imac or mac pro

[Davidsilence]

hi there,

currently got a C2D MBP 2.33 3GB ram & 20" cinema display and running a small design studio. Question is my MBP constantly struggles running CS3 photoshop, illustrator, indesign and Aperture all at the same time. question is should i just go and get an entry level mac pro hook up to my cinema display and add 6gb ram or would the new imac 24" 3.06 with 4gb ram be sufficient for my needs? is the macpro overkill?

thanks

David

 

[richard.mac]

well the Mac Pro has two quad core Xeon server CPUs, fully buffered RAM, support for an NVIDIA 8800GT (good for gaming) and NVIDIA Quadro (professional CAD graphics) and a little thing called expandability.

the iMac has notebook parts (except for the HDD and the 8800GS in the 24" iMac) and only RAM expandability.

if you want the raw power of and expandability of the Mac Pro and can afford its price tag then all means get it, its one the most powerful PCs for the price and considered very quiet.

however the iMac is still pretty powerful and will handle your work but its an all-in-one and only allows RAM expandability but if your cool with that get the iMac as its much cheaper.

TIP: if your like the MBPs TFT screen get the 24" iMac as the 20" iMac has a TN panel which has a lot less colours than the TFT and is considered less than average quality with professionals.

 

[Tattoo]

hi there,

currently got a C2D MBP 2.33 3GB ram & 20" cinema display and running a small design studio. Question is my MBP constantly struggles running CS3 photoshop, illustrator, indesign and Aperture all at the same time. question is should i just go and get an entry level mac pro hook up to my cinema display and add 6gb ram or would the new imac 24" 3.06 with 4gb ram be sufficient for my needs? is the macpro overkill?

thanks

David

Just get the Mac Pro. You won't regret it. I was in the same situation as you. You will end up always buying an iMac on each release. Get a Mac Pro and be done with your computer purchase for many many years to come and all your applications will run smooth as silk. Just do it.

 

[jameskohn]

iMac vs. Mac Pro

I am trying to determine the parameters for when it is really appropriate to purchase a Mac Pro instead of an iMac. I am contemplating the purchase of a new 3.06 iMac with 4GHz and the video card upgrade. EXACTLY what would I have to be doing to actually see a noticeable performance increase by opting for a Mac Pro instead? There is so much conflicting information out there.

For example, will Photoshop run any better/faster on a Mac Pro? What about iMovie 08 when rendering AVCHD files? I am not a gamer, and I do not do 3d work. What applications actually utilize 4 cores (or 8) in a Mac Pro to a noticeable advantage?

I prefer the all-in-one aesthetics of the iMac, and love the screen. I am not as concerned about expandability because I actually enjoy getting a new computer every year and a half or so. I've always done very well selling my old Macs on eBay, so that's a reasonable way for me to upgrade. I am not under any pressure to buy right now, but I'm kind of in the mood for a new computer. New 3.06 iMac or Mac Pro?

 

[yadmonkey]

What applications actually utilize 4 cores (or 8) in a Mac Pro to a noticeable advantage?

The biggest difference I think is in multitasking - running lots of programs simultaneously with little or no noticeable slowdown in any of them. That said, pro apps, like Final Cut Studio and perhaps some Photoshop filters should run quite a bit faster on the Pro. You might find these benchmarks of interest.