Is it still worth buying a Mac Pro Late 2013?

I got a good offer to buy a used Mac Pro Late 2013 from the company I work.

I work mainly with photography, video and motion design.
For now it's a perfect machine, nothing to complain, I like all the features but I'm worried it may become obsolete in near future.

Is it possible and viable to upgrade this machine if I ever need to?

For all I know macs are restrict and complicated to hardware upgrade, but the mac pro seems to be a little more friendly.

I plan to upgrade the graphics card or the processor sometime in the future.

I know the hardware must be compatible and specific for this kind of machine, but I don't know about pricing and availability.

Thanks in advance

rflbrz said:

I got a good offer to buy a used Mac Pro Late 2013 from the company I work.

Click to expand...

You didn't say what exact Late 2013 Mac Pro model we're talking about...thus difficult to say. Also...are you looking for great CPU or GPU performance?

If this Mac Pro is a sort of "wimpy" 3.7ghz quad-core model...it may or may not be a good deal.

- Nick

pigoo3 said:

You didn't say what exact Late 2013 Mac Pro model we're talking about...thus difficult to say. Also...are you looking for great CPU or GPU performance?

If this Mac Pro is a sort of "wimpy" 3.7ghz quad-core model...it may or may not be a good deal.

- Nick

Click to expand...

Sorry for the lack of specs.

3.7 Ghz Quad-core xeon E5 processor
16gb ram
256gb SSD
dual AMD FirePro D300 graphics processors with 2GB of GDDR5 VRAM each

Go for it before they change their minds, or send it Down Undr to me!

Only thing needs doing is increasing flash storage to say 512GB.


http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...-to-upgrade-mac-pro-cylinder-ssd-storage.html

harryb2448 said:

Go for it before they change their minds, or send it Down Undr to me!

Only thing needs doing is increasing flash storage to say 512GB.


http://www.everymac.com/systems/app...-to-upgrade-mac-pro-cylinder-ssd-storage.html

Click to expand...

Thanks man
What about the graphics cards and processor? Is it even possible? Or not worth at all?

rflbrz said:

I got a good offer to buy a used Mac Pro Late 2013 from the company I work.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the specific Late 2013 Mac Pro specs.

rflbrz said:

For now it's a perfect machine, nothing to complain, I like all the features but I'm worried it may become obsolete in near future.

Click to expand...

As I'm sure you must know...all computers become obsolete eventually. What I think you are concerned about is...how many more years can you get out of a Late 2013 Mac Pro before it becomes obsolete.

rflbrz said:

Is it possible and viable to upgrade this machine if I ever need to?

For all I know macs are restrict and complicated to hardware upgrade, but the mac pro seems to be a little more friendly.

I plan to upgrade the graphics card or the processor sometime in the future.

I know the hardware must be compatible and specific for this kind of machine, but I don't know about pricing and availability.

Click to expand...

This group of statements is rather confusing. How can you plan on upgrading a Late 2013 Mac Pro in the future (statement made above)...if at this point you don't know if a Late 2013 Mac Pro is upgradable (question made above)??

The older Mac Pro design was much more upgrade friendly than the newer Mac Pro...and upgrade parts possibilities are much more mature (more available). The newer design Mac Pro's have very little upgrade paths (maybe use parts from other newer design Mac Pro's). But if you're starting with the lowest level new Mac Pro (quad-core 3.7ghz Late 2013)...then upgrade costs rise substantially (since you would be getting parts from more powerful Mac Pro's).

Check eBay. You'll find that exact replacement parts for the entry level quad-core 3.7ghz Late 2013 are expensive. Just think how expensive parts are for better/more powerful Mac Pro's will be. Short answer. It is not cheap to upgrade Mac Pro's. And the newer & more powerful...the more expenive. It's not cheap to upgrade any Apple computer (if upgradeable). And Mac Pro's are the most expensive. Especially since Late 2013 Mac Pro's are the most current Mac Pro model. And believe me...they really don't get much cheaper as time goes on.

Like a lot of upgradeable Apple computers...the most cost affordable upgrades are RAM...then maybe storage. When you start talking CPU & GPU upgrades...these can get VERY expensive.

I'm not trying to talk you out of anything. Just being honest so you know exactly what you're getting into. Go to eBay and check out the prices of things (RAM, storage, CPU upgrades, GPU upgrades, etc).

Here's what a storage upgrade can cost you from OWC ($800 and up):

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/ssd/owc/mac-pro/2013

Here's what a RAM upgrade can cost you from OWC ($219 and up):

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1866-memory

As far as performance (CPU and GPU) some iMac models can outperform this model 2013 Mac Pro. So not all the 2013 Mac Pro's models are a clear performance winner against other Apple computer models.

On the otherhand...Late 2013 Mac Pro have features other models don't have (different ports & video capabilities)...and Late 2013 Mac Pro's are smaller & lighter than older design Mac Pro's (this is a plus for some people).

And lastly. We don't know what price you can get this Mac Pro for. It may be such a great deal...that the price alone makes it a great buy compared to other options!

Again. Just giving you info so you can make an informed decision.

- Nick

Have a look at this page. That page has the specs for both that machine and the next one. It also shows you some of the configuration options for upgrading the graphics card and memory.

Perhaps others can give you a better idea how any upgrades might affect performance.

Edit: Top notch info once again Nick

@OP I suppose the essential questions are twofold:

!. Does the machine meet your current needs "as is"
2. Would there be enough improvement in performance to justify the cost of the upgrades.

For me the answer was no but I would have been paying full retail and I'm not using it in a professional/business situation.

Wow, thanks a lot nick and slydude for all the info!

(And sorry for the confusing questions...)

First of all I wanted to know if the machine is anyhow upgradable because I'd do it at some point, otherwise I'd have to think again before buying it.

I'm not really worried about RAM and storage. It already has 16gb RAM, I think I couldn't upgrade it any more. As far as I know the machine has 4 slots capable of 4GB ram each, so 16GB ram would be maximum (I might be wrong though?). And for storage, I already got external SSD and HD drives, so it's okay. But I'm glad to know that I could upgrade it if I really need it.

I'm more concerned about graphics and processors (and prices of course, lol).

So, as I saw on Slydude's link, it seems possible to upgrade the graphic processors from D300 to D500 and the processor from Quad-core to a 6-core, right?
Would that be the max upgrade I could ever do on this machine?

You guys must think I'm insane, but I'm just trying to get informed about every move I'd be able to do with this machine.
It will be not only a purchase but an investment.

My understanding is that the memory could be upgraded to as high as 64 GB (4 16 GB chips). The graphics cards should be upgradeable unless I am seriously misreading the page that I linked to in the other post.

Nick can probably answer the processor upgrade question better than I can. I think they are upgradeable but I have no idea of the cost.

Does this machine "as is" meet your needs now and for the reasonably foreseeable future? In other words how long would you likely have to save the money needed for upgrades.

@Nick Would the change from 4 core to 6 core processors (if possible) make a significant difference? Is it possible that this would depend upon the software in question.

Slydude said:

My understanding is that the memory could be upgraded to as high as 64 GB (4 16 GB chips). The graphics cards should be upgradeable unless I am seriously misreading the page that I linked to in the other post.

Nick can probably answer the processor upgrade question better than I can. I think they are upgradeable but I have no idea of the cost.

Does this machine "as is" meet your needs now and for the reasonably foreseeable future? In other words how long would you likely have to save the money needed for upgrades.

@Nick Would the change from 4 core to 6 core processors (if possible) make a significant difference? Is it possible that this would depend upon the software in question.

Click to expand...

I see. But I think the slots might only support 4GB each. Anyway, I hope you're right.
Yes, the machine "as is" meet my current needs and for the reasonably foreseeable future as well I guess, hahaha...
But I think sometime over the three next years from now may be enough time to make the upgrade necessary.

rflbrz said:

I see. But I think the slots might only support 4GB each. Anyway, I hope you're right.
Yes, the machine "as is" meet my current needs and for the reasonably foreseeable future as well I guess, hahaha...
But I think sometime over the three next years from now may be enough time to make the upgrade necessary.

Click to expand...

Nope. It COMES stock with 4x4GB. Here is what the machine can take.


stock 12GB DDR3 ECC memory

12GB (three 4GB) of 1866MHz DDR3 ECC memory

Configurable to 16GB (four 4GB), 32GB (four 8GB) or 64GB (four 16GB)

My understanding is these Late 2013 Mac Pro's are capable of a max. of 128gig of RAM. Apple's official max. when launched was 64gig...but like some Apple computer models...sometimes they are actually capable of more (when larger RAM modules become available after launch).

- Nick

rflbrz said:

I'm more concerned about graphics and processors (and prices of course, lol).

Click to expand...

Apple did not consider the CPU and GPU on Late 2013 Mac Pro's to be upgradeable by end users...but like older Mac Pro's...it is possible (the CPU is socketed). I believe that there's a fairly large selection of CPU's that will work...here's a list that may or may not be all the possible choices:

The official CPU's used by Apple in Late 2013 Mac Pro's:



Other CPU's that have been found to work:



OWC (macsales.com) has "Turn-key" upgrades:

https://eshop.macsales.com/shop/turnkey/MacPro2013/2013_Xeon_Processor/Apple_Mac_Pro_2013

As far as GPU (graphics) upgrades. I think that the graphics hardware in Late 2013 Mac Pro is a special form factor...and thus only graphics hardware/graphics cards from other Late 2013 Mac Pro's will.

In either case (CPU or GPU upgrades)...you will be looking at VERY VERY steep upgrade price tags (we aren't talking any $50-$100 upgrades here)!!!

- Nick

Slydude said:

@Nick Would the change from 4 core to 6 core processors (if possible) make a significant difference? Is it possible that this would depend upon the software in question.

Click to expand...

Yes...this can be a very tricky question.

1. There's the question whether the software application in question is written to take advantage of all available cores.
2. There's the CPU speed question.

From this chart of official CPU speeds & # of cores Apple used in Late 2013 Mac Pro's:



It can be seen that if someone did a CPU upgrade from a quad-core 3.7ghz CPU to say a 12-core 2.7ghz CPU...the first thought would be..."Holy smokes going from 4 cores to 12 cores is going to kick some SERIOUS butt!!!" But the issue is...if the software used is written to take advantage of all cores. If an app only takes advantage of a couple cores...going from a 4-core to 12 core CPU (with the CPU's listed)...could actually be a downgrade...since the 4-core CPU runs at 3.7ghz and the 12-core CPU runs at 2.7ghz (slower).

- Nick

Guys, you're awesome. I'll save this post.
Thanks for everything

Edit:

I was browsing MacSales.com and couldn't find any graphics processor upgrade, only processor, memory, internal/external drive etc.
They're out of it or it is simply not possible to upgrade graphics processor?

Thanks again!

rflbrz said:

I was browsing MacSales.com and couldn't find any graphics processor upgrade, only processor, memory, internal/external drive etc.
They're out of it or it is simply not possible to upgrade graphics processor?

Click to expand...

I addressed this above. I do not think that there are graphics upgrades for Late 2013 Mac Pro's (from 3rd party suppliers)...due to the special form factor (and it may not be economical for 3rd party folks to do it).

The only solution (at this time) I think...is getting the "better" GPU's removed from higher end configured Late 2013 Mac Pro's. This means some poor slob's better configured Late 2013 Mac Pro needs to "crap-out"...and then that person sells it for parts.

You can see how VERY LIMITED this supply would be. Thus these GPU"s would sell for BIG BIG bucks. How much...right here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/820-3627-A-...153642?hash=item5435a3656a:g:XwQAAOSwIgNXo711

$400 bucks for the low end GPU (D300) for the low end quad-core Late 2013 Mac Pro. Remember...this would only be a replacement GPU for the Mac Pro you're looking at. AND remember...the Late 2013 Mac Pro needs two of these. Thus in this case...it would cost $800 bucks for replacement GPU's (not an upgrade).

Here's a D500 GPU for Late 2013 Mac Pro's (first level upgrade) on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-661-753...368513?hash=item281df63cc1:g:5GcAAOSwU-pXq2og

This costs $875 each...you would need two of these...so this GPU upgrade would cost you $1750 dollars.

AND...there's a D700 GPU upgrade (nothing on eBay at this time). Just imagine how much this would cost for two of them ($2500 or more)????

- Nick

p.s. But remember. The graphics in Late 2013 Mac Pro's (even the entry level GPU's)...are still pretty powerful. So you may not need a GPU upgrade.

pigoo3 said:

I addressed this above. I do not think that there are graphics upgrades for Late 2013 Mac Pro's (from 3rd party suppliers)...due to the special form factor (and it may not be economical for 3rd party folks to do it).

The only solution (at this time) I think...is getting the "better" GPU's removed from higher end configured Late 2013 Mac Pro's. This means some poor slob's better configured Late 2013 Mac Pro needs to "crap-out"...and then that person sells it for parts.

You can see how VERY LIMITED this supply would be. Thus these GPU"s would sell for BIG BIG bucks. How much...right here:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/820-3627-A-...153642?hash=item5435a3656a:g:XwQAAOSwIgNXo711

$400 bucks for the low end GPU (D300) for the low end quad-core Late 2013 Mac Pro. Remember...this would only be a replacement GPU for the Mac Pro you're looking at. AND remember...the Late 2013 Mac Pro needs two of these. Thus in this case...it would cost $800 bucks for replacement GPU's (not an upgrade).

Here's a D500 GPU for Late 2013 Mac Pro's (first level upgrade) on ebay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-661-753...368513?hash=item281df63cc1:g:5GcAAOSwU-pXq2og

This costs $875 each...you would need two of these...so this GPU upgrade would cost you $1750 dollars.

AND...there's a D700 GPU upgrade (nothing on eBay at this time). Just imagine how much this would cost for two of them ($2500 or more)????

- Nick

p.s. But remember. The graphics in Late 2013 Mac Pro's (even the entry level GPU's)...are still pretty powerful. So you may not need a GPU upgrade.

Click to expand...

I see!
That`s perfect.
Thanks a lot, I believe all of my questions have been answered.

rflbrz said:

Thanks a lot, I believe all of my questions have been answered.

Click to expand...

My question hasn't been answered (yet). How much is your company asking for this Mac Pro?

if it's a ridiculously low price...it's a "no-brainer" decision. And all the logic mentioned earlier in the thread is really not that important.

- Nick

And just for fun, here are some repair guides for you. To see if the GPU replacement is worth it.

https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Mac_Pro_Late_2013