Pro's and Cons 2012 vs 2013 Mac Pro

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Level 2

183 points

Pro's and Cons 2012 vs 2013 Mac Pro

I can pick up a new (open box) 2013 Mac Pro for a decent price. This is the base machine, 3.7ghz and 12gb ram.

I currently have mid-2012 tower model, again the base 3.2ghz and still at 6gb ram. I have upgraded to dual 5770 video cards and a 256gb SSD boot drive.

Only had the 2012 since February full warranty so I can probably sell the 2012 for about 2/3 of what I will spend on the 2013.

I will need to get my internal storage moved to an external alternative.

I use the Mac Pro for both work and personal stuff. Work is a lot of GIS stuff, working with large satellite images, etc. I do need to run a fair bit of Win software via Parallels for the GIS work.

Personal is weekend shooting video and photo, FCPX and Aperture my main tools there.

Question: is this a good upgrade or should I wait out things with my perfectly fine 2012 machine, let the dust continue to settle on the new model.

I got the 2012 at a really good price, however ever since buying it I wish I had got the 2013. Now that the chance is back I am eager to jump.

Sorry to ask such a basic question but didn't see a lot of recent discussions on this topic. TIA

Posted on May 19, 2014 9:10 AM

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Answer 1

May 19, 2014 10:06 AM in response to MikeK5117

You can wait for ever for the best computer, next year, after 5 years 10 years, what suits you now not after 20 years.. I am happy with my new Mac Pro. I do not neeed more

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Answer 2

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

May 19, 2014 10:12 AM in response to MikeK5117

Stilldoes not address WHY for me.

Want to use GTX 680 or above?

Want to upgrade 3.2 4 core to 3.,4GHz 6-core?

6GB is as you know not going to be enough for VMs and work while bgraphics need 32GB and up.

PCIe SSDs a, 500GB EVO is only $250 and you need some for editing scratch host VMs and more

AMD Dxxx drivers and performance? your 2 x 5770s are probably enough or better?

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Answer 3

MikeK5117 Author

Level 2

183 points

May 19, 2014 11:40 AM in response to The hatter

Hatter, always appreciate your asking the important questions.

Why would include a significantly faster machine at about what I will net from selling the 2012 and the 2008 that I sold before it. With 12gb ram I can put off a while longer upgrading, vs as you have already said I desperately need to get more than the 6gb I am running now. Anything I invest in the 2012 (memory, drives, graphics) are going to be "old tech" in Apple terms, vs investing in "new tech" Thunderbolt. This includes new displays to replace my aging (read yellow) ACD's, hopefully with some 4K units sometime down the road. I can't even get a new Apple display to work with my 2012 machine.

On the "why not" includes as you said, easy expansion of things like graphics, on-board SSD, and even the 6 or 12 core CPU(s) if I go with an OWC drive tray upgrade.

On the plus side is also the "gee whiz" of the newest machine.

I have a few days to make up my mind, thanks for the great comments.

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Answer 4

The hatter

Level 9

61,031 points

May 19, 2014 1:09 PM in response to MikeK5117

Barefeats.com results and reports on performance and issues with 6,1 "nMP" at www.macperformanceguide.com

You have to factor in the huge cost of moving to Thunderbolt storage for little in return. Issues with 3 displays, with buggy Adobe and Apple drivers and support still in graphics department.

The 2012 can do a lot more and still more new than old- you can't put in anthing other than $1,000 SSD or $1,000 D700's in an nMP, and you are better off with an OWC 8-core cpu upgrade on the nMP as well.

The cost of 4 x 8GB DDR3 in the "oMP" is acceptable as are price of even a 1TB EVO SSD along with the cost of a PCIe SSD controller (just not OWC or Sonnet Tempo Pro models maybe).

I don't think it would be totally pouring good money into old tech. That is the think with Xeon and Mac Pro. There are niche users in some areas that totally benefit from a new nMP.

Not sure if Snow Leopard is safer more stable or reliable vs Mavericks but have all the apps and bugs and drivers asnd support caught up to 10.9.3 now?

So you do have 2008 along with 2012 to ease the pain cost of nMP and having to invest in some Thunderbolt expansion that you will have to weigh the benefits of.

Get and wait for 2nd generation. SSDs are never a lost cause. Some is just the cost of owning and staying current. I have poured as needed into my Mac Pro but it runs better now than ever in the past, and just put some new EVO SSD, the 500GB $250 is chump change and is so much nicer than the smaller and older SSDs I have also bought and grown out of over the years. Cost of doing business, new tires and whatever and now used for backup and spare.

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