Considering to buy a mac pro

I'm considering buying a mac pro with the new nehalem processors, but before I do this I have some questions I keep struggling with.

1) Which parts can be upgraded or replaced without voiding your warranty? (I'm thinking here of RAM, disk space and graphics cards)

2) Is it possible to add a second graphics card that is not supported in OSX so I can use this card in boot camp for some windows-specific apps?

3) When doing 2) , how would OSX know which card he should use? So far I haven't come across a preference setting where you can select the graphics card to use (but then again, I never had a mac pro yet either )

4) Is there by default an OSX (Desktop version, not the server) included with your purchase even when not selecting OSX Server ?

5) Suppose that in several years the mac pro's standard mainboard and cpu have been upgraded significantly (in the apple store), is it possible to take mine to such a store for an upgrade kit?

Thanks in advance

Hey there,

The new Mac Pro does look really nice, shame I bought mine <1 month ago. Still, HT is the only feature that appeals - 16 cores in Windows Task Manager :drool:

Anyways:

1) Memory, Optical Drives, Hard Disk Drives, Graphics & PCIe add-in cards, RAM, airport express card (although tricky, add at order IMO). Procs can be upgraded but no doubt this will invalid the warranty.

2) I do believe this has been done. Do a search.

3) OS X will boot with the first card I'd imagine (ie. the one with the Mac firmware) and simply ignore the PC based card. Windows will see both. The top GPU option is excellent - even by PC standards though.

4) If you don't spec OS X Server you will just get the desktop version.

5) I'd doubt it and it'll cost you a lot. My Mac Pro can't run the Nehalem processors and I can't fit the new motherboard because the entire case has been redesigned. The same will nodoubt happen again with the next Mac Pro.

Hope that answers some of your questions and I'm sure someone will chime in with better answers for Q 2 & 3. ;D

Ok, This helps me a lot already

For now I'll just take the top GPU card and in a few years, when that isn't fast enough I will most likely order the new top one then in the apple store.

Thank you!