I don't have benchmarks to give you. However, the snappiness factor is very nice. I believe my stock drive was starting to go, the reboot took forever.
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Feeling pretty good about my Early 2008 Mac Pro.
- Thread starter TheStrudel
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I don't have benchmarks to give you. However, the snappiness factor is very nice. I believe my stock drive was starting to go, the reboot took forever.
keep or sell
2.26 GHz 8 core is slower than the 2.8 8 core? what do you think?
2.26 GHz 8 core is slower than the 2.8 8 core? what do you think?
Anyone see this from barefeats.com??
"Based on our extrapolations from Apple's published performance tests, the "early 2009" 2.26GHz 8-core will equal the "early 2008" 3.2GHz 8-core on many benchmarks and the "early 2009" 2.66GHz 8-core will beat it on all benchmarks. In other words, you don't have to spend $6K+ on the 2.93GHz version to beat the fastest "early 2008" Mac Pro."
http://www.barefeats.com/nehal01.html
"Based on our extrapolations from Apple's published performance tests, the "early 2009" 2.26GHz 8-core will equal the "early 2008" 3.2GHz 8-core on many benchmarks and the "early 2009" 2.66GHz 8-core will beat it on all benchmarks. In other words, you don't have to spend $6K+ on the 2.93GHz version to beat the fastest "early 2008" Mac Pro."
http://www.barefeats.com/nehal01.html
I do large batch processing of raw image files. I have the 2.8 8 core ready to ship back or I can get the new 2.260 I cannot afford the 2.66 upgrade. I need to know if it 2.8 (08) is faster than the 2.26 (09) both 8 core
Not sure yet, but I think equivalent at best.
We'll have to wait for Rob over at barefeats, as he's planning to do a comparison for us.
Sounds possible. However, it's not going to equal it on, say,
Photoshop. The 2.93GHz model was only 20% faster on the
Photoshop test. So the 2.26GHz model will likely be slower.
If you're running something like Photoshop that isn't heavily
multithreaded, you might be better off with one of the single
quad machines.
If the 2.93ghz was only 20% faster than the 3.2ghz of previous gen, I could see the 2.26ghz mac pro being on par to the 3.2ghz or even the 3.0ghz of previous gen mac pro in photoshop.
I do think the cheaper Nehalem Mac Pros will be faster than the Penryns. But, I don't think it will be a huge increase. My prediction is that Snow Leopard will amount to a larger speed boost than a new Mac Pro of a comparable price to the previous generation. Of course, they'll also see a speed boost, but the point remains - with this many cores, your limitations are more in software than in hardware.
To those who were talking about HDDs before, my system got a lot snappier when I installed a Velociraptor as my boot drive - and I wasn't going from the stock drive, but rather from a 2-platter 750GB Samsung Spinpoint. The bottleneck in these machines has been, and will continue to be, the HDDs. Unless, of course, you start striping Intel X-25Es. Always upgrade your HDDs to faster models if your system has enough RAM, because that will be the easiest way to speed things up.
That said, the Radeon 4870 looks attractive. But let's see what's forthcoming in benchmarks - I'm sure Barefeats will be on this with all due speed.
To those who were talking about HDDs before, my system got a lot snappier when I installed a Velociraptor as my boot drive - and I wasn't going from the stock drive, but rather from a 2-platter 750GB Samsung Spinpoint. The bottleneck in these machines has been, and will continue to be, the HDDs. Unless, of course, you start striping Intel X-25Es. Always upgrade your HDDs to faster models if your system has enough RAM, because that will be the easiest way to speed things up.
That said, the Radeon 4870 looks attractive. But let's see what's forthcoming in benchmarks - I'm sure Barefeats will be on this with all due speed.
Wow, that's some really peculiar new models from Apple. We were ready to buy a new iMac, but the price increase and minor improvements (after nearly a year) decided not to bother.
The whole point of looking forward to Nehalem processors in the Mac Pro was the big jump in performance. I suspect Apple have largely negated that by making the base model quad core, and using a slower clock speed in the 8-core. At the same time they have increased the price. While it seems likely the quad core might offer some performance gains over the previous 2.8GHz 8-core model, I very much doubt it will be significant - and for the price hike I'd expect a LOT more.
I'm very happy I bought when I did - Feb 2008 Mac Pro.
And I'm still baffled about what the heck they're doing with their display line-up. The 24" LED displays - made specifically for the MacBook / MacBook Pro, with the magsafe connector etc, and now they've updated the desktop range the '24" notebook display' is the only option below the 30". Doesn't make any sense to me. Do they really think all Mac Pro owners will buy the 30" display?
The whole point of looking forward to Nehalem processors in the Mac Pro was the big jump in performance. I suspect Apple have largely negated that by making the base model quad core, and using a slower clock speed in the 8-core. At the same time they have increased the price. While it seems likely the quad core might offer some performance gains over the previous 2.8GHz 8-core model, I very much doubt it will be significant - and for the price hike I'd expect a LOT more.
I'm very happy I bought when I did - Feb 2008 Mac Pro.
And I'm still baffled about what the heck they're doing with their display line-up. The 24" LED displays - made specifically for the MacBook / MacBook Pro, with the magsafe connector etc, and now they've updated the desktop range the '24" notebook display' is the only option below the 30". Doesn't make any sense to me. Do they really think all Mac Pro owners will buy the 30" display?
Feeling great about my iMac. Updates are the reason I got the 3.06 GHz processor. I don't need massive amounts of storage and I'm okay with the NVIDIA 8800..
usually with every mac update..i want to no matter what..UPGRADE. Strangely enough..with the latest updates, I'm perfectly content with my 2.8 Octocore it's a strange but great feeling. Will probably shoot for the new ATI 4870 graphics card though
it's a strange but great feeling. Will probably shoot for the new ATI 4870 graphics card though
Yep, early 2008 octo core 2.8GHz was the pricing sweet spot of recent years, two dual link DVI sockets as well. Using Logic Studio I feel better off with 8 cores than 4, which is all I could afford if I was buying now. The new UK prices look bad.
LOL when i saw this thread. i definitely can associate with the thread title:
as i looked at the new machines, i have to feel a sense of peace over my decision to buy my single quad core 2.8 a few weeks ago.
while the new one offers a little better speed (based on extrapolating wildly the benchmarks on apple's page, i'm guessing 25-30% range) and a faster video card, and a larger default hard drive, i recognize for my needs, the older models has some distinct advantages:
- still has firewire 400 so no need for strange dongles/conversion.
- my video card supports two DVI monitors (which i already have lying around...again, no need for dongles) -- yes it's slower, but i don't do anything that requires a fast video card
- 8 RAM slots as opposed to 4 (still baffles me that they didn't do 6 or 9 slots in the two models)
- lower price ($200 less retail: can't believe Apple is being so deceptive in saying the price has come down when it's just because they hid the single quad core under the radar previously)
- and although i've only had it two weeks: that is two weeks where i really needed and used the computer!
i, like everyone else, am looking forward, with interest, in seeing some benchmarks. should be very interesting...
as i looked at the new machines, i have to feel a sense of peace over my decision to buy my single quad core 2.8 a few weeks ago.
while the new one offers a little better speed (based on extrapolating wildly the benchmarks on apple's page, i'm guessing 25-30% range) and a faster video card, and a larger default hard drive, i recognize for my needs, the older models has some distinct advantages:
- still has firewire 400 so no need for strange dongles/conversion.
- my video card supports two DVI monitors (which i already have lying around...again, no need for dongles) -- yes it's slower, but i don't do anything that requires a fast video card
- 8 RAM slots as opposed to 4 (still baffles me that they didn't do 6 or 9 slots in the two models)
- lower price ($200 less retail: can't believe Apple is being so deceptive in saying the price has come down when it's just because they hid the single quad core under the radar previously)
- and although i've only had it two weeks: that is two weeks where i really needed and used the computer!
i, like everyone else, am looking forward, with interest, in seeing some benchmarks. should be very interesting...
Feeling absolutely great about "Octomac", and looking forward to showing her some love with a new 4870 soon!
Feeling absolutely great about "Octomac", and looking forward to showing her some love with a new 4870 soon!
oOooOo i second that! some 4870 love and she'll be screaming oh baby oh baby
Man I was so hyped to sell my 8-Core 2.8ghz system to get Nehalem.
Now I don't want to at all.
Unless the benchmarks totally blow the 2008 models out of the water, I am keeping what I have.
I may just grab the 4870 though, anybody want to buy my 3870?
Now I don't want to at all.
Unless the benchmarks totally blow the 2008 models out of the water, I am keeping what I have.
I may just grab the 4870 though, anybody want to buy my 3870?
oOooOo i second that! some 4870 love and she'll be screaming oh baby oh baby
We know why Apple puts handles on the MacPro now...
Upgrading from my old G4 to my current MacPro, I have no complaints. I am actually happy I could afford the 2.8 8-Core, if I waited for these new 8-Cores, I would not want to spend $3299 on the low end, although, that's how much I spent on my G4 Dual 800 back in the day. haha.
100% happy with my MacPro. I'll be maxing out at 16GB soon too.
100% happy with my MacPro. I'll be maxing out at 16GB soon too.
I just sold my brother on the the 3870 a few months ago until I heard about the 4870. I will be getting the 4870 as soon as it's available. Thank god I didn't get the 3870... I would just keep that one and run both.