Buying New Mac - Can't Decide

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:33 pm

New 2.4GHz 8-Core "Westmere", New 3.33GHz 6-Core "Westmere", or Refurb '09 2.93Ghz 8-core "Nehalem"?

Which one would work best with DP?

I've only found a benchmark test for Logic, and it suggests the '09 2.93 8-core is the best of the three. From what I've gathered though, it's not geared up for the 6-core yet... Is DP?
Benchmark test:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... ktest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...or should I find a way to get the 12-core?

Thanks

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 2:43 pm

The 12-Core 2.93 appears to be a top performer over the the 6-Core Westmere 3.33 if Barefeats findings are to be trusted. For the sake of longevity, I'd go for the Westmere over the Nehalem, but that could be just me.

http://www.barefeats.com/wst10.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The question remains how well DP does on each. There have been a couple of other threads on which machine is best for DP and responses have leaned towards "more cores, more better".

Buying the best machine you can afford-- or getting the best machine you can't afford *not* to have is still a good practice.

Good luck.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 4:34 pm

Interesting: the Barefeats test is a little different than the GS one, but both show the '09 2.93 8 core beating the '10 2.4 8 core, and '10 3.33 6-core.
The (almost affordable) 2.66 12-c scored very close to the 2.93 12c (in that test).

It's how DP takes advantage of these configs is what I'd really like to know.

Frodo · Post by **Frodo** » Fri Jan 28, 2011 5:53 pm

PM Sent...

sdfalk · Post by **sdfalk** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 8:42 am

Shouldn't it be "how" DP will sooner rather then later take advantage of all 12 cores.
If the system and the application is properly optimized , won't that make a more significant
difference over time?

Rusty Shackleford · Post by **Rusty Shackleford** » Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:18 am

Tim wrote:New 2.4GHz 8-Core "Westmere", New 3.33GHz 6-Core "Westmere", or Refurb '09 2.93Ghz 8-core "Nehalem"?

Which one would work best with DP?

I've only found a benchmark test for Logic, and it suggests the '09 2.93 8-core is the best of the three. From what I've gathered though, it's not geared up for the 6-core yet... Is DP?
Benchmark test:
http://www.gearslutz.com/board/music-co ... ktest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

...or should I find a way to get the 12-core?

Thanks

Hi, Here are some conclusions I came to between the 6-core 3.33 and 8-core 2.4ghz: viewtopic.php?f=26&t=43357 (check out my 9/8 post in that link) and viewtopic.php?f=26&t=43100. Since I wrote that, Macperformanceguide.com updated their research to show Logic fixed issues with the 6-core and the performance was dramatically increased. The 8-core 2.93ghz might be the way to go, but if you are not maxing out the track counts all the time, the faster processor of the 6-core might give you better performance with VI's. The 2.93 has been on Apple's refurb page for a good price recently, too. I bought the 6-core with 10GB RAM and so far I am very happy with its performance with DP creating full orchestral sequences with Vienna Instruments samples. Good luck!

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 5:40 pm

Thanks all for the helpful info.

I found a refurb 12 core 2.66 that I think I'll go for. Hopefully that'll be better than the others (except the 12 core 2.93, which I can't quite swing at the moment).

HCMarkus · Post by **HCMarkus** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:34 pm

Methinks you're gonna' be lovin' the 12 for DP... the only downside is probably slightly slower perfomance than the 6 core for non-multiprocesser aware software. Regardless, I'm feeling a mighty Jonesing right about now.

Killahurts · Post by **Killahurts** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:40 pm

The 12-core is doing me right. Incredibly powerful machine.

I almost got the 6-core because of the faster processor clock speed, but it felt like a "temporary" solution. I just knew I'd be able to stay in the 12 for longer. Both the 6 and the 12 core have 1333MHz. RAM, and that was a bigger factor for me than the clock speed. The other reason is because DP can actually use all those cores. So then it comes down to simple math:

2.66 GHz. X 12 = 31.92

3.33 GHz. X 6 = 19.98

Tim, of the three you listed, the 6-core will win with DP, no question.

Killahurts · Post by **Killahurts** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 8:42 pm

Tim wrote:I found a refurb 12 core 2.66 that I think I'll go for. Hopefully that'll be better than the others (except the 12 core 2.93, which I can't quite swing at the moment).

Oh.. well there you go!!

jlaudon · Post by **jlaudon** » Wed Feb 02, 2011 11:07 pm

you can also check out the geekbench scores -

http://www.primatelabs.ca/geekbench/mac-benchmarks/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In the scoring, for example, my Quad G5 mac scored around 3000, my Mac Pro 2.26 8 core around 12000, and the latest Mac Pros 12 core, around 21-30,000.

hammerman · Post by **hammerman** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 5:21 am

I got the 6-core and couldn't be happier. This is coming form a 7 year old G5 (1st gen!). Dual 2 GHz to 6 3.33 GHz. And the machine is quieter. Loaded it up with 3 8 GB sticks o' RAM. A smooth transition (albeit lengthy) one.

TOD · Post by **TOD** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 7:19 am

I bought the 2.8 quad-Core Nehalem last September after my dual 2.7 PPC took a dirt nap. I loaded the new machine with 16 gigs of RAM. Not impressed at all. I'm a heavy user of VI's and I like running, MachV II, Trillian and Omnisphere as well as Ableton LIVE at the same time. Because of DP's 4 gig RAM limit, my machine chokes just like the G5.

.....waiting for 64 bit.

VitcoMusic · Post by **VitcoMusic** » Thu Feb 03, 2011 1:12 pm

Just got a Westmere 2.4ghz 8 core. Once I'm finished a project on my G5 Quad, I'll report on how DP does on the new machine.

DV

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

silkytom · Post by **silkytom** » Sun Feb 06, 2011 1:42 am

Not that it is completely accurate (and obviously doesn't take DP into account), but I've found this ok as a VERY rough guide, especially as it includes geekbench scores in the listings.

http://www.everymac.com/ultimate-mac-co ... rrent-macs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

MOTUnation.com