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| Apple Mac Pro MA356LL/A Desktop (Two 2.66 GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processors, 1 GB RAM, 250 GB Hard Drive, SuperDrive) | 
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| Brand: Apple
Category: Personal Computer
Buy New: $2,639.83
Avg. Customer Rating:  43 reviews
Sales Rank: 776
Media: Personal Computers
CPU Manufacturer: Intel
CPU Speed: 2.66
CPU Type: Intel Pentium II Xeon
Processors: 2
System Memory: 1000
Memory Type: DDR2 SDRAM
Hard Drive Size: 250
Shipping Weight (lbs): 42.4
Dimensions (in): 23.2 x 12.6 x 28.2
MPN: MA356LL/A
Model: MA356LL/A
UPC: 885909091843
EAN: 0885909091843
Availability: Usually ships in 4-5 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 41-43 of 43 | | « PREV 1 ... | | |
A quick review September 6, 2006
26 out of 27 found this review helpful
I upgraded from a Powermac G4 (Single 733 Mhz processor), so I have been using Macs for several years. In my opinion, the Mac Pro is the best desktop computer you can buy for multimedia design, as it has performed flawlessly with all the programs I have used thus far (Adobe stuff, Macromedia, etc.) In general, you get what you pay for, it might be expensive, but the craftsmanship is immaculate. I have had some crashes, but I think these will get less frequent with more OS updates and Universal binaries being released. Also, Leopard (10.5) should run great on the Mac Pro.
Pros:
Very quiet (it is great to have a computer that barely makes a sound, I hope it stays that way)
Fast (obviously one of the fastest computers out right now)
Aluminum instead of plastic
Several inputs (USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and 800)
Quad processor (it will be nice when programs start taking advantage of this)
Adding more RAM and Hard drives is a breeze (everything slides out, takes seconds)
64 bit
Cons:
Steel enclosure is large and bulky (I had to modify my desk to get it to fit)
RAM is expensive (the heat-sinks make it very costly)
Hard drive circuit boards are exposed on this new type, it seems vulnerable
Apple Care should be 3 years by default
A lot of the bundled software is not Universal
Best Mac Ever...And I've Had Several September 4, 2006
73 out of 79 found this review helpful
I've been an Apple addict since the Classic was first introduced and have traveled through the good, great, and struggling years with them. Thus, I feel well-qualified in saying that Apple's new Mac Pro MA356LL is THE best Mac ever made. (Which, by extension, also means the best desktop computer ever made.)
First, it's incredibly fast. When I'm working full tilt, which is often, I'm running Photoshop, Quark, Illustrator, Acrobat, Word, and Final Cut Pro all at once, switching back and forth between programs often and in need of quick results. On this baby, everything flows smoothly and reaction times are instantaneous.
Second, it's resiliently stable. I run an advertising and design agency, so I keep the aforementioned programs running all day, all at the same time, plus iTunes, FileMaker Pro, and Internet programs, off and on. Even on my previous generation Mac G5, every now and then things would get bogged down and I'd have to reboot, then take the time to open everything again, etc., etc. Not even a hint of that on this one, so far. (As of this writing, I've had it about a month.)
Also, while the Mac Pro certainly resembles the G5 in size and casing, this new one has additional ports that make for increased productivity right out of the box. And, yes, you can add plenty more, although I'll probably just go with the factory build for the moment.
Lastly, it's worth noting that although Macs have traditionally cost somewhat more than PCs upfront (although I've always found them to be worth it), in this case, you'd be hard pressed to find a better value than the Mac Pro. Match it function for function and capability for capability with a PC, to the extent that you can, and the PC costs AT LEAST as much, and usually more.
Take this baby out and rev her up. You're in for a great ride.
WOW... August 29, 2006
24 out of 25 found this review helpful
This is a truly beautiful machine. This very silent tower is powerful in ways I never experienced before. I mostly use Final Cut Pro and Soundtrack and I couldn't get it into the 100% region. Hard discs and rams are the limiting factors here. Do I really need Quad Xeon processors? No, I don't. I would say that this machine is too fast for what I do on a daily bases. Apple should build a dual version. It would be more in line with the power needs of normal people who need a tower for the ease of expansion but do not do any genome decoding. So, if you want to get the most bangs for the buck, this is the machine for you. (It retails 1000$ cheaper that a similar Dell). Just make sure to add more ram and set up the discs as an raid array. These are gone be the only limiting factors in your system.
I just went back to the DELL site to verify my claim. The very similar DELL Precision 690 equipped with quad Xeon costs now only 3,113$ down from 3463$. They must feel the pressure. I don't know how Apple does it. Maybe they get a very special deal on the XEON processors from Intel.
The thing is, that for less money, you get a machine you can use with OSX or Windows and runs very, very silently.
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