Best Mac Pro as of today

[disbellj]

For prepress, I need to buy new Mac Pros. Just wandering the pros and cons of the configurations available. Note: I will be using the Mac Pro to run OS X, a Windows rip (Nexus), and a proofing rip (CromaPro) all at the same time (probably via VMware Fusion or Parallels). Any advice, recommendation, and/or suggestions are welcome.

Thank you in advance.

Don

[stargate]

If you need to use dongles (HASP) for your rips you may have trouble recognizing them in WIndows under VM. There is no problem if you run Windows in BootCamp but I have trouble to see my dongles under Parallels in Windows. Get the fastest Mac you can afford and buy as much RAM as you can at macsales.com

[disbellj]

Ryan,

Thanks for the heads up. I have successfully used dongles for these VMs on VMware Server on Windows XP. Because of VMware being a leader and me hearing VMware Fusion is now faster than Parallels, I will probably be getting VMware Fusion for my Mac Pros.

Don

[stargate]

I may switch from Parallels to VM in this case... Anyway, I just bought Leopard Server and I am playing with it to learn as much as I can. If you don't need to get MacPro today I would suggest you will wait till January as they are rumors about New MacPro using Penryn CPUs that will leave the current Woodcrest MacPros in dust. That's what I am waiting for my server platform...

[disbellj]

Hopefully this is still true of VMware Fusion. I know Parallels was first to the game for virtualization for Mac, but then VMware came out with Fusion and it's progressed even faster than Parallels, which can be understood since VMware has been doing this a long time on other platforms. I am waiting on the until MacWorld to see what new comes out. Thanks on the heads up on that.

Don

[mattbeals]

If anyone needs hardware I strongly suggest that you contact Scott Booth at JDM Infrastructure at ( 856-532-2218 ). He's a great guy to work with and has been able to find me hardware that CDW/MacMall and others can't find or get. I needed a Xraid in 24 hours on a Thursday night with overnight delivery. No one else could find a 1TB chasis and a FC card at the same time AND ship it that fast. Scott did... My RAID showed up Monday morning and was waiting for me ready to be installed.

He also sells Dell and HP amongst others. On the Dell hardware he can sometimes beat Dell internal pricing. When it comes to pulling rabbits out of a hat he's the man to do it. There isn't much that he can't get or find.

[meddington]

FYI, if it's at all importatnt to drive a color accurate monitor from the virtual machine, know that currently VMware Fusion will not support color management at the OS level or selection of a monitor profile. Might not be a key consideration, but there you go.

[disbellj]

Michael,

Good to know. However, I can do the color correction if needed on the Mac side, so no big deal for me.

Don

[macdudeken]

Matt, do you happen to have the web address for JDM?

[disbellj]

Would you happen to know when VMware Fusion or Parallels will support me having a calibrated and profiled display in the VMs?

Don