What are the "pros and cons" of the Mac Pro? Is it right for my needs?

Like any other purchase, only you can make the decision whether or not the Mac Pro is the right Mac for you, but you can evaluate the pros and cons of the series to see if your needs are met. This "run down" may be helpful in making a decision:

Pros (All Models):

• Extremely fast when running native applications.
• Numerous configuration options available.
• Wonderful case design makes it quick and easy to upgrade the RAM and hard drives.
• Two more 3.5" hard drive bays supporting faster 3Gb/s drives, an additional 5.25" optical bay, and more ports compared to the Power Macintosh G5.
• Competitively priced compared to similar Windows PCs.

Cons (All Models):

• No support of MacOS 9/Classic applications.
• FB-DIMM memory is expensive.
• AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) costs extra.

Cons (Original Models):

• MacOS X applications forced to run via "Rosetta" are slower than the same applications running on the Power Macintosh G5.
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR -- and AirPort Extreme (802.11a/b/g/n) -- cost extra for the original Mac Pro.
• Default graphics card may not satisfy the needs of 3D graphics intensive applications (games, in particular).
• Dynamically allocated PCIe architecture prohibits the possibility of 16-lane SLI or Crossfire video card configurations.

Essentially, if you are looking for the most powerful and expandable new Apple computer you can buy, have no MacOS 9/"Classic" applications, and no existing "mission critical" MacOS X applications that are incompatible or run too slowly using "Rosetta", then the Mac Pro would be an excellent choice.

If compatibility and performance of older applications is critical, but expansion is a lower priority, a Power Macintosh G5 remains well worth consideration. If cost is a factor, a used Power Macintosh G4 also is worth considering.

Site sponsor PowerMax sells all of these systems. Site sponsor Operator Headgap Systems specializes in heavily upgraded systems with an eye on backwards and future compatibility.