MP 7,1 Is it worth buying a MacPro7.1?

[avro707]

I do really high end work

We have to use all the different platforms (computers, tablets, phones) to reflect what everyone else uses. Our main platform is actually Unix on enormously powerful hardware (non Apple).

I don’t think getting into whose work is more high end is valuable to the topic so I won’t go any further.

 

[SDAVE]

We have to use all the different platforms (computers, tablets, phones) to reflect what everyone else uses. Our main platform is actually Unix on enormously powerful hardware (non Apple).

I don’t think getting into whose work is more high end is valuable to the topic so I won’t go any further.

I'm just saying I'm in the design (graphic design)/post production (ie Editorial, color correction, motion graphics etc) industry which is heavily all Mac based. Nobody uses Windows for these. Windows has terrible typography friendly tools compared to Mac.

Heavy VFX and 3D are all Windows.

The first line I mentioned above is the reason why I think Apple won't discontinue the Mac Pro because a lot of the post houses (not design) require PCIe slots, cards for ProTools (composers, sound engineers, etc) video monitoring for editors, color correction, etc (BlackMagic PCIe cards, AJA, etc). Very niche markets, but they are not moving to Windows I guarantee you. I work with a lot of them.

If you work in IT at these creative industries you will know exactly what I'm talking about. Obviously anything with Unix is for servers, render farms, compositing (like Nuke) etc. etc. in this industry.

 

[Flint Ironstag]

This is an older video, for I think Plasma 5, but I rewatch it every now and then to remind myself that Linux is still a lifeboat that can be made to work in a way that captures the fundamental macOs things (especially the global menubar).

Can you make it look like that with one click?

 

[Flint Ironstag]

I think Linux will be the most widely used operating system in a few years

🤣 It's the year of Linux, folks. Just having a joke.

 

[keksikuningas]

🤣 It's the year of Linux, folks. Just having a joke.

year of linux desktop is always currentYear + 1

 

[SDAVE]

🤣 It's the year of Linux, folks. Just having a joke.

Been hearing this for decades it never comes true 🤣

 

[avro707]

🤣 It's the year of Linux, folks. Just having a joke.

It always has been, just that the machines running it are servers that can scale bigger as needed, usually with Xeons powering them (as in our case). Ours are quite hefty but not excessive as we are efficient in how we use them.

 

[Krisz]

Been hearing this for decades it never comes true 🤣

It will soon become a reality! Or do you think Mac Pro 7.1 owners will throw their machines in the trash because of Apple's vile move?
Linux has evolved a lot lately!
Much more secure and faster than MacOS and Windows!
In fact, almost no serious application works without errors under MacOS! Soon, many Mac and PC owners will switch to Linux and in time it may even cause Microsoft to go bankrupt!
Linux already delivers the same fps speed in games written for Windows as Windows 11 does!
Soon every Mac Pro owner will have to decide whether to throw out their machine and upgrade to an M-chip Mac that can't be upgraded
or keep the upgradeable 7.1 and give the machine a long life with Linux!?
I definitely don't need a machine that can't be expanded!

 

[SDAVE]

It will soon become a reality! Or do you think Mac Pro 7.1 owners will throw their machines in the trash because of Apple's vile move?
Linux has evolved a lot lately!
Much more secure and faster than MacOS and Windows!
In fact, almost no serious application works without errors under MacOS! Soon, many Mac and PC owners will switch to Linux and in time it may even cause Microsoft to go bankrupt!
Linux already delivers the same fps speed in games written for Windows as Windows 11 does!
Soon every Mac Pro owner will have to decide whether to throw out their machine and upgrade to an M-chip Mac that can't be upgraded
or keep the upgradeable 7.1 and give the machine a long life with Linux!?
I definitely don't need a machine that can't be expanded!

Dude there aren't that many 7,1 owners to shift the landscape to increase Linux userbase. Most Mac Pro users will end up with an M class Mac Studio, Mac mini, or MacBook Pro anyway. Unless they're hobbyists and enjoy tinkering. Most people don't have time to tinker, these are work machines for us to make a living.

Linux is still not consumer friendly, it will never pick up. Don't bring SteamOS into the mix please, that's a different target market.

There's too many Linux distros and open source stuff doesn't pick up in the consumer space like Windows or macOS does—it has to be attached to a product. I don't hate on Linux and actually use it for certain things like a Raspberry Pi and Ubuntu here and there, but it's just not good as a mainstream product. Be realistic.

 

[avro707]

It will soon become a reality! Or do you think Mac Pro 7.1 owners will throw their machines in the trash because of Apple's vile move?

The ones who are too tied to the MacOS system will probably keep buying disposable Apple machines.

I use Windows quite a lot so I have no issues swapping back to PCs, I can swap easily back over.

The 7,1 looks like it's finished. No longer possible to upgrade on the MacOS side to more modern GPUs, parts will probably become difficult to find also.

 

[Krisz]

Dude there aren't that many 7,1 owners to shift the landscape to increase Linux userbase. Most Mac Pro users will end up with an M class Mac Studio, Mac mini, or MacBook Pro anyway. Unless they're hobbyists and enjoy tinkering. Most people don't have time to tinker, these are work machines for us to make a living.

Linux is still not consumer friendly, it will never pick up. Don't bring SteamOS into the mix please, that's a different target market.

There's too many Linux distros and open source stuff doesn't pick up in the consumer space like Windows or macOS does—it has to be attached to a product. I don't hate on Linux and actually use it for certain things like a Raspberry Pi and Ubuntu here and there, but it's just not good as a mainstream product. Be realistic.

Are you mistaken? It's not just Mac Pro 7.1 owners who are switching and planning to switch to Linux, but also the many PC users who Microsoft would force to throw away their current machines!
If you look closely, you can see that Linux developers are now working to simplify the confusion caused by the many Linux distributions!
MacOS doesn't offer any extra features that would make it worth replacing your computer every 4-5 years!
But if someone doesn't have a problem with it, that's their business
This is all a sly move by Apple
They are deliberately trying to force users to buy new and increasingly expensive devices every few years!

If you have a lot of extra money, go for it! I won't let Apple lead me by the nose!
My 7.1 mac pro is my last Apple machine! I'll use it with Linux for as long as I can

 

[Krisz]

The ones who are too tied to the MacOS system will probably keep buying disposable Apple machines.

I use Windows quite a lot so I have no issues swapping back to PCs, I can swap easily back over.

The 7,1 looks like it's finished. No longer possible to upgrade on the MacOS side to more modern GPUs, parts will probably become difficult to find also.

The only problem with this is that Microsoft is doing the same thing as Apple: you can buy a new computer every few years because they always remove a processor from the support list!
It is also true that a PC is much cheaper than a Mac
In the case of a PC, all you need to do is change the motherboard and processor if Microsoft tightens the hardware requirements
However, with Linux this danger does not exist
There you can use your computer for many years and with better performance than with macOS or Windows!

Moreover, the Windows system is the most vulnerable
Linux has always been known for being very secure and not burdening the hardware unnecessarily

 

[SDAVE]

Are you mistaken? It's not just Mac Pro 7.1 owners who are switching and planning to switch to Linux, but also the many PC users who Microsoft would force to throw away their current machines!
If you look closely, you can see that Linux developers are now working to simplify the confusion caused by the many Linux distributions!
MacOS doesn't offer any extra features that would make it worth replacing your computer every 4-5 years!
But if someone doesn't have a problem with it, that's their business
This is all a sly move by Apple
They are deliberately trying to force users to buy new and increasingly expensive devices every few years!

If you have a lot of extra money, go for it! I won't let Apple lead me by the nose!
My 7.1 mac pro is my last Apple machine! I'll use it with Linux for as long as I can

Linux is not gonna happen bro

MacOS doesn't offer any extra features that would make it worth replacing your computer every 4-5 years!

Yeah good luck running any professional software like Adobe Creative Cloud in Linux 🤣

 

[Mac3Duser]

Yeah good luck running any professional software like Adobe Creative Cloud in Linux 🤣

this is the only one problem.
which software can replace ACC
because for gaming, thanks to steam, it is really good to have linux
for many uses, like python, dev, coding, even video (davinci resolve) linux is ok

 

[Krisz]

this is the only one problem.
which software can replace ACC
because for gaming, thanks to steam, it is really good to have linux
for many uses, like python, dev, coding, even video (davinci resolve) linux is ok

Yeah good luck running any professional software like Adobe Creative Cloud in Linux "
This is really a huge argument for macOS and against Linux XD

1. Avoiding the "Adobe Trap"
The lack of Adobe is indeed a fact, but it's becoming less of a wall.
Davinci Resolve: A professional video editor that runs natively and brutally well on Linux, and is often more stable than on Windows.
AI tools: What you do (Stable Diffusion, video generation) is fastest on Linux. While Mac users wait for Apple to release an update, Linux runs the latest models the same day.
Browser-based professional stuff: Photopea or Figma are almost replacing Photoshop/Illustrator in an average workflow.

2. Hardware garbage vs. Linux
Apple (and Microsoft with TPM 2.0) makes perfect machines obsolete so you buy new ones.
Even the Mac Pro 5.1 with Linux would still be a modern workstation today if it weren't for the AVX lack in AI. But for simple editing, servers, or office work, it's still good for another 5 years.
And the 7.1 Mac Pro with Linux will remain a machine even when Apple has long since stopped supporting macOS.

3. The myth of "professional software"
Not everyone is a graphic designer who can only open Photoshop." For AI development, server operations, and engineering, Linux is the professional environment, not macOS.

 

[Krisz]

this is the only one problem.
which software can replace ACC
because for gaming, thanks to steam, it is really good to have linux
for many uses, like python, dev, coding, even video (davinci resolve) linux is ok

This is exactly what I'm talking about! If Steam, DaVinci, and Python (AI) run perfectly on Linux, then Apple will only be holding users captive with Adobe addiction. But for those who work with AI and video, Linux is not a constraint, but a freedom from planned obsolescence.

 

[Regulus67]

I completely understand the professional users here, who needs to stay up to date.

Since Apple officially has dropped the Mac Pro line, as of yesterday. The 7,1 is basically only of interest to enthusiasts henceforth. Right?
So perhaps other uses will be the path forward? And it will be reflected in this thread, I assume.
It does not sound like any pro user will ever consider purchasing a Mac Pro in the future.

 

[SDAVE]

this is the only one problem.
which software can replace ACC
because for gaming, thanks to steam, it is really good to have linux
for many uses, like python, dev, coding, even video (davinci resolve) linux is ok

That's not the only problem.

Linux is mostly used in server environments, specialty software like 3d pipelines, etc.

 

[Krisz]

I completely understand the professional users here, who needs to stay up to date.

Since Apple officially has dropped the Mac Pro line, as of yesterday. The 7,1 is basically only of interest to enthusiasts henceforth. Right?
So perhaps other uses will be the path forward? And it will be reflected in this thread, I assume.
It does not sound like any pro user will ever consider purchasing a Mac Pro in the future.

Exactly! Since the 7,1 is now an enthusiast machine, we are free to bypass Apple's restrictions. Adding an RTX 3090 for CUDA-based AI is the perfect way to keep this 'beast' relevant and powerful for years to come, regardless of what Adobe or Apple thinks.

 

[Krisz]

That's not the only problem.

Linux is mostly used in server environments, specialty software like 3d pipelines, etc.

Exactly, AI generation IS a specialty pipeline. That’s why running it on Linux with NVIDIA/CUDA is the professional way to do it, while macOS is still struggling with basic Metal optimization for these models

It's a thing of the past that Linux can only be used as a server operating system.

 

[SDAVE]

Exactly, AI generation IS a specialty pipeline. That’s why running it on Linux with NVIDIA/CUDA is the professional way to do it, while macOS is still struggling with basic Metal optimization for these models

It's a thing of the past that Linux can only be used as a server operating system.

OK bro lol

 

[maflynn]

So perhaps other uses will be the path forward?

How much of a path forward is there for a 6 year old machine? I get some folks want to tinker and play with it, but that is probably more of the reason to have one, then extending the usefulness of a computer that came out in 2019.

No knock on the people using it, but rather as time goes on it becomes less of a feasible machine and more of something that hobbyists want to play with it.

 

[mattspace]

How much of a path forward is there for a 6 year old machine? I get some folks want to tinker and play with it, but that is probably more of the reason to have one, then extending the usefulness of a computer that came out in 2019.

No knock on the people using it, but rather as time goes on it becomes less of a feasible machine and more of something that hobbyists want to play with it.

What does a newer machine do, that an old machine doesn't, that people WANT to do? Show me one new feature added to the Mac in the last 10 years that people wouldn't gladly give up, to get 10 year old (secure) macOS.

 

[Mac3Duser]

That's a good question. I have a Dell Precision T5820 under my desk (with the iMac Pro cpu, so it's 2017). I have two NVMe SSDs and two 3.5-inch HDD bays, and I replaced the Blu-ray drive with a 4-bay 2.5-inch SSD rack. All these drives are hot-swappable. Inside, I have several PCIe slots. There are also slots for NVMe SSDs, two recent Nvidia graphics cards, and a network card.
I have 128 GB of DDR4 ECC RAM that I bought for nothing (50 dollars for everything a few months ago, before the ram crisis). The entire computer system cost me less than 1000 dollars.
What this almost 10-year-old computer can't do ? Honestly, I don't know. It is a bit heavy and bulky compared to a more compact, recent computer. So yes, a few years ago excellent computers came out that could easily last ten years, especially if you changed the graphics card.

 

[chrono1081]

What does a newer machine do, that an old machine doesn't, that people WANT to do? Show me one new feature added to the Mac in the last 10 years that people wouldn't gladly give up, to get 10 year old (secure) macOS.

Sidecar and the ability to use my iPad as a second monitor as well as being able to launch my phone from my Mac.