Who else is tossing logic out the window and getting 2x3.2"

No excuse. That's why I only got the standard 2.8

 

I only buy workstations once every 4 or 5 years - over that period of time it makes sense.

 

My Mac Pro is being bought after 12 years' wait. Basically, the only smart thing to do is throw reality out the window and get a 3.2 with one/two 8800 GTs and at least six gigs of RAM, two additional terabyte drives, and a good sense of finality.

 

Was your Apple II what you upgraded to your iMac from?

Just because you waited 12 years doesn't mean you should throw reality out of the window But I know there is serious enjoyment from having *THE BEST*

For the $1600 difference though I'd rather buy a Blackbook or an iMac in addition to my 400mHz slower (x8cores) Mac Pro...

But thats just me If money was less of an object, or I actually earned money from my computers, maybe I'd feel differently.

 

Heh, very nearly. I'm only eighteen now, and I'm off to college this fall. I want a computer that will not just blow away, but atomize the minds of my classmates. I've known for about twelve years that someday I would get THE top-of-the-line bleeding-edge professional Mac. Our family's first computer (now solely mine) was an LC 575 (still works beautifully!), then an iMac DV, then the Core 2. I bought the G3 iBook last summer because I at least wanted some sort of laptop for school. Now, my dream will finally be fulfilled after over a decade's worth of wistful specing-out on the Apple Store. Oh, but I'm buying this summer, so I still have to wait. Tanj in torment, eh.

Oh, I live in "Small Town", IN, and our elementary school still uses Apple ][, ][e, and ][gs's. I was given one for free a few months ago. I LOVE it. I was able to wrangle The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Word Munchers. It's kick-awesome.

 

Just be like Barry Bonds and deny everything till it becomes painfully obvious that no one buys your excuses.

 

I have, in the past, gone for the financially-smart deal, only to later wish I'd gotten the bigger/better/faster item. I was prepared to buy a dual 3.0 Woodcrest Mac Pro about six or seven months ago, but decided to stay on my almost 4 year old XP dinosaur when I found this site and read MM's Stoakley-Seaburg thread - after all, November wasn't that far off. So, I set aside enough to buy one...and waited. Then November came and went...with no Mac Pro upgrade. I'd read several speculation threads pointing to Jan 15th or thereabouts as a new target Mac Pro upgrade date, but in the meantime, my company gave me a really nice bonus. Visions of 30" ACD's (in addition to the Mac Pro) were dancing through my head. However, when the 3.2 MP was announced this Tuesday, I pounced.

Can I justify spending the extra bucks? Probably not. Will I be able to get that 30" ACD? No, so I'll just keep using my 30" Dell monitor until I get another bonus. However, every time I lay hands on that 8-core, 3.2 GHz, 16 GB RAM beast, my smile will be worth it. Yes, there will eventually be better/faster systems. However, this rocket ship beast will be with me for a long while - might as well start with the best.

I'm looking forward to tearing through video editing, running multiple Fusion instances, running iTunes and CS3 all at the same time - while the system just loafs along at only a fraction of its' capability. Could a 2.8 do this? Hell yes - but if I got that instead, I'd always wonder what the 3.2 was like...

 

Honestly...just stick with the 2.8's, get a MBP in addition or something.

 

I can tell you this. I will be buying the 2.8 model and will never wonder what having the 3.2 would have been like because I know it wouldn't have been much different and not worth $1600.

And I will be much happier with my 30" ACD sitting in front me.

 

Here's a novel idea: Take that extra $1600 and invest it in, say, Apple stock. Or anywhere really. With the interest you make on that money, you can buy a whole new system by the time yours starts to show signs of slowing down.

 

Yes thats an option or save the money wait 2 years and you will be able to get the CPUs for a third the price and drop them in.....

 

Unless upgrading to 3.2Ghz will actually save you enough time to pay for itself within the year, I suggest going with the "sweet spot" (in this case 2.8Ghz). When Nehalem hits, get a new "sweet spot" machine and sell off your Penryn. With a little luck, repeating this strategy can actually work pretty well.

 

Forget stocks they are going down and have a ways till buy is indicated. Gold is high but it is late to ride the wave.

 

Put it away at 10% for 5 years and it will almost become enough for a new Mac Pro!

or,

$1600 worth of shares bought a year ago would now be worth $3560!

 

I went with the 3.2. I plan to use the crap out of it with After Effects and FCP. My last 2 macs were bottom or middle of the line and I always regretted it. I've had 3 macs since 1989. Not one ever had a serious issue or problem. I still use 2 of them. This machine is way too important for me and my new business to not invest heavily into it. Besides, it's a write off. Why should the government get my money when I can give it all to Apple!

 

Unless you're going off to the seminary... I would suggest one thing. Buy yourself a very solid lock and chain that sucker to an eye bolt secured into the wall because son.. that Macpro will be on Craigslist within an hour of you're fresh face arriving on campus if you're not careful.. take my word for it..

 

Add Clemens to the list... prediction: "I thought he was injecting vitamins into my butt".

 

not me. so far my biggest projects (in cubase 4) are "maxing out" all 8 cores on my 2.8 at about 20%.

and that's pre third party RAM.