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Ready to buy new mac pro

F

Filterthing

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Sep 12, 2009
2
0
Hey all,

I am just about to pick up the quad 2.66 mac pro and noticed that this site recommends only buy if you need. Judging from those dates, it looks like we can expect a new one by January. I know this is a pretty lame question, but does anyone know when the new ones are really due and what they might be offering that is different?

Thanks in advance
 
With something like the Mac Pro; it's a truly buy only if you need system; that should apply at all times.
 
New MacPros=Intel Gulftown's release, most likely. Apple wouldn't break something that's working for them. Look for mid-2010; Apple's roadmap matches Intel's now in their computer division.

Supposedly they will have 6 cores and be produced on a 32 nm process.
 
Interestingly enough, I do kinda of need one. So it sounds like a change could be a bit far off. I suppose there is never a great time to buy.

thanks
 
I'm in the same boat. I really don't want to spend this much money for that much power, especially when it's at the latter end of the cycle.

Anybody else think mid 2010 or will they drop the 8 core 2.26 slug soon?

I need the 2.9 octo but I just can't frigging pay that much...
 
if you need it, buy it.

every year a new mac, when is the best time to buy?

if you want your machine to be unique for 10 months.. you'll have a 2 months "buy window"

seems kinda idiot.. if you can use it, buy it. you could doubt when the current one is already 11 - 12 month on the market
 
The reason this question keeps coming up is due to the current value/$ of the Nehalem machines (around twice the profit margin compared to the previous generations even at the initial higher chip costs).

For a business purchase, the decision is easy: it is a simple cost/benefit analysis. Buy the machine that you need when you need it and don't look back.

For non-business purchases it becomes less clear. I need a new machine myself. At the current time, no income will be derived from said machine and Apple has a HUGE gap in their product lineup. You can either buy laptop hardware, or server hardware - Apple doesn't currently sell a true desktop system. For someone like myself that needs the power and expandability of a high end desktop/low end server, the current Mac Pros are hard to swallow. A price drop for the 4 cores or a CPU shuffle for the 8 cores would make the current lineup a lot more reasonable.
 
Bartman01 said:
For non-business purchases it becomes less clear. I need a new machine myself. At the current time, no income will be derived from said machine and Apple has a HUGE gap in their product lineup. You can either buy laptop hardware, or server hardware - Apple doesn't currently sell a true desktop system. For someone like myself that needs the power and expandability of a high end desktop/low end server, the current Mac Pros are hard to swallow. A price drop for the 4 cores or a CPU shuffle for the 8 cores would make the current lineup a lot more reasonable.
Click to expand...

Completely agree. Until this generation of Mac Pros I would update my PowerMac/Mac Pro every couple of years and I'd buy the "best" which pretty consistently cost around £2,500. With this generation that will only buy the entry level version (the single cpu machine is just a sop and doesn't count). So I've held off buying a new Mac Pro. Probably will carry on delaying now I've discovered that my 1st gen Mac Pro can take the 4870 graphics card.

Apple got a bit too greedy and thought they could charge a ludicrous premium for getting the new cpu early.
 
Take a look at Craigslist and at Apple's refurb site - if you don't need cutting edge you can save a ton of money.
 
Chimpy said:
Take a look at Craigslist and at Apple's refurb site - if you don't need cutting edge you can save a ton of money.
Click to expand...

I have. Apple is still selling the 2008 models at 2008 pricing. Criagslist around here is even worse. Most of the machines up there are old models worded to make them look like 2009 models unless you are paying close attention. The one octo 2.8 2008 system I have seen is priced at near $3000 without much in the way of upgrades.
 
3K USD is nothing. Some noob bought a friend's MacPro, 2.8 GHz w/ 4GB of RAM and a 750 GB HDD for $4000. Its ludicrous.
 
Keep watching Craigslist. A 2008 should pop up between 1750 and 2200. Just give it time and keep watching.... Good systems even pop up on ebay for that price on occasion.



Bartman01 said:
I have. Apple is still selling the 2008 models at 2008 pricing. Criagslist around here is even worse. Most of the machines up there are old models worded to make them look like 2009 models unless you are paying close attention. The one octo 2.8 2008 system I have seen is priced at near $3000 without much in the way of upgrades.
Click to expand...
 
KP Nuts said:
I need the 2.9 octo but I just can't frigging pay that much...
Click to expand...
Try to locate a 3.2GHz '08 Octad model, in either used or a refurbished. They're just as fast, or faster than the 2.93 Octad '09 models, and are less expensive.

They have a few other advantages as well, such as the ability to install a hardware RAID controller without the need for an adapter to use the HDD bays. EFI64 firmware is a major one, as it's already needed to run newer graphics cards that only contain 64bit firmware, and to use a 64bit Kernel (needed for future versions of OS X). It doesn't have the problem with a software stripe (RAID0) on the ICH10R found in the '09's either (660MB/s limit has been discovered). Upgrade components can be found easily, and inexpensively, including the 800MHz FB-DIMM memory it uses.
 
There is no plausible explanation or reason for anyone-noob or otherwise to part with $3000-$4000 for a 2008 machine. Check the deal I got in my post "Guess what I'm doing tonight?" :D

Yeah! 3.2 2008 is way to go but they are like hens teeth. In fact I think they are mythical beasts now :) I went to my local Apple Store and asked them to sell me the 3.2 on display before I got my 2.8. They flatly refused. Their loss! :p
 
xiovoix said:
There is no plausible explanation or reason for anyone-noob or otherwise to part with $3000-$4000 for a 2008 machine. Check the deal I got in my post "Guess what I'm doing tonight?" :D

Yeah! 3.2 2008 is way to go but they are like hens teeth. In fact I think they are mythical beasts now :) I went to my local Apple Store and asked them to sell me the 3.2 on display before I got my 2.8. They flatly refused. Their loss! :p
Click to expand...
They're still available in the Refurbished Section on Apple's US site. Price is $3299USD. Not exactly the cheapest machine (it was available at other sites for less $$$, but they've all sold out), but it's still better than the 2.93GHz '09. ;) Performance is at least on par. :D

It seems a no-brainer, really. :p
 
I see also that the 1st Generation of Mac Pros are near an end and this would put it about a month until the 2nd Generation Mac Pros come out? Is this really an estimate? Maybe XMAS? I was looking to get a 2.26 Octo with 12 Gigs RAM, Radeon Card. Any issues with this configuration and wouldn't the new Mac Pros work better with SL anyway than a 2008 model?
_____________________________________________________________

Product Mac Pro
Recommendation: Buy only if you need it - Approaching the end of a cycle
Last Release March 03, 2009
Days Since Update 200 (Avg = 236)
 
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