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New config dilemma: Dell XPS 710 vs. Mac Pro

I

indy138

Junior Member

Hey everyone,

after a lot of struggling I decided I need a new computer and I went on a couple of websites to find a nice new configuration. I found two that look very attractive, but I can't really decide which one would be better.

Apart from daily tasks, like web browsing, movie watching and all the more demanding tasks it would have to stand is 3D work (in Softimage XSI) and Unreal 3 development (modding).

Basically I'd like to have something that works out of the box and without any problems.

This is what I've come up with so far:

DELL XPS 710
CPU: Intel® Core? 2 Duo E6600 Processor (2.4GHz, 1066MHz, 4MB)
RAM: 2048MB Dual Channel DDR2 667MHz [2x1024] Memory
GFX: DUAL 512MB ATI® Radeon® X1950XTX graphics card

Mac PRO
CPU: 2x Intel® Xeon "Woodcrest" 5150 Processor (2.66Ghz, 1333Mhz, 4MB)
RAM: 2048MB [4x512MB] Memory
GFX: ATI Radeon X1900 XT 512MB (2 x dual-link DVI)

On the Mac Pro I would of course use Boot Camp to do Windows specific tasks, but I would also use OS X.

Which one do you think would be better all in all? Or should I look somewhere else even?
 
The question is really... "Do you want a Mac?"

You'll get better hardware for your money with a PC (speaking price vs performance). So the question falls to whether or not you want to pay the premium for something that runs OS X.
 
The question is really... "Do you want a Mac?"
Click to expand...

Basically what I thought is that I would have greater choice in software in the end, and I also like to use OS X so this could make up for the price difference.

It's more like that (for me as it seems) the Dell has better graphics and the Mac has better CPU(s), but is the 1950 XTX so much better than the 1900 XT, as well would a dual Xeon be that much better in performance than a Core 2 Duo?

So the difficult thing for me is where to put the two machines performance wise 🙂
 
Performance Wise The Dell Wins considering the 2 1950 xtx and the better choice of software. I dont think you can just go out and buy a 8800 or rd600 (when they come out) to put into the Mac Pro like you can the Dell.

But you do get some nice apps with OSX like Ilife and the are some very powerfull 3d rendering software apps for the Mac OSX used by Movie studios, I never used these types of programs for either platform so I cant say which is better though.

You could build a system cheaper and have as good or better than the Dell.

Apple is coming out with the Lepord OS I think soon, It looked real nice but havnt seen much on it lately. What I have seen though is a lot of bashing on the web showing that OSX already has built in what MS is saying that is so great about the new Vista OS.

I have I have a Imac, I like it my wife loves it but I miss my Pc. Instaling boot camp wont help much though the radeon x1600 wont be as good as the 6800 I had in my PC for gaming.
 
Memory for the Mac Pro is very expensive compared to the Dell and it is slower than the Dell memory as well. That is the downside to using the Xeon processors in the Mac Pro.
 
Seems like the Dell is winning, from a technological point of view. Thanks guys.

Another thing to consider is build quality and the quality of service for the machines. I'll have a look around. It seems that there are a lot of extra service/warranty "addons" that you can purchase for both of them, but I'm not too sure if they are worth it.
 
I'd get the Apple because of its software. Windows would be for games or any specific software (CAD, GIS, development).
 
I think you're silly not to build your own from parts and save $1500-$2000. Plus you get the parts and case you want. Granted you'll never run OsX this way so only if Dell is your choice should you do so.

Given your two choices I'd buy Apple. Looks better, uses better parts like motherboard/case etc and runs OSX.

 
I would highly recommend you look into a Dell Precision 690.

http://www.dell.com/content/products/fe...s.aspx/precn_690?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd

It's kind of the best of both worlds. Supports dual video cards and supports dual Xeon 5100's. It's bound to be cheaper than the Mac, as well.

I personally have not touched the 690, but I have worked with several Precision 390's and they are just incredibly well-built computers. I have run single 8800 GTS (eVGA and MSI) cards in the Prec 390 (as well as the xps 410), and they run flawlessly. However, I'm not sure of their compatibility with the 690 (I'd love to try though).
 
mac would be much cheaper than a 4 core dell box. ram is somewhat of a drawback FBDIMM.
SLI can work on a mac pro. you could put 4 full size pcie cards in the mac pro
nVidia 7950 GX2 id reported to work in xp (software sli) generic PC cards can work to using OSX/x86 hacks on OS X.
quad 2.66 is only $2200 on a refurb. Dell can not touch this=Quad Core Intel® Xeon® Processor X5355 2.66GHz, 2 X 4MB L2,1333 [add $1,639] (for 1 CPU)
Dell uses fbdimms also
Apple supports 16G
Dell seems to only support 4G?
 
Originally posted by: gwag
mac would be much cheaper than a 4 core dell box. ram is somewhat of a drawback FBDIMM.
SLI can work on a mac pro. you could put 4 full size pcie cards in the mac pro
nVidia 7950 GX2 id reported to work in xp (software sli) generic PC cards can work to using OSX/x86 hacks on OS X.
quad 2.66 is only $2200 on a refurb. Dell can not touch this=Quad Core Intel® Xeon® Processor X5355 2.66GHz, 2 X 4MB L2,1333 [add $1,639] (for 1 CPU)
Dell uses fbdimms also
Apple supports 16G
Dell seems to only support 4G?
Click to expand...

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/systems/ws690/en/ug/geninfo.htm#wp1055689

32 or 64 GB (with optional memory riser cards)
 
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