Finally in a position to get a Mac Pro

[Foggy]

and I am thinking I will go for an iMac.....

I've been waiting a few years to get a Mac Pro and a finally in a position to do so. I need a machine that will last a few years, main uses are for Lightroom/Photoshop/video encoding of slideshows. I think in terms of value for money, the 2008 octo was the pinnacle but I wasn't able to buy one back then. I have been waiting for the last 3 months to get a mac pro but wanted to wait for the update and now it is out I am having second thoughts.

I was planning on getting the Dual processor beast and upping it to 12gb ram. Realistically though, am I better off with an iMac? I can get a 2.93ghz i7 with 16gb ram and 2tb hdd for around £2400. I could add a 2nd 27" LCD for I am guessing around £750. That would be a pretty decent rig for £3150.

I have traditionally been put off the iMacs because I wanted to add extra RAM and HDD's and was thinking about getting a 30" screen to sit inbetween my 2 20" (1600x1200) screens. 16GB and 2TB would actually see me ok for quite a while I reckon, and 2 27" screens would also give me plenty of real estate.

Never really considered the fact that when I was finally able to get a mac pro I would consider not doing so! Nice position to be in I guess.

 

[maflynn]

If you need to buy a monitor and don't need the expansion bays, then yeah, it makes more sense to go the iMac route.

Apple has done a really good job lately with making sure that the iMacs are solid performers, especially the upper tier models. It makes it harder to justify spending the money on an MP, unless you need the expansion.

 

[Foggy]

I guess that is what it comes down to - the expansion factor. I dont need it but would like it I guess. 16gb ram is a fair old whack, 4 times what I currently have, and 2tb hdd is 12 1/2 times what I am used to on my macbook pro. The current iMacs certainly do feel a lot better value for money at the moment. Decisions decisions.

 

[Ravich]

I dont understand how Apple managed up update both product lines, and give the high end iMac even MORE appeal over the low end Mac Pro.



Does not compute.