Mac Pro

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:33 pm

That's a pretty beefy camera then; my camera only shoots ~10MB RAW (Then again, it is in the low range of the pro cameras, Canon 10D)

JacksonCougAr · Post by **JacksonCougAr** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:06 am

Alright maybe this will help you guys inform me:

My primary uses, reasons for getting a computer or as follows:

School: Using MS suite 2007.

Career path: I want something that allows me to use photoshop; on a project scale.

I need it to be able to use 3ds max in big scenes with varying amount of polys and not lag like mine current does. I also want it to be able to render a movie (with many effects, high-detail, ect) relatively quickly.

I want to be able to design, and make, a game on this rig. And it needs to do everything so it needs to be good enough to run games at least good :\

Basically its going to be a computer used for work, not play, So anybody got any pointers after that?

llama_juice · Post by **llama_juice** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:45 am

Ombre wrote:
llama_juice wrote:Yea, like Kirk said... if its for gaming get a PC. Now with Leopard you can run Windows XP on your MacBook amazingly well (or vista if you... want... that... I guess...). I don't use my MacBook for gaming, but my roommate uses his quite a bit for games. Never anything too hardware intensive though... (like... Crysis at minimum settings...)

These are great machines for any kind of actual work though. My college requires that you get a MacBook Pro and... I'm glad they do. This is a neat machine and is definitely worth the cash to me. I'm going to school for computer animation... so obviously if my school forces us to get one, they have to be good for that.

EDIT: Just read your post and realized you were talking about the MacPro and not the MacBook Pro...

Either way... you could duelboot windows on it if you really wanted to so that you could keep everything you already know and love.
That isn't necessarily true. Apple has worked hard to put forth the image that the Mac is the best computer for media work. Don't you think they want to keep that image? From what I see all the high-end media tools people use on Mac's are also available on Windows; professionals don't use GarageBand.

OSX is a LOT more optimized than beefy windows. If you take the same machine and throw windows and OSX on it, throw the same installation of a program on it, I guarantee it'll run better on OSX that's why they're more media friendly. You have more machine to play with. That's why a lot of colleges and stuff are actually switching to linux. You can streamline the hell out of linux.

On an opposite note... there's always bootcamp. You can run Windows natively on a mac now so honestly if you hate OSX for whatever reason, you can always duelboot windows on it. (You won't even have to look for drivers or anything... they're all on the CD that comes with your mac.. yea... the WINDOWS drivers are on the CD that comes with your mac.)

Anything bad you guys have heard about bootcamp is obsolete, since Leopard's release bootcamp is perfect.

I keep bringing up bootcamp because you say you want to run 3ds max... and well... 3ds max isn't for OSX. There's always Maya which is fantastic... but if you NEED 3ds max you'll want to duelboot windows on your mac.

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 4:10 pm

Or run parallels, or even use CrossOver, which allows you to run PC programs in the Mac OS environment. Neither runs quite as good as booting in Windows, but that's not always the case. For some reason CSS ran better in OSX than it did in Windows for my brother on his MacBook.

Ombre · Post by **Ombre** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 7:54 pm

On the subject of alternate programs, Final Cut isn't the only professional media tool. Aren't Sony Vegas and Adobe Premiere widely used as well? Mac's might well be more optimized than Windows, but if you have any idea of what you're doing you can get XP to run beautifully. Dual booting... Sure it's great if you got the money, but personally, I can't afford to pay $2000 to get a Mac with decent enough hardware, than shell out another $100 or so for XP. (Those prices are just guesses).

As long as you don't use the default Apple mouse, Photoshop is exactly the same on both OS's. (It is pretty horrible if you do use the default mouse on a Mac though).

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:13 pm

They are also used, but not as much.

The current Apple mouse has more than one button, though anyone who actually uses that mouse is insane, because it's the worst mouse Apple has ever created.

ScottyGEE · Post by **ScottyGEE** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:19 pm

With you describing you want high powered tools, I'm going to say go for the cheaper windows option, you also didn't address portability like I requested (:(), so I'm gonna assume you don't need the laptop portability and batterylife factors. so thus get a custom windows tower.

As for what kind of specs, there are already plenty of threads discussing the computer part sites aswell as what good specs are. Look into that.

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:41 pm

Yeah I think the reality of the situation is that you're probably going to be finding the PC side of the spectrum your best bet, unless you were sold on using final cut and the like. Pretty much all 3D programs are available on windows, and you could use Adobe Premier for your editing (never used Sony Vegas, but that's an alternative also). I can't honestly tell you to buy a Mac Pro without a doubt unless you had a very high income and could afford it.

Personally though, if it weren't for the fact you can't upgrade the video, I'd go with an iMac if you wanted to focus on graphics work and not so much on games. It can run Half-Life 2, BF2 fairly well to boot (better than my slightly aging PC) My brother has one and plays those games, that's the only reason I'm not talking about more recent games (Because we don't have any to test).

JacksonCougAr · Post by **JacksonCougAr** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 9:20 pm

Alienware computer maybe?

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 10:50 pm

You could get a Mac Pro for the same price.

Mind you, this is when the specs of the two are pretty much equaled out as to the best of my ability. By reducing the processor of the Alienware to much lower abilities, the cost is a bit cheaper than the Mac Pro.

kibito87 · Post by **kibito87** » Wed Feb 27, 2008 11:33 pm

JacksonCougAr wrote:Alienware computer maybe?

They use their name more than they can back it up anymore...

HPDarkness · Post by **HPDarkness** » Thu Feb 28, 2008 12:51 pm

www.ibuypower.com

Build a powerful rig. It will be a lot cheaper there.
They assemble it and send it to you. If you need help selecting parts. PM me.

bcnipod · Post by **bcnipod** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:47 am

honestly, it is not a fact of which is better overall. it is a matter of what do you use your computer for. if you do graphics and media, the a mac is prolly the computer for you. if you game and other such, then a PC is prolly the computer for you.

Kirk · Post by **Kirk** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 4:09 pm

Which is what I've been trying to tell him...

MoDFox · Post by **MoDFox** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 5:08 pm

Kirk wrote:Which is what I've been trying to tell him...

In more words.

shadowkhas · Post by **shadowkhas** » Fri Feb 29, 2008 9:38 pm

Yeah...but now, if you're looking at Alienware, it really is going to boil down to personal taste. If it's going to cost around the same, pick whatever you want, really...