MP 7,1 Mac Pro or iMac Pro or iMac 27"

[e1me5]

I went today to an official Apple retailer to order a replacement battery for my ageing 2012 15" cMBP and I asked the manager there about the new Mac Pro and what are the prices of the entry spec models. I work at a film production company and since our 2010 MacPro isn't capable anymore to edit 4K video due to incompatibility with the latest FCPX due to MacOS we have to use the MacBook pro to edit our hour long projects and it barely does the basic job of editing.
Now, unexpectedly, the manager advised me against buying a base MacPro as it is an overkill for our needs and suggested instead for a loaded 8core iMac with an 8GB GPU as he claimed "the i9 is super powerful and GPU can handle everything". I did my research and I know for a fact that the base MacPro is exactly what we need as it has enough power to handle our 4K material for editing feature length projects, color grading them and export in high quality masters (from an Fs7, an a7iii and DJI drones) and i also believe that due to upgradability, the Mac Pro will serve us well for the next 10 years.
It made me thinking though, what if he is right and an iMac is good enough for us and will not suffer from any thermal throttle due to the slim chassis and the i9 inside it and also will it last long enough as a main editing machine. Or maybe go with the middle ground solution and get a iMac Pro? Will it also suffer with thermal throttle and due to be 2 years old already, lose the compatibility with macOS and FCPX sooner? Or insist with the base MacPro with its excellent cooling and the ability to swap CPUs and GPUs to improve its performance over the years when its needed?
We also have a couple of pci cards that we want to keep using, a blackmagic that outputs SDI for a broadcast monitor and a RAID controller for our big Caldigit RAID that has valuable archive material for an upcoming project.
Money is a big factor but i believe the longevity will justify the purchase.
Thoughts please? I would like to hear how every machine copes with constant pressure and with heavy projects.

Thank you.

 

[SecuritySteve]

If longevity is your primary concern, and thus are thinking of this investment as stretching your dollar over the longest period of time, I would suggest the Mac Pro. Yes the iMac or iMac Pro might be able to handle today's workloads, but it will not handle tomorrows as well as the Mac Pro will ... and then it is cheaper to upgrade the Mac Pro so that it will.

Dollar to performance over time, the Mac Pro is the best priced investment you can make as a demanding professional.

 

[CE3]

If your manager is advising against it and you‘re only looking at the base Mac Pro configuration, the 2019 i9 iMac is actually capable of better performance than the Mac Pro and iMac Pro in some areas: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/12/17/mac-pro-geekbench-5-scores/

Can the i9-9900K & 580X fly through your 4K footage without breaking a sweat? Yes.

Go with an SSD, 8GB of RAM, and then add up to 128GB yourself.

No, the iMac isn’t user serviceable and upgradable like the the Mac Pro, but a lot of iMac components including the SSD and CPU can be swapped and upgraded relatively easily by a careful and prepared user outside of warranty (of course let AppleCare handle any repairs and maintenance until it expires).

 

[vel0city]

If your manager is advising against it and you‘re only looking at the base Mac Pro configuration, the 2019 i9 iMac is actually capable of better performance than the Mac Pro and iMac Pro in some areas: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/12/17/mac-pro-geekbench-5-scores/

Can the i9-9900K & 580X fly through your 4K footage without breaking a sweat? Yes.

Go with an SSD, 8GB of RAM, and then add up to 128GB yourself.

No, the iMac isn’t user serviceable and upgradable like the the Mac Pro, but a lot of iMac components including the SSD and CPU can be swapped and upgraded relatively easily by a careful and prepared user outside of warranty (of course let AppleCare handle any repairs and maintenance until it expires).

If you go this route, be prepared for insanely annoying fan noise. The iMac WILL break a sweat, and when those fans kick in to keep it cool it will be like sitting in front of a hairdryer. I had one and returned it for this reason, the constant roar of the fans when the CPUs get stressed made it an unpleasant experience.

The iMac Pro and Mac Pro will of course handle your 4k workflow silently.

 

[CE3]

Insanely annoying is pretty subjective and a little over the top for the 2019 model I was referencing and also currently own. I suppose it all depends on the project and your workflow. Fans ramp up for renders but they quiet down in Final Cut too. Yes, the Mac Pro and iMac Pro should be quieter.

 

[joema2]

...I work at a film production company and since our 2010 MacPro isn't capable anymore to edit 4K video due to incompatibility with the latest FCPX due to MacOS ....the manager advised me against buying a base MacPro as it is an overkill for our needs and suggested instead for a loaded 8core iMac with an 8GB GPU as he claimed "the i9 is super powerful and GPU can handle everything". I did my research and I know for a fact that the base MacPro is exactly what we need as it has enough power to handle our 4K material for editing feature length projects, color grading them and export in high quality masters (from an Fs7, an a7iii and DJI drones) and i also believe that due to upgradability, the Mac Pro will serve us well for the next 10 years...due to be 2 years old already, lose the compatibility with macOS and FCPX sooner? Or insist with the base MacPro with its excellent cooling and the ability to swap CPUs and GPUs to improve its performance over the years when its needed?....We also have a couple of pci cards that we want to keep using, a blackmagic that outputs SDI for a broadcast monitor and a RAID controller for our big Caldigit RAID that has valuable archive material for an upcoming project....

The i9 iMac is fast and the Vega 48 GPU isn't vastly slower than the Vega 56 or 64 in the iMac Pro. However -- for professional work you often need lots of connectivity. The iMac Pro has 8 ports - 4 Thunderbolt/USB-C and 4 USB-A, plus 10-gig ethernet. If you don't already have a 10 gigabit NAS you may within a few years. The iMac Pro is much quieter under high load.

The i9 iMac is supposedly quieter than the previous model, but I haven't tested that myself. I do have both 2017 i7 iMac 27 and 10-core Vega 64 iMac Pro, and the difference is night and day. If you might ever need to transport the computer, the iMac or iMac Pro is easy to move via a wheeled case like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07QVMRGJ3

The main advantage of the Mac Pro is upgradability, but that comes at a price. What costs less, the Mac Pro plus upgrades or an iMac or iMac Pro for 2-3 yrs, sell it and get an upgraded one?

The old Mac Pro doesn't handle well the codecs you mentioned, esp. 4k H.264 from the A7III and DJI. It has no hardware acceleration. The iMac, iMac Pro and new Mac Pro use either Quick Sync or the T2 chip. So any of those will be vastly faster on that material than your old Mac Pro.

IF the "big Caldigit RAID" is very old, I wouldn't let that steer your long-term equipment purchase. If the drives are more than 4-5 years old they should probably be replaced and if the chassis is more than 5 yrs old it should probably be serviced and/or the power supply replaced. Re SDI, a Thunderbolt-to-SDI converter is only $145.

The new Mac Pro has vastly more GPU upgradability than the iMac Pro. The value of this is not limited to specialized VFX work. If you use compute-intensive plugins like Neat Video it can make a big difference. If you use Resolve for color grading having a GPU upgrade option can be important.

 

[deconstruct60]

..... and i also believe that due to upgradability, the Mac Pro will serve us well for the next 10 years.
It made me thinking though, what if he is right and an iMac is good enough for us and will not suffer from any thermal throttle due to the slim chassis and the i9 inside it and also will it last long enough as a main editing machine. Or maybe go with the middle ground solution and get a iMac Pro? Will it also suffer with thermal throttle and due to be 2 years old already, lose the compatibility with macOS and FCPX sooner? Or insist with the base MacPro with its excellent cooling and the ability to swap CPUs and GPUs to improve its performance over the years when its needed?

The iMac Pro's window for desupport by Apple probably hasn't started yet. Things go onto Apple's Vintage/Obsolete list "count down" clock when they stopped being manufactured. It isn't a couple of months after they are released and no longer mark or considered "new" on the web site.

The Mac Pro would be supported longer in part because its replacement is highly likely coming later than the iMac Pro's ( probably after 2020 ). Apple may update the iMac Pro in 2020. Perhaps early in 2020 with the substantively discounted Intel W 2200 series CPUs. Or maybe later with something else. If they manage to snore their way into 2021 with the current iMac Pro and Apple updated both Mac Pro and iMac Pro in 2021 then both current models respectively would be on the same "count down" clock. If Apple upgrades the iMac Pro in Feb-May 2020 then the Mac Pro 2019 model is also pragmatically on effectively the same countdown clock.


You probably are not buying more support time by buying a more expensive machine. The primary factor of more would be the slowness of Apple's upgrades more so than the price of the machine. The iMac Pro and Mac Pro will probably get slower upgrades than the iMac. So the iMac will term out quicker. Price isn't really the direct issue. (but Apple will probably upgrade more expensive stuff slower. )

We also have a couple of pci cards that we want to keep using, a blackmagic that outputs SDI for a broadcast monitor and a RAID controller for our big Caldigit RAID that has valuable archive material for an upcoming project.

Those can be covered by external Thunderbolt enclosures. And the major price gap between what is probably the floor for a Mac Pro and those other options is large enough to cover that and more.

If move up to 1TB option of the Mac Pro 2019 as a floor the base price looking at is $6,399

That ball park gets an iMac Pro with:

10 cores ( now. If Intel price cuts lead to pushing more cores into the lower price point then maybe 12 core) versus 8
32 GB ( price point of $6,749 if want to bump to 64 GB since hard to get to).
1TB SSD
Vega 64 16GB HBM VRAM ( versus the 580X with just 8GB in Mac Pro)

You'd have more performance for the same money. Drop down to 8 cores and a Vega 54 ( just better on GPU and would have money for the TB enclosures for the cards).

Money is a big factor but i believe the longevity will justify the purchase.

Adding future cards is available on all three. There is not a huge gap there. Can quibble about neatness and there are differences in how much bandwidth will get to future cards but more cards later is an option with all of them. The other longevity issue os just how long the current Mac Pro was coupled to those two cards ( if they went in relatively around sam time bought that Mac Pro how "future proofed" was that really? )

If short term budget is a constraint middle may be a better option.

The "longevity" of the three systems isn't as important as the tract of how your workload has evovled over the last 3-4 years and what the likely track is for the next 1-2 years. If have been largely stable at 4K for last 3 and pretty high change likely stable for another 3 then iMac Pro would probably be a reasonable compromise if limited on budget. It doesn't have the noise problem others are going to assign to the iMac . There is not a huge CPU gap.


Even Quick Sync may even have a fix is Apple continues to dottle on support for other GPU's fixed function decode hardware.

Intel Unveils Xe DG1 Mobile Graphics in Discrete Graphics Card for Developers

Intel pulls back the covers on its Xe DG1 processors in a discrete graphics card for developers.

www.tomshardware.com

iMac is cheaper path the 3rd party RAM pricing if current Mac Pro is up in the > 32GB range. If capping cost was the highest priority issue then an iMac could work for several years. It has significant compromises though for long running, intense workloads.


But is a "max out iMac Pro" better than a close to entry "Mac Pro" for the workload outlined? Probably not. There the trade offs are shift as you go up the iMac Pro prices. With the two cards, there is a tipping point as add a performance gap over the entry Mac Pro with some small adjustments. With just a few adjustments on the iMac Pro though would be taking a performance gap loss .


If the cameras are going to change to being uniformly being 8K HDR in the next 2 years then the Mac Pro is probably a better option. The starting point would be behind the curve now but substantially more money could be sunk into the system later more effectively than the iMac Pro. ( big jump in RAM or big jump in base display driving GPU).

What is going to happen 5-10 years down the road is largely just hand waving. Unless your workload and projects are fixed in stone that is really hard to really accurately forecast. The worlds changes in funny ways sometimes that isn't on some preconceived roadmap. The buying decisions on what to be using 5-10 years from now should be made 3-7 years from now.

 

[deconstruct60]

If your manager is advising against it and you‘re only looking at the base Mac Pro configuration, the 2019 i9 iMac is actually capable of better performance than the Mac Pro and iMac Pro in some areas: https://www.macrumors.com/2019/12/17/mac-pro-geekbench-5-scores/
....

It sounded as though the manager was more so trying to point out had more options than only replacing a Mac Pro with a Mac Pro. If the workload was going to stay fixed in stone for several more years it would probably work and if revenues were flat (or worse) it would work "good enough" for more than several years.

The fact trying to cover a Mac Pro 2010's workload with a 2012 MBP doesn't exactly scream "I've got $8K burning a hole in my pocket to spend on a new primary production machine". Maybe if it was a 2015 MPB 15" or a 2018 MBP 15" . But if asked what Macs are you are using and the list is entirely comprised of 5+ year old Macs the suggested advice probably will be in the lower end of the iMac , iMac Pro , Mac Pro scale.


The MBP 16" could probably do a passable job on the workload outlined. That is the major difference between the laptop being used here and what is currently in the line up. Lots of folks who don't closely follow tech don't know that and it is an option for more than a few. It is actually somewhat good that not always trying to sell the "max cost" options. If folks want to pay more than can opt to do so, but Apple does enough "pull" of people into price points with how the segment the products. The sales folks just have to pile on top of that.

 

[tpivette89]

If you were getting by until recently with a 5,1... I would consider the iMac Pro as a temp solution. It will outperform the original cheese grater by leaps and bounds (even if you have the 5,1 upgraded). I had a 5,1 and just made the switch... I just couldn't justify the cost of the 7,1 vs the iMac Pro. You can get a brand new (sealed from Apple) refurb iMac Pro base model from OWC for $3500 vs a new 7,1 for $6000. Yes, you get user upgradability with the 7,1, but for an extra $2500? I decided that it wasn't worth the cost difference.

Your opinion may vary, but for almost double the cost, the decision was easy for me. 5k screen, 4X the storage, better performance (base model CPU/GPU)... and if I needed expandability, I could use TB3. This iMac will serve me well for a few years. And when the time comes to sell it for a newer model, it will hold it's value.

Also, I believe the 7,1 will be upgraded soon with PCIe 4.0, newer Xeons, and faster RAM in the next year or so. By that time, my iMac Pro will be due for an upgrade, and then the purchase of a new Mac Pro will make sense when current technology will be implemented.

 

[bsbeamer]

I’m waiting few months for desktop machine decision. MBP16,1 mostly does well with eGPU and TB3. Would seriously consider a MacMini if it’s updated with an i9 and 128GB+ RAM option. Currently considering an iMac and hate myself for it - I don’t want the monitor, just the “desktop” part. Not 100% sure MP7,1 makes sense for my needs, but leaning in that direction depending on W5700X pricing.

 

[fuchsdh]

If you go this route, be prepared for insanely annoying fan noise. The iMac WILL break a sweat, and when those fans kick in to keep it cool it will be like sitting in front of a hairdryer. I had one and returned it for this reason, the constant roar of the fans when the CPUs get stressed made it an unpleasant experience.

The iMac Pro and Mac Pro will of course handle your 4k workflow silently.

I've got an external RAID that's louder than the iMac under most circumstances at work.

I'd obviously love a more silent setup, but it's really not a dealbreaker, especially when the alternative is paying thousands more if you don't need the flexibility that extra money will grant you.

 

[bsbeamer]

BTW, CalDigit dropped support for most of their good RAIDs awhile back like HDPro. Believe 10.9 latest for the PCIe expansion versions. MANY are no longer compatible with Mojave or Catalina unless TB-based.

CalDigit Support Downloads

downloads.caldigit.com

 

[deconstruct60]

....
Also, I believe the 7,1 will be upgraded soon with PCIe 4.0, newer Xeons, and faster RAM in the next year or so. By that time, my iMac Pro will be due for an upgrade, and then the purchase of a new Mac Pro will make sense when current technology will be implemented.

If folks have a real, ground in reality (rather than tech lust) requirement need for a Mac Pro 2019 they should get it. Waiting to 2021 isn't going to help much if need to get real work done in a timely fashion in 2020.

I don't think the price of the Mac Pro (at least first half of price zone ) is going to change radically with next iteration. if $6-11K is hard value proposition for folks now, PCI-e v and a incremental RAM speed bump isn't going to make that suddenly "cheap and affordable". PCI-e v4 has a decent chance of driving the Mac Pro cost up because will need even more high speed single re-drivers and a lot more routing tap-dancing on the main motherboard.

That is unlikely on the timeframe. More likely that the iMac Pro updates in that timeframe than the Mac Pro. The Xeon W 2200 series to do that are in 'shipping' status now. ( updates along W 3200 lines ; second digit is for generation). Xeon SP x300 ( Ice Lake 10nm ) looks to be sliding more past the middle of 2020. The W 3300 variants ( if any) probably would slide at least to end of 2020 (if not further depending upon how production volume goes) . And Apple getting and using them in volume sliding substantially well into 2021.

( the doom and gloom rumors point to Xeon SP x300 now sliding into 2021 itself. )

Throw on top Apple's somewhat dismal record of being able to walk and chew gum at the same time on Mac product updates and Mac Pro will probably be back burnered ( except perhaps for MPX module updates) until the iMac Pro iteration gets out the door. The iMac Pro hasn't iterated in two years. it isn't likely the Mac Pro is going to iterate on a major revision in less time than that. ( 2010-> 2013 and 2013 -> 2019 track record even more so. )

Most likely the Ice Lake Xeon SP packages are largely going to go to the major cloud vendors in second half of 2020 (and maybe a few SuperComputer installs). I'm wouldn't hold my breath on more mainstream volume . The longer it takes Cooper Lake to get out the more likely Ice lake is sliding too ( same SP package).

Even if Apple switched to AMD going forward. The Xeon W equivalent competitor on the next iteration probably would see volume shipments deep into 2021 also. And if Apple goes back into Rip van Winkle mode it would be even longer.

 

[OkiRun]

If folks have a real, ground in reality (rather than tech lust) requirement need for a Mac Pro 2019 they should get it. Waiting to 2021 isn't going to help much if need to get real work done in a timely fashion in 2020.

I don't think the price of the Mac Pro (at least first half of price zone ) is going to change radically with next iteration. if $6-11K is hard value proposition for folks now, PCI-e v and a incremental RAM speed bump isn't going to make that suddenly "cheap and affordable". PCI-e v4 has a decent chance of driving the Mac Pro cost up because will need even more high speed single re-drivers and a lot more routing tap-dancing on the main motherboard.

That is unlikely on the timeframe. More likely that the iMac Pro updates in that timeframe than the Mac Pro. The Xeon W 2200 series to do that are in 'shipping' status now. ( updates along W 3200 lines ; second digit is for generation). Xeon SP x300 ( Ice Lake 10nm ) looks to be sliding more past the middle of 2020. The W 3300 variants ( if any) probably would slide at least to end of 2020 (if not further depending upon how production volume goes) . And Apple getting and using them in volume sliding substantially well into 2021.

( the doom and gloom rumors point to Xeon SP x300 now sliding into 2021 itself. )

Throw on top Apple's somewhat dismal record of being able to walk and chew gum at the same time on Mac product updates and Mac Pro will probably be back burnered ( except perhaps for MPX module updates) until the iMac Pro iteration gets out the door. The iMac Pro hasn't iterated in two years. it isn't likely the Mac Pro is going to iterate on a major revision in less time than that. ( 2010-> 2013 and 2013 -> 2019 track record even more so. )

Most likely the Ice Lake Xeon SP packages are largely going to go to the major cloud vendors in second half of 2020 (and maybe a few SuperComputer installs). I'm wouldn't hold my breath on more mainstream volume . The longer it takes Cooper Lake to get out the more likely Ice lake is sliding too ( same SP package).

Even if Apple switched to AMD going forward. The Xeon W equivalent competitor on the next iteration probably would see volume shipments deep into 2021 also. And if Apple goes back into Rip van Winkle mode it would be even longer.

I would be shocked to see a completely new Mac Pro motherboard in 2021.

 

[Coyote2006]

I would be shocked to see a completely new Mac Pro motherboard in 2021.

Especially it that could not be bought over the apple store to upgrade the MacPro.

 

[fuchsdh]

I would be shocked to see a completely new Mac Pro motherboard in 2021.

I will take the bet we'll see the 8,1 in 2021 if the chips for it exist. I agree with Deconstruct we probably won't be seeing anything besides a mid cycle GPU update in the meantime though.

 

[Coyote2006]

If I compare the prices in the (Swiss) store:

MacPro 12c/48GB/1TB/580: 8,263.90
iMacPro 10c/64GB/1TB/56: 7,099.35

I'd go with the MacPro (as I've already got a bg screen).

I just wonder what the 5700 will cost. I think it might be a better choise over the 580 as you save the TB ports. I guess it will be at around +1600.

 

[now i see it]

My guess:
No update to the current 7,1 for another 3 years.
8,1 price will be the same, base specs will jump up a notch

 

[deconstruct60]

...
I just wonder what the 5700 will cost. I think it might be a better choise over the 580 as you save the TB ports. I guess it will be at around +1600.

AMD’s W5700 lists ar $799 (USA). Covert and + 10% is approx 855 . The Apple W5700X has a upclocked 5700xt chip ( so binned higher ) [ +50 ] , 8GB more VRAM [ +90 ] , and two Thunderbolt controllers [+ 90 ] so around 1125 . Somewhere in range of 900 - 1200 (Swiss ) seems more likely . There is a limit to how far Apple can stretch the pricing here . A regular 5700XT without the ‘extras’ is around 3rd that price . 1600 is close to a fourth .

I think there are lots of folks with Vega II disappointment was priced too high . Apple can try to inflate the W5700X higher to create spin that the Vega II price is some kind of ‘normal’ but that is more likely to fail without the Infinity fabric . Much easier to substitute the mainstream card . ( even more so if AMD iterates there upper midrange later in 2020 ) .

 

[OkiRun]

I will take the bet we'll see the 8,1 in 2021 if the chips for it exist. I agree with Deconstruct we probably won't be seeing anything besides a mid cycle GPU update in the meantime though.

I will publicly crown you, Nostradamus of Mac Rumors, if that happens... meaning a completely new Mac Pro motherboard in 2021. Are you going to use the End of Fall deadline?
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My guess:
No update to the current 7,1 for another 3 years.
8,1 price will be the same, base specs will jump up a notch

When you say ... update... what are you meaning?

 

[th0masp]

When you say ... update... what are you meaning?

Any changes to the base hardware configuration, that's how I understand it. And I agree - this is going to be such a fringe offering in the big picture and was such a difficult birth to begin with that it'll be a long time before they bother looking at it again.

 

[OkiRun]

Any changes to the base hardware configuration, that's how I understand it. And I agree - this is going to be such a fringe offering in the big picture and was such a difficult birth to begin with that it'll be a long time before they bother looking at it again.

We are of the same mind. I will laugh my ass off if a new Mac Pro motherboard is introduced next year - mainly at myself for buying the 7.1!

 

[th0masp]

Given their history with the MP (I investigated buying one first around 2009 and I do remember visiting these forums long before making an account and reading the complaints about lack of updates even then ) that would be the strangest event imaginable. You'd be forgiven for not expecting that one. The MP seems to be traditionally overlooked.

 

[Zdigital2015]

Also, I believe the 7,1 will be upgraded soon with PCIe 4.0, newer Xeons, and faster RAM in the next year or so. By that time, my iMac Pro will be due for an upgrade, and then the purchase of a new Mac Pro will make sense when current technology will be implemented.

The Mac Pro will not see PCIe 4 or anything newer inside of next three years. If you need it, then buy it, and be prepared to love it as it is for a long time. Any update to the Mac Pro is going to require a radically redesigned motherboard because any Xeon with PCIe 4 is going to need a new socket as LGA-3467 is not long for this world. Your upgrade options will be the W-32xx series of CPU currently shipping and that’s it.

I don’t even expect to see PCIe 4 enabled Xeons this year, I don’t care what Intel’s roadmaps claim, they just cannot get it done. Certainly not on 10nm.

If you need it, buy it and use it. The rest is just meaningless.
[automerge]1578790378[/automerge]

I went today to an official Apple retailer to order a replacement battery for my ageing 2012 15" cMBP and I asked the manager there about the new Mac Pro and what are the prices of the entry spec models. I work at a film production company and since our 2010 MacPro isn't capable anymore to edit 4K video due to incompatibility with the latest FCPX due to MacOS we have to use the MacBook pro to edit our hour long projects and it barely does the basic job of editing.
Now, unexpectedly, the manager advised me against buying a base MacPro as it is an overkill for our needs and suggested instead for a loaded 8core iMac with an 8GB GPU as he claimed "the i9 is super powerful and GPU can handle everything". I did my research and I know for a fact that the base MacPro is exactly what we need as it has enough power to handle our 4K material for editing feature length projects, color grading them and export in high quality masters (from an Fs7, an a7iii and DJI drones) and i also believe that due to upgradability, the Mac Pro will serve us well for the next 10 years.
It made me thinking though, what if he is right and an iMac is good enough for us and will not suffer from any thermal throttle due to the slim chassis and the i9 inside it and also will it last long enough as a main editing machine. Or maybe go with the middle ground solution and get a iMac Pro? Will it also suffer with thermal throttle and due to be 2 years old already, lose the compatibility with macOS and FCPX sooner? Or insist with the base MacPro with its excellent cooling and the ability to swap CPUs and GPUs to improve its performance over the years when its needed?
We also have a couple of pci cards that we want to keep using, a blackmagic that outputs SDI for a broadcast monitor and a RAID controller for our big Caldigit RAID that has valuable archive material for an upcoming project.
Money is a big factor but i believe the longevity will justify the purchase.
Thoughts please? I would like to hear how every machine copes with constant pressure and with heavy projects.

Thank you.

Buy the base Mac Pro after confirming that your PCI cards and RAID are going to work with the 2019 model and Catalina, upgrade the SSD to 1TB as someone suggested and then call it a day. You’ll be set for the next ten years and have some additional upgrade options.

If you don’t need the PCIe cards, buy one well-specced iMac and one well-specced mini. Use the mini for basic editing/Compressor and the iMac for color grading - get the Vega 48, though. Either machine is such a huge step up over the 2010 Mac Pro you’ll be floored.

 

[tpivette89]

The Mac Pro will not see PCIe 4 or anything newer inside of next three years. If you need it, then buy it, and be prepared to love it as it is for a long time. Any update to the Mac Pro is going to require a radically redesigned motherboard because any Xeon with PCIe 4 is going to need a new socket as LGA-3467 is not long for this world. Your upgrade options will be the W-32xx series of CPU currently shipping and that’s it.

I don’t even expect to see PCIe 4 enabled Xeons this year, I don’t care what Intel’s roadmaps claim, they just cannot get it done. Certainly not on 10nm.

If you need it, buy it and use it. The rest is just meaningless.

That's why it is a no-go for me. This CPU/PCIe socket is at the end-of-life cycle. Would rather buy when there is an updated socket that has at least a second CPU refresh in the future (as with the 4,1-5,1 models). I feel as though this new Mac Pro is going to be like the 3,1 was (without an immediate update... maybe in a few years time).

For now, the iMac Pro works fine for me... base model vs base model it performs better than the 7,1, as well as being $2500 cheaper. Also, the CPU socket is (theoretically) compatible with the new W-2200 series chips. In a few years when (if) Apple updates the Mac Pro (which they have alluded to with the whole thermal constraint excuse as to why the 6,1 never was), I will purchase.