Sometimes I wish I actually had a need for a workstation like this. I also wish I had a magic wand so I could just turn my aging Powermac MDD G4 into this. #macpro
wow, that's one powerful machine... and would people use it for? Editing pictures? Editing home videos?
C'mon... Until awesome games similar to the PC comes to the MAC, this would be futile.
Also, I can't think how much this would cost... x3 of what it would be if it was a PC?
Not being biased or PC-sided, but I was just wondering and thinking of the use and cost for this configuration. If there was really a good use for this (with a fairly good price), I would definitely buy this. #macpro
@zaghy2zy: There is a good use for this, it just may not be of much to you personally. With that in mind, a little extra gets you an OS with a huge library of games optimized for it for whenever the mood strikes. #macpro
wow, that's one powerful machine... and would people use it for? Editing pictures? Editing home videos?
C'mon... Until awesome games similar to the PC comes to the MAC, this would be futile.
Also, I can't think how much this would cost... x3 of what it would be if it was a PC?
Not being biased or PC-sided, but I was just wondering and thinking of the use and cost for this configuration. If there was really a good use for this (with a fairly good price), I would definitely buy this. #macpro
@zaghy2zy: I do music and could definitely use one of these bad boys and probably will.
As it is, musicians often supplement host-based software with PCI cards for extra horsepower. Having this kind of power built in means you can record and process more tracks with better effects that put a heavy load on the CPU, use more virtual instruments, etc. without buying additional hardware. #macpro
ahahaha, I was thinking this was somewhat for general public type of mac until I posted this comment... and I was lazy enough to correct myself. But anyways, I see more uses for this MAC powerhouse as a work machine, based on your replies, than what I have actually thought of.
Now, I see this as something that's really helpful at more points than what I thought of. #macpro
@johnnyabnormal: Hopefully the newer chips require less of an elephantine effort to cool them down. I've got me a loud ass tower I'm more than ready to unload. #macpro
I donno, my Macbook Pro handle's COD4/HL2/Left 4 Dead pretty well. Must be that particular video card or something. Either way, Mac's aren't much for gaming but my Macbook Pro get the job done when on the road. *Shrug* I'm still happy has hell with Apple.
Well, when you consider the Mac Pro a platform for developing those amazingly impressive iPhone games, that machine is suddenly a steal at $3500, right? It is amusing that we had to have a study of graphics performance to determine what has long been considered common knowledge.
@marlow2689: wow. It's truly amazing you can play a game specificallyoptimized and built for windows better than a ported version made merely to "run" on a Mac.
My 4runner can run on the very same race track as any vehicle though at 45mph versus 200mph for a car specifically made to race on said track.
@TheCrudMan: I prefer Avid. Better color correction, overall. In terms of speed and power, FCP and Avid are virtually equal. In terms of ease of use FCP is slightly easier to jump into, but certainly many of the secondary apps lack proper documentation.
If FCP is all Mac has going for it in a flame war, that's pretty sad. While Mac Pro has a lot of great media creation and editing apps, it's certainly not the end-all be-all of the digital content creation world. In terms of cost-benefit, many studios do go with Mac, but as many also decide to go with Windows, Linux, or other platforms.
None is inherently better, but rather geared toward different production and rendering needs. It's not so much about which platform is better, but which is more suitable to the task at hand and offers the most ways to optimize the production pipelines. In many cases Linux or Windows is more flexible simply because it has a broader install base, wider hardware support base, and offers more content creation tools.
No currently available platform trumps all others in every contest. Even things such as rendering speed, and transcoding times are going to vary widely depending upon hardware configuration and the content being worked on. If you are doing professional editing for the film industry you are likely using the same (or very similar) external hardware anyway, which turns the decision into one of OS comfort and flexibility. The computer you are using is just a workstation then, farming out the real duties to dedicated hardware, which most often runs neither OSX nor Windows.
The fanboy argument of "FCP/Maya!! is not only silly, but also completely unfounded. There will always be fanboys who jump in claiming the work at/run/own some sort of studio, shouting how many Mac/Win/Linux platforms they run exclusively, as though that ends the argument. It doesn't. For every studio running all macs, there's another running Windows. I've worked in both OSX (on Mac Pros) and Windows (my laptop primarily) doing Photoshop work, and honestly,once I'm inside the application, there's little difference, in terms of speed and capability. I just don't use OSX often enough and I find the general style of it cumbersome because of my familiarity with Windows.
It comes down to comfort, familiarity with the platform and, most importantly, whether the oerson working the hardware has the brains, talent and enthusiasm to get the job done.
@David Joel Hall III: Exactly, i have an eMac, which SUCKS so badly at gaming, it can only do Halo 1 in mid settings, but (somehow) beats the crap out of my gaming computer on internet surfing. Macs are for graphics editing and everyday stuff, not gaming.
@johnwc723: Yeah, but man, then you have to deal with WINDOWS. And, well, I would, and have paid to not deal with WINDOWS. Far better Hardware? Can you explain that? The CORE i7 Chips is not a cheap chip. Just back up your argument please.
That all totals to approximately 2000, with room for upgrading to a second 4870x2, or 6 Gigs more RAM, or other such upgrades... the beauty of the PC is the fact that you CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT!!!
Say you don't need the 3.2 GHz Processor... you'd be fine with a 2.93 GHz and would save $400 dollars...
Add On 4 more Terabyte drives with the money you save or buy yourself a whole lot of lap dances... you chose...
Macs are good for artists(where it is actually useful) and people who like to fool themselves into thinking they're safer behind a mac...
Oh and for about 300 bucks more from the build above you could probably get EFiX and OS X running on that machine if you really must have it...
@MiltoxBeyond: I could construct this massive analogy about how you can buy your own materials and build your own house/car/sandwich/etc. and how cheap it is, and how you get to CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT!!! and how nobody should buy pre-made anything because doing it yourself is cheaper and better, and how many blow jobs you can buy with the money you save...
@ludwigk: exactly. I can't believe all of these poor schmucks are being foreclosed on/paid so much for their houses when me and my family built one for so much cheaper. Fanboi sheep buying pre-made houses.
@joandrade: people tend to get uptight over Mac gaming, but I don't think it's so much Apples fault as it is with the developers (one major exception being Blizzard).
While Apple has never really pushed Gaming on their computers, possibly deterring devs from giving it their all, and due to the fact that there is more money to be had in the PC market with games having multi-million dollar movie-like budgets, very few games are made specifically for the Mac.
While it should be a bit easier with their Intel processors now (as this was a major factor for PPCs), the games are built from the ground up (or using a previous model/engine that was) for Windows the games are then eventually ported over to the Mac OS and as such can never truly be optimized for it (or you could say that because of tech like Direct X it just makes it that much better).
While it rarely happens, when companies put the extra effort into the Mac system (and then, even if it is eventually ported) to make it take advantage of the Macs features (or lack thereof) you end up with games like WoW (and every other Blizzard game) that run just as well, if not better, on the Mac OS.
@madog: Also, I don't know which COD or how it is being run, but to further my cause, typically these games will run far better in bootcamp even though it is the exact same hardware; just the fact it is running on the OS it was specifically made for can make all the difference.
I'm confused if i remember correctly this very site when the 4870 launched praised it as one of the best cards on the market obviously beaten by is later released cousin the 4870x2.
@Kittenparade: Yes, because everyone around here knows me as a humorless prude. And just what part of it did YOU find funny, Kittenparade? No matter, let's see what your Gizmodo friends have to say on the issue:
@Spoony: Hint: It's not the card, it's the system it's plugged into.
The GT120 is a rebadged 9500GT. If a 4870 can't give you a MAJOR performance boost over a 9500GT, there is something seriously wrong with your computer.
If that's right, that's fascinating. Same chipset, board design and memory specs? How can you be sure of this? Not challenging you, really just curious...
@pizzlepaps: "i'm assuming your goldstar is for being a witless douche? good thing you have a lot of internet friends to help your lack of any humor"
Ah, charming and entertaining as always, pizzlepaps! It has been SO long since we last chatted, let's DO catch up, shall we? Why, it seems like only yesterday we were recounting some of YOUR glorious past Gizmodo witticisms:
"ban this fgt imo"
"Are you a tard?"
"people wouldn't have to hate on gays so much if they weren't being such attention whores all they care about is me me me"
"fuck apple."
"and its retards like you that haven't got a clue how politics and money works."
"shit dude, got a stick up your ass?"
And I was MOST delighted to find you are branching out from Gizmodo, willing to expand your views to other Websites as well:
"...people don't like what isn't normal. being gay contradicts nature. humans live to reproduce and pass on dna. being gay prevents this from happening. adopting doesn't pass on dna, even if it could provide gays with a real family."
Oh--my!--I can hardly stop myself from chuckling! SO witty!
Well, it has been SO nice to hear from you again, p-paps. The delightful way you turn a phrase along with your views on gay rights, adoption and retarded people are just SO enlightening! DO let me know when next you are in the area so we can get together for some MORE raucous laughter!
@Christos Karabelas: "I dont like drama. Or confrontation. I hear that they give you AIDS"
And a big, hearty WELCOME to yet another Facebooker! I, for one, am SO glad Gizmodo is not subjecting Facebook accounts to the pre-screening process that regular Gizmodo accounts go through. Why, if they did, we would have NEVER been able to enjoy your wildly entertaining and wittily-crafted comment!!!
@Segador: Why do I bother? Because I love Gizmodo and want it to be a better, more informative and/or funnier place. While I'd rather not have to spend time responding to such lame, inappropriate, hateful and/or dull comments--I'm here for the gadgets, man!--to NOT respond only lets hate and/or dullness win unopposed.
Now, if those comments had actually been witty or funny or clever or informative or whatever, I could have easily cut them slack for otherwise non-politically-correct ramblings. But they weren't any of those things.
I apologize if you found my comment distateful. I was just trying to calm everybody down with (what I found to be) an amusing anticdote. Apparently it didnt work.
Having said that, this facebook hating thing has got to take a rest. At the end of the day we are all individuals with common interests, so there really is no reason why we all shouldn't get along. I understand that there have been a lot of weak comments by us "facebookers", I guess thats just what happens when you open up the discussion to a greater (far more casual audience). Although I believe this makes up a small percentage of facebook users that look at this site. I was under the impression that just about everybody had a facebook account.
I agree with you that this is a gadget blog and therefore comments should be gadget related. I also apologize for wasting everybodies time with this post. I am just sick and tired of all this static sourrounding facebook users. If you think I am being an asshole, call me an asshole, but that has nothing to do with the social networking site that I perfer. At the end of the day, we are all just people who enjoy reading about gadgets.
Anyway, sorry once again for wasting everybodies time, and I am also truely sorry if I offended anybody, it really wasnt my intention.
@Christos Karabelas: Hi, Christos. First, apology accepted. I take your word in good faith that you meant your comment to be humorous and non-offensive, done.
Now. Facebook. Although you would not necessarily have seen my comments elsewhere, here, for the record, is my 2¢:
• I am a Facebooker myself. Love it. Use it daily. Go, Facebook!
• I welcome all Facebookers to Gizmodo. I really do, the more the merrier.
BUT...
• I strongly desire that the existing Gizmodo policy--that of allowing comments to appear only after a user's account has been approved for commenting--be applied equally to ALL new commenters, regardless of source or who they are.
That's it. That's my soapbox. Hopefully Gizmodo (Gawker) will take action that will resolve this conflict to everybody's fairness and satisfaction.
10/15/09
10/15/09
I'm thinking they'll release new iMacs to coincide with Windows 7. #macpro
10/15/09
Sometimes I wish I actually had a need for a workstation like this. I also wish I had a magic wand so I could just turn my aging Powermac MDD G4 into this. #macpro
10/15/09
C'mon... Until awesome games similar to the PC comes to the MAC, this would be futile.
Also, I can't think how much this would cost... x3 of what it would be if it was a PC?
Not being biased or PC-sided, but I was just wondering and thinking of the use and cost for this configuration. If there was really a good use for this (with a fairly good price), I would definitely buy this. #macpro
10/15/09
10/15/09
C'mon... Until awesome games similar to the PC comes to the MAC, this would be futile.
Also, I can't think how much this would cost... x3 of what it would be if it was a PC?
Not being biased or PC-sided, but I was just wondering and thinking of the use and cost for this configuration. If there was really a good use for this (with a fairly good price), I would definitely buy this. #macpro
10/15/09
As it is, musicians often supplement host-based software with PCI cards for extra horsepower. Having this kind of power built in means you can record and process more tracks with better effects that put a heavy load on the CPU, use more virtual instruments, etc. without buying additional hardware. #macpro
10/15/09
ahahaha, I was thinking this was somewhat for general public type of mac until I posted this comment... and I was lazy enough to correct myself. But anyways, I see more uses for this MAC powerhouse as a work machine, based on your replies, than what I have actually thought of.
Now, I see this as something that's really helpful at more points than what I thought of. #macpro
10/15/09
10/15/09
10/16/09
03/21/09
Heck my Core i7 system with an overclocked Nvidia 285 was only 2,100!
WTF man?
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/21/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/21/09
My 4runner can run on the very same race track as any vehicle though at 45mph versus 200mph for a car specifically made to race on said track.
03/20/09
My homemade gaming rig with 3X the power: $1200
Using my gaming rig for "everyday use" and still blowing Apple out of the water in a price/performance evaluation: Priceless.
03/21/09
Sure. FInal Cut Pro. YOU LOSE!
03/23/09
If FCP is all Mac has going for it in a flame war, that's pretty sad. While Mac Pro has a lot of great media creation and editing apps, it's certainly not the end-all be-all of the digital content creation world. In terms of cost-benefit, many studios do go with Mac, but as many also decide to go with Windows, Linux, or other platforms.
None is inherently better, but rather geared toward different production and rendering needs. It's not so much about which platform is better, but which is more suitable to the task at hand and offers the most ways to optimize the production pipelines. In many cases Linux or Windows is more flexible simply because it has a broader install base, wider hardware support base, and offers more content creation tools.
No currently available platform trumps all others in every contest. Even things such as rendering speed, and transcoding times are going to vary widely depending upon hardware configuration and the content being worked on. If you are doing professional editing for the film industry you are likely using the same (or very similar) external hardware anyway, which turns the decision into one of OS comfort and flexibility. The computer you are using is just a workstation then, farming out the real duties to dedicated hardware, which most often runs neither OSX nor Windows.
The fanboy argument of "FCP/Maya!! is not only silly, but also completely unfounded. There will always be fanboys who jump in claiming the work at/run/own some sort of studio, shouting how many Mac/Win/Linux platforms they run exclusively, as though that ends the argument. It doesn't. For every studio running all macs, there's another running Windows. I've worked in both OSX (on Mac Pros) and Windows (my laptop primarily) doing Photoshop work, and honestly,once I'm inside the application, there's little difference, in terms of speed and capability. I just don't use OSX often enough and I find the general style of it cumbersome because of my familiarity with Windows.
It comes down to comfort, familiarity with the platform and, most importantly, whether the oerson working the hardware has the brains, talent and enthusiasm to get the job done.
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/21/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition 965 Nehalem 3.2GHz - $999
MSI X58 Pro LGA 1366 Intel X58 Motherboard - $190
G.SKILL 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 - $89
SAMSUNG 1TB DRIVE - $89
Decent Case: $100
BluRay Burner - $189
Radeon 4870 X2 - $399
That all totals to approximately 2000, with room for upgrading to a second 4870x2, or 6 Gigs more RAM, or other such upgrades... the beauty of the PC is the fact that you CHOOSE WHAT YOU WANT!!!
Say you don't need the 3.2 GHz Processor... you'd be fine with a 2.93 GHz and would save $400 dollars...
Add On 4 more Terabyte drives with the money you save or buy yourself a whole lot of lap dances... you chose...
Macs are good for artists(where it is actually useful) and people who like to fool themselves into thinking they're safer behind a mac...
Oh and for about 300 bucks more from the build above you could probably get EFiX and OS X running on that machine if you really must have it...
03/20/09
03/21/09
03/20/09
*hides*
03/21/09
While Apple has never really pushed Gaming on their computers, possibly deterring devs from giving it their all, and due to the fact that there is more money to be had in the PC market with games having multi-million dollar movie-like budgets, very few games are made specifically for the Mac.
While it should be a bit easier with their Intel processors now (as this was a major factor for PPCs), the games are built from the ground up (or using a previous model/engine that was) for Windows the games are then eventually ported over to the Mac OS and as such can never truly be optimized for it (or you could say that because of tech like Direct X it just makes it that much better).
While it rarely happens, when companies put the extra effort into the Mac system (and then, even if it is eventually ported) to make it take advantage of the Macs features (or lack thereof) you end up with games like WoW (and every other Blizzard game) that run just as well, if not better, on the Mac OS.
03/21/09
03/20/09
Now the card is crap and barely worth gaming on?
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
03/20/09
Oh dear.
03/20/09
The GT120 is a rebadged 9500GT. If a 4870 can't give you a MAJOR performance boost over a 9500GT, there is something seriously wrong with your computer.
03/20/09
If that's right, that's fascinating. Same chipset, board design and memory specs? How can you be sure of this? Not challenging you, really just curious...
03/20/09
03/20/09
I dont like drama. Or confrontation. I hear that they give you AIDS
03/20/09
Ah, charming and entertaining as always, pizzlepaps! It has been SO long since we last chatted, let's DO catch up, shall we? Why, it seems like only yesterday we were recounting some of YOUR glorious past Gizmodo witticisms:
"ban this fgt imo"
"Are you a tard?"
"people wouldn't have to hate on gays so much if they weren't being such attention whores all they care about is me me me"
"fuck apple."
"and its retards like you that haven't got a clue how politics and money works."
"shit dude, got a stick up your ass?"
And I was MOST delighted to find you are branching out from Gizmodo, willing to expand your views to other Websites as well:
"...people don't like what isn't normal. being gay contradicts nature. humans live to reproduce and pass on dna. being gay prevents this from happening. adopting doesn't pass on dna, even if it could provide gays with a real family."
Oh--my!--I can hardly stop myself from chuckling! SO witty!
Well, it has been SO nice to hear from you again, p-paps. The delightful way you turn a phrase along with your views on gay rights, adoption and retarded people are just SO enlightening! DO let me know when next you are in the area so we can get together for some MORE raucous laughter!
Buh bye!
03/20/09
And a big, hearty WELCOME to yet another Facebooker! I, for one, am SO glad Gizmodo is not subjecting Facebook accounts to the pre-screening process that regular Gizmodo accounts go through. Why, if they did, we would have NEVER been able to enjoy your wildly entertaining and wittily-crafted comment!!!
03/20/09
03/20/09
Now, if those comments had actually been witty or funny or clever or informative or whatever, I could have easily cut them slack for otherwise non-politically-correct ramblings. But they weren't any of those things.
03/22/09
Having said that, this facebook hating thing has got to take a rest. At the end of the day we are all individuals with common interests, so there really is no reason why we all shouldn't get along. I understand that there have been a lot of weak comments by us "facebookers", I guess thats just what happens when you open up the discussion to a greater (far more casual audience). Although I believe this makes up a small percentage of facebook users that look at this site. I was under the impression that just about everybody had a facebook account.
I agree with you that this is a gadget blog and therefore comments should be gadget related. I also apologize for wasting everybodies time with this post. I am just sick and tired of all this static sourrounding facebook users. If you think I am being an asshole, call me an asshole, but that has nothing to do with the social networking site that I perfer. At the end of the day, we are all just people who enjoy reading about gadgets.
Anyway, sorry once again for wasting everybodies time, and I am also truely sorry if I offended anybody, it really wasnt my intention.
@bosskev:
03/22/09
Now. Facebook. Although you would not necessarily have seen my comments elsewhere, here, for the record, is my 2¢:
• I am a Facebooker myself. Love it. Use it daily. Go, Facebook!
• I welcome all Facebookers to Gizmodo. I really do, the more the merrier.
BUT...
• I strongly desire that the existing Gizmodo policy--that of allowing comments to appear only after a user's account has been approved for commenting--be applied equally to ALL new commenters, regardless of source or who they are.
That's it. That's my soapbox. Hopefully Gizmodo (Gawker) will take action that will resolve this conflict to everybody's fairness and satisfaction.