I can't seem to make my mind on this one and would appreciate any suggestions or advice. I have just received a 2006 (1,1) Mac Pro. Dual 2.66 Xenons, 5gb of ram and 1tb of storage and the 7300GT. I have enough lose change to upgrade to CPU's to an 8 core system and a 5770 GPU. Or I could sell the system on ebay and combine that with the money I have and get an mac mini. I am a light to moderate gamer Civ V, Portal and the like. I also do some fairly light video editing in iMovie. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Old Mac Pro VS New Mini
- Thread starter the-doctor
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Either machine probably suits your needs.
However, if you want to have the current technology (Sandy-Bridge, Thunderbolt, Bluetooth 4.0, Sata III, etc), I would suggest you to sell the old Mac Pro and get a 2011 Mac Mini.
Moreover, if you need the power of a Mac Pro and your budget allows you to get a new Mac Pro, then you may want to wait for the updated Mac Pro line (since the current Mac Pro line is obsolete in technology). You can use the old Mac Pro while you are waiting for the new Mac Pro.
However, if you want to have the current technology (Sandy-Bridge, Thunderbolt, Bluetooth 4.0, Sata III, etc), I would suggest you to sell the old Mac Pro and get a 2011 Mac Mini.
Moreover, if you need the power of a Mac Pro and your budget allows you to get a new Mac Pro, then you may want to wait for the updated Mac Pro line (since the current Mac Pro line is obsolete in technology). You can use the old Mac Pro while you are waiting for the new Mac Pro.
While they might be the same speed (I reckon) you'd probably do better with the newer technology in the Mini. Thunderbolt for one. That will be amazing as soon as a hub station comes out for it 
Mini. Comes with 1 year warranty, add the AppleCare and you won't have to spend any more $$ for at least 3 years, except for optional upgrades. Buy a nearly 6 year old Mac Pro, and figure on at least one major repair bill in the next 3 years.
Plus.... in a couple of years the Mini will still be worth some $$ if you decide to sell it and upgrade the system. The Mac Pro is not going to be worth nearly as much in a couple of years.
But a refurbished Mini, and in a couple of years and with a little luck you'll get 90% of your purchase price back. If you are aiming for a Mac Pro, then just make sure all of the peripherals for the Mini can be transferred over to the Mac Pro. It's what I did. I bought a refurbished Mini, base level specs, and ran that for a couple of years. But it started to push some serious peripherals as I added equipment. When I finally started bogging down the Mini beyond my patience, I shopped for Mac Pro - got a good deal on one - and didn't have to spend a single $ more since everything attached to the Mini had actually been purchased with a Mac Pro in mind.
The Mini was retired to jukebox duty, and still runs to this day.
Luck.
Plus.... in a couple of years the Mini will still be worth some $$ if you decide to sell it and upgrade the system. The Mac Pro is not going to be worth nearly as much in a couple of years.
But a refurbished Mini, and in a couple of years and with a little luck you'll get 90% of your purchase price back. If you are aiming for a Mac Pro, then just make sure all of the peripherals for the Mini can be transferred over to the Mac Pro. It's what I did. I bought a refurbished Mini, base level specs, and ran that for a couple of years. But it started to push some serious peripherals as I added equipment. When I finally started bogging down the Mini beyond my patience, I shopped for Mac Pro - got a good deal on one - and didn't have to spend a single $ more since everything attached to the Mini had actually been purchased with a Mac Pro in mind.
The Mini was retired to jukebox duty, and still runs to this day.
Luck.