used Mac question
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- pr2
My girl is doing tons of video editing but know very little about computers. She's looking to upgrade her Mac. Me, being mostly PC guy, don't know about Macs much so i'm at your mercy (and hopefully wisdom).
Would you consider buying Mac Pro (2008) with following specs:
processor 2x 3ghz dual-core Intel Xeon
memory 12 GB 667 Mhz
graphics ATI Radeon X1900 512 MB
OS Lion 10.7
- ideaist0
http://store.apple.com/us/browse…
If she's editing HD video, i'd consider going with something a little faster than the aforementioned "2x 3ghz dual-core Intel Xeon"...
12 GB of RAM should be okay and is easily expanded in the Mac Pro's...
The refurbished ones have a slightly faster 1066MHz DDR3 ECC memory...
; )
- I just received my 12-core machine and it's a fucking speed factory; can't even get the thing warm!ideaist
- pr2-3
How about this slower machine:
2x 2.33Ghz Quad-Core Intel Xeon
2x Graphics Cards: ATI Radeon HD 5770 1024mb
Nvidia GeForce 7300 GT
Memory: 6gb 667 Mhz
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.4$1300
?
- ideaist0
What were the specs on her old machine?
- ArmandoEstrada0
Get a SSD as main boot drive and working project. Then fill up with platter drives for storage. Best decision I ever made.
- pr2-3
Her computer Mac Book Pro
2.6 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
2 GB 667 Mhz
Mac OS X 10.5.8- Yeah, so any of the above will be quite the performance improvement...ideaist
- Is this the old-style-body MBP? You can put 6GB RAM in it and a Seagate hybrid drive to make it faster.raf
- i understand the memory part but have hard time figuring out what all the Cores, Duos, Xeons etc are about.pr2
- Be careful with OS updates, Lion and Mountain Lion tend to heat up this old processor.raf
- raf, the computer had replaced MB x2 already so she's fearing it will die during time crunch job so she would rather get a new one.pr2
- nocomply0
Not to comment so much on the specs, but I definitely suggest checking the factory refurbished section of the Mac website.
I just bought my first ever Mac as a reburb and so far it's great. I also paid significantly less than I would have for a new Macbook pro.
- raf0
I don't know much about HD video editing but something tells me a top refurb iMac will be considerably faster and future-proof than a 2008 Pro, not to mention the warranty and a proper invoice to claim as expense in taxes.
This was sold as a bto I think: http://store.apple.com/us/produc… — just add extra RAM from Crucial or OWC.Here's how it fared against a 2010 Mac Pro
http://www.macworld.com/article/…This said, the whole iMac lineup is expected to get a refresh and USB3.0 this fall, might be worth waiting as a fast interface is key in video.
Also... If she's doing her video editing on a 2008 MacBook Pro... she'll be more than happy with a new beefed up retina MBP.
- nthkl0
As long as the used mac is compatible with a Quadro FX card or even a GTX 285 you'll be fine... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Pr…http://images17.newegg.com/is/im…
- nthkl0
Hey, do they have external graphic cards out? Sorta like an external hard drive, but a sweet ass graphics card?
- monNom0
Don't do it. A 4 year old computer is at the end of it's useful life. It might still keep going for a while (might), but more than likely, there are already some stressed components getting ready to give up the ghost.
All those little capacitors on the motherboard, and GFX card, the hard drives, the PSU. These all wear out with use and heat. Some are cheaper to replace than others.Better to put the money toward something new that will last a few years.
- inteliboy0
An older Mac Pro will be killer, those things are beasts. I have one sitting here from 2007 and it still runs FCP and AE incredibly fast -- faster than a recent 2011 kitted out 15" macbookpro I use at work.
Pick a budget and get the best Mac Pro you can buy, second hand or refurbished.
- Refurbished, mid-range... Remember you need a descent monitor as well...ideaist
- chossy0
Make a good PC and buy Production premium.
- orrinward20
I say build a beast of a hackintosh.
- ideaist0
Buy a suitable machine and get back to creating...