Self-built rig or new Mac?

[nitromullet]

If compromise is something that you want to do for $4k... well, that's up to you... I think that is the point that the OP is getting stuck on (rightfully so).

 

[blckgrffn]

Originally posted by: nitromullet
If compromise is something that you want to do for $4k... well, that's up to you... I think that is the point that the OP is getting stuck on (rightfully so).

If he can put in a next gen video card in soon (early next year) this conversation will be pretty mute as he won't be CPU limited for quite some time to come.

At some point there is going to be limiting factor. Crossfire x1900xtx's will likely have to compromise on a 23/24" monitor anyway to some degree. I mean, 14xAA etc has its price. Spending $4,000 on an Alienware Dell might get him better performance, but at some point the returns in that direction are limited AND no OSX option. MCE might be cool, but it isn't that neat

Has anyone tried CF on one of these bad boys yet? It might actually work in windows, being a Intel board and all. So for $4,400, he would have the baddest of the bad and just have to work on some quirks.

 

[nitromullet]

http://www.anandtech.com/mac/showdoc.aspx?i=2811&p=2

Not sure if the OP is still on the fence or not, but that might help.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Why would you even cionsider going to a MAC at all if you're a gamer? Even under Windows it will not be as good. Can you even get a soundcard to do EAX and 5.1 in games? I doubt it, and sound is a major part of a game for me.

 

[tuteja1986]

Game = windows
Server = Linux
Video editing = Mac
Office work = Windows
Photo/Animation = Windows
Programmer = Windows/Linux

I have no real clue why people buying mac except for video editor ;( unless they want security
Overpriced hardware me think

 

[LittleNemoNES]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd
Why would you even consider going to a MAC at all if you're a gamer?

Exactly.

 

[Fenixgoon]

i would get a dual core 939 CPU.. otherwise, you have a really solid rig.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Game = windows
Server = Linux
Video editing = Mac
Office work = Windows
Photo/Animation = Windows
Programmer = Windows/Linux

I have no real clue why people buying mac except for video editor ;( unless they want security
Overpriced hardware me think

Desktop Publishing (i.e QuarkXPress and Adobe Illustratior are 100% MAC ONLY) I work in the printing industry and if a customer brings in a PC disk we have to send it out to the service bureau to edit because there is always color problems or the most common thing is font conflicts. But generally speaking, both platforms are equal in this area IMO.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: Fenixgoon
i would get a dual core 939 CPU.. otherwise, you have a really solid rig.

My answer too

It's what i did.

 

[450R]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Game = windows
Server = Linux
Video editing = Mac
Office work = Windows
Photo/Animation = Windows
Programmer = Windows/Linux

I have no real clue why people buying mac except for video editor ;( unless they want security
Overpriced hardware me think

Style? Simplicity? Personal preference? Because they have the money? It has nothing to do with security.

It is overpriced but it has its place in the market ... small but loyal (and obviously wealthy ).

 

[blckgrffn]

It isn't really over priced compared to Dell workstations, for example....

Epensive is relative, but it isn't over priced for the level of hardware you get.

Nat

 

[Piuc2020]

Originally posted by: crsgardner
It's an option.

But, in order to get something comparable I'd have to ditch the motherboard entirely. I'm guessing (don't quote me on it) that a board and two dual-core Xeons will be at least a grand, if not close to $1500. I'd probably wouldn't replace the 7800gtx as it's so similar to the x1900 XT.

The real reason I'd go with a Mac at all, though, is I happen to like it as a desktop environment. I use my main rig for both work and play, and I think I'd get the work side done better using MacOS. I do systems administration, so most of my work involves remoting into various servers, creating scripts, etc. Like I said, though, some of it is just OS envy.

I guess the real question is whether or not the Mac Pro would make a suitable gaming machine with a X1900 XT (running in Windows). Money isn't too much an issue to me. Like I said, I can always get rid of the Apple display. And I can sell the parts from my existing rig to probably get $1200 at least.

If you only want to know how the Mac Pro is on Windows as a games machine... well, the Mac Pro on Windows XP behaves the very exact same as a PC configured the same, all drivers work fine, you don't even need bootcamp, heck, you don't even need to install OS X to start using Windows XP on your Mac, gaming performance is top notch or in other words, it behaves exactly like a PC.

Additionally you can put any card in your Mac Pro, granted it will only work under Windows XP.

The Mac Pro will make a fine games machine... it runs Windows XP perfectly, no driver issues, Woodcrest is like Conroe except faster, 4 cores is overkill for gaming though, the FB ECC RAM although expensive works fine for games and you can put any PC card on the Mac Pro and it will work perfectly (under WinXP that is), only issue is price, at 3000$ for the system with a X1900XT and 2GB RAM, its not cheap but if you say price is not an issue and you like OS X (and you should) then I say go for it. Mac OS X is a great OS and definitely makes everything more productive, in fact, all WinXP has going for it is games and app support but thats not an issue since Macs can now run WinXP with no drawbacks.

SUMMARY: If you buy a Mac Pro, you can basically throw away your old PC Gaming box.

 

[Piuc2020]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
Game = windows
Server = Linux
Video editing = Mac
Office work = Windows
Photo/Animation = Windows
Programmer = Windows/Linux

I have no real clue why people buying mac except for video editor ;( unless they want security
Overpriced hardware me think

Well I respect your opinion but I disagree entirely with you except in the first two points, out of those I do gaming, video editing, office work and photo/animation and my mac is my weapon of choice for that, better software and the OS makes the difference, and as far as programming go... well supposedly xcode makes life easier for everyone but I do not know for sure.

Sounds like you don't own a Mac, if you don't then you don't have the right to make such a claim, I've used Mac OS since the original 1984 Macintosh (well okay I was too young to actually use it but my household had one) and I've used Windows extensively since Win 2000 and in a nutshell: if I could run all the games on my Mac and I was wealthy as hell I'd dispose of my PC.

When I don't want to play a game, I find my Mac to be better for everything else, I like PCs because you can customize the heck out of them if you build them, you can build the absolute top of the line rigs for very cheap (relatively) and then you can play the best games on the market but there is no doubt about it, Mac OS X is downright the superior system and the platform of choice for non gaming-industry affiliated professionals. Gaming is the only part where Windows XP and PCs simply crush Mac OS X and Macs, thats a huge thing going for Win XP but there is a lot going for Mac OS X too and in the end it depends on what the user wants.

 

[Konq]

Go fo the Mac, IMHO.

1) It is a great value for what you get.
2) You have the best experience you can get in any OS you like to use due to state of the art hardware. All apps will just scream. You get all the iLife apps to use for home stuff.
3) While 4-cores are overkill now, they won't be in the near future! Already programs like compilers and itunes make use of all the cores in some way or another. Games are also looking to use extra cores since they are becoming common in systems.
4) You can use a sound card if you like for windows games: M-audio if you want basic 5.1 for both mac and win; Soundblaster for Windows-only use if you want the gaming extras badly. A card is only really important if you have surround sound speakers.
5) You get a warrantee if you really value your time and want to spend it having fun instead of tackling issues due to building your own. I built my last three PCs for CAD work - this is my next box. You also get to call apple for software for 3 years - pretty nice. Five minutes is a very long wait - usually seconds I get a live person.
6) With Fink you get 1000s of free open-source software to play with if you like from sourceforge using the free Xcode you get with your Mac.
7) Using your Mac for email and net surfing, I dont worry about hacking, viruses, etc. and it makes the experience more relaxed.
8) The next version of OS X is going to be really cool.

HOWEVER: Wait until the bootcamp SATA issue is resolved or Parallels gets the 3D acceleration working before you buy. You don't want to be frustrated with disk speed with your new toy. =)