Told my friend to buy a Mac Pro today...right choice?

She wanted a new computer so she could edit music and video, but she only had $2200 to spend. She was gonna grab a MacBook Pro, but I told her to buy the Mac Pro but in its lowest configuration. 2.0GHz, 1GB Ram, 160 GB HD, no WiFi etc. It came in at $1962 with her student discount.
Is that the right choice? I told her it's upgradeable, but I wasn't sure if she could ever upgrade the CPU. Did I point her in the right direction? Or should she cancel her order and get the MacBook Pro?

Given her budget she's going to be tightly squeezed which ever way she goes. Ultimately, the startup price of a Mac Pro is probably going to be slightly higher if you need to consider a display. If not then they're going to more or less the same.
In my opinion you did point her in the right direction for several reasons…
1) 2 x 2GHz Xeon processors are going to be far better than single 2.16GHz Core Duo Mobile processor. I would however suggest she makes every effort to beg, borrow or steal the cash to stick with the standard 2.66GHz processors. They're far better value than the 2GHz and will serve her far better in the long run.
2) RAM is a real problem with all other Mac s as they're limited to 2GB. For serious video editing you want 4GB or more. With 1GB in either system she'll be struggling so it's suggest she have at least 2GB.
3) Laptops are limited to 2.5" drives and hence, are currently limited to 160GB (which you cannot even get as a CTO option) forcing MB/MBP users into external drives. The Mac Pro you can add up to 5 drives.
4) No RAID in the MBP which provides a huge performance boost for video editing.
5) No DVD+R DL recording in the current MBP.
6) No upgradeable GPU in the MBP. Even though the ATi X1600 Mobility in the MBP and the Nvidia 7300 GT are more or less the same, the Mac Pro does give upgrade options where the MBP does not.
7) No TOSLink in the MBPs.
Having been a laptop users for some time before going with a Mac Pro I can reasonably say that the only reason I would ever recommend a laptop is that you require portability.
The MBPs do come with Airport and Bluetooth as standard although you can buy USB Bluetooth adapters cheap enough and I'd suggest using Ethernet cables in any case.
Finally, have you/she considered going with say a 24" iMac?

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Is buying a MacBook Pro the right choice?

I am wanting to buy and new laptop computer to replace my old mac. I am tempted by the MacBook Pro, but am a bit put off by the price.
Then I see the Macbook which is less expensive, and wonder whether buying the Macbook Pro is over the top.
Could someone please tell me whether they think it is worth the extra money buying the Macbook Pro, or am I better off just going with the Macbook. I am a graphic design student and have a lot of high res. photos and images on my HD, and need a fast processor to use various programs.
Thanks

Hi there,
What this essentially comes down to is how much speed do you need now, and how long do you want the machine to be usable?
The current MB is a much more capable Macbook than the previous generations. It has the same processor as the entry MBP, and a graphics chipset that is far faster than the previous Macbook. Your current needs would probably be met by the Macbook.
However, read what Apple's Snow Leopard website says under OpenCL.
http://www.apple.com/macosx/snowleopard/
It is certain that in the future the graphics chipsets in these machines will be utilized more than they are today. Nobody knows to what extent that will be, or when it will occur, but it is worth considering.
Certainly, the MBP will be usable for your purposes for a longer period of time than the Macbook. If this matters to you, perhaps the MBP is more suited to your needs. In the end I doubt you would be overly disappointed with either machine, but your usage seem to lean you more towards the MBP.
--Travis

Do I need to buy a Mac pro with an iMac?

I'm planning on buying a 27-inch iMac, do I need to buy a Mac Pro (single processor) or any other hardware etc with the iMac PC?

Go for the higher end 27 inch screen base model.
Get one with the fusion drive.
Add third party RAM after the purchase.
If you need an optical drive, the new iMacs no longer have an internal CD/DVD optical drive.
You will need to budget and purchase an external optical drive.
Also, budget for an external hard drive for backups and storage.
Most important, budget for, purchase and register for extended 2-years of AppleCare warranty before your first year of ownership has ended.
The cost of the extra 2 years is only a fraction of an actual out of pocket repair cost.
Later aluminum iMacs, in general, have a 3-5 year varied liability history and it's better to have 3 years of warranty coverage than get caught with an expensive repair sometime after the first free year of AppleCare.
Good Luck!

About to buy a Mac Pro, have quick question please.

Hi all,
I am going to more than likely buy a Mac Pro 2.66 tonight or tomorrow, but I was wondering something in regards to graphics cars if any one could assist me.
I am planning to go with the ATI card and 2gigs of ram since I do some gaming on the side and plan to use bootcamp for that.
My question is that if I buy the machine in retail store, they do not credit the stock GeForce card and just add the ATI card in, so if I go that rout can both the ATI and Nvidia card both reside in the machine at the same time and be used in SLI mode?
EG: can I get the power of both cards or will I only be able to use the processing power of one card? If only one card then would I be better off configuring the machine online since they credit you the difference of the Nvidia card which saves roughly $150.00 off the order from doing it in a retail store?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am not worried about the $150.00, it would almost be worth it to spend the extra since the shipping time on the online configuration may end up costing almost the same unless I want to wait a few weeks for the machine.
Whats your thoughts on this? Is it worth it to buy in the store and use both cards or just buy online from apple and get the credit for the Nvidia card?
Thanks in advance!

can both the ATI and Nvidia card both reside in the machine at the same time and be used in SLI mode
No… SLI requires two Nvidia SLI capable cards. In addition, SLI is not supported under Mac OS X although does work, apparently, under Windows and Boot Camp. ATi's comparable technology is CrossFire.
would I be better off configuring the machine online since they credit you the difference of the Nvidia card which saves roughly $150.00 off the order from doing it in a retail store?
Financially yes as the Nvidia card is ultimately useless to you. One consideration though is the CTO conditions of return, or lack there of, in case you receive a DOA. In the US, amongst other countries, CTo unit are not returnable even if they are DOA so you should check the terms of sale in the country store you would buy from.
Whats your thoughts on this?
I, like many others, bought CTOs from the Apple Store so I don't think it's such a bad way to go. It also means you won't have any pressing need to open your new Mac Pro right away.
One thing you might want to consider though is to downgrade the standard 250GB hard drive to a 160GB drive and use the saving on a drive of your choosing. Apple tends to use OEM desktop drives that have unimpressive performance. The 160GB drive in my Mac Pro didn't even get turned on. It was a Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 if you're interested.

If I buy the Mac pro and iMac combine it together would it be faster?

If I buy the Mac pro and iMac combine it together would it be faster or I just buy the mac pro and Apple Thunderbolt Display (27-inch)?

If you buy a Mac Pro 2013, use the iMac for casual stuff and use the Mac Pro for media creation work.
Maxed out iMac with 4-core 32GB RAM and 1TB SSD PCIe is nice.
Mac Pro with 6-core 64GB dual graphics for $1000 more might run rings around it.
Why not look them both up on Geekbench.
Some people really need and like having two systems, maybe laptop (Air) and a more powerful system.

I plan to buy a mac pro 13 inch, any discount for corporate company workers

i plan to buy a mac pro 13 inch, any discount for corporate company workers
13-inch: 2.4 GHz

Possibly if your company has an agreement with Apple and the machine is purchased through the company. Otherwise, no.

Planning on buying a Mac Pro

Hi, I'm planning on buying a Mac Pro 3Ghz in the near future and had a few questions before I buy it.
I plan on using the computer mainly for games but I want to have it for a long time and be able to handle whatever I throw at it (games and otherwise). I had a iMac G3 300Mhz for about 5 years and been useing a iMac 2Ghz more recently, both of which I have been very pleased with but I know a regular tower has alot more options and complications too.
At first I was planning on buying all my RAM from Apple and just getting the monitor seperate (since they seem pretty overpriced), on futher research I found that the 2GB RAM I was going to get at first is really a min. amount for the system and 4GB much better for getting full performance from the computer. Now from Apple the price difference from 2BG to 4GB is $800, not cheap.
So my first question is where can I find memory thats not so expensive? and what are the good brands to buy?
I also found out that the hard drives that apple uses aren't that good. Was going to get the 250GB HD but I probly don't need that much and can always add more so size isn't a big factor.
So what brand has good hard drives and where would be the best place to buy it?
I'm now planning on getting the computer with the min. HD and RAM and upgrading from there but I also want to be able to put in all the upgrades right away and not have to worry about adding more for awhile.
Last is the monitor but that doesn't concern me as much as the main computer. I want to get atleast a 20", any suggestions you have would be appreciated.
Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Last fall Intel customers that run heavy servers were clamoring for Intel to get new chips out the door. Servers are often optimized for multi-cpu/cores, and the new chips run cooler, take less power to run, AND less power to cool. The costs of running a server farm makes any reduction in cost important today. Plus, even though they are clocked slower, are somewhat more efficient (improved and more mature?) that and stability are often what drives servers, not the hottest (figuratively and literally) cpus and systems.
So even if/when Intel does start shipping, and tested/qualified for OEMs they may not have any "left over" for awhile for desktop. And it could be they might even end up in Apple Xserves rather than MacPro.
Given that it took until November (late) for Apple to use Xeon in Xserve I almost wondered if it takes longer and more testing (and revising version of server) or if Apple might be hoping to delay and see if Intel could supply the new 53xx chip (would they use single quad-core or two? or have both configurations?).
Often it does take a "patched" or revised OS to deal with any new hardware as well (10.4.9? 10.5.1? something in-between?).
Anyone whose work is really cpu bound on G5 Quad or Mac Pro will probably be first off the line for these, as they were for the other two systems.

HT201364 Hi friends, I have a Mac Pro OS X 10.5.8, I want to upgrade newer version its possible, please help to get a solution thanks

Hi friends, I have a Mac Pro OS X 10.5.8, I want to upgrade newer version its possible, please help to get a solution
thanks
Mujeeb

See options below:
Upgrading to Snow Leopard
You can purchase Snow Leopard through the Apple Store: Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard - Apple Store (U.S.). The price is $19.99 plus tax. You will be sent physical media by mail after placing your order.
After you install Snow Leopard you will have to download and install the Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1 to update Snow Leopard to 10.6.8 and give you access to the App Store. Access to the App Store enables you to download Mavericks if your computer meets the requirements.
     Snow Leopard General Requirements
       1. Mac computer with an Intel processor
       2. 1GB of memory
       3. 5GB of available disk space
       4. DVD drive for installation
       5. Some features require a compatible Internet service provider;
           fees may apply.
       6. Some features require Apple’s iCloud services; fees and
           terms apply.
Upgrading from Snow Leopard to Lion or Mavericks
To upgrade to Mavericks you must have Snow Leopard 10.6.8, Lion, or Mountain Lion installed. Purchase and download Mavericks (Free) from the App Store. Sign in using your Apple ID. The file is quite large, over 5 GBs, so allow some time to download. It would be preferable to use Ethernet because it is nearly four times faster than wireless.
     OS X Mavericks- System Requirements
       Macs that can be upgraded to OS X Mavericks
         1. iMac (Mid 2007 or newer) — Model Identifier 7,1 or later
         2. MacBook (Late 2008 Aluminum, or Early 2009 or newer) —
             Model Identifier 5,1 or later
         3. MacBook Pro (Mid/Late 2007 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         4. MacBook Air (Late 2008 or newer) — Model Identifier 2,1 or later
         5. Mac mini (Early 2009 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         6. Mac Pro (Early 2008 or newer) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
         7. Xserve (Early 2009) — Model Identifier 3,1 or later
To find the model identifier open System Profiler in the Utilities folder. It's displayed in the panel on the right.
Are my applications compatible?
         See App Compatibility Table — RoaringApps.
Upgrading to Lion
If your computer does not meet the requirements to install Mavericks, it may still meet the requirements to install Lion.
You can purchase Lion at the Online Apple Store. The cost is $19.99 (as it was before) plus tax. It's a download. You will get an email containing a redemption code that you then use at the Mac App Store to download Lion. Save a copy of that installer to your Downloads folder because the installer deletes itself at the end of the installation.
     Lion System Requirements
       1. Mac computer with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7,
           or Xeon processor
       2. 2GB of memory
       3. OS X v10.6.6 or later (v10.6.8 recommended)
       4. 7GB of available space
       5. Some features require an Apple ID; terms apply.

I intend to buy new mac pro, is it better to wait for the new OS X mountain, or can buy it and we can update it without affecting its performance?

I intended to buy new mac pro, is it better to wait for new OS X moutain or can buy it now and update it later as it will not affect its performance???

khalid.mktaka76 wrote:
I intended to buy new mac pro, is it better to wait for new OS X moutain or can buy it now and update it later as it will not affect its performance???
If you can wait about a 3 months after 10.8 is released this summer and upon new hardware you should be in excellent shape to have not only a fastest latest machine, but a OS X version that all the bugs have been worked out. Plus the three free months of Apple hand holding while they figure out what they did wrong with the new OS version.
If you need a new machine now you'll have to get what you need obviously, but 10.8 should run on it just fine. However know that Apple tweaks things with more currently sellling hardware first, then later gets to the previous released models.
It's been my guestimation that your good for about two year old hardware with very recent OS X release, three years or older hardware you may want to reconsider sticking with the previous OS X version as your hardware is getting dated and likely has only a year left to go anyway (4 year average), so why bother mucking it up, slowing it down and having to buy all new/updated software and third party hardware because they won't make drivers for your new OS version?

So im about to buy a mac pro, I just need help cause im not sure if it's worth paying more for instance, a hi-res screen compared to the stock screen, and will i really miss the .2 ghz and the upgraded video card if I get the 2.0 ghz mbp?

So im about to buy a mac pro, I just need help cause im not sure if it's worth paying more for instance, a hi-res screen compared to the stock screen, and will i really miss the .2 ghz and the upgraded video card if I get the 2.0 ghz mbp?

The_Tiger92 wrote:
So im about to buy a mac pro, I just need help cause im not sure if it's worth paying more for instance, a hi-res screen compared to the stock screen, and will i really miss the .2 ghz and the upgraded video card if I get the 2.0 ghz mbp?
It appears the 15" 2.2 ghz isn't worth spending $400 more for, but you get the 1GB Radeon 6750M that has four times the VRAM than the 15" 2.0Ghz model and about 167% more performance. High settings on all current games with over 50 fps.
If your not into 3D gaming or just light weight, then the 2.0 Ghz (last years performance) will suffice on low-medium settings at about 30 fps.
The 13" is rather poor as it has integrated graphics. 30 fps on only some games.
The high res screen is a excellent choice and the anti-glare is great for viewing just about anywhere.
No messy films to replace at $30-$40 a pop.
A lot of people bring the glossy screens back once they hear about the anti-glare.
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/blogs/2011/05/23/glossy-vs-matte-screens-why-the-pc-indus trys-out-of-touch/
Here's my 17"
In my opinion the extra $400 for another 2-3 years of use out of the computer is worth it.
Quad cores are more than enough for most uses for most people for many years, it's just a slow card is going to make the machine feel slow in rendering graphics in the future.

Can I buy a Mac Pro in the States and then buy and register AppleCare in Australia?

Hi,
I am going to buy a Mac Pro in the States but will be using it mainly in Australia. Can I purchase and register Applecare for the Mac Pro in Australia?
Thanks.

Would you incur a fiscal deficit, moreso, by registering a US purchased
Applecare plan, or registering the same plan, bought in Australia?
The AppleCare extended plan is nearly global, and could be bought
nearly anywhere. Some users buy one in the USA, then travel to Japan.
In some cases, the place where you buy the plan is cheaper than where
you may be living afterward; so consider the national sales tax in Oz.
Depending on where you buy the computer in the States, the plan can be
added on and automatically enrolled at the same time. You could wait
and buy the plan in Australia; at whatever currency rate and tax added.
Is there any magic behind the method, man?

Can I buy a Mac Pro in the U.S., with a German keyboard?

can I buy a Mac Pro in the U.S., with a German keyboard?

The Mac Pro Tower is NOT a laptop computer. It weighs 65 lbs, and holds four full-size Hard Drives. It uses a detachable keyboard.
US English
Western Spanish
French
Japanese
... are readily available at the Apple Online Store, in wired and wireless.
For German, you would have to call them and make special arrangements, or pick one up an additional keyboard when you get back home.
This thing won't fit in your suitcase. Are you sure you want to pay to ship it home again? I would be tempted to sell it when you are leaving, and buy a new one at Home.
A laptop would be a better choice. These are also available with the same four choices of languages (in all models) through the online store.
You can make all the German characters and accents with the USEnglish keyboard, but some are two keystrokes.

I want to buy an imac but do I have to buy a mac pro or is everything bult into the imac?

I want to buy an imac but do I have to buy a mac pro or is everything built into the imac?

The MacPro is a tower aimed at professional users. The display is sold separately. The iMac is an all-in-one aimed at consumers (and, well professionals, actually). The computer is built into the same housing that holds the display, optical drive and hard drive. It includes a keyboard and mouse (or trackpad).

If i was to buy a mac bookpro today, would it have OS X Lion on it?

If i was to buy a mac bookpro today, would it have OS X Lion on it?
Thanks for the help =)

Do you mean the online Apple store or physical ones? In any case, I'd expect the same rules to apply to both. But I have no specialized knowledge about Apple's stores, so that's just a guess.

Why does my mac pro slow right down when its on battery ???

Why does my mac pro slow right down when its on battery....... cant watch dvds as they keep jumping, internet slows down as does everything, then i run it off the mains and its all fine again, so my mac book pro has not become very portable, please help

Yo , yeah its a mac book pro, noly got it about 6 months ago, not sure if it has a removable battery, it all looks completely sealed, this is what it said in the battery menu:
Model Information:
Serial Number:          W01264M3HD3BA
Manufacturer:          SMP
Device Name:          bq20z451
Pack Lot Code:          0000
PCB Lot Code:          0000
Firmware Version:          0201
Hardware Revision:          000a
Cell Revision:          0158
Charge Information:
Charge Remaining (mAh):          5021
Fully Charged:          No
Charging:          No
Full Charge Capacity (mAh):          5923
Health Information:
Cycle Count:          49
Condition:          Normal
Battery Installed:          Yes
Amperage (mA):          -958
Voltage (mV):          11946
System Power Settings:
AC Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Wake on AC Change:          No
Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
Wake on LAN:          Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
Battery Power:
System Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Disk Sleep Timer (Minutes):          10
Display Sleep Timer (Minutes):          2
Wake on AC Change:          No
Wake on Clamshell Open:          Yes
Current Power Source:          Yes
Display Sleep Uses Dim:          Yes
Reduce Brightness:          Yes
Hardware Configuration:
UPS Installed:          No
AC Charger Information:
Connected:          No
Charging:          No
Hope you can help, its reallly quite annoying considering its quite new.
Cheers

Told my friend to buy a Mac Pro today...right choice?

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