[X4U] Mac Pro fresh updates?

[Zane H. Healy]

On Wed, 16 Jun 2010, zapcat wrote:

> but in reading your post, it sounds like your most pressing need is
>
> 1.Screen "real estate" and
>
> 2. RAM
>
> My reading is that a Mac Pro offers little advantage over, say, an iMac in 
> 2D/print work. There are some who feel they need every last gram of computer 
> muscle, so they flip for the 2 or 3-times more expensive kit.

Once you start beefing a iMac up to Mac Pro levels of RAM, you might as well
have gone with the Mac Pro.  The ability to affordably go to 16GB of RAM,
AND have 4 drive bays is why I'm waiting on a Mac Pro.  Also, call me
old-fashioned, but I like my monitor to be seperate from my computer.  The
Mac Pro also allows the user to *EASILY* swap out RAM and Hard Drives,
making incremental upgrades of the system a snap.

For those looking to maximize their photoshop performace there are real
gains to be had in spreading your Photoshop Swap, and your image libraries
across multiple hard drive spindles.  In fact I get better performance using
my Drobo for Photoshop swap, than I do from the internal HD on my Dual 2Ghz
G5.

Another advantage I hope to see from the Mac Pro is longevity.  My G5 2x2 is
nearly 7 years old.  I hope to get 4-6 years out of a Mac Pro (I had
originally planned to replace the G5 a year ago).

While I don't have one yet, it would be interesting to see how systems such
as the MBP, iMac, and Mac Pro do at handling RAW files from cameras in the
25MP range, such as the Nikon D3x.  What my system does need to be able to
handle is high resolution scans of 2.25x2.25" or 4x5" negatives.  Even at
only 2400dpi that is 29MP to 115MP.

Zane