What specs should I get for my mac pro?

[mundane bob]

Im thinking of getting a mac pro but dont know what options to choose. I'm gonna be working with cinema 4d and other 3d programs, photoshop, illustrator, game engines, garage band, etc. I dont expect them all to be open at the same time though I wanna do animations and also games

What options should I choose? Less than 10k plz dont add software

 

[pigoo3]

Im thinking of getting a mac pro but dont know what options to choose. I'm gonna be working with cinema 4d and other 3d programs, photoshop, illustrator, game engines, garage band, etc. I dont expect them all to be open at the same time though I wanna do animations and also games

What options should I choose? Less than 10k plz dont add software

If 10K is your maximum budget...and figuring the computer tasks you mentioned...you might be able to get away with the 2.66ghz "Quad-Core" Mac Pro for $2499, or if you don't mind spending more money...the 2.26ghz 8-core Mac Pro for $3299 would be better.

In either case (for $200 extra)...I would upgrade the graphics card to the Radeon 4870.

If you didn't mind spending some additional money...and you wanted the 8-core Mac Pro...then you could also upgrade the processor speed from 2.26 to 2.66ghz.

So overall...the:

- 2.66ghz Quad-core Mac Pro (with the graphics card upgrade) would cost you $2699.
- 2.26ghz 8-core Mac Pro with the video card upgrade & the 2.66ghz processor upgrade would cost you a total of $4899.

If you need additional ram or hard drive space later on...you can always upgrade that yourself. Apple charges way too much for these upgrades.

Also remember that you can run up to 8 monitors with a Mac Pro...so you could order a Mac Pro with an extra video card as well.

Sorry I didn't spend your whole $10,000 dollar budget!

Hope this helps,

- Nick

p.s. One other thought. If your computing tasks really aren't super super heavy duty...you could always consider a 27" quad-core iMac...and save a bunch of dollars!

 

[cwa107]

As much as I HATE to have to say this, I would not purchase a Mac Pro at the moment. It's been so long since the hardware has been updated, I can't imagine it will be long before a newer, vastly more powerful version is released.

I don't give that advice often (I've always subscribed to the belief that you buy what you need, when you need it and it will continue to serve the needs you bought it for long after an updated model is released), but I really do feel it's on the cusp of being updated. Particularly with some of the newer processor technologies that have arisen since the last update.

 

[mundane bob]

If 10K is your maximum budget...and figuring the computer tasks you mentioned...you might be able to get away with the 2.66ghz "Quad-Core" Mac Pro for $2499, or if you don't mind spending more money...the 2.26ghz 8-core Mac Pro for $3299 would be better.

In either case (for $200 extra)...I would upgrade the graphics card to the Radeon 4870.

If you didn't mind spending some additional money...and you wanted the 8-core Mac Pro...then you could also upgrade the processor speed from 2.26 to 2.66ghz.

So overall...the:

- 2.66ghz Quad-core Mac Pro (with the graphics card upgrade) would cost you $2699.
- 2.26ghz 8-core Mac Pro with the video card upgrade & the 2.66ghz processor upgrade would cost you a total of $4899.

If you need additional ram or hard drive space later on...you can always upgrade that yourself. Apple charges way too much for these upgrades.

Also remember that you can run up to 8 monitors with a Mac Pro...so you could order a Mac Pro with an extra video card as well.

Sorry I didn't spend your whole $10,000 dollar budget!

Hope this helps,

- Nick

p.s. One other thought. If your computing tasks really aren't super super heavy duty...you could always consider a 27" quad-core iMac...and save a bunch of dollars!

Thanks man I kinda overshot it didn't i? XD Well, i went on the australian store and chose the 8 core with the ATI Radeon HD and 2.66 processor and it ended up costing $9718 (with the 30" monitor) O_O Thats like double the price in America...DX So, I checked 27" imac and put the specs i wanted and it only costed 3k...thats a massive difference...LOL. I guess I'll just go for the imac Is there way to upgrade the graphics card of the imac? Is there even a difference between the 4850 and the 4870? I'm not very tech savvy

Oh btw, what is considered "super heavy duty?" XD

 

[pigoo3]

Thanks man I kinda overshot it didn't i? XD Well, i went on the australian store and chose the 8 core with the ATI Radeon HD and 2.66 processor and it ended up costing $9718 (with the 30" monitor) O_O Thats like double the price in America...DX So, I checked 27" imac and put the specs i wanted and it only costed 3k...thats a massive difference...LOL. I guess I'll just go for the imac Is there way to upgrade the graphics card of the imac? Is there even a difference between the 4850 and the 4870? I'm not very tech savvy

Oh btw, what is considered "super heavy duty?" XD

When you mentioned a 10k budget I was assuming US dollars (you didn't mention your location). Was your budget 10k US...or 10k Australian dollars?

There is no way to upgrade the graphics card on the iMac so you have to get the best you can afford up front.

I'm not sure about the differences between the 4850 & 4870. The higher number usually means better...but how much better I don't know.

"Super heavy duty"...in my mind is working with really big & complex photoshop files...or doing heavy duty editing with Final Cut Pro or other video software.

BTW...the 30" monitor is nice (and very very expensive)...but is has a VERY SLOW response time. Thus not good for motion based activities (games & action video). The 27" iMacs monitor is technically much much better...and almost has the same resolution as the 30" display.

Hope this helps,

- Nick