Help with buying a new Mac Pro

Hi all,
I'm currently in the market for a new Mac Pro, as I seem to be stretching the boundaries of what my MBP can do in a reasonable amount of time. After reading these forums for a while, I still have some questions/concerns about my needs that I hope someone can answer.
I will be using the Mac Pro for web development (CS4 and CS5 down the road), video editing on FCE, and possibly audio work in the future. I'm about to graduate college and am still somewhat unsure if I will be using more powerful software in the immediate future. One other thing, I tend to have a bunch of apps open at once (Mail, Safari, FF, VMWare, MSOffice, iCal, etc.), and I don't want to have to close them all out to get decent speeds when rendering video. I currently don't use any "Pro" apps (FCP/LogicPro), but I haven't ruled them out for future use.
Would I be better suited with the 2.66 Quad (possibly 2.93) or with a 2.26 Octo? I'm concerned the Quad would have a much shorter life with the 4 RAM slot limitation, but paying for the Octo and leaving a bunch of cores idle would not be ideal either. I'm planning on buying before SL release, because I want to be able to install it on my own terms.
Any input appreciated,
Ty

I think the quad has a lot of potential and even with 'only' 16GB RAM (4 x 4GB) you shouldn't be hurting.
Nothing you listed should be a significant bottleneck. And if that day comes, there will be equally more powerful bass level systems.
Most of the non-intense apps will only use a small small fraction of your resources. The 2.66 is nice and will throttle up or down as needed, and just surfing etc run @ 1.6GHz. iTunes for now is 'out of control' and buggy.
Q: you want to buy now also to use your student discount I assume.
Check these Store Specials for price / config
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_pro

Similar Messages

Questions about buying a new Mac Pro for 4k video editing.

Hi everyone,
I'm currently looking into buying a new mac pro and I have a few questions. I'm a filmmaker/freelance editor looking to get a system that can handle any/at least most 4k formats that I might throw at it, and will hopefully last me around 7 years or so, like my last mac pro has. I've saved up about $5,300 and am becoming more obsessed with getting it asap, but am willing to wait a bit and save up more if necessary. I also play the occasional elder scrolls or civilization game, and might run windows on the new system as well. So here are my questions:
1. I've read rumors that a newer build could be released this year, with newer processors and graphics cards. Is there anything to point to when? I tend to buy things a month before a newer version is released, and I'd like to prevent myself from doing it this time around..
Here's the Build I'm looking at:
6 core
2 D700s
base ram to be upgraded myself to 32Gb (2x16Gb cards leaving 2 slots empty to expand to 64Gb later)
512Gb-1Tb internal hd
2. Should I be considering the 8 core? I'm not too excited about the additional $1500, but I want a system that will last.
3. Is getting the two 16Gb chips of ram and leaving two slots empty a bad idea?
4. I currently work with FCP studio 2 and love it. Not sure whether to go with FCP X, or adobe. Any thoughts?
5. I'm not finding many deals for cheaper ram and hard drives. OWC's prices seem to be comparable to Mac's. I want to do the ram so I have room to upgrade to 64Gb later, but are there any hard drives out there that would make it worth upgrading it myself?
I appreciate any insights you might have. I plan on getting a decent raid and 4k monitor in the next year or so, but for now just want a base system that will keep me editing and will be ready for 4k when I take that next step.

The late 2013 Mc Pro uses Intel Xeon ECC processors (error correction), and as far as I know Intel has not announced any newer Intel Xeon processors than those in the late 2013 Mac Pro. I would not expect to see an update to the 2013 Mac Pro until the end of 2015 at the earliest and probably later than that.
If time is not an issue, then you should be quite happy with the 6 core 2013 Mac Pro. It will do an excellent job with 4K video footage. And, yes, I would suggest getting the best raid system you can afford. That is actually more important than processor speed since I/O is frequently the bottleneck when doing multi camera video or 4K video.
I have the latest version of Adobe's Premiere Pro 2014 CC installed on my late 2013 Mac Pro and i have used it a bit without problems. However, I find it much much slower to edit with than FCP X. Also be advised that if you Google you will find several individuals on the Adobe Forums who purchased the late 2013 Mac Pro and have not been able to use it with Premiere Pro CC because of either a hardware incompatibility or software issues between Premiere Pro CC and BMD's Resolve. It is quite possible that I have not experienced these problems because I have not made very demanding projects with Premiere Pro CC on my 2013 Mac Pro.
I strongly recommend FCP X. Apple released FCP X before it was ready, and many early users were unwilling to take the time to learn how to use this very different NLE which is not track based. Apple has over the last 3 years since FCP X was released, issued more than 10 updates (all free), and the program is stable and blazingly fast. I urge you to check out the FCP X training offered by Ripple Training and/or Larry Jordan. Both are inexpensive, and worth every cent. Watch their training videos and you will be up to speed in FCP X in no time at all, and you will wish you had switched a long time ago.
If you can afford the 1 TB of PCie internal flash storage on your Mac Pro, then by all means get it. For me 1TB is well worth the cost.
As far as editing 4K video, the format of the video will be important to the ease of editing. For example, I am able to edit in its native format (XVAC S) several streams of 4K video form my Sony FDR-AX100 with no problems. If I were editing Sony's XVAC format used in their professional 4K cameras, that might pose a problem that would require transcoding. Similarly for other 4K formats. XVAC S is an easy format to edit natively because it is essentially a high bit rate h.264 format.
Best of luck on whatever you decide to do, and happy editing.
Tom

Buying a new Mac Pro

Hello,
After many happy years with my G4 and using my MacBook Pro for higher end editing I am finally getting around to replacing the G4 with a brand new Mac Pro.
It will be used manly for video editing so I will get the best model available.
Here is my questions.
1. Does anyone know when the next best thing, so to speak, will be released by mac? If I buy the Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon, will a better one be released soon after.
2. Does anyone know a good graphic card for video editing? I have been cutting HD projects but have never really been techy enough to know how to configure to get the best out of a computer.
3. Is it worth filling all the drive space with drives and RAIDing them up.
4. Is there anything else I maybe forgetting?

1. Does anyone know when the next best thing, so to speak, will be released by mac? If I buy the Two 3.0GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon, will a better one be released soon after.
Only Apple knows the answer to this question. We have no insights or information on what new products/software Apple may introduce in the future.
2. Does anyone know a good graphic card for video editing? I have been cutting HD projects but have never really been techy enough to know how to configure to get the best out of a computer.
There are presently only three video cards from which you can choose. All are generally more than adequate for video editing. If high speed video is a must then you should upgrade to the ATI X1900 card.
3. Is it worth filling all the drive space with drives and RAIDing them up.
Only if you need the storage space. However, you will find it is cheaper to buy additional drives third-party than have them pre-installed at purchase. You might consider reading this article to learn more about RAIDs.
4. Is there anything else I maybe forgetting?
Only you know.

Buying the new Mac Pro

Hi there, I want to buy the new mac pro, I am a after effect user, need to know which graphic card to select, there is two option: 1-NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 512MB four of them, or 2-ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512MB of GDDR5 memory single one.
Thanks Edward.

true Andrew!!
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5600XT (256 MB)
I have, works with AE CS4, basta.
no need for Photoshops' geeky eyedropping and GPU intense interface improvements.
anything else is pure hardware marketing insanity (not blaming Adobe directly, ok!?)
I think it's really time for a slowdown on new technology impacts and settle down to the key purposes and develop them. that would take a huge impact on operability, stability, exchange among other platforms.
this digital warfare must come to an end.
it kills creativity!
without creativity this planet will become dead...

Buying a new mac pro, new things to consider?

Hello all,
Below is the question I posted in may along with someone's response. I'm wondering if I should still go with the response I received considering the new release of the mac pro 12 core. Did anything change that I need to note in my purchase or is the below response suitable? THANKS!!!!!
my question:
I need some help in choosing the right specs for my mac pro. I am looking for a computer that will help me in running my small business and keep my art portfolio organized. I'll probably be running several programs at a time (ex. mozilla, itunes, adobe bridge, dreamweaver, illustrator, and photoshop). More specifics below
What i'll be using it for:
building a few websites
managing my small business
large photo file editing
keeping business files, artist receipts, etc
cataloging my art portfolio (large photo files)
storing photos, music, and short videos
graphic design
infrequent film editing
infrequent sound editing
what programs i'll be using:
CS5 (mostly photoshop, illustrator, bridge, dreamweaver)
iphoto
itunes
maybe minimal finalcut/soundtrack pro
maybe minimal aftereffects
Advice?
My concerns are that it needs to run pretty smoothly with multiple programs open, no overheating, plenty of space for file storage and application support.
Hello washleyill,
My advice would be to buy the standard configuration 2.66GHz Quad Core (i.e. 3 x 1GB RAM, 640GB hard drive) from the Apple store, with the exception of the graphics card which you can buy as a CTO option for $200.00. It is well worth the upgrade from the GT120 - I know, because I upgraded myself last November after using a GT120 for 4 months.
With regard to the memory, if you can afford it now, buy 4 x 4GB from OWC now. If not, I would suggest that you buy 2 x 4GB now, and then add another 2 x 4GB in the future. 16GB of RAM is a much better option than 8GB for your requirements. You can sell the 3 x 1GB RAM to OWC in "part exchange", and there would be little difference in price for 2 x 4GB to the CTO option of 4 x 2GB.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory#1066-memory
Instead of buying 2 x 1TB hard drives as a CTO option, you could purchase 2 x 1.5TB or 2 x 2TB HDDs for less money, and you would still have the 640GB. Spare drives are always useful. I use my original 640GB as a spare emergency system boot drive (OS and applications) in an external enclosure.
Another alternative is to wait a few more weeks, in case the rumours of the introduction of a new Mac Pro range in June have any foundation.
Regards,
Bill

Interesting questions you have posed here.
I am thinking about upgrading from my MB to a MBP and I too intend to run a similar set of programs, and with large RAW photo files in Aperture. I find my MB is struggling and I dont want to invest any money in upgrading it, I will use it as a back up. I like the MBP and the 13" screen version is so handy and portable.
Have you made your decision yet...or are you still sitting on the fence like myself..?
Regards
Paul

Should I buy a new Mac Pro or an iMac?

Hi,
I co-run a video production company in the UK. We have an old 2009 iMac, a MacBook Pro from 2010/11 ish, and a PC all used for video editing, and some other intensive apps like Photoshop and Adobe After Effects.
We're about to spend some money on either a fully specced 2013 iMac or a new Mac Pro. The mac Pro we'd be able to afford would be £1500 more than the iMac (which includes purchasing an external display, mouse and keyboard - all of which an iMac obviously already includes so the price comparison is valid).
The Mac Pro would be a 3.7 quad-core processor, 256ssd, 12gig ram - which I would then upgrade to 64gig (somewhere else for financial reasons) and finally Dual AMD GPUs with 3gig of ram each. That's all we can afford unfortunately!
The iMac would be a 3.5 quad core, 1TB fusion drive, and 8gig of ram that I would then max out externally to 32gig, and finally NVidia Geforce 4gig GPU.
Either one we buy we'd get Applecare.
Any suggestions as to which would be better to purchase? Our difficulty comes with the fact that we don't have an awful lot of cash to spare, and we also have other things we'd like to invest in (building improvements etc). The guys who work at the company are naturally leaning towards the Mac Pro, as was I intially, but my job is also to spend our money as wisely as possible, so I'd like some advice on whether the Mac Pro is worth spending that extra £1500 on.
Obviously I understand the Mac Pro will be faster generally speaking, but will it really make a big difference when using Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects and Photoshop? Or is a fully specced iMac going to be just as good?
Also what other advantages, other than just speed, would a Mac Pro bring?
Cheers in advance,
Phil

One question to ask yourself is how long you need this machine to do these tasks and what future programs/tasks will you need?
While both machines can handle everything you mentioned now, the MAc Pro will be faster now, and easier to expand in the future. The iMac will simply not be as cost effective long term. If however your needs wont change or you don't plan to use the machine more than 3-4 years, the iMac is going to get the job done and of course be much cheaper.

About to buy a new Mac Pro

A few months ago I posted a very simlar question, but can't find it anymore.
I'm ready to purchase a new Mac Pro, now I have a 2008 8 Core 2.8GHz with 10 gig ram and was looking at the latest 8 core with a lesser speed of 2.4. GHz and cannot find a benchmark comparison of those two models. The closest I found was at Barefeat's site, where it show a chart with the difference of 6 seconds exporting 50 JPGs out of Aperture, 68 seconds on the new 8 core and 62 seconds on my 2008. My opinion is that the difference doesn't worth a $3,500 dollars purchase, unless there are numerous advantages I'm overlooking.
Another idea was to double the ram on mine and get a new video card, planing to keep my 2008 as a server in case I buy a new one.
Need advice and suggestions, making a decision this weekend before something else comes up and spend the money . As I said, purchasing a new one is not an issue, just want to make sure is worth it.

Mac Pro 2009 and later have Multi-Threading and improved memory, so their specs for compute power are near double what 2008 and previous models were:
Primate Labs has posted Geekbench results for all the Mac Pro models since 2006. Here are some of the numbers in 32-bi/64-bit modes:
2.0 GHz 4-core 2006, 4011/4445
2.66 GHz 4-core 2006, 5178/5865
2.8 GHz 4-core 2008, 5650/6456
3.0 GHz 4-core 2006, 5768/6567
2.66 GHz 4-core 2009, 8265/9226
2.8 GHz 4-core 2010, 8629/9723
2.93 GHz 4-core 2009, 9072/10072
2.8 GHz 8-core 2008, 9105/10523
3.0 GHz 8-core 2007, 9172/10783
3.0 GHz 8-core 2008, 9460/11153
3.2 GHz 4-core 2010, 9829/10279
3.33 GHz 4-core 2009, x/11475
3.2 GHz 8-core 2008, 10108/11807
3.33 GHz 8-core 2009, 10304/11476
2.26 GHz 8-core 2009, 11831/13323
2.4 GHz 8-core 2010, 12722/14083
3.33 GHz 6-core 2010, 14049/15781
2.66 GHz 8-core 2009, 14330/16034
2.93 GHz 8-core 2009, 15529/17608
2.66 GHz 12-core 2010, 20226/22733
2.93 GHz 12-core 2010, 21661/24333
from: http://www.lowendmac.com/deals/best-mac-pro-prices.html
This chart shows that to EQUAL what you have now, buy a 2.93GHz FOUR-Core 2009 or later.
The real "sweet spot" in the current offerings is the six-core at only 1.5 times the entry models instead of 2x or 3x. (It's a build-to-order of the four-core.)
In case of a tie, always choose more MegaHertz over more processors.

Need to buy a new mac pro

I read some reviews and tests on web, but didnt get a conclusion... What config is better to buy:
1. Mac Pro 2008 3,1 8 core 3.0mhz 8gb RAM 500gb HD nivida geforce 8800gt - U$1.000
2. Mac Pro 2010 4 cores 2.8mhz 3gb RAM 1tb HD Ati radeon HD 5770 - U$1800

On CPU testing, the numbers are only about 18 percent different:
Primate Labs has posted Geekbench results for all the Mac Pro models since 2006. Here are some of the numbers in 64-bit mode:
2.0 GHz 4-core 2006, 4506
2.66 GHz 4-core 2006, 5933
2.8 GHz 4-core 2008, 6543
3.0 GHz 4-core 2006, 6661
2.66 GHz 4-core 2009, 9225
2.8 GHz 4-core 2010, 9659
2.93 GHz 4-core 2009, 10119
2.8 GHz 8-core 2008, 10715
3.2 GHz 4-core 2010, 10834
3.0 GHz 8-core 2007, 11014
3.0 GHz 8-core 2008, 11376
3.2 GHz 8-core 2008, 12054
2.26 GHz 8-core 2009, 13400
2.4 GHz 8-core 2010, 14174
3.33 GHz 6-core 2010, 15574
2.66 GHz 8-core 2009, 16066
2.93 GHz 8-core 2009, 17608
2.66 GHz 12-core 2010, 22418
2.93 GHz 12-core 2010, 24219
3.06 GHz 12-core 2010, 25375
--from http://lowendmac.com/deals/best-mac-pro-prices.html

Buying a new Mac Pro, need help with Screen

Hello everyone, Im getting a Mac Pro, and I need a good lcd monitor to go with it. At the same time I would like to be able to have a LCD screen in my room to watch tv. Is it possible to watch tv with the Apple displays, any other displays or should I buy a LCD TV that has capabilities to be connected to a computer. I read a post that suggested a Dell screen to somebody for the purpose of watching tv.
Please any advice would be appreciated.
Gonzo

Elgato <http://www.elgato.com> lets you watch a record TV programs on the Mac's screen.
There are some non-Apple monitors with video, as well as DVI inputs. Some even contain TV tuners and speakers.
Some TVs can be used as computer monitors but there are potential problems:
Low resolution
Overscan (menu bar and dock off the screen)
Computer display not filling screen
Non-square pixels
Interlacing

Need help with video on older Mac Pro

I have a 2008 Mac Pro that more than meets all of the specs for FCP X, except the Mac App store won't let me buy and download because the video card in the system doesn't meet specs. I've found an apple support page that lists the compatible video cards for FCP X. Here's my issues:
1. Most of the cards on the list are older and not easily obtainable anymore.
2. Even with models that are newer, it's had to find one labeled for Mac - so can I just use any old model of, say, a Radeon HD 5670 or do I need one specificlaly made for Macs?
3. Bottom line is what card can I use in a 2008 Mac Pro that will meet the specs and that I can actually purchase?
Thanx...Jon

jhyiesla wrote:
I've found an apple support page that lists the compatible video cards for FCP X.
. . . . . . . . . so can I just use any old model of, say, a Radeon HD 5670 or do I need one specificlaly made for Macs?
A Radeon HD 5670 is a Radeon HD 5670 - if it's on the compatible list, it will work in your Mac.
This is my pet checklist for questions regarding FCP X performance - you may have already addressed some of the items but it's worth checking.
Make sure you're using the latest version of the application - FCP X 10.0.5 runs very well on my 2009 MacPro 2 x 2.26 GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon with 16 GB RAM and ATI Radeon HD 5870 1024 MB. I run it with Lion 10.7.5.
First, check that you have at least 20% free space on your system drive.
For smooth playback without dropping frames, make sure 'Better Performance' is selected in the FCP X Preferences - Playback Tab.
If you have not already done so, move your Projects and Events to a fast (Firewire 800 or faster) external HD. Make sure the drive's formatted OS Extended (journalling's not required for video). You should always keep at least 20% free space on the Hard Drives that your Media, Projects and Events are on.
Check the spec of your Mac against the system requirements:
http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro/specs/
Check the spec of your graphics card. If it's listed here, it's not suitable:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4664
If you are getting crashes, there is some conflict on the OS. Create a new (admin) user account on your system and use FCP X from there - if it runs a lot better, there's a conflict and a clean install would be recommended.
Keep projects to 20 mins or less. If you have a long project, work on 20 min sections then paste these into a final project for export.
If you ever experience dropped frames, I strongly recommend you use ProRes 422 Proxy - it edits and plays back like silk because the files are small but lightly compressed (not much packing and unpacking to do) - but remember to select 'Original or Optimised Media' (FCP X Preferences > Playback) just before you export your movie, otherwise it will be exported at low resolution.
If you have plenty of processor power, for the ultimate editing experience, create Optimised Media - most camera native files are highly compressed and need a great deal of processor power to play back - particularly if you add titles, filters or effects. ProRes 422 takes up much more hard drive space but is very lightly compressed. It edits and plays back superbly.
Hide Audio Waveforms at all times when you don't need them (both in Browser and Storyline / Timeline). They take up a lot of processor power. (Use the switch icon at the bottom-right of your timeline to select a format without waveforms if you don't need them at the moment, then switch back when you do).
Create folders in the Project and Events libraries and put any projects you are not working on currently, in those folders. This will help a lot. There's a great application for this, called Event Manager X - for the tiny cost it's an invaluable application.
http://assistedediting.intelligentassistance.com/EventManagerX/
Unless you cannot edit and playback without it, turn off Background Rendering in Preferences (under Playback) - this will help general performance and you can always render when you need to by selecting the clip (or clips) and pressing Ctrl+R.
The biggest single improvement I saw in performance was when I upgraded the RAM from 8 GB to 16.
Andy

Need help with linking my new macbook pro with my printer

i have a new macbook pro and i am trying to link it to my also new Canon PIXMA MX882 printer. I went through installation and it said everything was complete, but when I go to choose a printer nothing shows up. I am a new mac user. please help!

It's not necessary to change your Apple ID often - maybe your password every six months or so, but not the email associated with the ID.
Have you contacted the Apple ID Support folks? You can reach them at -> http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/.
Good luck,
Clinton

Looking to buy a new Mac Pro...

Here is my desired configuration:
Mac Pro ($13,949.00)
Two 16x SuperDrives
500GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s
32GB (8 x 4GB)
Apple Wireless Keyboard (English) + Mac OS X Accessory kit
Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
Apple wireless Mighty Mouse
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT 512MB (Two dual-link DVI)
Apple Cinema HD Display (30" flat panel)
AppleCare Protection Plan for Mac Pro (w/or w/o Display)
Now here's my question:
32GB of RAM from Apple is $9600 (which we all know that Apple charges a premium for RAM)
Is this memory just as good as apples???
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Other%20World%20Computing/64FB4MPK32GB/

For what it's worth, I actually prefer the Dell monitors to the Cinema displays. Price difference aside, they have a much brighter screen even though the same LCD panels are used in both. It means you have a much greater overhead for the long term. You turn down the brightness to start and are able to increase it over the years whereas my Cinema Displays have required maximum brightness almost from the beginning and then they get dimmer over the years, requiring a backlight replacement about 3 years into their life. (If users have never gotten a backlight replacement they won't actually see the dimming but is is significant.)
The downside of the Dells is that they aren't nearly as elegant but I've always put function over form unless there is very little difference.

Looking to buy a new mac pro will there be a i7 version?

I have an iMac 24" and looking to get a mac Pro as my needs have changed.
I have compared an iMac and 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor ( two (friends) side by side and I have to say there is nothing in it, my initial thoughts were the Imac has better graphics and seems faster using Photoshop and final cut.
Does anyone know if they will make a i7 version (non xeon) and if the price will drop as the Mac pro seems to be so very expensive since the introduction of the i7 Imac in the region of £800 I'd say.

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/mac/mac_pro
No, Mac Pro = Xeon, and there is quad 3.3GHz BTO $1200 extra.
You were looking at 2009 Mac Pro? sounds like 2006-7 model possibly.
Whether you need more hard drives and memory then an iMac Core i5 is up to you.
http://www.amug.org/amug-web/html/amug/reviews/articles/intel/macpro-2009/
http://www.barefeats.com/imi7.html

Need help on buying a new mac or saving an old one

currently i have a mbp 15 inch 2.2GHz. i have carpal tunnel syndrome and my doctor said that i should get a slide out keyboard like a desktop computer. i was weighing in on my options.
save my mbp and just get some apple display or another display and a keyboard.the 30 inch display that apple puts out looks amazing but its HD so i wouldnt get the HD cause my video card is only the GeForce 8600M GT. but if i buy the 30 inch from apple i would be $1795.46 with the apple care and student discount. so that almost like getting a new imac.
i was also looking in to the new imac. the 2.93MHz 24 inch with the 512mb invidia video card everything else stock then of course the apple care and my student discount that would be $2089.71 with tax.
what do you think i should get ?

I have been following this discourse with some interest, and although your question is answered, I would still like to add my 2¢ worth if I may.
It seems to me that you have already received your diagnosis and recommendation from your doctor, so I don't think that we are in the business of diagnosing and prescribing anything. That has already been done by your doctor. My impression is that you were simply seeking additional insight from a computer savvy community to supplement what you were told by your doctor.
I do not have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome myself, but my mother-in-law did. She used a slide out keyboard with a wrist rest and a Logitech stationary mouse with a ball top, also with a wrist rest. This was in Win 98 days, so she was using a standard keyboard.
There are ergonomic keyboards on the market now, and it may be that one of these would be helpful to you. It looks like these reposition your hands and typing position slightly, and are supposed to be designed to relieve/prevent Carpal Tunnel pain when typing. They may also serve as a training mechanism to teach you a better typing position, but I don't really know. There are also a number of wrist rests available.
You can see a few of these on display at an office supply like Staples, and try out the display models to see if they seem to make a difference or not. There are of course many models available, and if you think one might be helpful to you, you could do some on line research, and possibly even post back with a question specifically on ergonomic keyboards and which ones seem to work the best as well as which ones will be Mac compatible. People with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome who use these things day in and day out would be best qualified to make recommendations. And anyone who has experienced Carpal Tunnel Syndrome personally is certainly well qualified to give you a certain amount of insight and advice.
Properly setting up the geometry of your workplace is in no way a contradiction of anything you have been told by your doctor. I think there may well be some trial and error involved in achieving what works best for you personally. But I suspect that in the end you can achieve quite a bit to alleviate your pain.
One thing you might try for free is to roll up a towel or something to use as a wrist rest and see if it provides any relief. If so, you might find it worth exploring some of the ergonomic options available to you.
Good luck, and Happy Computing!

I am thinking of swapping to FInal Cut Pro X. Can I get away with buying a 2010 Mac Pro to use?

Would you recommend eight or twelve cores? Is the speed that important? How much memory? I read so much conflicting information. Sites that say anything over eight cores isn't worth it. Or you should only use six outof the eight memory slots. Or a single 3.33 quad core is better than 2.4 with eight cores.
I will be editing 1920x1080 60p either 35Mbps MPEG4 or 28Mbps AVCHD. Typically a single camera. Sometimes a multi camera shot.
I thought I would ask the Apple forum. I have read the minimum requirements for the software. But I know it is better to talk to people that actually use the product.

For what your editing and with only a single avchd camera, I would go for fewer cores and a higher cpu.
A 12 core would be overkill and would probably give you slower performance in tasks not directly related to export rendering.
A 4 core 3.33 quad core is absolutely faster than a 8 or even 12 core 2.4 in all tasks that don't use many cores. And Most tasks don't. But if given a choice, I prefer a six or eight core rather than a 4 core and would recommend enough memory and the highest cpu you could afford.
16 gigs or more of memory should be good and remember the graphics card. FCP X really takes advantage of the newer OpenCL cards that were recently released for Mac from ATI and Nvidia.

Help with buying a new Mac Pro

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