Which Mac to buy - Is a Mac Pro for me?

I have been using a PC for nearly 20 years starting in High School. I am desperate to change my ageing and slow PC for a Mac as I mainly use it for video and photo editing. To start with I will be using FCE 4 and Appeture 2, but see myself outgrowing these within a couple of years. For a while I have wanted a Mac Pro, but a friend recently suggested getting an iMac and upgrading it to 4GB ram and 1TB hard drive. I want to be able to easily upgrade my mac in months / years to come as I have done with my PC. Is the Mac Pro the best option for me, plus does any one have any ideas when the new Mac Pro may be announced. Possibly WWDC 2009 in June?
Many thanks
Matt

I just received my new Mac pro dual 3.2 system. I have been a Mac user for 15 years and find it hard to think about going to a PC. I have both PC and Mac, but do all design work on a Mac. The RIP programs need to use a PC and that's all I can do with them.
I too work some with video and I can tell you what I have come across. I started with FCP 3 when it come out and upgraded along the way and started using FCP Studio 2 recently. There seem to be more problems with all the HD stuff. I guess it depends on how much video you plan to do, but you will find it takes a heavy duty system if you plan to work in HD (highly dysfunctional). I have dealt with post production houses and most are using PC systems with Avid. All have a Mac with FCP, but it does not seem to be the main system they use. There is a big jump in price to go the next level and now the Mac Pro with FCP Studio is working OK. There are issues as I would think there would be with Avid, but I am not willing to spend the money to find out at this time. The other thing I ran into is the large Apple displays are a problem for some editing systems. I am running two 30 inch cinema displays and they will not work with Avid.
I feel Apple has dropped the ball on working with the graphics people that supported them for so many years. They are so big it is hard to deal with them like the old days and i-pods are their number one market. I am disappointed in the experience in this last purchase, but again, I can't see making the move to going all PC....not yet any way!
So depending on what you plan to do in the future, I would suggest looking deeper than the Apple site for suggestions on a new system. If you plan to work with video and stay under 30,000...Apple is the best option from my experience.

Similar Messages

My nano will not charge. Which is correct port on my macbook pro for this?

my 6 th. generation nano will not charge plugged into my computer. Which should be the correct port on my macbook pro for this?

Any standard USB port should do the job. Have you tried using a different cable?
B-rock

First time Mac buyer: Buying a 2011 macbook pro or waiting till 2012?

Hey all,
I'm currently a student but I'm graduating in December and my parents said they would help me get a macbook (no time limit on when necessarily). I have been a lifetime Windows user and I still like Windows, but my Toshiba is getting old and really needs to be replaced. Now I know that the new MBP's should be coming out in Feb or something like that. my question is do you think that I should wait to buy it when the new ones come out or should I get one before graduation when I can get my student pricing (only 100 bucks off at most). Also should I go ahead and buy software and other things that I would get the student discount on (MS office, stuff like that)? I'm looking into the 13 MBP, I really want a 15 MBP but its really expensive. My Toshiba from 2007, is a 17in. I love the big screen and full keyboard but it has insanely crappy battery life making it basically a portable desktop.
I definitely will use my MBP for your standard web surfing, word processing, stuff like that. I also will probably start using recording equipment for my MBP, possibly using Logic b/c my school has a nice discount on it. Another side note is I wouldn't mind it being capable of gaming, I haven't had a gaming capable PC in 5-6 years but its definitely not a necessity.
I also want to know what everybody's opinion is on AppleCare, I've heard many different things.
thanks

steve359 wrote:
EXTERNAL DISKS
External disks connect to the MBP through either the Firewire 800 or USB 2.0 conector. Self-powered ones also have a wall plug. The general appearance is a "brick" sitting on the desk next to the computer.
These are bonafide HD disks kept in external enclosures instead of being packed inside the computer.
They are overwhemingly the preferred solution to making backups of your computer. You will find few opinions in this forum to the contrary.
One advantage to using these for backup is that thera are not hard-wired to the main system, so if a power surge takes out the main system, your "backups" are safe because they are usually disconnected when the surge hits.
Another advantage is that you have *yet another* copy of the contents of your startup disk.
Another advantage is that typically the HD inside the enclosure typically dies, not the cable connectors or HD interface in the box. So when the HD in the enclosure dies (all HD die eventually), you can sometimes re-use the enclosure by placing a new HD.
macsales.com is a website that has tested parts and peieces for "Mac compatibility". Prices are nice too.
If you ask for recommenations of EHD (external hard disks), please state your budget becuse they can be as cheap as $60 or more expensive than $250. USB 2.0 is the slowest external interface. Firewire 800 is twice as fast as USB .
DISPLAY ADAPTERS
Yes, Thunderbolt port, using mini-display-to-? (you fill in ? with VGA or DVI or HDMI). MiniDVI is for oldermodels, but looks deceptively like MiniDisplay -- be careful.
guess i'm behind on the tech lingo, I already have 3 different external HDD's totallying almost 3 gigs so I'm doing fine in that field (just got to change them to FAT32. And as for the external display I'm not sure what I'm going to do that field...

Looking to buy a refurbished MacBook Pro for video editing. Need suggestions on what to look for.

Hey Everyone,
I already own a 2012 Mac Pro Desktop. I do some pretty advanced video editing on it, using FCPX and After Effects, with FXFactory and many other plugins.
I need to invest in a MacBook Pro so I can transfer my projects and edit at different locations.
I'm looking for a refurbished or used model to save some money where I can.
My budget is not too large, but I can probably manage $1,000 - $1,500
Can anyone suggest a good model (im guessing 2011-2012) and a good graphics card to look for, so it can handle this type of stuff. I will obviously max out my RAM also.
Thank you so much for all the suggestions in advance!!

Hey BobRzand OGELTHORPE
Thanks for your reply! BobRzJust looking to clarify.. When you said "Also, that's typically not on the 13" models but is on the 15" (or the 17..." were you referring to the onboard graphics memory? Should I stay away from a 13 inch? I'm going to follow OGELTHORP''sadvice and go for the 2011 model. The 13 inch are the most affordable and I've found ones with a 2.8GHz Processor that is right in my price range. Thanks again for your help guys!

Buying a new Macbook Pro for sound design - is the 2.7GHz upgrade worth it?

Hi everyone,
I'm in my final year of sound design and I will be using Logic, Max MSP, Traktor, Ableton, Maschine, softsynths, some hardware and large sfx libraries. I will be using this computer as a source of income for the next three years and I'm finding it very difficult making decisions for the upgrade with purchase. I've decided not to go with the retina display as I'm going to be buying a separate monitor/s anyway. I will be getting the 15-inch Macbook Pro.
Is the upgrade from 2.6 - 2.7GHz worth it? I've decided against SSD at this point as I think I need the capacity more than anything. I could upgrade to SSD in the future if necessary. But I can't decide between the 750GB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm or the 1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 5400 rpm - should I forgo the 250gig for the 7200 rpm speed? Any advice welcome thanks!

It depends on whether your productivity is limited by CPU bandwidth. If it is, then you should easily recoup the cost of the upgrade over the life of the machine. If not, you won't.

Buying a new Macbook Pro for music recording, should I upgrade the RAM or Processor?

As the title states, I'm looking into buying a new Macbook (15 inch) for music recording. Should I upgrade the processor or the RAM memory?

Purchase it with the faster CPU. RAM may be increased later via third party chips at much lower cost if and when required.
Ciao.

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

Which macbook pro for my needs, please...

Buying a new macbook pro for use with photoshop and lightroom, possibly a bit of illustrator and indesign thrown in.
I will use my laptop at home always attached to a large screen. Right now a 25" NEC. I may add an additional screen as well, so I might have two screens besides the laptop, one attached via hdmi.
Right now I don't do video work. No gaming concerns for me. Photoshop and Lightroom the bulk of my work. Big catalog. Large size photoshop files. Well near 1 gb sometimes.
Will the mbp with just the intel iris pro graphics card be enough for my uses? I'm thinking to upgrade processor to 2.5ghz. Will upgrade ssd to 500gb. Or do I need, will I benefit from the nvidia card and card switching, dgpu?
I've just been reading about problems with the discrete graphics card version. And that the mbp always uses that card when there is an external monitor attached. Creates additional heat for the computer.
Just looking for some advice before i hand over the cash. There is only a 100 difference in price so in the end I'm not concerned about cost. Just want a computer to do what I need, do it well, and for me to have as few problems as possible.
thanks for advice...

I have an early 2011 MBP 13" that I put a 120 GB SSD and 8 GB or RAM in. All from OWC.
Photoshop CS 6 boots in 3.4 seconds.
Look at the Photoshop Action Test benchmarks at OWC:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/apple/memory/Mac_Memory_Upgrade_Performance_Testi ng
Of the newer Retina MBPs the largest SSD is 512 GB and that's going to be PCIe. In the 13" 2.8 GHz and above you can add a 1 TB for an extra $500/
"I've just been reading about problems with the discrete graphics card version."
I think that's just the 15 and 17" MBP 2011 MBP. There was finally a recall on those.
https://www.apple.com/support/macbookpro-videoissues/
Personally I'm partial to the refurbed 2012 MBP with the standard SATA connectors. Known performer, easy to swap in another drive.
You also might want to look here and ask your question there:
OS X Yosemite

Thinking of changing my current Macbook Pro for recently released?

My current Macbook Pro is the 15" bought in 2008 just when the glossy screen computers came out. Its a good unit with 4 gigs RAM, 2.4 mhz processor etc.
However, I just bought an iMac 27" i5. Its very powerful and is now the centre of my computing universe. Oddly, since I got the iMac I use my portable as a portable more than ever. I was thinking though that really since the iMac is so powerful probably all I'd need is the 13.3" new Macbook Pro. It would be lighter and more portable but I'm not sure it would give me any performance enhancements over what I currently have.
I'm just curious what others thoughts are on the new 13.3" Macbook Pro. The only advantage I can with it over my current Macbook Pro is the graphics processor looks like its more powerful. The battery life is also amazing. On my current Macbook Pro I'm lucky to get 3 hours. This machine is rated at 10 hours.
Considering I've got a powerful iMac i5, does it make sense just to get the 13.3" Macbook Pro or spring for the 15.4. I don't think I need two powerful computers considering I use the iMac as the centre. Plus, I realize now that the apps I use all this power is wasted on.
I could probably sell my current Macbook Pro for $1000 as it has a tiny dent from a fall, buy the new Macbook Pro for $1200 plus and have something that is a little more portable with great battery life and I suspect maybe somewhat faster. My current computer is of course a matte screen and I don't think you can beat that but I think this combo I'm thinking of might be a better fit.
I just want people's thoughts views especially around also that the 13.3" Macbook Pro is a core duo 2 and I think this processor is pretty well near the end of its life. I saw Steve Jobs say though that the performance boost from the new Macbook Pro would have been minimal with an i5 but a lot with the new graphics cards.
Thoughts would be very much appreciated.

If your budget is unlimited, look at both the retina and non-retina and make a decision based on your preferences. If funds are tight, explore the options in the refurbished section. Unless you are dealing with courses that demand specific performance parameters, any one of these options will suffice.
Ciao.

Mac Book Pro 13 inch i5 vs 13 inch 17 to run Video Editing Soft wares . Which one to buy?

Hello folks ,
I am planing to buy Macbook pro and I am quite confused between mac book pro i5 and i7( 13 inch) . The difference between these two version are of 20,000 Indian rupee ( which means around 400 US$).
The purpose for my purchase is mainly to use editing softwares ( Final Cut X , Adobe premier pro 6). Although these softwares can be run on both the version but I am just curious to know how much difference will make in a long run. Will there be major performance and speed issues ? Do, after a certain time, I need to upgrade to i7 and is it possible to upgrade a processor to i5 to i7 in mac ? I am bit tight on budget so I am considerng Macbook pro i5 version is it REALLY neccessary to increase the budget anyhow and get i7 version for much better performance of editing sofwares? Please help. Thanks a lot in advance
Here is the link for specification :http://www.apple.com/in/macbook-pro/specs/
For ease , I am writing down here as well.
Mac book pro 13 inch i5                                   Mac Book pro 13 inch i7
Processor -2.5GHz dual-core(Turbo Boost up to 3.1GHz)       2.9 ghz dual core (turbo boost 3.6
with 3mb L3 cache                                               mhz ) with 4mb l3 cache
Memory- 4GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory                              8GB of 1600MHz DDR3 memory
Storage - 500GB 5400-rpm hard drive                                  750GB 5400-rpm hard drive
Thanks and regards,
Anurag

By the model with the fastest cpu you can afford with the standard ram and hard drive because those 2 things can be upgraded by the user. That is if you are looking at the standard mac notebooks and not the retina models.
I agree with the above post that a 15" with discrete graphics would be a better choice for your needs.
With whichever model you choose factor in the cost of the extended applecare warranty because to fix any mac computer once the warranty is over is very expensive. So much so that in some cases it would be more cost effective to just buy a new computer with newer technology then to fix one that is 1+ to 3 years old. With the applecare extended warranty you will get at least 3 years use out of it with no worries of a repair bill should anything go wrong.
Note that no apple warranty covers any accidental damages. From dropping it to spilling water on it or general misuse or abusive treatment of the system.

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

Windows – but Which? (What to install on Mac Pro Quad Core?)

First, apologies in advance if this seems like repetition of a recent topic, but I read through the recent "Vista vs XP" thread and it didn't quite answer my questions.
Basically, I'm planning on buying a Mac Pro "Quad Core" 2.8 and installing Boot Camp and a Windows OS startup. This puts me into the notoriously tricky area of picking the right version of Windows for my needs, something I haven't really had to deal with in regards to OS X.
Basically, I'm not looking for something with too many bells and whistles or to much bloatware built into the OS. Also, I'll probably be using some older software/shareware, so backwards compatibility is an issue. On the other hand, I'd like something that works with the Quad Core architecture at its greatest efficiency.
This means I'm wondering about a couple of features that I may or may not need, and it would be of great help if you folks could point me in the right direction regarding these:
x64 – Since the Xeon processors in the Mac Pro are 64-bit processors, am I better off with "x64"-compatible versions of Windows (either Windows Vista or x64 versions of XP)? Will this cause problems starting up older programs that may not have been written for x64?
*Dual Processor Support* – the Quad Core, of course, is a dual processor – will I get better performance from a version of Windows that list "Dual Processor Support" among its features (basically, the "pro", "business", or "ultimate" versions of XP and Vista)?
If I need those features, I'm probably looking at getting either the x64 version of Windows XP Pro or the Business or Ultimate versions of Vista. However, I'm leaning against Vista based on backwards-compatibility and bloatware issues. That leaves XP Pro x64, but I might go for a more basic version of XP if I find out the x64 or DPS features aren't actually something I need. (The other "extras" in XP Pro don't sound like anything I need.)
Also, I'm likely to install Parallel Desktop at some point and don't want a version of Windows that would have compatibility problems there, either.
Anyway, any answers you folks can provide for me in this regard would be very helpful.
Thanks in advance,
Peter

Truth is, I am disappointed in VMware Fusions slow walk toward full support for 64-bit and SP1 but 2.0 beta is getting there. Never used Parallels but best to check their own support forums. They also updated the 1.x version recently.
http://communities.vmware.com/community/beta/fusion
http://forums.parallels.com/
You don't need anything first, except I would start with a new hard drive for Vista, don't even do anything with it and pull OS X drive, boot Vista DVD and go from there, just as you would normally. Much easier. After it is installed is when you need Apple BootCamp from your Leopard OEM DVD, install, and then Apple Software Update will take care of 2.1. And install your graphic drivers yourself.
The problem(s) come with trying to use BootCamp Assist and setting up partitioning, and it only makes it harder - not easier - on Mac Pro (you aren't and don't want to use your OS X boot drive).
Windows on Mac forum @ MacRumors
http://forums.macrumors.com/forumdisplay.php?f=86
And their Mac Pro area http://forums.macrumors.com which has a lot of Vista talk from Mac Pro owners.
The only real issues are which graphics card to get today or in next weeks, what drives you are going with and other upgrades like memory (8 x 1GB is actually a good base ideal figure so all DIMM slots are taken up).
Barefeats has a number of benchmark articles:
Radeon 3870: http://www.hardmac.com/news/2008-06-16/#8451
Vista graphics: http://www.barefeats.com/harper11.html
Memory: http://www.barefeats.com/harper12.html
Drives: http://www.barefeats.com/harper9.html
WD 300GB Raptor: http://www.barefeats.com/hard103.html
- this is the drive to die for, but not natively supported
I buy most of the upgrades I need over the last ten years from OWC http://www.MacSales.com that specializes in Mac.
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Western%20Digital/WD6400AAKS/
- until the WD "Black" series (I guess Blackbird name or SR71 are already taken) along with 3rd generation of their RE series drives. WD has been popular, reliable, with Mac Pro for last two years. Can't say the same of every vendor. Samsung F1 is also a real winner.
If you buy only one book to understand and get the most out of OS X: "Mac OS X: The Missing Manual" (Pogue has a Missing Manual Series on most everything, and this is the most popular recommended for Mac OS).
http://books.slashdot.org/books/08/02/27/1551206.shtml
I needed 3-4 for Vista before I found "Administrator's Pocket Consultant" and O'Reilly's "Vista Annoyances" are both excellent along with MS Press's "Inside Out."

Which current Mac Pro for Aperture/Photoshop

After much research and what seems to be chasing my tail, I though I'd ask the forum for some advice on which machine will best suit my needs. I am currently running Aperture and Photoshop CS3 and looking for a fast machine for the job. I sort through around 2500-3000 raw files per week and hope the new Intel Xeons will speed up my workflow. It's the question of "How many cores are better?" that's confusing me as I am unclear on how many Aperture and Photoshop can actually make use of.
I'm looking to upgrade from my 3.06 iMac to a Mac Pro but having trouble choosing between a new 2.66 quad or a refurbished 2.26 8-core. I understand the drop in processor speed might be noticeable in some instances but the from what I have gathered an upgrade to the ATI HD 4870 is a must as is 6GB ram on the 2.66 and 8GB ram on the 2.26. It's not so much the price difference of the two machines (£2200 for the upgraded 2.66 and roughly £2700 for a refurbished 2.26 plus upgrades) it's will my workflow see any great benefits from the 8-core over the quad. The program I use most is Aperture, followed by Photoshop then FotoMagico, iDVD and Toast Titanium. Does Snow Leopard affect the use of cores in these programs?
Any feedback is much appreciated or pointing in the direction of some real world tests as all the bench tests of the 8-core are so impressive but I'll not be using it for 3D/Video at all.
Thanks in advance for your help.

According to the Adobe blog the delay in offering a 64-bit suite for Mac is because the entire suite has to be rewritten in Cocoa (both previous and current offerings are written in Carbon) CS5 will be written in Cocoa and will utilise the full functionality of the Snow Leopard OS (OpenGL, GCD etc) so memory addressing will be a huge step forward on Photoshop (which I use).
I used Photoshop CS4 on a 2008 Mac Pro 2 x 2.8GHz 8 core (dual Xeon 5400 series Quad core CPUs) and just recently switched to a 2009 Mac Pro 2 x 2.26GHz 8 core (Xeon 5500 series Quad core CPUs). I used CS3 on the original Mac Pro 2 x 2.66Ghz (Dual Xeon Dual Core CPUs = 4 cores total). It's not a fair reflection as CS3 ran under Rosetta on the original Mac Pro and CS4 has better integration on the Intel based Macs, but in general, I noticed a much better rate of workflow on the 8 core machines over the 4 core machine.
More importantly, I would point out that running batch process of RAW files in CaptureOne Pro was significantly performing the batch process on the 8 core machines than on the 4 core machine. (250 RAW files {with no corrections] from a Canon EOS 1D MKII into 16-bitt TIFF files). I can't remember the exact figures but the 8 core machines were @ 23 - 25 minutes quicker than the 4 core machine.
I know it's not scientific and software versions were different which could add to the different results in part, but the 8 core machines both out performed the 4 core machine substantially.
However, the 2009 Mac Pro Quad Core is capable of running 2 threads per core (in effect a virtual 8 core machine and as many reviewers have pointed out, perform faster than the 8 core Mac Pro in certain applications (which have not been written to utilise the full multi-CPU-multi-core environment.
The Memory limitation on the Quad Core is 16GB RAM (Apple state 8GB but reviewers have installed 4 x 4GB DIMMs into the Quad Core without issue). Unless you are doing 3D or HD rendering etc you probably won't really need over 16GBs of RAM, however the cost of 4GB memory sticks is expensive. Crucial only offer a 12GB kit for the Quad Core Mac Pro 2009 to make full use of the triple channel memory speeds (DDR3 best performance in multiples of 3) and 12GBs from Crucial is @£771.00 (prices correct at time of writing this. This equates to @ £257 per 4GB.
Total for Quad Mac Pro with 12GB (3 x 4GB RAM) = £2670
Total for Octo Core Mac Pro with 12GB (6 x 2GB RAM) =£2731 (New price not refurb)
Graphics card upgrade etc will be the same on both machines. Memory based on Crucial Memory prices.
So, for a 2009 Mac Pro with 12GB RAM, it is £61 dearer for an 8 core (virtual 16 cores) machine over the Quad Core Mac Pro. The 8 core system will give you further memory expansion once prices of the 4GB memory sticks come down significantly. The Quad Core will only be able to be upgraded with 8GB RAM sticks over the 4GB sticks available now and will cost a huge amount at time of launch.
Buying a refurbishment 2.26 GHz with similar memory upgrade would in my opinion be the way to go. I know the CPU clock speed is lower, but in real time non memory intensive applications the difference will be hardly noticeable.
I went through the same dilemma as you. I opted for the 8 core system with 12GB RAM and the ATI HD4870 graphics (bought as an upgrade kit so was dearer than the build to order option). I am very happy with my purchase.
The other option is to check out eBay there may be a very well spec'd 2008 Mac Pro for sale with warranty, 16GB RAM and the 8800GT graphics card for less than either of the new systems.
Over the long term, the 8 core offers more affordable customisation options over the Quad Core, but it depends on how long you plan to use the machine

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...

Which Mac to buy - Is a Mac Pro for me?

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