Taking the plunge, ordering a Mac Pro

FlimFlam

FlimFlam

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 5, 2005
Messages
490
I have been waiting for the new Xeons, and a gpu refresh like 260 or a 4870. Yes, the new architecture should give nice boost, but I think that it will show only in intensive crunching, and not really to the end user.

To wit: the Core 2 Duo is still the dominant chip on the market, and will be for some time even though its socket has been replaced. I have been waiting for some time, but I think it is a perfect time to buy even though the Pro is getting a little old. My reasoning: ddr3 for the Mac Pro will be pretty pricey, and I dont't think the price point will be as competitive as it is now. Also, it is still a few months off from being refreshed.

So I feel I could be using it now rather than waiting. I have 3 Macs (Mini, MBP, and MBA) and 3 PC (WHS, a beast of a Lian Li v1010, and a nice Lian Li a05). I am trying to pare down my systems because while I work in IT, taking care of my systems is a second job that is not going well especially since I work 50 hours a week, and am taking brush up undergrad classes while prepping for grad school and the GRE, and trying to be a dcent boyfriend. Oh, I I have a gaming addiction. So I am going to trim it down to the WHS, MBA, MBP, and Mac Pro.

Right now I can add 8gb of ram to the Pro rather cheaply, and add some mega storage. Running a lot of VMs will help me with testing for work and the Pro has enough juice for my computing needs, and to run Win for Windows testing, development, etc. However, I was mainly holding out for a gpu refresh. What are people gaming experiences with the Pro and 8800 GT. I am on 260s in my gaming rig. Obviously there will be a drop off, but hopefully L4D and COD will not be so horrible. It would be nice if a 4870 or 260 came out. If you share your thoughts on your Mac Pro gaming experiences, I would appreciate it.
 
Well, no offense but it sounds like you're just posting to have us reassure you that you're making the right move. If it works for you, that's fine. Obviously if you need the hardware now and not two months from now, then buy now.

I think like you say though, the rest of us are in the wait camp. Apple likes to release things continually at the same price point. When the Xeons come out with new video cards, I bet the base price will be the same (3k... just like the new 15" MBP was released at the same base price of 2k etc)
 
L4D is the one and only reason why I regret upgrading my video card. I don't really play a lot of graphic intense games, though.
 
Yeah tough call... if you need it now you need it now. Otherwise I would wait...
 
Sounds familiar. I too was looking at consolidating machines but alas I've not reached nirvana yet ('08 Pro @ 3.2ghz w/ 16gig, 8800gt, yadda yadda). The Pro is perfect from the development standpoint which was my primary reason for purchase.

The 8800gt on the Pro works good enough for gaming. I've played LotR, CoX (now they have a Mac client), Warhammer, L4D, and all play well enough once you adjust the graphic settings. Of course I also play in a window, affording lower resolution and multitasking (which fine for MMOs). Even my lowly Macbook Pro (2nd gen @ 2.33gzh C2D w/ ati x1600) plays L4D good enough for an enjoyable game with friends/family. Set your expectations accordingly and you'll have an enjoyable experience. So far I've not found a completely unplayable game.

You can upgrade the graphics card to a 8800gts-512 with a bios mod. Instructions and bios files are located here. I plan to experiment with this once my 285gtx is delivered, replacing the 8800gts-512 in my Vista machine.

IMO you should at least wait till WDC. It's only 5 months away. I waited quite sometime for the 2nd Intel Pros, and before that I was wait on multi-core G5. Of course during the Intel transition I had Apple Intel transition kit. Fact of the matter was I didn't need it right then. So if you can wait, do so, else pull the trigger.
 
Great idea. I bought a Mac Book a few months ago and am now looking to upgrade to the 17" MBP.
 
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. I am not really looking for reassurance, but just wanted to get some other opinions. If I talk to my GF about this, it falls on deaf ears. She could care less about tech as long as she gets her email and can play Mahjong.:D
 
I would wait for the new Mac Pro,
It is long over due for an update and the rumors that it might have the Core i7 and DDR3 in it will be well worth the wait! Also hopefully a new video card as well.
A good source:
http://guides.macrumors.com/Mac_Pro_Buyer's_Guide

Or if you need one now, buy a used one. There are plenty out there and for much cheaper.
 
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