Buy now or after the next release?

If you're prepared to wait then there's no harm in that. I just don't know what you think is going to be achieved by waiting until January.

Sure there a some issues that need resolution. The thing is, there's no guarantee that they'll be resolved by January. Also, by January you'll think "there's another Mac Pro coming" so you'll wait for that too. What if they're kinks with that too?

At some point you're going to have to bite the bullet and buy something. What you don't want though is to wait so long as to be forced into a purchase you don't want to make. Additionally you have to consider the time that you spend waiting without it… what value do you put on that?

Yes memory prices are currently high and very volatile. So? They'll come down when they come down. As long as you have your minimum requirements you have the time to wait for prices to come down. I bought 2GB from Apple for just that reason.

Hey… it's up to you. There will always be reasons to buy now and reasons to wait. It comes down to which are more important to you.

This is a great computer. Totally quiet. Very well built, and beautifully designed. It really is a third generation design, so you avoid the first generation issue. The big "downside" of the intel switch is that the "something new on the horizon" issue will be accelerated because intel is always coming out with new processors. I've had computers since 1982 (my first was a compaq "suitcase" with a 5 inch green screen) and this is a very sweet machine. On the memory issue, I guess I got lucky, I got an extra gig for about $215 from crucial before the price rise, and I find it fine for basic business computing (no heavy photoshop, etc.). But who can tell what prices will be on memory, the prices seem to change daily. A substantial improvement on my first generation single g5 with 1.8 gig processor which it replaced. Didn't have to have it, but ZERO buyer's remorse - especially because the g5 was loud and hot and this puppy is so QUIET. The hard disks are by far the only noise I can hear.

What kinks? I've had a couple minor software problems but the machine itself has been flawless.

I am weakening

Oh you poor soul, Cindy!! 🙂 LOL!!

I am also wondering if I should order online or walk into the Apple store. I would save $200 in taxes if I order online or get immediate gratification if I get it from the Apple store or Frys.

If you're after CTO options then you may want to consider buying online. I know the feeling with the instant gratification although $200 does go a long way to paying for other things like more RAM and drives.

By the way, not to get in the way of you and a Mac Pro, but what exactly do you do with your PowerMac G5 and which model do you have exactly?

But it is still livable.

OK… your MDD G4 just died. Time to toss that baby out with the bath water! 🙂

Cindy, I'm in the same boat - mine is more a want than need. Depsite offloading my DC G5 2.3 for the MacPro my part-time editing business only processes a few jobs a year...so a big step backward to g4 in my sig is getting me by.

Since I'm not desperate I'm trying to wait it out..but I have a MacPro in the Applestore cart ready to go! I just need 1 decent job to walk through the door and bang = ordered.

What happens if you don't see any new macpros in January. I wouldn't be all that surprised.

Don't forget there will always be a faster computer being released around the corner and you can work yourself into a corner there by never buying a computer.

As for the kinks/issues to iron out, can anybody elaborate on these. I own a MacPro 2.6Ghz and to be honest, its a great computer. I have no complaints or issues with my MP (*knocks on wood*).

Mike

Hi Cindy,

I had the same thoughts, didn't want to get stuck with gen 1 bugs, so i waited till we got a batch of them in our labs at work. Not one bad machine! SO QUIET. Best tower Apple has ever made in my humble opinion. If you load up on ram and extra drives, photoshop will run well. You've put in your time with that ol mirror drive, go for it 🙂

Cheers,

Todd





MP 2.6, 5GB ram Mac OS X (10.4.7) ruthband.com

If you're mostly using Photoshop, it may make sense to wait until PS is a Universal App.

Having said that, I love my Mac Pro and don't regret selling my G5 for it at all.

And you don't have to buy Apple Store sold RAM, if the price of RAM is making you upset. Only if you have to take it in to repair, you may find some repair shops that refuse to service the machine without Apple installed RAM in the machine, so you have to keep behind the old RAM just in case while you are under AppleCare. Here are places on my FAQ you can get RAM:

http://www.macmaps.com/Macosxspeed.html#RAM

I have an MDD. I am hugely satisfied and pleased with MacPro. As for memory and prices, AMD had planned to use some FB-DIMMs. They have changed their tune. Intel was (obviously) planning to also, but will not be. Meaning we probably won't see FB-DIMMs, and especially with larger heat sinks, drop in price or increases in production to be substantial.

And the price currently between Kingston, Micron, Apple, don't look to be that wide currently.

Most of the kinks seem to be with BootCamp and Windows, and some of the first weeks of shipped systems. Already there are later builds of OS X.

For me, there is no hold up when trying to do anything, whether opening 30-40 web pages at once, saving a 5MB photo, or doing a backup. Things that would push cpu to 100% now might push one core to 100% but not even a bump in the road. And do all that and more. It was getting frustrated for me to have to wait.

It is nice to not have to turn up the TV because the computer is running. There is a hum, it isn't dead silent, but nothing like what I had to put up with before.

I was going to wait, like you, for "kinks" or rev 1-itis, and so I could save a $$$ bit more. I have been planning to buy something new for years and the MDD was more of a stop-gap because I didn't feel the G5 was it. Glad I didn't then, and even more so that I didn't wait until January. I figure that production shuts down here and abroad and it takes a while to get back on track.

I would say next month, 18th, put in your order. Gives you a month to sort it out.