New Mac Pro configuration — RAM & monitor connection

[bigsnowdog]

I am buying a new Mac Pro, as a next in a series of Macs I started in 1985 with a Plus. Next came IIci, 8600, and G4.

Regarding RAM for the new Mac Pro; is it a lot cheaper to buy extra and install it myself, as opposed to including it in the new machine order?

I admit to not understanding the three choices regarding monitor connections available during the configuration process. Does the computer not come stock with any sort of monitor connection, and you have to pay extra for connection points, or....what am I missing?

Thank you....

 

[cluthz]

I am buying a new Mac Pro, as a next in a series of Macs I started in 1985 with a Plus. Next came IIci, 8600, and G4.

Regarding RAM for the new Mac Pro; is it a lot cheaper to buy extra and install it myself, as opposed to including it in the new machine order?

Yes it is!

I admit to not understanding the three choices regarding monitor connections available during the configuration process. Does the computer not come stock with any sort of monitor connection, and you have to pay extra for connection points, or....what am I missing?

Thank you....

It does come with a video card:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, PCI Express 2.0, one Mini DisplayPort, and one dual-link DVI port.
Which will allow you to connect two screens.
You might need a miniDP to DVI adapter if you need two DVI screens connected.


Anyways, you are replacing a PowerMac G4?
Why not consider a iMac with 27 inch screen and a i5/i7 CPU instead,
it's more performance for the money.
The MacPro is a workstation, and unless you do heavy duty video/photo/3D stuff I really don't see the need to spend that much money on a Mac Pro over an iMac.

Also unless you need it now I'd wait a bit if you really want a Mac Pro, since there will probably be major updates within a the next two months.

 

[bigsnowdog]

Yes it is!


It does come with a video card:
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory, PCI Express 2.0, one Mini DisplayPort, and one dual-link DVI port.
Which will allow you to connect two screens.
You might need a miniDP to DVI adapter if you need two DVI screens connected.


Anyways, you are replacing a PowerMac G4?
Why not consider a iMac with 27 inch screen and a i5/i7 CPU instead,
it's more performance for the money.
The MacPro is a workstation, and unless you do heavy duty video/photo/3D stuff I really don't see the need to spend that much money on a Mac Pro over an iMac.

Also unless you need it now I'd wait a bit if you really want a Mac Pro, since there will probably be major updates within a the next two months.

There are a lot of acronyms and terms I do not know. What is a mini-display port? Is that a small connection point or is it for a small monitor? You are saying it offers two connections, one each for two different kinds of connection?

What is DVI?

I did strongly consider an iMac and a Macbook Pro. I do publication design and prepress, so I use Photoshop and other graphics programs. The operating system made possible by the Intel chip will allow me to run AutoCAD and Solidworks. I fear a lack of expandability might bite me later.

As for waiting, from what I read the next offering will be more money, and I am on the edge as it is. And for other reasons, I am not sure I want to wait. I want to make the improvement from the G4 and my current software to what will be possible with the Mac Pro.

Regarding video cards, you can choose from quite a selection. I am unclear as to how I should proceed on that. It is useful to know the thing to do is wait on the RAM. Thank you...

 

[Cynicalone]

What monitor will you be using with the Mac Pro?

I ask because it needs to be a factor in the graphics card choice.

 

[bigsnowdog]

What monitor will you be using with the Mac Pro?

I ask because it needs to be a factor in the graphics card choice.

Thank you very much for introducing that topic. I have no monitor, but will buy one. As much as I would love a large Apple monitor, I am thinking my budget will not allow for it.

My requirements include the use of photoshop, although I am not a high end operation, so my requirements for that are not as rigorous as some businesses might express.

A vague answer would be a 20-22 inch monitor, but realize that is not the sort of answer you seek.

Doing other research this morning I learn I believe I want an IPS type of monitor. I can spell IPS, but don't have much ability to describe the meaning of it. I would like high resolution, rather than low.

Do you have thoughts on this?

 

[cluthz]

DVI is the standard connector on most monitors, so you could hook up one without any extra hardware.
Apple 24" LED display is mini DP.
If you want two standard monitors you need one adapter, if you only need one monitor, then you are good to go!

If you aren't doing any color accurate work, then you can get very nice 24+ inch TN monitors pretty cheap.

 

[bigsnowdog]

DVI is the standard connector on most monitors, so you could hook up one without any extra hardware.
Apple 24" LED display is mini DP.
If you want two standard monitors you need one adapter, if you only need one monitor, then you are good to go!

If you aren't doing any color accurate work, then you can get very nice 24+ inch TN monitors pretty cheap.

Because I may do more accurate color in the future, I would like to accommodate that at least to some degree, and not get the worst monitor type.

 

[Cynicalone]

I use Apple Displays.

Many people here use Dell Displays.

If I had to tell you what graphics card to get I would say get the ATI Radeon 4870. It gives you one DVI port for most displays not made by Apple and one MiniDisplay Port for any future Apple Displays you might want to add.