New Mac Pro vs iMac for 3D/Gaming/Development

I have a dilema
I have been eagerly waiting to find out the specs of the New Mac Pro in order to purchase one for an all in one development machine but I can't quite make up my mind.
I am a 3D Artist and a Programmer and a game player. For 3D I use 3D Studio Max and VRay which is a realtime renderer (which I use to speed up visual workflow before rendering to the CPU) and this makes use of GPU Rendering, specifically CUDA but OpenCL is also supported in later versions, Unfortunatly Shader Units on AMD cards seem to run at half the speed of NVidia CUDA cores from reading various sources on the web. So thats a negative against the Mac Pro (Boot camped into windows of course)
The programmer side of me writes iOS Apps and OSX apps so any Mac will do here.
The gamer side of me plays cutting edge titles like the upcoming Call of Duty Ghosts.
So, my choices are a fully maxed out 27" iMac with 1TB Flash drive, 32GB ram and the NVidia GTX 780M with its 4GB ram vs a D500 6 core Mac Pro with 512Gb PCI-e Flash storage + monitor
I want to stay with Apple because I prefer their software and support (I wish Max was available on OSX!).
Is it unlikely that the Mac Pro will offer a CUDA based graphic option like the iMac? it doesnt have to be Quadro based as I find the 4GB GTX 7,8 series are fine for <5 million poly scenes and that with the multicore Mac Pro would make it a great choice for what I need.
Thanks for any help
Anim

From a 3D Artist perspective, this review helped me understand quite a bit regarding the technology behind OpenCL with NVidia vs OpenCL with AMD and the New Mac Pro
http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-06/13/mac-pro-overview
It seems my only options are to use an external thunderbolt enclosure with a GPU in it (e.g. a Titan) and hope it performs ok, plead with the Chaos Group to work on OpenCL with AMD (again) to make VRay support AMD or buy a PC and do what I want. I will also need to get an iMac for iOS development but wont need the top end one if going this latter route,
Thanks
Anim

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New mac pro (2014) specs for production company help

Hey guys new to the forum!
I work for a production company that makes mainly online corporate video and motion graphics, lots of character animation, typography pieces and bits and pieces of 3D work with cinema 4d r14. We currently work on 2009 mac workstations which have the following specs:
Model Name:          Mac Pro
Model Identifier:          MacPro3,1
Processor Name:          Quad-Core Intel Xeon
Processor Speed:          3.2 GHz
Number Of Processors:          2
Total Number Of Cores:          8
L2 Cache (per processor):          12 MB
Memory:          16 GB
Bus Speed:          1.6 GHz
Chipset Model:          ATI Radeon HD 2600
I've been asked to get some specs because we plan on buying the new mac pro and I have been reading some articles regarding performance with After Effects but in all honesty i really don't understand what sort of specs i need because i'm good at designing and animating but it when it comes to CPU, GPU talk it's all very confusing!
My boss wants faster previews, faster render times and an all round better performance than what we have now, and with the possibility of outputting 4K in the near future i have to bear that in mind as well.
If you guys could give me a helping hand choosing a new mac pro i would be eternally grateful!
Thanks,
Mark

The new Mac Pros are, without a doubt, amazing machines. But are they value for money?
A significant cost in these machines is the high end AMD GPUs, which is utilised very well by Apple in their own software like Final Cut Pro X, Compressor and Motion. If you use those a lot, it's a no brainer. Place your order.
Premiere Pro CC has support for the GPUs (one GPU during playback, but can utilise both during renders.)
There has been no pledge from Adobe for After Effects support. AE's ray-traced 3D render engine has been virtually abandoned by Adobe, so there will never be support for AMD CPUs for it. They are now more focussed on integration with Maxxon's Cinema 4D as a 3D alternative, but Cinema 4D exclusively renders with the CPU – no GPU benefit.
The AE team are hinting about substantial multi-processing enhancements in the next major update, so it seems After Effects users will continue to be better off with faster multi-core CPUs, rather than expensive GPUs. With more CPU cores comes the need for more RAM.
Some third party vendors of AE plugins, like VideoCopilot's Element 3D and Optical Flares, have pledged support for the Mac Pro GPUs. But the problem with intertwining CPU-dependent software with GPU-dependent plugins is you need to turn off multi-processing to get the best results, negating the value of your powerful Mac Pro CPU.
Photoshop and Indesign rarely need the balls of a machine like the new Mac Pro. The new high-speed SSDs will certainly make them run faster than your average iMac, but it's not a HUGE leap for the cost difference.
The benchmarks I've seen on media encoding for the new Mac Pros are a little underwhelming, to be honest. They're fast, yes, but not twice as fast as a $4000 iMac, despite a high-end machine being twice (or more) expensive.
So, as a primarily Adobe user, I'm a bit torn. Personally, I think my money will be better spent buying a high-spec iMac for now. I can always on-sell it in 6 months if Adobe prove they are really coming to the party with Mac Pro support. But right now I'm not seeing proof of the benefits (from Adobe) in buying a $6K+ machine.
If you are determined to buy the new Mac Pro, and After Effects and C4D are your primary tools, get the most powerful CPU you can afford, make sure you have at least 3-4GB of RAM for each CPU, and keep the lowest-specced GPUs.

New Mac Pro vs iMac

I am buying a new desktop for photo and video editing. I am trying to decide between the new Mac Pro coming out in Dec or a maxed out 27 inch iMac. If I go with the Mac Pro I will have to buy a TB display so I'm looking at about $1000 more for a base Mac Pro vs a top of the line iMac. I just need to know if I will be able to tell that much of a difference.

I too do a lot of video editing, and after a year in **** with a slow PC and PowerDirector, FCPX was looking pretty good. All I had to do was build an Apple PC around it.
I'd been away from Apple for a number of years and thought I'd have to ante up for a Mac Pro. That bothered me because I'm just not a pro editor and never will be. For the kind of work I do, personal video biographies, the basic editing processes are all I will ask of my system.
So I was delighted to discover the current-generation 27" iMac, a fantastic all-round PC, could be souped up to prosumer level as a video workstation. On Black Friday I ordered my dream machine: i7, 32GB, 3TB Fusion, GTX 780M video. And for good measure I added an AirPort Extreme router to extract maximum throughput from my WiFi network, and an external Panasonic Blu-Ray burner (listed on Amazon as "Aluminum External USB Blu-Ray Writer SuperDrive for Apple" and priced at $104) that also burns DVDs and even CDs. (FCPX supports this drive, even though Apple has abandoned optical media.)
I'm still deep in the learning curve but already know this PC doesn't break a sweat doing transcoding and analysis of some pretty hefty clips. Video editing, previously a chore, is now for me an enjoyably creative process. Once I get a few vids under my belt, I expect the hardware and software to "disappear" and it will be just me and the content as I spin various elements into a narrative that presents its subject from several perspectives.

New Mac Pro and iMac as Display – Several Crashes

Hello,
I am using a new Mac Pro (late 2013, 3.5 6C) and are really happy with it. But I have one problem …
Currently I am using an iMac 27" as a display via Apple Thunderbolt cable (original cable from Apple).
But when I switch my displays via cmd+f2, my mac pro sometimes crashes. So I can switch back to my iMac always, without issues. But sometimes, when I want to switch back to my running Mac Pro (no screensaver etc.), I cannot switch back and the Mac Pro simply reboots.
Any ideas what to do? I've sent a bug report to Apple already …

The warranty entitles you to complimentary phone support for the first 90 days of ownership.
If you bought the product in the U.S. directly from Apple (not from a reseller), you have 14 days from the date of delivery in which to exchange or return it for a refund. In other countries, the return policy may be different. If you bought from a reseller, its return policy applies.

New Mac Pro keeps looking for a server that isn't there

So, I just got my new Mac Pro (Mountain Lion 10.8.2) the other day. I used MIgration Asssisant to transfer most files from my old Power Mac G5. Computers were connected thru a hub.
Then I turned on file sharing on the old machine to get some other info transferred. I then shut down file sharing, physically disconnecting the hub and connecting the new Mac Pro to my DSL modem with an ethernet cable.
Now when I boot up the new machine, I get a message
"There was a problem connecting to the server 'Joe Blow's Power Mac G5'.
"The server may not exist or it is unavailable at this time. Check the server name or IP address, check your network connection, and try again."
I get this message three separate times ove a couple of minutes.
Under the "Go" button in the Finder menu, I've clicked on "Connect to server..." and cleared the old mac out of the list.
What am I missing??
Thanks

Common causes of this issue include the following:
Aliases in the iPhoto, iTunes, or iMovie library pointing to the server.
Bookmarks in the Preview application.
See iMovie Troubleshooting: Connection Failed, Server Does Not Exist
Otherwise, proceed as below.
Please read this whole message before doing anything. This procedure is a test, not a solution. Don’t be disappointed when you find that nothing has changed after you complete it. Step 1 The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is localized to your user account. Enable guest logins* and log in as Guest. For instructions, launch the System Preferences application, select Help from the menu bar, and enter “Set up guest users” (without the quotes) in the search box. Don't use the Safari-only “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac.” While logged in as Guest, you won’t have access to any of your personal files or settings. Applications will behave as if you were running them for the first time. Don’t be alarmed by this; it’s normal. If you need any passwords or other personal data in order to complete the test, memorize, print, or write them down before you begin. Test while logged in as Guest. Same problem? After testing, log out of the guest account and, in your own account, disable it if you wish. Any files you created in the guest account will be deleted automatically when you log out of it. *Note: If you’ve activated “Find My Mac” or FileVault, then you can’t enable the Guest account. The “Guest User” login created by “Find My Mac” is not the same. Create a new account in which to test, and delete it, including its home folder, after testing. Step 2 The purpose of this step is to determine whether the problem is caused by third-party system modifications that load automatically at startup or login. Disconnect all wired peripherals except those needed for the test, and remove all aftermarket expansion cards. Boot in safe mode* and log in to the account with the problem. The instructions provided by Apple are as follows:
Shut down your computer, wait 30 seconds, and then hold down the shift key while pressing the power button.
When you see the gray Apple logo, release the shift key.
If you are prompted to log in, type your password, and then hold down the shift key again as you click Log in.
Safe mode is much slower to boot and run than normal, and some things won’t work at all, including wireless networking on certain Macs.
The login screen appears even if you usually log in automatically. You must know your login password in order to log in. If you’ve forgotten the password, you will need to reset it before you begin.
*Note: If FileVault is enabled, or if a firmware password is set, or if the boot volume is a software RAID, you can’t boot in safe mode.
Test while in safe mode. Same problem?
After testing, reboot as usual (i.e., not in safe mode) and verify that you still have the problem. Post the results of steps 1 and 2.

New Mac Pro now available for ordering

Apple's website now shows the new Mac Pro is now available for ordering, and able to pick ip in store or shipped free.. And it's going to be built just a couple miles from my home in Austin.
http://www.kvue.com/news/Mac-Pro-computers-to-be-assembled-in-Austin-236544411.h tml

I'm just a few miles away also. The new Apple Campus construction is coming along well also. Flextronics is less then a mile away from the campus.

New Mac Pro (2010) Configuration for Photoshop

Multiple questions for this august body of knowledge holders...
Consider the following problem statement:
---->> "To purchase a new Mac Pro as a *Photoshop / Aperture* rocket sled."
Now the questions:
1 Is the 6 core 3.33 GHz option the best CPU option? Can Photoshop make use of more (slower) cores?
2 What about the video card? Stock card (ATI Radeon HD 5770) Or are there gains to be had springing for the upgrade (ATI Radeon HD 5870)?
3 What about RAM - go for 24GB (8GB modules) or 32GB? Apple says limit is 16GB, aftermarket seems to think 32GB is limit (4GB vs 8GB modules) ( I've heard some say use only the first three RAM slots - the 3rd and 4th slot use the same bus and are therefore slower...true? )
4 Last question: Storage. Who makes the most reliable hard (2TB) drive? Seagate? WD? Other?
Thanks, in advance, to all those who provide brilliant advice!

I think it depends on your needs as to what will be optimal.
No to PS being very well threaded at all.
So GHz rule. So do SSDs! and RAM helps as long as you work with large files.
3 x 8GB is fine. Apple never lists the max RAM or drive capacity.
$200 BTO for 5870 now rather than later.
Hitachi, OWC SSD, WD.
http://macperformanceguide.com/index_topics.html
Even the 4-core 3.2GHz might do just fine and better $$ investment.
Or this 3.33 2009 Special
http://store.apple.com/us/product/G0G81LL/A?mco=MTcyMDg3MDQ
http://twitter.com/diglloyd

My brand new Mac Pro shuts down for no reason

My two week old Mac Pro shut downs for no pparent reason. Using the wireless, not plug in to an outlet but battery fully charged. Both times happen within 15hrs. apart.

Take it back to Apple and ask them to fix it.
Allan

Mac Pro versus IMac for a print graphic designer

I use CS 5.5 Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator, Acrobat along with Excel and Word all open at once. I find that every 3 years I have to get anew computer. I'm in the market again and owndering if I should spend the extra for a Mac Pro or if I should get a 16 GB Imac? Any advice greatly appreciated.

A Mac Pro you won't outgrown like you do with laptop and iMacs.
People are still going strong on 2006 models; some have replaced processors, RAM and hard drives are normal and easy as is an upgrade to video cards. And you have access with 2009 and later model with 64GB RAM
Recommendation for 24-48GB RAM:
http://www.macperformanceguide.com - check topics and look for memory and CS5 there are tips and info on MacBook Pro too which are - when new and for the moment, fully capable for many as the late 2011s - but by the end of the year there will be new processors from Intel across the board and make the next line of macbooks and others more performance.

Looking for advice on a new Mac Pro system mainly for Final Cut Studio 2

We are a small video production company that works mainly on broadcast and internet projects. We're looking to upgrade from an aging Avid system to a Mac Pro running Final Cut Studio 2. The primary thing we want from this system is to be able to work quickly in Final Cut while at the same time doing other operations, and we're willing to spend what it takes to make that happen. We've done a lot of research but still have some issues where we could use your expertise - it's a big investment and we want to nail it.
Here's the configuration we're considering:
Processor: Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
Memory: 16GB (4 x 4GB)
Hard Drives: 300GB 15,000-rpm SAS (for OS X, Final Cut, & other programs) plus 2 x 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s (for video storage)
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600
We're thinking about spending the extra $1600 to get the best processor available, since we want this machine to be the hub of the business for about five years. Any thoughts on whether to save a bit and go with the 2.8GHz? We've also heard the bus speed presents a bottleneck so the Quad-Core processing power can't be fully utilized - should that have any bearing on our processor decision?
The memory choice seems right - we'll see how well that works and retain the option to double the RAM, particularly as prices fall and new applications or hardware upgrades become tenable. However, we're thinking of perhaps buying some or all of the memory third-party - any advice on whether this tends to be worthwhile, where to get it, and what to watch out for? It looks like there may some issues with getting proper heat-sinking.
We like the hard drive plan, though we've heard a 15,000-rpm drive may generate a lot of heat - any thoughts on this?
The graphics card is where we're most torn - specifically between the Quadro 5600, the GeForce 8800, or perhaps even getting the computer with the standard card (or no card) and getting a different third-party card. We do mostly DV now, but we foresee doing HD projects in the future. We often use a green-screen that's in our studio and also apply minimal 3D effects as well as 3D text. We're debating whether to get the Quadro 5600 right off the bat and hopefully have no issues with it, or whether to get the GeForce 8800 for now and if we have issues then consider upgrading to the Quadro 5600 or potentially something else that would best suit our needs at that time. Would love to receive any and all advice on this issue.
Also, it looks like we're gonna buy Final Cut Studio 2 and are considering also getting Final Cut Server. It seems the combination would allows us to use the Final Cut suite on other computers (both Mac and Wintel) that don't have their own version of Final Cut installed. Is that the correct interpretation? Any other advice on whether to get FC Server would be appreciated.
Thanks very much for reading - we look forward to getting any and all advice you may have.
Dave & Tom

interdiscipline wrote:
Here's the configuration we're considering:
Processor: Two 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon (8-core)
*Don't do it!* Stick with the dual-2.8GHz config. A jump from that to the dual-3.2GHz gains you only an approximate 9% increase in power at a 52% increase in cost! Not worth it all. That money is much wiser spent on RAM, RAID array, or a broadcast monitor.
Memory: 16GB (4 x 4GB)
Hard Drives: 300GB 15,000-rpm SAS (for OS X, Final Cut, & other programs) plus 2 x 1TB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s (for video storage)
Graphics: NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600
We're thinking about spending the extra $1600 to get the best processor available, since we want this machine to be the hub of the business for about five years.
The processor is only one part of the whole, and as I just mentioned, the power:cost benefits are not good.
The graphics card is where we're most torn - specifically between the Quadro 5600, the GeForce 8800, or perhaps even getting the computer with the standard card (or no card) and getting a different third-party card. We do mostly DV now, but we foresee doing HD projects in the future.
Quadro 5600 is pricey, but I'm not sure about its benefits for people in our field. Even if I had the money for it, I would be hard pressed to consider it considering, again, money is liekly wiser spent elsewhere.
Also, it looks like we're gonna buy Final Cut Studio 2 and are considering also getting Final Cut Server. It seems the combination would allows us to use the Final Cut suite on other computers (both Mac and Wintel) that don't have their own version of Final Cut installed. Is that the correct interpretation?
I don't know much about FCServer, but my impression is that it is -- simply speaking -- Final Cut version of Avid Unity. In other words, I am pretty certain that your understanding on that is false. I may be wrong.

Connecting mac pro to Imac for screen share.

I have connected my mac pro to my Imac so i can use the Imac sceen. I hooked directly with a dvi cable. The Imac screen is
immediately "taken over" by the mac pro when I make the connection. My question is, is there a way to disconnect without having
to physically unplug the connection?

See if there is anything in this Link...
Using 27” iMac as External Display
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3924?viewlocale=en_US

New Mac Pro - Best bang for the buck

I'm looking to replace my G5 2.7 with a new MP. I'll be running Logic, Reason, Photoshop, Dreamweaver, video conversion, ...
I'm thinking about either the Two 2.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Westmere” (8 cores) with 8GB ram
or
One 3.2GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon “Nehalem” [Add $360.00] with 6GB ram
I know the dual Westmere will be faster but will it be $1k faster and will the software I run support the 2 processors?
Thanks for any input!!

That test session has been run on many different machines, it has become somewhat of a standard benchmark session for Logic users. For comparison, quad machines at considerably lower clock speed have done 50 tracks when the six core at 3.33 only does 45-47 (another 6 core user tested and confirmed the same result). I'm not sure what he means by "a lot of Logic is single threaded" since Logic can generally use up to eight cores - since he has only tested on one machine and not made any comparisons, he makes some conclusions that aren't correct.
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-computers/371545-logic-pro-multicore-benchm arktest.html

New Mac Pro Released Today for $1400

April Fools

speaking of games, did you see the joke site that has iPads slipping into miniature arcade consoles like Asteroids and PacMan? Very clever illustrations. I almost fell for it.
<< <a class="jive-link-external-small" href="http://">http://www.thinkgeek.com/stuff/41/iCade.shtml?icpg=CarouseliCade1 >>
bogiesan

New Mac Pro for photography (raw edition).

Hi,
I want to buy the new Mac Pro in december for use as my main works station. I work mainly with Photoshop CS6 and Capture one, editing/retouching big amounts of RAW and TIFF files from Nikon and Hasselblad.
Im thinking in buy the 6 cores version with 16Gb or 32Gb if I get the money, (I think the 16Gb is the basic configuration for the six core and looks really good). Like this is a big investment for me, I was wondering if this will be the right configuration for my work. I am a photographer and an advanced retoucher. But I'm not sure if the 6 cores are really necessary for what I do (serious photo edition, fashion and publicity.). Maybe the 4 cores with 32Gb (or more) of Ram is just enough or... Maybe, its the 8 cores the right option.
This machine should last at least five years.
Any advice is welcome.
By the way, anyone knows how to solve the Eizo Colornavigator 6 compatibility with the OS X Mavericks issue?.
Thanks a lot!.
Cristóbal.

Hi FatMac and The hatter,
Thanks for yours suggestions, it's been very helpful!.
i'm using a MacBook Pro (6.2) 2.8GHz i7 8Gb Ram (not upgradable) and 500Gb SSD connected to an Eizo monitor. It does his job but lately having heavy overheating and slow down its performance in a notorius way. Its a good machine but is not made for serious editing.
Before that, I was using an imac 27 quad core 16Gb ram that I sold for get some money for the new Mac Pro.
This should be a notorious improvement for me.
Based on what you saying I think with the 6 cores at 32 Gb ram I will be ok. Im thinking on upgrade the Ram in the future. Probably the 8 cores will be too expensive for my budget and don't make a significant improvement for my work compared to the 6 cores.
Thank you very much for your advice and links!!.
Best,
C.

Recommendations for audio interface with new mac pro to avoid latency?

Hi friends,
I have a new Mac Pro on order for editing video in FCPX, but Presonus says my older Presonus Firebox won't work with Mavericks and the new Mac Pro. Do you have a recommendation for a replacement?
I only use the interface to drive 2 powered expternal speakers and a headset, so I don't need something super sophisticated.
As I read about units, almost all come with USB 2.0 connections. But the new Mac Pro only offers USB, Thunderbolt 2, Dual Gigabit Ethernet, and HDMI 1.4 Ultra HD inputs. If I can't find a fairly inexpensive audio interface with USB 3.0, I'd have to go through another connection to get into the Mac Pro.
The key for me is to make sure and avoid latency, a critical issue for editing video.
Any advice is much appreciated. Thanks. Duncan

Thanks Mark and Smokerz,
Your point about USB2 working in USB3 ports is something I wasn't aware of. That opens a lot of doors for me. And I'll look into the Yamaha sound board as one possibility.
Thank you both for helping me.
Duncan

New Mac Pro vs iMac for 3D/Gaming/Development

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