If I were to talk to my grandpa about investing some money in an eight core mac pro, exactly how long would it last? At least 4-6 years if I take care of it? Or longer? If he spends 3000$ on a really good computer, instead of me having to upgrade my pc every year. It was 500 for the pc, And I'm going to have to upgrade again this year to have it at least dual core. I was considering a mac pro because of the cooling, expandability, and the operating system.
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How long will a mac pro last?
- Thread starter zachkowalchuk
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Yeah, an iMac or even Mac Mini would be fine for a decade or more.
This is under the assumption that he's not a professional HD video encoder and not just going to use it for the Internet.
Don't make him waste money, and what's wrong with the cooling in any other Mac?
This is under the assumption that he's not a professional HD video encoder and not just going to use it for the Internet.
Don't make him waste money, and what's wrong with the cooling in any other Mac?
This would be for me. The reason why I want to talk to him about a mac pro, is because I easily use up both cores on my hp notebook. I have considered an imac but not sure which one to get. I'd like a 24 inch, but I'm not sure which model. I'd still prefer the mac pro because it can power the 30 inch displays with the right card.
I'm usually running, a ******** of word documents, photoshop, dreamweaver, itunes playing hd video, like 6 web browsers.
Those tower machines are built like tanks and mechanically, could probably last 10 years.
However, my Powermac G5 (predecessor of Mac Pro) only lasted 3 years in operation before being put out to pasture as a database server due to much faster and more capable models becoming available.
In my opinion, on a 3 year life cycle, they are not really worth the extra cost unless you are using them for daily production.
Might wait for the quad core iMacs...
However, my Powermac G5 (predecessor of Mac Pro) only lasted 3 years in operation before being put out to pasture as a database server due to much faster and more capable models becoming available.
In my opinion, on a 3 year life cycle, they are not really worth the extra cost unless you are using them for daily production.
Might wait for the quad core iMacs...
I hope to get 6 useful years out of mine. You can always sell and reinvest before its concidered obsolete.
My iMac (Mhz 333) from 1998 is still going strong. So I'm really happy with it's build quility. Hope the 8 core pro has this longevity.
My iMac (Mhz 333) from 1998 is still going strong. So I'm really happy with it's build quility. Hope the 8 core pro has this longevity.
I guess if a mac pro should last 6 years, I guess I should talk to my grandpa about. Because its cheaper in the long run in my opinion. Instead of paying 500-700 for a good upgrade on a pc every year, might as well invest in a mac pro and spend other funds on a 30 inch display.
I've got an old SE packed away under the stairs, still kicking…
Right now I'm using a 4 year old single processor PowerMac G5, the ability to upgrade is great, I'm having no problems running leopard or my web development apps.
I also run Flash, Fireworks, Photoshop and do video and photo editing, having no problems with at all.
p.s get Apple care. Don't want to develop a logic board problem (rare but possible) and loose your investment.
Right now I'm using a 4 year old single processor PowerMac G5, the ability to upgrade is great, I'm having no problems running leopard or my web development apps.
I also run Flash, Fireworks, Photoshop and do video and photo editing, having no problems with at all.
p.s get Apple care. Don't want to develop a logic board problem (rare but possible) and loose your investment.
I have a 4-year-old PowerMac G5 (2.5GHz, with the liquid cooling some people swore was going to start leaking after a year, yeah right). Still works flawlessly, and is only just now on the edge of starting to seem a bit "old", though it actually still runs everything quite well and it will probably be at least another year before I start thinking about upgrading. Totally worthwhile.
--Eric
--Eric
I'd still be using my 2.5 if it, er, hadn't, um, started leaking...
You might want to start taking regular looks inside that thing.
My guess is 5-7 years depending on what you'll want to do with it that far down the road.
If you went nuts, you'd have an 8 core machine with 32GB of RAM and 6TB of of internal HDDs, I'd think you'd be sitting pretty for AT LEAST 3-4 years before you felt like the rig was just even with the average Joe. Then factor in a couple of more years where it's not as fast as is ideal but tolerable. Yep, 6 years by my count.
If you went nuts, you'd have an 8 core machine with 32GB of RAM and 6TB of of internal HDDs, I'd think you'd be sitting pretty for AT LEAST 3-4 years before you felt like the rig was just even with the average Joe. Then factor in a couple of more years where it's not as fast as is ideal but tolerable. Yep, 6 years by my count.
I find my AMD 3500+ in my pc pretty good and its 7 years old. Well the cpu is, Only single core to. So If I go for the 8 core mac pro, I would be set for so long.
You could easily to keep it running at its best performance for 6+ years, and keep it nearly completely operational for nearly a decade. But if I were you, then I would look towards a high end 24" iMac, unless if you really need the power of a Mac Pro. And I wouldn't really compare the operational tendencies of a PC to those of a Mac. If you are only going to be doing standard tasks (even still at a high rate), then a high-end iMac might suit you very well.
Don't invest
I'm a former programmer and when I hear someone say "invest" in a computer that usually indicates he is going to spend way too much, hoping to make a large one time purchase that will last and last. The economics of computers, particularly macs, is not akin to tools for which a larger initial outlay will pay itself off over time. With Mac computers the game is about turn over: to future-proof yourself is not about making a wise one time purchase but about having a plan to use, sell, and purchase. Because Macs resell at such a high price you can always obtain a new one for not much more that what you can sell one for. I am currently into my 3rd iBook-MacBook in six years. On one sale of a MacBook I got $701 and bought a new iBook for the $300 difference... and I had used it for nearly two years! You can do the same for iMacs which are so much cheaper than the Mac Pros. If an iMac won't do the trick for you , sell it and get a MacPro but I suspect that a new iMac every 2-3 years will keep ahead of any jobs you throw at it.
I'm a former programmer and when I hear someone say "invest" in a computer that usually indicates he is going to spend way too much, hoping to make a large one time purchase that will last and last. The economics of computers, particularly macs, is not akin to tools for which a larger initial outlay will pay itself off over time. With Mac computers the game is about turn over: to future-proof yourself is not about making a wise one time purchase but about having a plan to use, sell, and purchase. Because Macs resell at such a high price you can always obtain a new one for not much more that what you can sell one for. I am currently into my 3rd iBook-MacBook in six years. On one sale of a MacBook I got $701 and bought a new iBook for the $300 difference... and I had used it for nearly two years! You can do the same for iMacs which are so much cheaper than the Mac Pros. If an iMac won't do the trick for you , sell it and get a MacPro but I suspect that a new iMac every 2-3 years will keep ahead of any jobs you throw at it.
And how long you can use it will depend greatly on what your uses are for it. I find that for heavy office use a two or three year turn around time is good. If you don't use it that much then a Mac Pro is too much money spent anyway. My co-workers are always amazed at how much I get done with my MacBook.