Mac Pro

Akkarin · #1 August 13th, 2006, 02:37 AM

Has anyone got a new Intel Mac Pro yet on here? Can you tell me what it is like?

I am looking at replacing my main computer (Windows XP P4) very soon. It is 4 years old so it is time to axe it. Over all stats too much to go into but it cost £3000.00 4 years back. I have looked up the new Dell equivalents to the Mac Pro. I think the Mac Pro is more for me. I can’t take MS anymore. But as this is my first real Mac I will use “all the time” I am a bit nervous.

Some of you may recall I was on here a few months back saying I bought a Mac Mini to try Mac OS X out. So I know a Mac can do what I need mostly. I have already been learning and switching over to Mac apps using my Mini. I mean it is slow as hell but it runs Mac OS X and served the purpose of a teaching aid for me at a low cost in case I hated Mac OS X. Which I don’t I love it. But I don’t use it for anything else because it is so slow. But a big Mac (and not the burgers) I think I can use and do away with windows for 95% of my computing. I assume that will go 100% during my run on a Mac Pro as it seems Mac are getting more and more developers.

I mean a Mac Pro at about £4000.00 with a 30” monitor I am looking for 3 years from it while putting in some upgrades as I go ofc. Do you think it can do that distance?

Any comments on these thoughts will help me…although I know Macs and OS X not badly now…I am still a bit green here.

**fryke** · #2 August 13th, 2006, 08:07 AM

Whether you'll still consider that machine "okay" in three years time depends on so many things that any comment might simply not help you. Maybe intel or AMD make such a big jump in performance two years from now that a new (now) Mac Pro may seem outdated even before your three years are gone. Who knows...

Of more interest: What exactly is slow on your Mac mini? Which version of the Mac mini is it? How much RAM have you got in that machine? We can try to tell you which things would specifically be faster on a new Mac Pro.

The Mac Pro, of course, will let you run Windows XP as well. Parallels (when udpated, currently it doesn't support the Mac Pro yet) will let you run Windows in a window through virtualisation, which might be of help while completely switching over to the Mac.

**chevy** · #3 August 13th, 2006, 09:16 AM

MacWorld compared the Mac Pro (default version: 4x2.66 GHz, GeForce 7300 GT, 2x 512 MB FB-DDR2, 250 GB SATA) to a Mac mini 1.25 GHz (G4) and got a speed boost of a factor 3 (or 200%). Not bad, not enormous neither. Depends very much of your usage.

http://www.macworld.com/2006/08/firs...ench/index.php

BTW the boost versus an iMac 2 GHz Duo Core is only 1.4x (or 40%).

There are rumors of an 8 core Mac Pro by beginning 2007.

If you look for performance, choose your memory right. According to Geek Patrol tests, using the 4 memory slots make a big improvement !
http://www.geekpatrol.ca/blog/135/ for 2.66 GHz a 2 memory slots
http://www.geekpatrol.ca/blog/136/ for 3 GHz and 4 memory slots

nixgeek · #4 August 13th, 2006, 09:35 AM

Since we're talking about memory, have you thought about purchasing a RAM upgrade for your Mac mini? That should help with the sluggishness. I have heard that the Mac mini is a little difficult to get into, but I don't know exactly since I don't own a mini. However, adding your own RAM shouldn't be too difficult, unless someone who owns it (especially yourself) could probably say otherwise.

Akkarin · #5 August 13th, 2006, 10:00 PM

Thanks this helps me

My mini just sucks becasue I want to do more you know...there is just not enough hardware there for me. Just a toy really for someone like me. But I think I will put more memory in it.

I think you just need to buy when you need to buy...I need to buy now so what there is now I buy. Can't keep waiting while the current hardware I have is not doing what I need.

So I will be buying a Mac Pro shortly and will no doubt drop in and say how it goes. When I have this though I can see my windows use being almost nothing.

Funny 4 years ago I would not have wanted a Mac really for many reasons then...but using them today I am just blown away with what is goign on at Apple these days.

Thanks...to anyone else thinking of moving yeah you need to read up a little but it is worth it!

chadwick · #6 August 14th, 2006, 11:38 AM

Mine doesn't arrive until the 29th, but when it does I'll be doing a full set of benchmarks for the development tasks that I commonly do. Until then.... I twiddle my thumbs.