I'M BACK
I took a few weeks off there to recharge the batteries and get away for a bit. Sorry for the radio silence, but now I'm back.
MAC PRO
This will be a little different than the gear posts that I've done in the past. Today, I wanted to review what I'm using for a desktop computer, but more importantly I wanted to go over why I'm still using it.
Sitting on my desk right now is a 2008 Mac Pro. I know what you're thinking, "That's a dated computer!" But in reality it's not. When I purchased this computer (used in 2010) I bought the best I could afford. It came with a high-definition Apple 30" Cinema Display and the internal stats were impressive. Dual quad core processors, 4 x 500GB hard drives, 8GB of RAM, dual DVD burners, and a 512GB video card.
Late model Mac Pro
Since then, I've spent money on upgrades here and there and it's still running lightning fast today. I'm currently running the same processors, 16GB of upgraded RAM, a newer 1GB video card, a 600GB 15,000 RPM hard drive for my operating system and 3 x 2TB storage drives for photos/video. Additionally, I added a 23" Cinema Display to accompany the original 30" and inserted a USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card to increase data transfer speeds from external drives and memory cards. I can run the latest version of OS X and I've had no problems with Photoshop, Lightroom or the Adobe Suite of products. Could I get something newer and faster? Of course. But I like that I spent roughly double what I wanted to spend for the initial computer, and still haven't had the need to upgrade the entire system.
That's my main point here. Instead of purchasing a new computer every 2-4 years, I go for broke on a new computer and then update along the way. Not a bad strategy for saving money in the long run. Also, I can still sell my current computer as a used system after removing the storage drives and adding them to a powered enclosure.
FUTURE COMPUTER
My next computer purchase will likely be a slightly used, new-model Mac Pro with full stats. I'm a little reluctant to go that route because of all the required peripherals to accomplish what I can self-contain in my current Mac Pro tower, but that's the price you pay to move forward. In the meantime, I still use a 13" Macbook Pro alongside my desktop and in the field.
Hope this helped!