Critics Say The New Mac Pro Is Pricey But Powerful - And Therefore Worth It
The 2013 Mac Pro has been completely redesigned into a very powerful workstation. Despite this, the price is very high. Apple's fastest computer to date is priced at $2,999.
While critics agreed the cost was overwhelming, they pointed it was worth the investment based on the features especially for workers in creative fields like photography.
Other features reviewers were impressed with was the ability to support 4k displays as well as its quiet running speed. Here's what else they had to say.
Dana Wollman, Engadget: 'Nothing else quite like it'
It's hard to say if the Mac Pro is pricey, per se, given that there's nothing else quite like it. There are plenty of Windows-based workstations, certainly, but none are quite this small or quite this portable (many aren't quite this quiet, either). And if you're a creative professional already hooked into Mac-only apps like Final Cut Pro, this is really your only choice: The new Mac Pro is a serious improvement over the old model in every way, and is likely worth the upgrade. So, while $2,999 (let alone $10,000) is indeed a big investment, it's well worth it for people who live and die by their workstation, and for whom (rendering) time is money.
David Pierce, The Verge: 'The most powerful Mac ever'
In many ways, the Mac Pro is the fastest and most powerful Mac ever made. But today, as it stands, it's not a drop-in improvement that will instantly make any and every setup faster - its greatest tricks are enabled when software is specifically tuned to this hardware. Because this Mac Pro is now the de facto professional computer for Apple users, most important apps are virtually certain to be upgraded to support its particulars. There's clearly plenty of power here for almost any use case, but while we wait for software updates this machine isn't a particularly notable upgrade from the last-generation Pro, or the latest iMac. Or even, in some ways, the most recent MacBook Pro with Retina display. A combination of those three machines covers the entire studio floor of The Verge's offices, and I've found virtually no one itching to trade them all for Mac Pros just yet.
Brian Westover, PC Magazine: 'tiny size, compact design'
The tiny size, compact design, and modular expansion setup make for a relatively portable workstation. While the office bound user might not make much use of it, photo and video editors will often haul along a workstation for use in the field, allowing them to edit together rough cuts while on location. For media professionals, that portability will let them take their work almost anywhere.