InsanelyMac Forum > Mac Pro or PC + Mac mini

hellais

May 24 2007, 09:26 PM

I am planning to buy a new computer that I will probably be for video editing, 3d graphics and programming. The operating systems that I will need are Mac os x, linux and windows. My problem is that I am not sure if a Mac Pro is actualy worth the price, the two options are:
1) a Mac Pro double 2.66 dual-core 4gig ram 1tb hard disk ATI Radeon X1900 XT. Definetly more pricey

2) a regular pc with a single core duo 4gig ram 1tb hard disk 512mb video card ( not sure wich one yet ) ( probably the cost is 1300 ) and a mac mini ( that I will be using for video editing )

I definetly need mac os x for am I now too used to final cut and I don't like the video editing software available for linux or windows. Basicaly what I am asking is if buying a mac pro is worth the price or if it's best to buy a pc.

I thank you all in advance

Zizou

May 24 2007, 09:40 PM

I can tell you that Final Cut Pro would NOT be cool on a Mac Mini.

it needs more power for that..

hackintom

May 24 2007, 10:12 PM

sure thing !

plus, why don't you buy a Quad core (q6600 will price drop soon) PC fitted for osx86 and FCP, with 4Gigs of DDR2 800Mhz and a 4*250Gb HDD Raid ?
Not so expensive, would be the best bang for your bucks I guess...
A mac mini is too expensive, and the first mac pro too....

... and with the money you've saved, you could buy 2*22", or even a Full HD 24", great for video editing :-D

Synaesthesia

May 25 2007, 04:38 AM

I say go for one kick-ass pc that does everything you need: Mac Pro

Danyel

May 25 2007, 06:34 PM

Hi tbdl:

I'm curious to see how well the Pro apps run on OSx86 PC's (Final Cut Pro, Adobe CS3, etc). Has anyone had some experience running these app's on your OSx86 PC?

A Nonny Moose

May 25 2007, 07:29 PM

I would honestly go for a real Mac, especially if you're doing any of this for money (as we all know about copyright infringement).

hellais

May 26 2007, 05:48 AM

I was convinced by what you told me so I will probably go for a Mac Pro even if it is at lot more pricey. Although if someone had experience running final cut pro with osx86, it would be nice to know how it ran..... :\

InflatableMouse

May 26 2007, 09:18 PM

I'm doing a similar check.

The mac pro isn't all that pricey if you don't buy their memory and harddisks.

get it with the x1900 and leave the rest default. Buy your memory from another store, but make sure they have good heatspreaders. Get your SATA hd's from the cheapest shop you can get. They are all the same anyways.

Also, you can get a x1950 at a regular pc shop and flash it with a firmware for mac compatibility. I read something somewhere here on the forums about that. Do a search.

I wouldn't want to spend so much money on another pc. Macs are really so much nicer AND better. Its well worth the money IMO. I know I am saving up for a mac pro.

Soündless

May 26 2007, 11:18 PM

get a mac pro. some hackintoshes are good, but you never know when an update won't work and you will hae no official support when it crashes

Synaesthesia

May 27 2007, 01:34 PM

QUOTE

I am planning to buy a new computer that I will probably be for video editing, 3d graphics and programming. The operating systems that I will need are Mac os x, linux and windows. My problem is that I am not sure if a Mac Pro is actualy worth the price, the two options are:
1) a Mac Pro double 2.66 dual-core 4gig ram 1tb hard disk ATI Radeon X1900 XT. Definetly more pricey

2) a regular pc with a single core duo 4gig ram 1tb hard disk 512mb video card ( not sure wich one yet ) ( probably the cost is 1300 ) and a mac mini ( that I will be using for video editing )

I definetly need mac os x for am I now too used to final cut and I don't like the video editing software available for linux or windows. Basicaly what I am asking is if buying a mac pro is worth the price or if it's best to buy a pc.

I thank you all in advance smile.gif

I still don't get this. If you get yourself a nice hack system, like you suggest, then surely you'll wanna edit video on that rather than the mac mini. I mean, it's faster and has a 1tb hard drive, the mac mini has a 60gb 2.5" HDD that's way slower.

So, yes, get the mac pro, if you can afford it, but if you go with the hack, don't even bother with the mac mini.