thanks for the info
looks like my debt total will be a lot smaller then i had anticipated sweet
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The 2009 (Gainestown) Mac Pro: Everything We Know
- Thread starter Tallest Skil
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thanks for the info
looks like my debt total will be a lot smaller then i had anticipated sweet
Can you buy a GT 120 separately from the Online Apple Store yet? You can't get one BTO with the Radeon 4870 as your card.
Goooooood question!
I'd say the safest thing would be calling 'em up and see what they say.
I mean, it's obviously technically possible.
Another option would be asking your nearest Apple Store.
I've been reading all I can on these new MacPros for quite some time. Now that they're out and I'm starting to plan my purchase, I'm having trouble with one aspect: RAM.
I keep reading things about triple channel and Apple is offering either 3GB or 6GB of RAM standard. This all makes me think that having either three or six memory modules makes the most sense. However, I see someone like Tallest Skil (who has researched the carp out of these things) talking about ordering 8GB of RAM and I wonder why he's not going with either 6GB or 12GB.
I'd like to understand this better. It seems to me that 6x2GB might be a nice compromise. Heck, even Apple's prices aren't outrageous for RAM; I might be tempted to just order this. Am I right in thinking that three or six modules give the best bang for your buck? Does filling all eight slots mean you get optimum performance for the first six slots and reduced performance for the last two? If so, do the last two slots gain you anything?
I know that there has been a fair amount of discussion on this, but Ive had a hard time figuring out the bottom line. If anyone can enlighten me, it would be much appreciated.
I keep reading things about triple channel and Apple is offering either 3GB or 6GB of RAM standard. This all makes me think that having either three or six memory modules makes the most sense. However, I see someone like Tallest Skil (who has researched the carp out of these things) talking about ordering 8GB of RAM and I wonder why he's not going with either 6GB or 12GB.
I'd like to understand this better. It seems to me that 6x2GB might be a nice compromise. Heck, even Apple's prices aren't outrageous for RAM; I might be tempted to just order this. Am I right in thinking that three or six modules give the best bang for your buck? Does filling all eight slots mean you get optimum performance for the first six slots and reduced performance for the last two? If so, do the last two slots gain you anything?
I know that there has been a fair amount of discussion on this, but Ive had a hard time figuring out the bottom line. If anyone can enlighten me, it would be much appreciated.
Yeah, I didn't test that just now. But I don't remember it being heavy at all. After you start a thread about it (before you buy) if no one answers you with knowing specifics PM/Mail me and I test that extensively for you.
I think the Quad would certainly be enough off hand but it's kind of a rip. You're getting a machine based on the 3500 series chip in a system which is very close to identical to an i7 system costing a good $1000 less. (more actually). The quad Mac Pro maxes out at 8 Gig memory and cannot add a second processor. 4 drive bays, 2 CD bays, One W3520 $284 2.66 xeon, and a bitchen case.
I'm not so sure that's such a good idea. <shrug>
Thank you Tesselator for offering your help. I noticed aswell, that I could also buy a PC and install OSX on it. But I hate this hackintosh ****, if there is anything broken im going to need looking for what it is etc. and I don't really know if it will work 100% good with a hackintosh. So I had a selfmade PC a few years ago and had like such experience with the PC. That would be nice if you could test it with 96 KHZ ! You could try 5 Audio tracks and 10 Synths incl.drums or something like that. only if you want . That would be HARDCORE
best regards
I was limiting the issues listed to what I recall seeing with a stock base model '08 MP. No add ons whatsoever.Hmm, I never even heard of those ones. I had a slight issue installing some 10.4.x update. It was a firmware update and I boot from a RAID. It couldn't be installed without some weird (now forgotten) trick. Oh and I guess the NEED for a utility like smcFanControl because Apple is so afraid someone will hear their machines that they're willing to sacrifice component integrity is kind of an issue.
But other than that... nothing but the lack inexpensive RAM and video card options.
I have an early 08 box. It's a wonderful piece of engineering! Seriously!
The limited graphics cards I consider "Apple tax", so a buyer should be aware of it, provided they do their research first.
RAID can cause all kinds of problems. Software updates, and firmware updates can kill it, irrespective of what components are used. quite a range of issues can come up, from major to minor niggles.
As for the "wonderful peice of engineering" bit, it's not the worst I've seen, but the issues can be difficult to get around. Cables in particular. Adapters/extenders may not be available, and the only solution is to hack the existing wiring.
(i.e. the power cables to the HDD's are too short to reach some RAID cards). Not everyone would be willing to do that. It's a little cramped, and the cooling could use improvement. SMC Fan Control helps immensely, but it isn't written by Apple. Fortunately, it a 3rd party managed to develop it, as it helps tremendously. Apple bases their max memory and HDD limits not on absolute limits of the technology (capable), but what parts they can or are willing to get their hands on. In the case of DDR3 Unbuffered 1 and 2GB sticks are common, and 4GB sticks are the largest that's available ATM, and I've only seen them in Registered. But we'll see 8GB sticks intended for servers, and possibly 16GB sticks, provided there's enough demand, as they'd obviously be very expensive. The technology to make them is already in place.Someone said it can't be done and that ONLY 1gb or 2gb sticks would work in the 4-core model. Ermmm, I think it was Apple who said it.
Actually I know a lot of people in the clothing business, photography business and so far they have slightly raised their prices for services and products. Its incremental and for Apple $500 is incremental to them for a $2800 machine.
I mean in the clothing business a $29.99 pants would go up to $34.99 nothing amazing in increase but people who are shopping still feel it.
It all starts from wholesale, the big wholesalers raise their wholesale prices and so does retailers to match their profit earnings, its simple as that.
Wow that is expensive, I could live rent free for a year!!... I know you've been saving for a long time.. but I would just get something good enough and stick most of that amount in my savings for the future (unless you have a bit already tucked away in the savings then go right ahead with the beast, of course thats just me)!
Hope you get the benchmarks for us!
Maybe... WHY is their only 4GB DIMM option EIGHT of them?!
Seriously, maybe I just want TWO of them for now!
Does their RAM buyback apply to the newest Mac Pro RAM? How does that work; can I just send my RAM to them in the box in which their RAM came?
Developer discount. I worked it out; the price difference between the regular store and the developer store for my configuration is about 25%.
Twenty. Five. Percent.
So that rocks.
Are you serious? 25%!!!!! wow... I've just cancelled my order to investigate this some more
The cinema displays should hold their value much better than the computer itself.
Just playing around on the site, the most I can get is around 10% for the low-end 8-core with a couple small upgrades. It's better than the edu price though.
I just found this site: http://store.apple.com/us_adc_38839
Which seems to be the US store which Tallest is using. The discount is 20%.
yes I realise that, but my understanding was that the discount is 20%, which it still appears to be. I got a discount of 16%, and have decided to wait on signing up for ADC to hopefully get snow leopard for free
Yea true but thinking back I remember in high school dropping $3-5k was so easy to do. And I used to buy things and just use it and just forget about it.
But now when I think back, wow I wished I would have tucked most of the money that I burned in the savings and man I could probably put a nice down payment like 30% for a $180k house by now!
An inflation rate of 18% is "incremental"?
The current fear is of deflation, not inflation. We need not be
worried if everyone operated like Apple!
I don't know who you get your figures from, but clothing prices
have been falling here. And over there, too, if this is accurate:
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
I definitely save as much $ as I can, and never dip into my savings for gear. I'm holding off purchasing a MP until after I'm set up with a house, etc. because A: I don't really have many jobs yet, and B: I have the restraint
An inflation rate of 18% is "incremental"?
The current fear is of deflation, not inflation. We need not be
worried if everyone operated like Apple!
I don't know who you get your figures from, but clothing prices
have been falling here. And over there, too, if this is accurate:
http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
Down here my whole family is in the wholesale business and retail business in clothing.
My 2 aunts have warehouses for wholesale that they receive over seas and from los angeles mostly and my parents have a clothing store (if you ever heard of forever 21 my parents almost bought that small store which originated here in houston texas just 10 years ago.. but one of her friends bought it and thus now a millionaire moved to california and opened chains of them, I could've been a millionaire!!).
Anyway, I have a small clothing store and I had to raise prices to on plain white tshirts to $3.99 which used to cost $3.50, yea its THAT bad. And our whole family has been in the clothing business for over 16 years now.
Which one?
I'm not sure which Mac Pro to get -or if I should get one at all.
I use my mac for layout in InDesign, and Photoshop and light Illustrator work.
I would also like to use it for personal, non-professional, video editing.
A 2.93 quad w/ 6 GB ram and a 1TB drive is going to be cheaper than the base octo.
Do I need all those cores?
Should I wait for Snow Leopard and a possible 3.2 quad?
Do I need a Pro at all, or should I save $2500 and go with a mini?
I really don't want external drives which I will need with the mini, but I guess I could live with it.
My G4 is chugging along with Tiger, 1.5 GB RAM, and can run CS3 decently, but its time is definately up.
Thanks for the help.
I'm not sure which Mac Pro to get -or if I should get one at all.
I use my mac for layout in InDesign, and Photoshop and light Illustrator work.
I would also like to use it for personal, non-professional, video editing.
A 2.93 quad w/ 6 GB ram and a 1TB drive is going to be cheaper than the base octo.
Do I need all those cores?
Should I wait for Snow Leopard and a possible 3.2 quad?
Do I need a Pro at all, or should I save $2500 and go with a mini?
I really don't want external drives which I will need with the mini, but I guess I could live with it.
My G4 is chugging along with Tiger, 1.5 GB RAM, and can run CS3 decently, but its time is definately up.
Thanks for the help.
For your uses if a g4 on tiger with 1.5gb runs cs3 decently, a mac mini would be more than enough for you.
I'm currently selling my 15" mbp and bought a mac mini last night upgraded it myself to the 320gb hitachi travelstar 7200rpm hdd and 4gb of RAM. Wow it runs pretty much the same as my 15" 2.53ghz mbp thats on my sig via 9400m gt card connected to my 24" LED ACD.
I'm going to pocket the $2200 and put that in the bank. Maybe if the benchmarks on the mac pro are amazing, I might be persuaded to use that money + a little extra for the 2.26ghz model.
As for the "wonderful peice of engineering" bit, it's not the worst I've seen, but the issues can be difficult to get around. Cables in particular. Adapters/extenders may not be available, and the only solution is to hack the existing wiring.
I've had my mac pro completely apart and there's not even one single cable. zero, zip, nada. Maybe if I open the PSU housing there might be a wire or two. I haven't done that yet.
The HDD's have no power cables at all. They plug into surface mounted sockets directly on the motherboard - interface and power.So are you talking about a hackintosh of some kind or??
I'm in the same boat as you.....trying to understand the new RAM configs.
Hey Tallest Skil.....any input?
-Kevin
Good So Far
Again thanks for the feed back, but guess what, I still have more questions. I was reading early that the Quad core setup is more "powerful" than the 8 core setup. Why is this? I really don't understand. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you had a quad core running at 2.93 GHz and an 8 core running at the same clock speed, wouldn't the 8 core be more efficient than the quad core. Even if you were doing one task wouldn't the 8 core just shut down some of the cores and over-clock the ones that are needed the most? By the way I am a senior in highschool and I'm just about ready to go off to college (I know its stupid to get a tower now but I've been saving up for this). So I guess what am asking is why is the quad core better than the 8 core?
Again thanks for the feed back, but guess what, I still have more questions. I was reading early that the Quad core setup is more "powerful" than the 8 core setup. Why is this? I really don't understand. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you had a quad core running at 2.93 GHz and an 8 core running at the same clock speed, wouldn't the 8 core be more efficient than the quad core. Even if you were doing one task wouldn't the 8 core just shut down some of the cores and over-clock the ones that are needed the most? By the way I am a senior in highschool and I'm just about ready to go off to college (I know its stupid to get a tower now but I've been saving up for this). So I guess what am asking is why is the quad core better than the 8 core?
Again thanks for the feed back, but guess what, I still have more questions. I was reading early that the Quad core setup is more "powerful" than the 8 core setup. Why is this? I really don't understand. Correct me if I'm wrong but if you had a quad core running at 2.93 GHz and an 8 core running at the same clock speed, wouldn't the 8 core be more efficient than the quad core. Even if you were doing one task wouldn't the 8 core just shut down some of the cores and over-clock the ones that are needed the most? By the way I am a senior in highschool and I'm just about ready to go off to college (I know its stupid to get a tower now but I've been saving up for this). So I guess what am asking is why is the quad core better than the 8 core?
Where did you read about this?? Ive never heard of quad core was better than 8 core.
8 core>4 core
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