MP 1,1-5,1 Should I upgrade my 2006 Mac Pro 1,1 or get a newer one?

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I’ve got a 2007 Mac Pro 2,1 that I bought new in 2008 for 25% when CompUSA was going out of business. That’s back when Apple products weren’t available for any discount anywhere aside from educational discounts, so I was pretty happy with it.

I upgraded it to 16GB RAM shortly after when aftermarket RAM first became available to Macs. As you know, those are upgradable to 32GB but the aftermarket RAM still wasn’t the cheapest and I was happy with 16GB. Since then, RAM has slowly died off and I have 4GB that is working now. From what I understand, that is normal. If not, please let me know.

My use of the machine was heavy from 2008-2014 for business. I commonly used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop as well as iMovie. I’m also guilty of using tons of web browser tabs simultaneously, so RAM and processor strength is good for me to have. These days, I’m not exactly running a video lab or anything like it, but I do like processing speed and ability to heavily multitask.

Other than the RAM upgrade, the only things I added to it were Bluetooth (that was intensely delicate to do but such a great addition) and a 1TB hard drive (extra) that I’ve pretty much used as a Time Machine backup.

From 2015 through now in 2019, this excellent machine has been a piece of furniture in my house. To say I’ve got my money’s worth would be a vast understatement. However, we all know how awesome and upgradable these machines are. They’ve far outlasted what Apple even planned for their longevity.

Given all that, I have renewed my interest in extending my use of this Mac Pro. I have a fully-loaded MBP laptop from 2015 that just got free out of warranty replacements from Apple of the SSD, display, and logic board. Therefore, I have what’s pretty much a brand new laptop with no plans of putting money to a new one in the near future.

Instead, I’m looking to spend a few dollars to get this Mac Pro 2,1 upgraded as much as reasonably possible to today’s standards. OR, I am willing to invest a little bit more in a newer Mac Pro (2009-2012?) that’s a lot more bang for the buck with less of a ceiling than the 2,1 has.

Obviously, I’d go full tilt with 32GB RAM. I’d also go SDD for one of the hard drives. Perhaps new processors (or newer used ones) and a better graphics card.

Should I stick with putting a few bucks into the 2,1 or a few more into a newer Mac Pro? I’m willing to get used upgrades in good condition, so I’m sure that helps what I’ll get for my dollar. My goal is maximum performance for my aforementioned needs, with longevity in mind, recognizing that I have a robust MBP for a laptop, and that I have no need to spend four digits.

Also, in another thread, I’m going to ask a similar question about my mid-2010 Mac mini Server that I’m contemplating a similar revival for. Man, is that thing slow right now! Keep in mind when answering this post that I also have that machine. If there’s any way to economically maximize my fleet of Macs, let me know.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

 

[howiest]

Recycle it, or give it to someone. It's hard to even make an argument to upgrade the 4,1/5,1 Mac Pro's at this point. But if you can get a good deal on one of those, I would argue that they are still valid and very useful... but only for a couple/few more years.

There's literally thousands of us who are wondering where to park our computer cash after our Mac Pro's breath their last breath, and there's many threads that cover those concerns. In the end it comes down to money.

 

[macguru9999]

Best models are the 2008, 2010 and 2012. ie the 3,1 5,1 . The 2006 1,1 has some pretty fundamental limitations that make it not worth upgrading. I kinda like the 2008 but i would not buy one now. I have seen alot of 2009 4,1 fall over with backplane issues so no. The 2010 is a solid reliable mojave machine with the right ssd and graphics. The 2012 is the same thing but a bit pricier on ebay. I was lucky to get one but its the same as a 2010 really so THATS the mac pro to get if you like them and obviously you do

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Thanks, guys.

Howie - Yes, it does come down to money. I’m considering throwing a few hundred dollars into the 2,1 or 500 or so into a newer MP (2008+). Do you advise against going these routes? Even with purchasing used parts? I don’t want to run my MBP into the ground and it also only has 500GB storage. I like my MP and Mini Server for a few reasons, one of which is storage. I also like having a robust desktop to work out of at home.

Macguru - So 3,1 and 5,1 are good, but not the 4,1? What do you think is a good price for a 2010 and with what processor, etc.? I may lean in that direction if it’s that much better. May as well spend in the 500 ballpark and get a ton more than putting 300 or so into my 2007 model.

Thanks again and please, keep the comments and thoughts coming. I value what you folks have to say and appreciate your time.

 

[macguru9999]

I am in Australia but over in the US 5,1 models with a single processor tray (what you need) seem to start around $500usd. If you can get one with a metal compatible card all the better but I would start with between a quad 2.8 and a hex core 3.33 and upgrade as required. Get one that is fairly clean and not one upgraded by someone else. Dont get a flashed 2009 model. You do not need a dual processor model unless you are processing video alot, but you will need a metal compatible graphics card when you upgrade your osx. Initially, you could probably just move your lion HD over to the new box and take it slowly while you collect the bits you need.

 

[pertusis1]

If you can hang on until the Mac Pro 7,1 comes out, I’m guessing some really nice 5,1s will become available from people hanging on waiting to upgrade.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I am in Australia but over in the US 5,1 models with a single processor tray (what you need) seem to start around $500usd. If you can get one with a metal compatible card all the better but I would start with between a quad 2.8 and a hex core 3.33 and upgrade as required. Get one that is fairly clean and not one upgraded by someone else. Dont get a flashed 2009 model. You do not need a dual processor model unless you are processing video alot, but you will need a metal compatible graphics card when you upgrade your osx. Initially, you could probably just move your lion HD over to the new box and take it slowly while you collect the bits you need.

Thanks for the further details. How much do you think I’ll be putting into this in the end for money if I’m looking to get where I want to be?
[automerge]1570275703[/automerge]

If you can hang on until the Mac Pro 7,1 comes out, I’m guessing some really nice 5,1s will become available from people hanging on waiting to upgrade.

When is that? Is it the new version of the cheese grater after they’re moving on from the trash can cylinder version from 2013?

 

[defjam]

At this point it's difficult to recommend putting any money into a 2,1 (which is essentially a 1,1). It's even getting more and more difficult to recommend any cMP unless it can be picked up for a good price.

Based on what you've outlined in your OP an entry or mid-level Mac Mini would be my recommendation.

 

[majus]

When is that? Is it the new version of the cheese grater after they’re moving on from the trash can cylinder version from 2013?

Sometime between today and January is best guess. Apple says "this Fall" but deadlines sometimes do go awry.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

At this point it's difficult to recommend putting any money into a 2,1 (which is essentially a 1,1). It's even getting more and more difficult to recommend any cMP unless it can be picked up for a good price.

Based on what you've outlined in your OP an entry or mid-level Mac Mini would be my recommendation.

Thanks for your thoughts. Incidentally, I have a mid-2010 Mac Mini Server. It lacks SSD and has only 4GB RAM. I was contemplating increasing the RAM to 16GB and replacing one of the two 500GB SATA hard drives with a SSD.

That Mini is operating incredibly slowly now that I’ve got High Sierra loaded on it. I’m told this is primarily due to a lack of SSD to boot and run off of.

My similar question (as the nature of this post) is what to do with that Mini. Should I upgrade the RAM and SSD or just get a late-2012 Mini Server with SSD, full RAM, not to mention better processors, multiple cores, and USB 3.0 instead of 2.0?

I know that’s a question for the Mini forum, but you brought it up. I feel as if I’ve underused the Mini Server since owning it. I imagine a reality where I’m using it to backup all my machines (MP, MBP) in a fashion described here: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-2007-mac-pro-2-1-or-get-a-newer-one.2203666/

Thoughts on all of this now?

 

[iluvmacs99]

I’ve got a 2007 Mac Pro 2,1 that I bought new in 2008 for 25% when CompUSA was going out of business. That’s back when Apple products weren’t available for any discount anywhere aside from educational discounts, so I was pretty happy with it.

I upgraded it to 16GB RAM shortly after when aftermarket RAM first became available to Macs. As you know, those are upgradable to 32GB but the aftermarket RAM still wasn’t the cheapest and I was happy with 16GB. Since then, RAM has slowly died off and I have 4GB that is working now. From what I understand, that is normal. If not, please let me know.

My use of the machine was heavy from 2008-2014 for business. I commonly used Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop as well as iMovie. I’m also guilty of using tons of web browser tabs simultaneously, so RAM and processor strength is good for me to have. These days, I’m not exactly running a video lab or anything like it, but I do like processing speed and ability to heavily multitask.

Other than the RAM upgrade, the only things I added to it were Bluetooth (that was intensely delicate to do but such a great addition) and a 1TB hard drive (extra) that I’ve pretty much used as a Time Machine backup.

From 2015 through now in 2019, this excellent machine has been a piece of furniture in my house. To say I’ve got my money’s worth would be a vast understatement. However, we all know how awesome and upgradable these machines are. They’ve far outlasted what Apple even planned for their longevity.

Given all that, I have renewed my interest in extending my use of this Mac Pro. I have a fully-loaded MBP laptop from 2015 that just got free out of warranty replacements from Apple of the SSD, display, and logic board. Therefore, I have what’s pretty much a brand new laptop with no plans of putting money to a new one in the near future.

Instead, I’m looking to spend a few dollars to get this Mac Pro 2,1 upgraded as much as reasonably possible to today’s standards. OR, I am willing to invest a little bit more in a newer Mac Pro (2009-2012?) that’s a lot more bang for the buck with less of a ceiling than the 2,1 has.

Obviously, I’d go full tilt with 32GB RAM. I’d also go SDD for one of the hard drives. Perhaps new processors (or newer used ones) and a better graphics card.

Should I stick with putting a few bucks into the 2,1 or a few more into a newer Mac Pro? I’m willing to get used upgrades in good condition, so I’m sure that helps what I’ll get for my dollar. My goal is maximum performance for my aforementioned needs, with longevity in mind, recognizing that I have a robust MBP for a laptop, and that I have no need to spend four digits.

Also, in another thread, I’m going to ask a similar question about my mid-2010 Mac mini Server that I’m contemplating a similar revival for. Man, is that thing slow right now! Keep in mind when answering this post that I also have that machine. If there’s any way to economically maximize my fleet of Macs, let me know.

Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Aside from what you are describing and that is you do a lot of multitasking and opening up a lot of tabs, you can probably upgrade your 2,1 a bit to modernize it or speed it up a bit without sinking a lot of money into it. I would not recommend you buying the 3,1/4,1/5,1 unless you have specific uses as they are just as old as yours if not by a few years younger.

I think you need to first update the aging Lion OS to a hacked El-Capitan OS. That brings you a lot of modern functions so you can use your web browser more effectively. While El-Capitan lost its security support last year, it is still a good operating system. Upgrading the 2,1 to SSD will definitely speed it up. Maxing the RAM to 32Gb will help multitasking a lot and RAM for the 2,1 is dirt cheap today. Upgrading your video card may help, but it depends on what applications you are trying to use. The 5,1 is only useful if you are planning to do a lot of 4K video editing, since it can accept some modern GPUs and official supports Mojave. The problem with all the Mac Pros is that the single core performance really sucks and if you don't use applications that don't harness the multi-core/multi-thread of the Xeons, then those aging Xeons are considered slow by today's standard.

In regards to the Mac Mini 2010; you can upgrade it with SSD and max the ram. Otherwise, it has pretty limited usage with a Core 2 Duo other than using it as a file server. My Mini 2011 has dual boot and is used as a file server and a digital asset management server (for my collection of photos and videos) for both my Mac Pro and Macbook Air. I also run Lint Mint OS (a Linux OS) on my Mini when I'm not using it as a server and since it has long term security support till 2025, I can use the Mini for web browsing, banking and stuff at home and use the Macbook Air for out and about. If you run say Lint Mint OS or Ubuntu on your Mini 2010, then it will surely be running faster than a comparable Mac OS. I gave my dad my old Macbook Core 2 Duo and I turned it into an Ubuntu 14 LTS machine and he loved it so much. When he was running Snow Leopard with Artic Fox web browser, he couldn't get into some of his banking sites and was frustrated he couldn't do any critical online banking investment. With Ubuntu and latest FireFox, it works like a new machine and much faster than Snow Leopard did. If you're not into Mac OS specific and willing to turn your Mac Pro 2,1 into a Linux machine, then you can really do some amazing things with it. The memory footprint with Linux is much lower than Mac OSX. Take my Mini 2011 for instance; with only 8Gb of Ram, I am left with only 1Gb of free ram with El-Capitan. With Lint Mint OS, I am left with 5Gb of free ram so everything is so much faster. Chrome, FireFox and multiple tabs.

I volunteer in a computer thrift store and we routinely re-position many older computers to run either Ubuntu or Lint Mint OS as they can run faster, has current security support till 2024 and it's free. Most of the apps you find on the Mac is available on Linux as well. Some people turn the Mac Pro 1,1 and 2,1 into Linux machines as they are better running that.

Hope this helps.

 

[defjam]

Thanks for your thoughts. Incidentally, I have a mid-2010 Mac Mini Server. It lacks SSD and has only 4GB RAM. I was contemplating increasing the RAM to 16GB and replacing one of the two 500GB SATA hard drives with a SSD.

That Mini is operating incredibly slowly now that I’ve got High Sierra loaded on it. I’m told this is primarily due to a lack of SSD to boot and run off of.

My similar question (as the nature of this post) is what to do with that Mini. Should I upgrade the RAM and SSD or just get a late-2012 Mini Server with SSD, full RAM, not to mention better processors, multiple cores, and USB 3.0 instead of 2.0?

I know that’s a question for the Mini forum, but you brought it up. I feel as if I’ve underused the Mini Server since owning it. I imagine a reality where I’m using it to backup all my machines (MP, MBP) in a fashion described here: https://forums.macrumors.com/thread...-2007-mac-pro-2-1-or-get-a-newer-one.2203666/

Thoughts on all of this now?

Before I could provide any guidance regarding the Mini I would need more information as to what you intend to do with it (I didn't see anything about this in the Mini forum, if you posted it can you please provide a reference?)

 

[ssgbryan]

For a 2,1: A pair of low power quad cores will put you back about $40. A 1TB SSD will put you back around $100. A PCIe 3.0 card to hold the SSD will also put you back about $75.

Video card will be the biggest issue - Modern video cards don't work on OSX. AMD has moved to Navi, no OSX drivers. Nvidia is on the 1600 series and the 2000 series, no OSX drivers. The Apple video drivers do not appear to have any of the AMD optimizations that have been added to the Windows drivers to extend the life of the upper 400 & 500 series of cards (470, 480, 570, 580).

I own a flashed 4,1 (well, I actually own 2). It isn't worth hanging onto long-term. I'll be salvaging parts to go into a home media server (video card, Esata card, PCIe 3.0 card, ram, HDs) add to a low power HP Z series workstation.

It has been a great 19 years, but I use my computer do do things, and staying on a platform for nostalgia purposes isn't worth it anymore.

 

[howiest]

Thanks, guys.

Howie - Yes, it does come down to money. I’m considering throwing a few hundred dollars into the 2,1 or 500 or so into a newer MP (2008+). Do you advise against going these routes? Even with purchasing used parts? I don’t want to run my MBP into the ground and it also only has 500GB storage. I like my MP and Mini Server for a few reasons, one of which is storage. I also like having a robust desktop to work out of at home.

I found a 2009 4,1 for $295.00 about 8 months ago. I mostly bought it for parts in case my main upgraded cMP has troubles down the road. So I would say that you keep an eye out for a blow-out priced 4,1 in your local listings and perhaps online (although shipping these beasts can be a nightmare).

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Update:

Lucked out today and got a late-2012 Mini Server (2.3GHz, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD) for only $425. It's in pristine shape and I'm stoked to have this.

Also, my Mac Pro is a 1,1, not a 2,1. Just saw that today with a serial lookup.

Getting the deal on the Mini helped out my situation being caught between a mid-2010 Mini Server and Mac Pro 1,1 both needing upgrades to remain functional to any capacity. Like I said before, I have an early-2015 MBP (3.1GHz, 16GB RAM, 500GB Flash) that is my powerhouse on the move and needed to fortify a desktop unit for use at home and bigger projects.

I truly appreciate your input so far, have read through all the great responses, and have a new few questions now. Feel free to answer any or all of these. Here they are:

• Are there any possible and feasible upgrades to the 2012 Mini I just picked up? Seems that it's loaded and topped out. That's ok if so and why I got it.
• How do I optimize it for the main gateway to my master storage of data across my other machines and drives? Open-ended question, I know. But I'm turning to the brain trust to give me ideas.
• What to do with the 2010 Mini Server now? I'd imagine at worst, it's a nice looking external drive I can sync with the new one. It's got double 500GB SATA drives and 4GB RAM. If it's not my main machine now, is it worth maxing out the RAM and throwing in a SSD as the main drive? What are the benefits to that given my situation? It seems that the machine is worth next to nothing on the trade market as is and barely more if I were to upgrade it.
• What to do with the Mac Pro 1,1 now? Should that also be a massive storage chest for data? I had 16GB RAM in it until most of it went bad and now I'm left with 4GB working. If this is a storage chest now, do I need more RAM and a SSD in there? I'd imagine the fans will be going nuts and unit running hot if not. I think I have 1.25TB total of storage capacity now with two more main slots open plus card slots for additional drives. Do I need to upgrade it to USB 3.0 as to not slow data flow coming into it? For kicks, I got a pair of used CPUs for $30 online to max it out to 8-core. Same as the previous bullet, does the makeup of my data receptacle matter much if my main server is robust like the 2012 Mini is?
• The seller of the Mini today threw in a number of items, one of which was an AirPort Extreme 802.11n (5th Generation). Is this worth integrating in what I'm describing above or should I invest in the newer 6th gen? From what I can see, the only difference between the two is lack of Time Machine backup in the 5th gen. Does that mean I can't link my multiples machines, all of which do have Time Machine on them for one master volume of data?
• I used to be big into home theater a decade ago before things really picked up with tech integrated in the home. Trying to get back into it. How can I effectively do this with the 2012 Mini Server, AE 5th gen, and my other machines plus two Vizio TV displays that seem to be friendly to Air Play and BT usage?
• Does anyone have any other ideas I'm not thinking of based on what I have for machines and what I'm setting out to do overall?

Thanks in advance for your time and thoughts, again. You are all being very helpful and I hope to contribute equally to this forum in time, as I just joined. Mac for life since 2003 when I got my hands on a G3 Pismo.

 

[ssgbryan]

Re 1,1 - I'd throw a 120Gb ($20) ssd in it as the boot drive (lower optical bay, using one of the unused SATA ports on the logiic board. Add 4 large HDD in the 4 sleds - 4Tb drives are about $100 each.

For grins & giggles, replace the 2 dual core CPUs with a pair of low power (50 watt) Xeon Clovertowns (L5335) $10 each. Throw a copy of windows 10 on it, along with a GT 1030 and you now have a 4K media power house.

 

[dfritchie]

I fully upgraded my MP 1,1 a few years ago hoping to extend its useful life a bit. A year after doing so I built a hack inside my old G5 case (See below). The biggest problems with the old MP's is your electric bill, those things use alot of power! Plus it would raise the temp inside the room 15 degrees, the A/C could not keep up with that thing! I will probably build another hack inside the MP, as I like the case a lot.

 

[ssgbryan]

Power draw is why I recommend replacing the CPUs with a pair of L5335 Xeons. They only draw 50 watts each. 8 cores, 8 threads.

 

[raymanster]

Update:

Lucked out today and got a late-2012 Mini Server (2.3GHz, 16GB RAM, 500GB SSD) for only $425. It's in pristine shape and I'm stoked to have this.

Also, my Mac Pro is a 1,1, not a 2,1. Just saw that today with a serial lookup.

Getting the deal on the Mini helped out my situation being caught between a mid-2010 Mini Server and Mac Pro 1,1 both needing upgrades to remain functional to any capacity. Like I said before, I have an early-2015 MBP (3.1GHz, 16GB RAM, 500GB Flash) that is my powerhouse on the move and needed to fortify a desktop unit for use at home and bigger projects.

I truly appreciate your input so far, have read through all the great responses, and have a new few questions now. Feel free to answer any or all of these. Here they are:

• Are there any possible and feasible upgrades to the 2012 Mini I just picked up? Seems that it's loaded and topped out. That's ok if so and why I got it.

I have a similar 2012 Mini but not a server version, I added an SSD to the existing HDD. You could do that (add an hard drive) if you really want, but it's quite an involved process. You've already got maximum ram and an SSD so there is not much else to upgrade hardware-wise, just enjoy!

I have a 2009 4,1 Mac Pro with 30" Cinema display, it only gets used occasionally. My 2012 Mini is my home server (Plex etc) and my Ipads are mainly used for email, browsing etc.

Nevertheless I like my 2009 4,1 and will keep it around for a long time yet and will be doing the unofficial Catalina update.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Thanks for more great responses. I have more questions as a result.

I got a pair of 3.0Ghz 5365 processors to bring it up to 8-core. This cost $30. I’m about to do the install in the next couple days. Two questions I have on that are is it ok if the serial numbers on the two processors themselves are different, and will running the machine on these waste a lot more electricity than the 5335’s mentioned above?

Also, for $35, I have 32GB RAM coming (8x4GB) of 667. If I update firmware to 2,1 and with the new processors, could I later on go to the 64GB limit that the 2,1 has over the 1,1? Not sure I’d be needing more than 32 though, but just asking.

Was able to get an ATI Radeon graphics card upgrade locally for next to nothing, so that’s out of the way now.

Seems to be all that will be left to get the most out of this machine is a PCIe SSD? How about the XP941? Should I get separate SSDs for boot and home drives? Keep in mind, I won’t be using this machine a ton compared to the late-2012 Mac Mini Server I just picked up.

I do plan on filling the slots with higher TB drives, all the same brand and model for synergy. Just have to find the right price.

Lastly, I’m shopping some Time Capsules locally and will be getting either 2TB or 3TB to tie all my machines into.

Keep the thoughts and advice coming, and thanks again!

 

[defjam]

Assuming you're referring to X5365 processors then yes, they will consume more power than the L5335 processors. The X5365 processors have a TDP rating of 150 watts whereas the L5335 processors have a TDP rating or 50 watts.

Increasing memory capacity will also increase power consumption.

Whether the increased power consumption is worth it would depend on what you intend to do with the system. Sadly 1,1 systems, while solid systems, are, relatively speaking, power hungry and can generally be outperformed by modern, lower power options (such as the Mac Mini). I still have my 1,1 and have no plans to remove it from my collection however it doesn't have a real purpose which results in anything other than occasional use.

 

[bb_mac]

I guess this depends on where you can source a 5.1 from. Where I live, in the UK, if you are lucky you can get one on eBay for around £500 which is about USD $600 - but personally, I think that is way too steep a price for most the configurations you see - that price is generally the lower end spec.

I got real lucky, a former employer was clearing out their IT support storage area, getting rid of 22 Mac Pro's of varying ages and configurations. Managed to grab three of them, one of which has 2 x 2.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon processors - the one I'm using now. I've got a spare 5.1 under my desk in case this one fails and gifted the other to a buddy.

So, maybe it's worth putting some feelers out there for office IT clearances - although that's probably a long shot?

I've had my primary 5.1 for about 3 years now and over that time, have spent about $500 on it - video cards, RAM and SSD. I've just upgraded the video card from an Nvidia to a Radeon RX 580 so I can run Mojave.

So, to really bring a 5.1 up to speed, you'll be looking at easily another $200 to $300 - depends what you want to run on it? Sounds like you don't want the latest OS, as your MBP has that for you.

I have no idea how long these Mac Pros can last for - they do seem pretty much invincible - so maybe just keep the 2.1 purring along and if you really absolutely want to upgrade to a later macOS version, you could always go down the 'semi hackintosh' route - I did that with my old 2.1 (which I've sold) - but it wasn't really that stable, because .... well, because 'hackintosh'

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

I’ve got not need to run later OS than El Cap on the 1,1 (well, soon to be 2,1) since I can run Catalina on my MBP and 2012 Mini.

The 32MB RAM arrived early and was installed yesterday. PRAM was reset and it’s showing the full new total. The processor upgrade is next. As said, I have the 5365s ready to install, just need to review technique and get some of the tools. I can get a pair of 5335s locally for about $40. I’m on the fence between the power usage and the speed differences between the two.

In honesty, it’s hard to let go of the Mac Pro due to nostalgia and it’s only now that I’ve got around to really improving it. I probably shouldn’t put much more cash into it since I have the other machines, but it’s good to have as a resource if I’m doing something heavy on Adobe or with video.

This will be an occasional use machine in addition to storage. If I can learn more from you guys on building a home network then I’ll be able to link it with my other machines through AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule.

I don’t mind putting $30 here and there to it a couple times before it’s much better than it ever was when I used it daily. Aside from that, this is all great education learning from you all and I am enjoying getting more hands on with these projects.

As for getting a 4,1 or 5,1 at a good price, I live in the SF Bay Area. You can find any certain tech items here for real short money if you have patience.

 

[defjam]

Spending money on something you enjoy doing is just, if not more, a valid reason for doing it because you have to. As someone who enjoys older systems I have spent a lot of money on systems / upgrades that will never have any form of return on the money spent other than the enjoyment of doing it. If that's the position you find yourself in then I say do it.

 

[CaliforniaDreamin]

Well said! I agree

A primary function of speaking with you knowledgeable folks is finding out ways to maximize utility of my “hobbying” and learning. More or less ensuring that the end result offers me increased performance and practicality for a machine that’s not my daily driver or a core component of my system other than storage and occasional use for purpose.