Mac Pro or iMac (when new models come out)

[dylanbrown]

Hey all,

I have been saving up for a good few months, as I'm going to be buying a new iMac when they come out in January (Hopefully).

I was thinking (referring to the line-up right now) of getting the 3.06GHz model - something that would last me well and do anything I pretty much throw at it.

I'm not (as yet) doing any Final Cut stuff, PhotoShop etc - but will be doing so in the future... and I had one question.

For the money I might (might) be able to stretch the budget for a Mac Pro (without a display).

I am the kind of person who likes to upgrade the computer, and the Mac Pro is just so easy to upgrade. The iMac however, all you can upgrade is the Memory!

So if you were thinking between two Mac's - the high-end iMac, or the standard spec (8 core) Mac Pro - which at this time would you go for.

And also, does anyone know of a nice 24" monitor that's quite cheap? Nothing completely ugly!

 

[nylon]

I currently have a 1st gen Mac Pro and it certainly has some serious staying power. In terms of longevity it's an excellent choice. I also have a 30" Dell display hooked up to it.

However, I definitely don't need the power of this machine and am looking to simplify my setup. As such, I am looking to sell my existing setup and streamline to a new iMac when they are released. However, this will depend upon a few things.

1. Core i7 cpu
2. Quality of Screen (hopefully the iMac will be LED)
3. Design change to hopefully assist in user HDD replacement.
4. Cost

I will also be investing in a DROBO if I purchase a iMac.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[dylanbrown]

Yes - so my plan was to get a nice iMac, purchase a Drobo for it, then maybe 6 months later buy a Mac mini as a "Media Center Mac" to hook up to my TV as a replacement to my  TV. Although if I was to get a Mac Pro, I wouldn't be able to afford any of this!

It's just a question of, do I need the power? No not at the moment, in the future definitely (ie in a few years)

Would I like to upgrade graphics card, hard drives etc? Yes.

Any other replies would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Rt&Dzine]

Since you're not planning on buying the current models, why don't you wait to see what the new Mac Pros and iMacs will offer.

But to answer your question. I had to make this decision a few months ago and went with a refurb 4-core Mac Pro. It's probably overkill for me. But the upgradability, and choice of display were the selling points. I tried out the iMac in a few different stores and didn't care for the display.

I should add. Some knowledgeable people say you should not to buy a single processor Mac Pro with the intension of adding another processor later. It's not cost effective and will void your warranty.

 

[dylanbrown]

Yep, I was definitely going to wait until MW 2009 to see what comes out of it, and it was at that point I was going to be buying an iMac.

I absolutely love the design of the iMac, and I really do like the display.

Although I am an absolute idiot, because I would probably pony up for an ACD if I was to get a Pro!

This would obviously put the price way up! Just wondering, what display do you use with your Mac? And, for the money do you think the ACD's are worth it?

 

[wheezy]

I recently bought an 8-core Refurb 2.8 for $100 more than a single 4-core new would be, and it's a LOT of power. Enough to last for several years (which was part of my plan). My main desire for a MacPro though was due to an awful lot of RAM and 4 internal HDD Bays. I don't need all the power I have; yet. I do photography and web design and I'm glad I can stuff more than 4-6GB of RAM in my system to keep Aperture happy and use other apps too without much beachballing. I also plan to buy a 5D mkII which does 1080P video so I'll venture into Final Cut Express sometime next year, so once again I'm glad I have more than enough power to tap into.

The iMac is nice if you're occasionally going to play into more hardware intensive tasks, but if you'd like to get more serious why not just buy the top model if it's a possibility?

PS - I use two Dell Monitors (higher quality panels, not the cheap bargain monitors) and they work great!

 

[MrJingles]

The iMac is nice if you're occasionally going to play into more hardware intensive tasks, but if you'd like to get more serious why not just buy the top model if it's a possibility?

If your just doing graphic/web design (mild Photoshop, Flash, Indesign, Illustrator ETC) an iMac would suit you better. (I bought the alum 20in and an 8bit 24" matte display for my main screen) the MacPro would be serious overkill and 2x as much once you add ram, 2nd hard drive, wireless card and screen.

I think if you get into serious Photoshop usage (panoramic, 3+ GB files) HD video editing (more cores and 4 HD's will come in very handy) or 3D design then most certainly a MacPro should be at the top of your list.

 

[Tallest Skil]

1. Core i7 cpu
2. Quality of Screen (hopefully the iMac will be LED)
3. Design change to hopefully assist in user HDD replacement.
4. Cost

1. The Mac Pro will get Nehalem. The iMac will get Montevina. No Nehalem for the iMac until late Q3 2009.
2. If Apple wants to meet their own expectations, it will be.
3. Probably not. Don't count on any design change at all.
4. I want to say the same. It will probably be more.