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My Switch from PC to Mac? Chances are slim :(
- Thread starter Gunga Din
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I totally agree with this. The cost of computers has rapidly declined while the cost of SOTA processors, for example, have been relatively stable. Thus, by the time your processor has become old enough to justify a replacement, you're going to spend almost the cost of a new computer just to swap it out.
A new Intel Core 2 Duo is around $300.00 (depending on the version you can spend $160 - $900), and by the time you buy a new heat-sink and spend the time wedging the thing into your old box...
And that's just for a processor upgrade.
As for hard-drives, as said above, a FW800 1TB is a fantastic peripheral and many other options can be had with USB (EyeTV for example).
I think upgradability is a bit of a chimera really.
Always buy the best you can possibly afford, IMHO, it will save you money down the road as the machine will stay within your requirements for longer.
where are you looking?
C2D 2.4GHz = $129,
4GB of ram = $85 (this is OCZ overclocking ram too, not cheap garbage samsung ram)
new mobo $65? ive seen some SLI boards for $80
upgrading is way better than buying a brand new system
and when you max your system out you just overclock to surpass current machines.
a 2.4GHz c2d (cheapest one) can outperform quad cores on Aircooling, even on the stock cooler, most ppl overclock it to an easy 3GHz most ppl get it to 3.8GHz with no problems (still on air cooling but with a big heatsink)
A lot is not MOST.
MOST computer users today have never seen the insides of the boxes they use, just like MOST people don't do their own oil changes and never look under the hood of their cars.
Why do you think they have places like Geek Squad?
B
I completely agree. One of the things I had to get bash into my thick head when I made the switch. I would also agree with the idea to get your Dell PC and a mini. My mini with 512MB RAM and a 1.83GHz Core Duo runs fine on OS X, and is quite productive, even more than you'd think. I hope, OP, that you end up getting some Mac of some sort; it'd be a real shame if you didn't.
46 lbs(Mac Pro) vs 2.9 lbs (Mac mini)
Getting the low end Mac Pro is a waste of money IMHO. He'd be better off getting a Dell and the lowest Mac Mini for the same price.
He'd be getting both worlds.
A PC for gaming and the Mac for everything else, that's what I'm doing at least.
Instead of getting two lower end computers just get one computer such as a mac pro and use boot camp or VM ware to boot both OSs.
Yea, my PC still works well. I'm not sure a new Dell would really make a difference to me. But a new Mac paired with my Dell would. Plus your right, I could use the Mac Pro as a back up for gaming when my Dell dies.
Just need to wait till MWSF. If nothing is announced to change my mind....I'm going Mac Pro FTW ! To hell with it, if i'm going Apple, i'm going all out !!
Your posts have convinced me to go Mac Pro or nothing. I just can't decide between the 4 core and 8 core.
I was looking at Newegg, actually. But, still add up the parts for Mobo, heat-sink, hard-drive, optical drive, memory...and you're usually within striking distance of buying a new machine. Plus, time is money, so unless you enjoy jacking around with this stuff, you have to take that into account.
Yes, but compared to the larger segment of the population, almost no one upgrades their machine. I count all the people at my work, at my freelance gigs, and everyone I know and I can count two who would attempt to upgrade a machine, not including myself. Of course people do it, and I've done it for fun and profit, but it's not nearly as important as it once was, and for most people it's an utterly unnecessary requirement.
Frankly, I'd rather have fast, quiet, and reliable, rather than an easy upgrade. And, furthermore, most home-built machines are utter crap, a sum that's less than its parts because few people take the time to put systems together. Rather, they just throw fancy parts at the wall and hope they stick.
I've been using computers since the old Radio Shack, PET, Commodore days with data stored on cassette tape. I remember when the Commodore 64 and the Apple II were the best computers available. I've owned Radio Shack TRS80, Apple IIs, Radio Shack MS-DOS, Dell, and several other PC based computers including my Gateway that just crashed. Why I ever changed from Mac, I'll never understand. Even when Mac had a little B/W in a rectangular box, it was better than any PC in it's time. Yes, I realize that to some of the younger generation I may be someone whom they think doesn't know anything, but I have a lot of experience with computers, far more than most. BTW -- My new iMac is fantastic!!!
IMHO Upgrading old machines is a waste. It just adds new "stuff" to an "old" technology. Every time I "upgraded" one of my computers I found that the upgrade didn't do all that was promised because the older technology of the rest of the computer components couldn't handle the upgrade. I've also found that upgrades can be more expensive than simply buying a new computer.
IMHO Upgrading old machines is a waste. It just adds new "stuff" to an "old" technology. Every time I "upgraded" one of my computers I found that the upgrade didn't do all that was promised because the older technology of the rest of the computer components couldn't handle the upgrade. I've also found that upgrades can be more expensive than simply buying a new computer.
One upgrade I made to my PC was a new video card for $250. It made a hell of a difference. Thats probably the best component you can upgrade.
Hard drives would be another option if yours is having problems or one that is faster or holds more data. But other than that, I agree, most upgrades would not be cost effective.
P.S. C64 was my first too, so we are both old lol
I have another suggestion for the OP. First I want to say I think the Mac Pro is a great choice. I will also say that you should have probably come into the Mac PRo forum for advice, as the folks who frequent this section aren't nearly as knowledgeable on a topic where a pro workstation is involved.
Now, it seems that you are a student. If that is the case, I recommend the student ADC membership: http://developer.apple.com/membership/hardware.html
It is $99 to join, you get a copy of the current OS (Leopard) and monthly mailings with sample code and what not. You do not have to have a computer oriented major. You must only be enrolled in school and fax them verification of that.
The discounts are much more significant in the ADC store. For example:
Stock Mac Pro: $2239, $560 savings
8800GT upgrade: $160
So your cost would be: $2498, including the $99 ADC membership
Now you are forced to buy online, which means you will pay tax if you ship to your state. I would recommend you take the option of shipping it to a friend in the tax free state.
In your prices for the stock Mac Pro, being bought in the tax free state did that include the 8800GT? I am guessing no since they probably won't have a model with the 8800GT. Which means you would be forced to buy online.
Anyhow, you can view the store by working through the link I gave you. There you can figure out which one would work out better. Overall though, if you can beat the tax you are much better off than most with any of the discounts. You would be the best off with ADC + tax free.
Now, it seems that you are a student. If that is the case, I recommend the student ADC membership: http://developer.apple.com/membership/hardware.html
It is $99 to join, you get a copy of the current OS (Leopard) and monthly mailings with sample code and what not. You do not have to have a computer oriented major. You must only be enrolled in school and fax them verification of that.
The discounts are much more significant in the ADC store. For example:
Stock Mac Pro: $2239, $560 savings
8800GT upgrade: $160
So your cost would be: $2498, including the $99 ADC membership
Now you are forced to buy online, which means you will pay tax if you ship to your state. I would recommend you take the option of shipping it to a friend in the tax free state.
In your prices for the stock Mac Pro, being bought in the tax free state did that include the 8800GT? I am guessing no since they probably won't have a model with the 8800GT. Which means you would be forced to buy online.
Anyhow, you can view the store by working through the link I gave you. There you can figure out which one would work out better. Overall though, if you can beat the tax you are much better off than most with any of the discounts. You would be the best off with ADC + tax free.
I'm not a student, my wife teaches at a College, so the EDU is through her. Of course she's holding the discount above my head like the freaking Holy Grail. So, i'll most like have to pay for it one way or the other lol.
Yes, I thought about shipping it to a friend in the tax free state, but thats only if I wanted to get the single quad option. Otherwise i'll drive to the retail store there and get the stock version. I don't see many people going for the single quad option though. Guess its tough to really decide without benchmarks etc, but the 8 Core would most likely give me the better value for only $300 . Plus if I ever resell it will be more valuable.
One more thing, I may just get the ATI card for now. I called the retail store and they dont have any 8800gt's in stock. I dont want to wait 3-5 weeks.
I was just wondering if they will upgrade the card from an 8800gt if something better comes out later. Maybe not ship with a new Mac Pro , but as a stand alone upgrade kit. Does Apple do this? Will I be able to buy a better compatible vid card in say 6-8 mo time?
I don't need the 8800gt yet, only if my Dell breaks and I need to game a bit on my Mac as back up.
I was just wondering if they will upgrade the card from an 8800gt if something better comes out later. Maybe not ship with a new Mac Pro , but as a stand alone upgrade kit. Does Apple do this? Will I be able to buy a better compatible vid card in say 6-8 mo time?
I don't need the 8800gt yet, only if my Dell breaks and I need to game a bit on my Mac as back up.
Apple has no interest in making a "mid-range upgradable" computer!!! Thats what the shizbox Dell machines are for. If you don't like Apple's offerings hit the freakin' road! They would destory their entire product line by placing some vanilla flavored mediocre box in the middle.
So sick of hearing people yak about this stupid point. Do you not realize that half of the reason Apple is where it is at market wise comes from the fact that they have a very distinct and deliberate product line.
If they have a bunch of consumers modding and "upgrading" a mid range tower, their reliability and simplicity go out the window.
And people like me are tired of hearing this rhetoric as well. It wouldn't hurt apple's product line nearly as much as people think. There is definitely a substantial market for people who want a machine that is between the iMac/Mini and the Mac Pro. You can't really upgrade a mac pro beyond what Apple provides except for hard drives and memory which are much cheaper from anyone else than Apple.
Everyone doesn't want an all in one nor do they want a workstation. Adding storage and memory to a mac pro is one of the easiest things I have ever seen in a tower and if they were to make a mid tower with a consumer chipset and processor(quad core penryn of course) that has the ease of upgrading the only two components you can upgrade(video cards are supplied by apple unless you flash the bios of a card to work with OS X which means you will get no help from apple regarding it).
Honestly, a headless iMac with the power of a single chip Mac Pro w/8800gt is exactly what I am looking for and I am pretty sure they would sell more of them than they did the Mini in the same time if priced right. I love the Mac Pro in many ways, but I don't like paying for workstation hardware when I don't need it, but I may be forced to do so.
Yea lol ! I've already accepted the fact that there will be no mid range headless option. Its ok, i'll just have to work a little overtime to get the Mac Pro
.I will be picking up a new Mac Pro after Macworld (want to see if the displays are updated), and I thought about backing off to the quad option. If you look at the difference, $500 ($400 in my case with the ADC discount), the 2.8 chip costs $797 or so right now. By the end of the year, it will probably get a cut like the Clovertowns did down to $690 or so.
Right now we are dealing with the assumption that you should be able to add another quad core in the empty slot. So lets say in three years you want to do that, it will probably run you best case $600 new, this is assuming you can find them new easily at that point. If not, you would probably have to get a used chip running you at least $400.
Of course, these are very rough numbers. Essentially I don't find the saving to be worth it, this is how it was with the original Mac Pro. The 2.0 downgrade was there to offer a cheaper option for those who didn't quite have enough, but that downgrade was not as cheap as it should have been and was used to subsidize the stock Mac Pro. Just like the upgrade options are there to subsidize the stock Mac Pro.
I wouldn't take the route of buying the stock model and a 8800GT later, as the 800GT costs $350 alone. If you can wait, wait for the 8800GT to be available. One of theories is that, since the new kexts (drivers) are in 10.5.2, Apple is waiting til they drop the update to release the Mac Pros with the 8800GT. Which explains the long shipping times in the store right now. Since 10.5.2 will most likely be released after Macworld, I would say within a few weeks the 8800GT will be available at the stores and online orders shipping faster.
Good luck to you. As I said, I am picking up a Mac Pro next week. Be sure to get your RAM and HDs from a 3rd party.
You want a quad core Mac Pro with 8800 that is priced like an iMac. Not going to happen. This machine costs more than iMac, well, because its more powerful than the iMac.
To rephrase this a little more loosely. Take the cost of the iMac's monitor and put it into the CPU and GPU. You get a more powerful (though not Mac Pro powerful) box, for roughly the same cost as an iMac.
Yeah I doubt it will happen, but that's not going to stop those of us who would buy one in a heartbeat if they released it now (and who never would have gone the PC route if it had existed in the past) from griping about it.
Stock with 8800GT. I didn't order yet though, I am waiting to see if the ACDs get updated.
Just bought a stock 8 core 2.8GHz Mac Pro with AirPort... and lemme tell ya, this thing is sweet
Just bought a stock 8 core 2.8GHz Mac Pro with AirPort... and lemme tell ya, this thing is sweet
Nice, I'll think about the 8 core this week and decide. I was leaning towards the single quad but maybe for future proofing the 8 core would be a better deal now.
Hey JNC you a birmingham supporter? Man Utd here. I was in Manchester 2 yrs ago for a match. It was alot of fun.