Mac Pros (and cons)
in [UK Mac]
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From: James Dore on 12 Jan 2010 04:56 On Mon, 11 Jan 2010 20:43:57 -0000, SM <info(a)that.sundog.co.uk> wrote: >> > Yes I spotted that, plus it needs two slots. I think it's only the >> 2009 >> > Pros that have the empty space next to the graphics slot. The G5's got >> > an eSATA card and a Blackmagic card (with HDMI ports on an extra slot >> > cover) both of which I want to transfer. Now, if Apple would get a new >> > model out with eSATA or USB3 or whatever, but when? >> >> That's not a biggie. Apart from eSATA (which only needs one slow lane), >> what else goes in there? > > I'm figuring that with the 4870 using up two slots and the Blackmagic > using up another two there'd be no more room - despite two actual PCIe > slots having nothing plugged in. All Mac Pros have the space next to the x16 PCIe slot - both my first-gen ones do, as do other, later ones I've seen. I'm due to add a 4870 to my home rig, when it comes out of the loft later this week. Also on the cards are replacing the two dual-core 3.0Ghz 5100 series Xeons with a pair of quad-core 5400 series, which are a drop-in replacement. That should add a bit of poke. The upgrade options - DIY, homebrew upgrades, I mean, not over the counter supported upgrades - are quite good on all Mac Pros - even the first generation. Since there has only really been a major motherboard revision in the last year when they moved to the 5500 series Xeons (which are pretty phenomenal) older Mac Pros represent good value if you're happy getting your hands dirty. High-end Graphics cards should work, there are a pair of hidden SATA sockets for the optical drive bays (so you can put a BluRay drive in one of the bays) and the processors are upgradeable to relatively recent units, if you're handy with tools. My home Mac Pro was a second hand unit from Scrumpymacs.co.uk and has been fine. I'd recommend them, and they have a couple in. -- James Dore New College IT Officer james.dore(a)new / it-support(a)new
From: SM on 12 Jan 2010 06:23 James Dore <james.dore(a)new.ox.ac.uk> wrote: > > I'm figuring that with the 4870 using up two slots and the Blackmagic > > using up another two there'd be no more room - despite two actual PCIe > > slots having nothing plugged in. > > All Mac Pros have the space next to the x16 PCIe slot - both my first-gen > ones do, as do other, later ones I've seen. Thanks for that info - don't know where I got the idea it's a new feature. > I'm due to add a 4870 to my home rig, when it comes out of the loft later > this week. Also on the cards are replacing the two dual-core 3.0Ghz 5100 > series Xeons with a pair of quad-core 5400 series, which are a drop-in > replacement. That should add a bit of poke. The upgrade options - DIY, > homebrew upgrades, I mean, not over the counter supported upgrades - are > quite good on all Mac Pros - even the first generation. Since there has > only really been a major motherboard revision in the last year when they > moved to the 5500 series Xeons (which are pretty phenomenal) older Mac > Pros represent good value if you're happy getting your hands dirty. > High-end Graphics cards should work, there are a pair of hidden SATA > sockets for the optical drive bays (so you can put a BluRay drive in one > of the bays) and the processors are upgradeable to relatively recent > units, if you're handy with tools. All very interesting, especially the SATA cables for the optical drives, which was one thing in the back of my mind. I've got a bare LG Blu-ray GCW-H20 (IIRC) lashed on to an external caddy which could slip in. What sort of price would the quad-core upgrade be? > My home Mac Pro was a second hand unit from Scrumpymacs.co.uk and has been > fine. I'd recommend them, and they have a couple in. I've had my eye on them - it really :-) Stuart -- cut that out to reply
From: James Dore on 12 Jan 2010 06:45 On Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:23:40 -0000, SM <info(a)that.sundog.co.uk> wrote: > James Dore <james.dore(a)new.ox.ac.uk> wrote: > >> > I'm figuring that with the 4870 using up two slots and the Blackmagic >> > using up another two there'd be no more room - despite two actual PCIe >> > slots having nothing plugged in. >> >> All Mac Pros have the space next to the x16 PCIe slot - both my >> first-gen >> ones do, as do other, later ones I've seen. > > Thanks for that info - don't know where I got the idea it's a new > feature. An easy way to check (without opening the box) is to count the number of PCI blanking plates. There are always five plates, and four sockets. FWIW, I have modded my ATI 4870 with a passive cooler (H U G E heatsink, no fan) as I dislike the extra noise of gfx card fans. I had one on my NVidia Geforce 8800 with no ill-effects. I don't work them hard enough, most of the time. >> I'm due to add a 4870 to my home rig, when it comes out of the loft >> later >> this week. Also on the cards are replacing the two dual-core 3.0Ghz 5100 >> series Xeons with a pair of quad-core 5400 series, which are a drop-in >> replacement. That should add a bit of poke. The upgrade options - DIY, >> homebrew upgrades, I mean, not over the counter supported upgrades - are >> quite good on all Mac Pros - even the first generation. Since there has >> only really been a major motherboard revision in the last year when they >> moved to the 5500 series Xeons (which are pretty phenomenal) older Mac >> Pros represent good value if you're happy getting your hands dirty. >> High-end Graphics cards should work, there are a pair of hidden SATA >> sockets for the optical drive bays (so you can put a BluRay drive in one >> of the bays) and the processors are upgradeable to relatively recent >> units, if you're handy with tools. > > All very interesting, especially the SATA cables for the optical drives, > which was one thing in the back of my mind. I've got a bare LG Blu-ray > GCW-H20 (IIRC) lashed on to an external caddy which could slip in. > What sort of price would the quad-core upgrade be? Depends what you can get the Xeons for :-D Any E54xx Xeon should work, an E5405 is showing as �180 or so on Insight. eBay or elsewhere may yield cheaper items. I'd buy matched pairs if going second hand. If new, you're more likely to get identical families when ordering two at a time. >> My home Mac Pro was a second hand unit from Scrumpymacs.co.uk and has >> been >> fine. I'd recommend them, and they have a couple in. > > I've had my eye on them - it really :-) Tempting, aren't they? Cheers, -- James Dore New College IT Officer james.dore(a)new / it-support(a)new
From: SM on 13 Jan 2010 09:16 James Dore <james.dore(a)new.ox.ac.uk> wrote: > > I've had my eye on them - it really :-) > > Tempting, aren't they? Just bought an 8-core 2.8 - cue the new faster cheaper 12-core... Stuart -- cut that out to reply
From: James Dore on 13 Jan 2010 09:23
On Wed, 13 Jan 2010 14:16:36 -0000, SM <info(a)that.sundog.co.uk> wrote: > James Dore <james.dore(a)new.ox.ac.uk> wrote: > >> > I've had my eye on them - it really :-) >> >> Tempting, aren't they? > > Just bought an 8-core 2.8 - cue the new faster cheaper 12-core... Heh, yes. I'd lay money on it. Not my own, but still. Cheers, -- James Dore New College IT Officer james.dore(a)new / it-support(a)new |