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Do you regret your nMP purchase?

  • Yes

    Votes: 4 33.3%
  • No

    Votes: 8 66.7%

  • Total voters
    12

swamyg1

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
234
76
I put a lot of research, effort, and money into my nMP purchase. I decided to go with a 8 core D500 machine. I left my SSD and ram as the base config, since I purchased an aftermarket 1tb SSD and 64gb of ram from OWC. I also got a 4 disk Thunderbay 5 from OWC. My machine was never as speedy as my 6 core hackintosh, but I was OK with it since it was my new “dependable” workhorse, and my first real Mac besides iMacs I bought for my office staff and a Macbook Pro.

3 months after using my machine I started experiencing ethernet issues. A week after that I experienced an issue after upgrading to 10.10.4. Opening iTunes would crash my machine. So I did a clean install, same problem. Went to Apple store, and had to leave my machine for engineering to test because the same problem happened booting into an image on the network. 8 days later they call me and tell me they cannot figure out the problem, so they are building me a new machine, which will take another 8 to 10 days.

Don’t mean to rant, I’m just pissed. I reconnected my hackintosh and am majorly regretting my purchase. I understand there is no way to predict hardware issues, but that Mac Pro just wasn’t worth it. This hackintosh is a powerhouse and a workhorse, and the issues I experience from time to time pale in comparison to RMAing a machine, and being overly frustrated with the entire experience of buying a nMP. Perhaps I should have bought a non-trashcan version or a retina iMac.

I’m thinking of selling it along with all the other equipment, I can recoup some of the 8k I spent. It would be nice if Apple would just give me a refund. Are there any other options for me? Anybody have any good advice for me? Has anybody had problems with their New Mac Pro?
 

Tucom

Cancelled
Jul 29, 2006
1,252
310
I would definitely stick with the nMP. There are tons and tons of people who have no issues whatsoever. Just give it time, be patient (I know that can be super difficult) and I think you'll end up appreciating your purchase.
 
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ixxx69

macrumors 65816
Jul 31, 2009
1,294
878
United States
I put a lot of research, effort, and money into my nMP purchase. I decided to go with a 8 core D500 machine. I left my SSD and ram as the base config, since I purchased an aftermarket 1tb SSD and 64gb of ram from OWC. I also got a 4 disk Thunderbay 5 from OWC. My machine was never as speedy as my 6 core hackintosh, but I was OK with it since it was my new “dependable” workhorse, and my first real Mac besides iMacs I bought for my office staff and a Macbook Pro.

3 months after using my machine I started experiencing ethernet issues. A week after that I experienced an issue after upgrading to 10.10.4. Opening iTunes would crash my machine. So I did a clean install, same problem. Went to Apple store, and had to leave my machine for engineering to test because the same problem happened booting into an image on the network. 8 days later they call me and tell me they cannot figure out the problem, so they are building me a new machine, which will take another 8 to 10 days.

Don’t mean to rant, I’m just pissed. I reconnected my hackintosh and am majorly regretting my purchase. I understand there is no way to predict hardware issues, but that Mac Pro just wasn’t worth it. This hackintosh is a powerhouse and a workhorse, and the issues I experience from time to time pale in comparison to RMAing a machine, and being overly frustrated with the entire experience of buying a nMP. Perhaps I should have bought a non-trashcan version or a retina iMac.

I’m thinking of selling it along with all the other equipment, I can recoup some of the 8k I spent. It would be nice if Apple would just give me a refund. Are there any other options for me? Anybody have any good advice for me? Has anybody had problems with their New Mac Pro?
I guess you're ranting, which is okay, it sometimes makes us feel better. But after you get that out of your system, you just need to be analytical about it and ask yourself what you really want and whether it makes sense to change your gear considering the money you've already spent, or to just stick with what sounds like a great computer setup and use this experience for the next time.

I get the impression you just have buyer's remorse, regardless of whether you got a bum nMP. So at this point, you have to decide whether it really makes sense to sell all that gear, likely at a loss.

BTW, the nMP is as good a Mac as any other. You might have gotten a dud, but that can happen with ANY piece of hardware. It happens. And i guess we'll just have to assume that the aftermarket replacements (or any of your other gear) had nothing to do with it?
 

ActionableMango

macrumors G3
Sep 21, 2010
9,612
6,907
I've had a lot of bad hardware in my life. If I swore off of a company every time I had a piece of hardware go bad, I'd have nobody left to buy from.

Also, you put third party hardware into the computer. Since the problem wasn't identified successfully, it's possible that the problem lays with the third party SSD or RAM and isn't due to bad Apple hardware at all. In fact, the problems you describe could easily be bad RAM.

Apple is rebuilding your computer under warranty. I'm not sure what more you could ask for; not a single Mac Pro going bad, ever? Even when third party hardware is installed?
 
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cerberusss

macrumors 6502a
Aug 25, 2013
932
364
The Netherlands
I think we've all been bitten by a lemon, even when buying a premium brand such as Apple. I had the white MacBook with the chipping keyboard and the cracking outer shell. Of course, the store I bought it from, wouldn't replace it (not an Apple store, just a generic electronics store).

Since then, I decided I didn't want to depend on a single machine, and I decided I also don't want to spend a day without a Mac. Thus I've never bought the top of the line, but always kept enough budget. When it breaks, I bring it back to the store and immediately buy a new one.

I put my backup back on the new one, and continue working as though nothing happened :) When the old one comes back, I sell it second-hand, noting that it has been repaired. No stress, no worries :)

Life is too short to get mad about hardware :)
 

swamyg1

macrumors regular
Original poster
Dec 11, 2007
234
76
I agree with all of you. There's no way I would swear off Apple because of this incident. Hardware problems are always unexpected and unavoidable, there is no way to prepare for them except being safe with your data. Thank goodness Apple is a remarkable company regarding customer service and support. I liked the machine at first, but then I had regrets spending that much on a machine that was barely better than my hackintosh, and the repair issue just reminded me of my regrets. Then I started using my backup, which is my hackintosh, and I was totally content.

Anyway, the outcome was good for me. The store manager actually offered to give me a full refund since I said I have no use for that machine anymore, which I don't. I was surprised, and I thought about it for 2 days, and decided to accept. 5 months later, a full refund of $6400 and change. I'm pretty happy about that, and I feel very lucky.

Maybe I'll consider a nMP after the next rev, but for now my hackintosh benches more than my nMP ever did and I'm happy with it. Lesson learned that I should really follow my instinct wihtin the first 14 days. Got lucky this time.
 
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cohen777

macrumors regular
Jul 23, 2009
131
26
Lakeland, FL
I have had no problems with my 2013 Mac Pro (nMP). The only problems I have had have been with Yosemite, but no hardware problems. If Apple or any computer company produces x number of machines, then y number (hopefully a very small number) will have some sort of problem. The key is for the company to stand by their product, and in your case you are getting a new machine. Sounds like something on the motherboard was crossing paths and causing intermittent problems.
 

flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
I’m thinking of selling it along with all the other equipment, I can recoup some of the 8k I spent.
if that's the route you go, do it sooner rather than later.
everybody is still in the dark about 7.1.. once there's a pre-release announcement, or release, or even a solid rumor-- you're going to get less than you can now for it.

---
edit
well nvrmnd. (post #6)
 

flat five

macrumors 603
Feb 6, 2007
5,580
2,657
newyorkcity
Maybe I'll consider a nMP after the next rev, but for now my hackintosh benches more than my nMP ever did and I'm happy with it.
what software are you running? are you positive a quad or 6core wouldn't be the better choice?
(idk.. 8core + nmp is too expensive for single seat pros imo.. save the few thousand and let your render cook for an extra 6 minutes.)
 
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