Made the Switch from Windows to Mac a little over 10 years ago and love OSX. Have always had Macbook Pros and loved their build but have always wanted a Mac Pro. My need for portability has changed over the last couple of years and I really don't need a Macbook anymore so I have been thinking of getting a cMP. My Mac needs are completely personal with no work requirement. I surf the web, use e-mail, take lots of pictures and collect in Photos, some very lite video editing and creation in iMove and create an occasional DVD in iDVD. Don't really do any gaming but do some occasional web development work in MAMP. Also ike to fire up VMWARE and use the occasional Windows or Linux VM but nothing really taxing. I also have access to a couple of Mac Mini's as backup machines so not going to be the end of the world if my cMP has a little downtime if something fails and I need to fix it. Have built PCs in the past and am not afraid of opening a case and replacing hardware. I currently have a 2014 Macbook Pro that is still worth something so I am thinking of replacing it with a cMP just because I have always wanted one and I would prefer to have something I can work on if there is an issue with it. Anyone see any reason that a cMP would not be a good fit? Have considered the Hackintosh route but really would like to stick with the cMP as I still have some Firewire HDs and a video capture appliance that I use occasionally. Thanks for any and all opinions.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Looking for Advice on Mac Pro
- Thread starter Ocnetgeek
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
cMP sounds fine but might be overkill. Why not just use a mini? 2014 with 16GB RAM and TB to FW adapter? Or 2012 mini?
If you did go Hackintosh you could add FW card.
If you did go Hackintosh you could add FW card.
cMP's have been a viable option much longer than they should have. But 10.14 beckons, and as an owner of a 2009 I'm pretty happy about that. They can be obtained and/or upgraded pretty inexpensively. Unlike hackintosh, they don't require fiddling with each update. That said, they are very near the end of their life, and they are not even remotely energy efficient.
I'm curious what upgrades you Mac Pro experts would recommend for a usage scenario like the OP described. There are lots of discussions on this forum about upgrades, but what *needs* to be upgraded to make the machine feel like a modern, usable computer? If we need to pump $600 (I'm making up that number) into it then maybe it's not worth it.
As an example, I've obtained a 2010 Mac Pro with a quad 2.8 GHz CPU and the stock video card. I added a SATA SSD drive and have been playing around with it a bit, but it really doesn't feel fast enough that I would want to use it for actual work. It feels to me how my 2011 Core i7 iMac felt once I added an SSD: moderately fast disk access but just a little sluggish in other areas. Both my 2016 iMac and 2013 MacBook Pro, on the other hand, feel quick and snappy -- I'm not sure if it's disk access, CPU, the video card, or all three that make them feel so responsive, but the Mac Pro lacks it. Is there anything that can be done to the Mac Pro to make it feel faster (within financial reason), or will it always be considered "pretty good, considering its age"?
As an example, I've obtained a 2010 Mac Pro with a quad 2.8 GHz CPU and the stock video card. I added a SATA SSD drive and have been playing around with it a bit, but it really doesn't feel fast enough that I would want to use it for actual work. It feels to me how my 2011 Core i7 iMac felt once I added an SSD: moderately fast disk access but just a little sluggish in other areas. Both my 2016 iMac and 2013 MacBook Pro, on the other hand, feel quick and snappy -- I'm not sure if it's disk access, CPU, the video card, or all three that make them feel so responsive, but the Mac Pro lacks it. Is there anything that can be done to the Mac Pro to make it feel faster (within financial reason), or will it always be considered "pretty good, considering its age"?
Thanks for the opinions. I realize that I don't need one. I wanted one. The power consumption is one that i may have overlooked. I like the idea of having a Mac that I could open up and work on and update but maybe it's not the best idea I have ever had.
FWIW, Sleep mode was about 30-40 watts, and idle was about 180-190 watts - as measured from an APC UPS. Booting from an SSD is about 35-40 seconds, as opposed to 90+ seconds from HDD. I use mine, but I don't leave it running/sleeping. Like you, I've enjoyed upgrading it, with more to come.
Nothing. There's absolutely nothing the OP would need to upgrade for the use cases he provided. Perhaps if he decides to run a lot of VMs at one time he may want to bump up the memory (depending on how much the system he purchases comes with).
As for an SSD it's a nice upgrade but its performance boost, for the majority of users, will be in boot / application load time. Two metrics which, IMO, aren't that important. But hey, they're inexpensive and easy to install in a Mac Pro so I won't argue with anyone who wants to do it. I just like to caution people on what to expect.
https://www.dvwarehouse.com/Apple-Mac-Pro-c-5210.html
https://www.macofalltrades.com/shop/apple-desktops/refurbished-mac-pro/?sort=pricedesc&page=1
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_...aa51a479be4effc5956f2&camp=1789&creative=9325
Once you decide on the model, the price of the cMP and "all" possible upgrades might push things in one or the other. You can use the hacks to get the latest OS updates at the given moment. This may be needed for the internet but based on imovie and idvd I don't think you will be chasing OS'es!
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
I say go for it. It may be a bit overkill but they are so solid computers and a pleasure to use. If price is an issue go with a single processor 4,1 and upgrade the processor, ram and video card. That should be ample for what you do.
I'd suggest a 12-16gb ram, RX480 or RX580, and a hex core for what you do. The W3680 or X5680 can be had for around $50 right now.
I'd suggest a 12-16gb ram, RX480 or RX580, and a hex core for what you do. The W3680 or X5680 can be had for around $50 right now.
Do you have any sense of what it would "feel" like if that machine was upgraded as you suggested? Would it run like a 3 year old iMac? Would it be a pleasure to use? Or would it feel like you're just extending the time until you have to buy a new machine?
Most people do not consider this. I like mine but it's more expensive to use and it's like having a portable heater in the room
.Mine demolishes my iMac for my uses but it's difficult to make a blanket statement cause it does not apply to every use case. I use a lot of programs that take advantage of multiple cores and that really helps. I will say it doesn't thermal throttle like the iMac and is quite a bit more stable. I wouldn't go back.
Most people do not consider this. I like mine but it's more expensive to use and it's like having a portable heater in the room
My Home Office is in the Basement so maybe having that to warm up my office wouldn't be a bad thing. Seriously thanks for all the input and I am still considering it. It's just one of those I really would like to try it things that is not really logical but just I want to do it. There are a couple places within an hour or so of me that sell Mac Pros online and at least one of them offers local pickup so I could make the trip down there to take a look before I make the plunge.
Just do it. A base configuration 4,1 or 5,1 isn't that expensive so follow your dream and do it.
I also always wanted a Mac Pro, back then in 2009 I decided to get a iMac 24 Early 2009 because the Mac Pro was 700 euros more. The iMac was a great machine and lasted me for almost 7 years (still works btw). But if I had chosen the 2009 Mac Pro I would have a awesome machine that would even last me more then 9 years.
2 Years ago I bought a Mac Pro 2010 not that I needed one for the horsepower but just because I always wanted one, I have now upgraded to 2 mighty X5690, not because I need so many cores but just because I can. Parts are dirtcheap today.
The 5,1 does everything I need. It even does VR with my Oculus Rift, only waiting for a new AMD card to upgrade my RX 480 or wait for the Vega 64 to get cheaper.
So just go for it.
2 Years ago I bought a Mac Pro 2010 not that I needed one for the horsepower but just because I always wanted one, I have now upgraded to 2 mighty X5690, not because I need so many cores but just because I can. Parts are dirtcheap today.
The 5,1 does everything I need. It even does VR with my Oculus Rift, only waiting for a new AMD card to upgrade my RX 480 or wait for the Vega 64 to get cheaper.
So just go for it.
A Mac Pro can be something overkill for your needs, but if you want one, go for it! It's an excellent machine with plenty of life, upgradeable and can currently be found at relatively cheap prices.
, finally last year I was able to buy a Mac Pro 2009 (Upgraded to 5,1), not so much for the horsepower, but because I always wanted one.
I also went through a similar situation, I always wanted a Mac Pro 2012, but I was a simple student at that time and there was no way I was going to ask my parents for such an expensive machine
, finally last year I was able to buy a Mac Pro 2009 (Upgraded to 5,1), not so much for the horsepower, but because I always wanted one. If I may hijack this thread... I’m currently running Adobe CS on an early 2009 3.06GHz iMac with a paltry 4GB RAM, and it’s taking a stupid amount of time to boot up, and even longer to fire up the CS apps. I suspect that whacking in some more RAM would improve things, but just lately, I’ve been drawn to the idea of picking up a 2010/12 Mac Pro. However, I need to know that spending a few hundred on a Mac Pro is going to show me significantly more improvement that spending £50 doubling the RAM on the iMac...
Doubling the RAM should improve your IMACs overall operation. I wouldn't run any Mac with just 4GB. The Macbook Pro that I am replacing had 16 and that ran well enough. I did end up getting a Mac Pro and so far it is more responsive than the 2014 Macbook Pro that I am replacing. I like the idea that I can replace/repair things and upgrade. I am not limited to the amount of memory or hard drive that my system shipped with. The Mac Pro is a good machine but I think that to get one that will perform the way you want with the apps you are using is going to cost more than a few hundred. The one I bought will be closer to $1000 once I upgrade the memory and put in a different GPU but I expect to be able to recover most of that when I sell the Macbook Pro.
Install an SSD and that will take care of your boot and application launch times. You'll feel as if you've bought a new computer.
@RobMoss
Just to note, several Adobe CC 2018 take longer to open than previous versions. Find this especially true with video applications like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Running everything off SSDs, including a SATA SSD connected via PCIe for the system drive (around 450 MB/sec read/write) and separate SSD media/scratch drives. Audition virtually opens immediately after clicking the icon, well under 10 seconds. Barely can see and read the splash screen. Premiere Pro and AE can take minutes. Wish the engineers who worked on that could take a look at some of the other CC applications.
System is authentic 5,1 with 2 x 3.46 and 128GB RAM.
Just to note, several Adobe CC 2018 take longer to open than previous versions. Find this especially true with video applications like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Running everything off SSDs, including a SATA SSD connected via PCIe for the system drive (around 450 MB/sec read/write) and separate SSD media/scratch drives. Audition virtually opens immediately after clicking the icon, well under 10 seconds. Barely can see and read the splash screen. Premiere Pro and AE can take minutes. Wish the engineers who worked on that could take a look at some of the other CC applications.
System is authentic 5,1 with 2 x 3.46 and 128GB RAM.