iMac - if you can stand one that is.

As one indi developer to another (www.system-7.net) and on a professional level, you can accomplish that stuff on a lesser machine. I understand Maya can be a pig, but it will work on an iMac with enough ram no problem.

I was going to get a Mac Pro quad to replace my former linux developer workstation (1.6 ghrz 64bit sempron) but only because the Mini and iMac bother me with their hardware restrictions (disks primarily). I am actually getting a PowerMac G5 tomorrow instead because its cheaper (700 versus 3000).

It's all about time versus money. If you can afford for the longer compute times, you save money. Lord knows what that Mac Pro produces will not give you a return value (your not going to make that 3 grand back by using it to develop on). If you are still concidering it, I would say a single cpu quad with an 8800Gt (I know the mac drivers suck, but your doing windows Direct X programming, and the 8800 is a far better DX10 card then the ati 2600).

Good luck!
 
[The iMac, with 4GB of RAM would run all the programs you list but not all at the same time. The Mac Pro can be outfitted to hold much more RAM, with all this RAM it will run all that stuff you list al at once. The extra core inside the MP will come in handy for running VMware and Windows.

The other thing is that the iMac has a glossy screen. If you are doing critical color work, like colorbalancing photos and video then you will want a nicer display than what is on the newer iMacs

About all your disks. I think you'd be best off just loading some terabyte drives ionside the MP. Use one the RAIDs as a backup device.
 
Thank you guys for all the suggestions :)

Mac Pro it is!

I am a multitasker like you wouldn't believe so I think this will help a lot and give a break to my poor little mbp who runs 24/7 doing all my stuff I do. (It does it well though I must add!)

@tuxtpenguin - Yes, yes I will develop for the mac once I get my programming skills back. I have been out of the game for quite sometime and forgot a lot so lately I have been pouring over books and going back to school online and dredging up old games I made and remaking them in C++ :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back