Buying a Mac Pro... Cheap place for RAM and video card?

blascockblascock
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hey, I'm buying looking at buying a Mac Pro. It'll be used primarily for final cut studio apps and general use. I dabble in image editing, but I'll mostly be doing video editing.



My question is, well I obviously don't want to pay those ridiculous RAM prices, and the hard-drive prices. Does anyone know of any good websites where I can buy cheaper RAM? and cheaper hard-drives and video cards? I figured I'd buy a better video card than offered by apple and add it myself.



My other question is does it matter what type of HD/RAM/or Video card I put in? does it have to be a Mac version? Thanks for your help.



And in terms of a redesign, probably not going to come for awhile now that they just updated right...

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    john441john441 Posts: 37member
    I recently bought memory, a hard drive and 2nd optical drive from OWC for my new Mac Pro.



    Great prices!!!!





    www.otherworldcomputing.com/
  • Reply 2 of 7
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I got my RAM from NewEgg, and my Hard drves here. You have to get your video card from Apple. No one else makes an EFI card.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    surfratsurfrat Posts: 341member
    My favorite, mostly because of reliability and performance, not so much for being the cheapest option is RamJet.



    www.ramjet.com
  • Reply 4 of 7
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sunshine View Post


    I think newegg.com is a good place to choose video card and hard drive, they list the main features clearly. I go there for memory.



    What's he going to do with a video card from NewEgg? He can't use it in a mac pro unless it's only for running windows.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    samnuvasamnuva Posts: 225member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Blascock View Post


    My question is, well I obviously don't want to pay those ridiculous RAM prices, and the hard-drive prices. Does anyone know of any good websites where I can buy cheaper RAM? and cheaper hard-drives and video cards? I figured I'd buy a better video card than offered by apple and add it myself.



    My other question is does it matter what type of HD/RAM/or Video card I put in? does it have to be a Mac version? Thanks for your help.



    RAM- many places sell Mac Pro RAM. See above posts.



    Hard Drives- Any 3.5 inch hard drives that meets specs



    Graphics- You're stuck with the ones apple sells. The reason is that most companys make graphics cards for windows, which uses 80s-era BIOS. Macs use new-generation EFI. THis may change when vista SP1 comes out, but for now, you have to get the ATI Radon 2600 HD, the nvida GeForce 880GT, or the NVIDIA Quadro FX 5600 from apple.



    Also, You're pretty much safe from updae.
  • Reply 6 of 7
    blascockblascock Posts: 153member
    Thanks, very informative.



    Just as a sidenote, you think new Mac Pros would be available at the next apple event in June? Or more likely a year from now
  • Reply 7 of 7
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    It's a guessing game, but if you need a Mac Pro get one now. This is a great machine. Mac Pro's have great resale value, and you can upgrade later if you wish. I don't think they'll see a major update in June If any at all.
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