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TobiasT

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2019
74
71
The D300 is way better than D500/D700. Performance wise the three are irrelevant, but the D300 is more relaible.
 

frou

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2009
1,306
1,801
Everybody should upgrade the CPUs in these. You can get the 12-cores for $30 on eBay if you look around.
It's kinda unthinking to go straight for the 12-core because if you look at the reviews, it's pretty obvious that the 8-core model is the best balance between single-core and multi-core performance. They all have spectacularly weak single-core performance by 2024 standards so you need to take as much as you can get.
 
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SpotOnT

macrumors 6502a
Dec 7, 2016
873
1,771
I love these machines. They are great devices to play around with old software. Between officially running macOS 10.9-12 and being able to boot into Windows or Linux, they are so versatile!

My only wish is that they were upgraded to Thunderbolt 3 mid-cycle. Between Thunderbolt 2 and all 4 USB controllers on a single bus, the IO can be so frustrating to deal with. Still can’t believe Intel Xeons of this period didn’t provide native support of USB 3.
 
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th0masp

macrumors 6502a
Mar 16, 2015
833
499
I love these machines. They are great devices to play around with old software. Between officially running macOS 10.9-12 and being able to boot into Windows or Linux, they are so versatile!

My only wish is that they were upgraded to Thunderbolt 3 mid-cycle. Between Thunderbolt 2 and all 4 USB controllers on a single bus, the IO can be so frustrating to deal with. Still can’t believe Intel Xeons of this period didn’t provide native support of USB 3.
It would also be appreciated if the case had been designed to be taken off without the need to remove the cables.
I'd really like to clean out the dust bunnies once in a while without having to shut down and disconnect everything instead of just sleeping it to do that.
I see they did the same thing with the 7,1. Baffling, to say the least. So much more comfortable on PCs.
 

tsialex

Contributor
Jun 13, 2016
13,048
13,271
The D300 is way better than D500/D700. Performance wise the three are irrelevant, but the D300 is more relaible.

The thread here with hundreds two thousands of posts with issues with D300 drivers beg to differ.

 

m1maverick

macrumors 65816
Nov 22, 2020
1,315
1,238
Everybody should upgrade the CPUs in these. You can get the 12-cores for $30 on eBay if you look around.
I had considered it but decided the effort to replace the CPU wasn't worth it given anything CPU intensive could be better handled by more capable Macs. Especially now that I just acquired a 16-core 7,1 Mac Pro. But then I acquired mine more for its aesthetics than for its capability. I may max the RAM but even then I'm not sure it would be worth doing as, again, I have more capable Macs.
 
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pischu12

macrumors member
Mar 14, 2020
35
19
It's kinda unthinking to go straight for the 12-core because if you look at the reviews, it's pretty obvious that the 8-core model is the best balance between single-core and multi-core performance. They all have spectacularly weak single-core performance by 2024 standards so you need to take as much as you can get.
Very good point :) Fast vs everyday fast are two different things when it comes to cores and max ( turbo) speeds .... I am just migrating a 6-core right now and deciding between doing to 8 vs 10 ..... I think both will be faster then a 6-core but I believe if pushing this beautiful machine a 10 might just edge it our on heavier multiprocess items ; I wish we had more insight into 8 vs 10 core benchmarks and passive user assessment :) This is all amazing and exciting non the less and what an opportunity to own this beautiful Mac history.
 

pischu12

macrumors member
Mar 14, 2020
35
19
The thread here with hundreds two thousands of posts with issues with D300 drivers beg to differ.

This is very good to know for those potential people purchasing these computers .... especially those who have aged since 2013 ! ty
 

impulse462

macrumors 68020
Jun 3, 2009
2,086
2,872
I don't want to be a debbie downer here, but everyone's obsession with "how cool this looks" is the reason the mac pro is in the situation its in now in the first place. ive never understood why people care what a desktop workstation looks like, one that is meant to stay in one place and be on constantly.
 

m1maverick

macrumors 65816
Nov 22, 2020
1,315
1,238
I don't want to be a debbie downer here, but everyone's obsession with "how cool this looks" is the reason the mac pro is in the situation its in now in the first place. ive never understood why people care what a desktop workstation looks like, one that is meant to stay in one place and be on constantly.
I was highly critical of the system from a functional perspective but that didn't prevent me from appreciating its design.
 
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SpotOnT

macrumors 6502a
Dec 7, 2016
873
1,771
I don't want to be a debbie downer here, but everyone's obsession with "how cool this looks" is the reason the mac pro is in the situation its in now in the first place. ive never understood why people care what a desktop workstation looks like, one that is meant to stay in one place and be on constantly.

The people spending $200 on a used 2013 Mac Pro were never Apple’s targeted audience for their $5,000-$10,000 workstations.

I don’t think you can blame us for whatever decisions Apple made with the Mac Pro. In fact, I am not really sure you can blame anyone but Apple for what happened to the Mac Pro.
 

avro707

macrumors 68000
Dec 13, 2010
1,815
1,136
The D300 is way better than D500/D700. Performance wise the three are irrelevant, but the D300 is more relaible.
My dual D700 machine runs reliably.

And the topic posted by TSIalex (all 83 pages of it) paints a different picture of the D300 to your assertion.
 

vanc

macrumors 6502
Nov 21, 2007
483
150
The D300 is way better than D500/D700. Performance wise the three are irrelevant, but the D300 is more relaible.
For the video card issues, Apple actually offered repair programs (first and then again). Later batches (at least after 2016) should be fine.
 

th0masp

macrumors 6502a
Mar 16, 2015
833
499
For the video card issues, Apple actually offered repair programs (first and then again). Later batches (at least after 2016) should be fine.
Not in my experience, no. My 2018 D500 gave me grief for well over a year until it was finally fixed for good. Took multiple trips to the repair shop.
 

flat4

Contributor
Original poster
Jul 14, 2009
263
75
Thank you for all the awesome posts, I do not earn a living using any kind of apple product. So to spend money on something newer to sit a home and do nothing but basic web browsing is crazy to me.
Yes, i probably would have a newer mac with all the money I have spent on upgrading 3,1 5,1 and the my current 6,1
but that would not be as fun.

I'm the guy that is going to wait for mac pro intel to be at 5,1 current prices and buy one of those even tho is smarter to get a M whatever model
 
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andrewv69

macrumors member
Aug 25, 2021
31
12
Outer Space
Well it came with a D700

KA-CHING! (yes i know they cook)
Get some new thermal paste in there and use MacsFanControl to use the fan more - it's been a while since I had one but iirc the fan only starts making noise above the 60% mark (I forget the RPM numbers at the moment). I'm not super familiar with D700 heat death but it certainly can't hurt.
 
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pischu12

macrumors member
Mar 14, 2020
35
19
Get some new thermal paste in there and use MacsFanControl to use the fan more - it's been a while since I had one but iirc the fan only starts making noise above the 60% mark (I forget the RPM numbers at the moment). I'm not super familiar with D700 heat death but it certainly can't hurt.
I know it’s real but I truly thought it was hocus pocus ( since I had never ever changed thermal paste and all my Mac’s lasted > 10 years outliving their batteries and software / upgrade ability ) till I renewed the thermal paste myself recently and saw much much lower idle and lower overall temps on the 6.1 …. Overall I think this should surely help longevity?
Opening these - I say very doable but I would take my time and not rush it …. That’s all :)





IMG_4279.jpeg
IMG_4281.jpeg
 

flat4

Contributor
Original poster
Jul 14, 2009
263
75
Get some new thermal paste in there and use MacsFanControl to use the fan more - it's been a while since I had one but iirc the fan only starts making noise above the 60% mark (I forget the RPM numbers at the moment). I'm not super familiar with D700 heat death but it certainly can't hurt.
I planned to redo the paste, just have not gotten to it.

The truth was i was going to retired my 3,1 (that serves as a unifi controller, yes your read it right) and use it as a headless server , as it uses less power but that’s before I got the upgraded unit. I am not sure what I’m going to do with it.
 
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TobiasT

macrumors member
Jan 24, 2019
74
71
The thread here with hundreds two thousands of posts with issues with D300 drivers beg to differ.

That thread supports that the D300 is a better option in terms of reliability…

D500/D700 have worse problems.
 
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