Mac pro (ebay or refurb) vs iMac

[itisnick]

One consideration is you can install cards in a Mac Pro.

[zephonic]

Originally Posted by anish108

If I was going to purchase a Mac Pro it would probably be this one one off the apple refrub store (Refurbished Mac Pro 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon - Apple Store (UK)), or off of ebay. I'm just hesitant to drop close to £1700 on something that could be done with £1000 (Refurbished iMac 21.5-inch 3.6GHz Intel Core i5 processor - Apple Store (UK)).

If you are to go for a MacPro refurb, it would be wise to pay a little extra for the 2010 model (GBP1735). The difference is GBP51 and you get a much better graphics card for that. If expansion means nothing to you, get the iMac.

To learn about the different Apple models: Mac Specs, Prices, Answers, & Comparison @ EveryMac.com - Est. 1996

For performance comparos: Mac Benchmarks

[simoncastic]

If you're looking at buying a Mac Pro, I'd wait. They're due for a refresh soon apparently.

[anish108]

thanks for the comments guys.

to be honest, a friend of mine gave me an interesing idea. my main concern is the machine slowing down/sluggishness with producing etc. and having to upgrade in the next 3-4 years. I am a bit reluctant to spend £1700 (as it is quite a lot. plus im eying up some other gear)

He suggested what I could do was buy an iMac at the lower-mid level range (i.e. the £1200 one), and then get an SSD hard drive installed. This I could use for my applications etc. whilst storing all my data (samples etc.) on an external hard drive.

im runnnng reason, logic and ableton live, plugs ins etc. so I' m thinking the specs of this iMac (2.7Ghz Quad-core intel core i5, 4GB RAM (2 x 2GB),. 1TB Serial ATA Drive, AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512MB GDDR5) together with an SSD would cover these?

Also, I'd be able to get an educational 10% discount on the new iMac.

[gdoubleyou]

Originally Posted by itisnick

One consideration is you can install cards in a Mac Pro.

Later this summer you will be able to add PCIe cards to a thunderbolt-enabled iMac.
Sonnet - News & Media

[t4ckleb0x]

You should look into how easy or hard it is to install/swap a second disk in the new I Macs. I heard that they aren't putting in the extra cables for a second hdd or something like that

[a.e.neumann]

Originally Posted by zephonic

If you are to go for a MacPro refurb, it would be wise to pay a little extra for the 2010 model (GBP1735). The difference is GBP51 and you get a much better graphics card for that. If expansion means nothing to you, get the iMac.

If the choice is between refurb and eBay: anytime, refurb. At least if you need it for your work and don't want to gamble.

Mac Pro or iMac: when (not if) the screen of the iMac fails, you'll kick yourself for not having gone the route of separates: computer and monitor in separate boxes. Again, provided you need the Mac for work.

Waiting for updated models: rumours of model updates are persistent.
Have been so for some time. The big question is whether the new hardware will be made available before OS X Lion, or with it. Based on precedent, it seems more likely that the hardware update will be used to push the Lion installed basis. Great if you're a newbie starting from scratch. Not so great if you have previous software and hardware that you need to use in conjunction with your new Mac. If it was me, I'd eschew playing Guinea pig and go for a recent, refurb model with Snow Leopard, letting the others iron out the inevitable wrinkles of the brand-new system and upgrading to Lion only when compatibility with present software and hardware is assured — or relevant updates available. The upgrade cost to Lion is nominal.

[A440]

Originally Posted by a.e.neumann

go for a recent, refurb model with Snow Leopard

+1 on this. I bought a refurb Mac pro and it's been a superb machine...the ability to change drives easily is a must have for audio work.

[a.e.neumann]

Originally Posted by a.e.neumann

The upgrade cost to Lion is nominal.

Update: Upgrade to Lion is to be free for all new Macs, including refurb, bought after June 6.
You'll have to send in a voucher or complete an online form within a determined period (likely 30 days) to validate your claim.