Apple Mac Pro

Hi,

I took delivery on Monday of a shiny Apple Mac Pro Quad Core. Last year I purchased a MacBook Pro to see how it would compare to my XP based systems. I was very impressed with the MacBook, hence the new purchase. Initial setup has been exceptionally easy. Switched it on, entered the usual registration information and it immediately picked up my wireless network, asked if I wanted to connect and I was on the net.

One of the main differences with both Macs over my XP machines is the level of heat generated. My old laptop would go into meltdown when pushed hard with Photoshop or Lightroom, whereas the MacBook stays cool and very rarely will the fans become audible. Similarly, the Mac Pro runs quietly and coolly when being pushed. My XP workstation has been heating the upstairs of my house for the last 2 years, noisy and with 4 fans running constantly.

Upgrading the Mac Pro is also very easy. Open one latch at the back, the side comes away and the drive bays are exposed. There is room for 4 hard drives and they are held in individual drive caddies which are facing you when the side is removed. Remove the empty caddy, sit it on the hard drive, secure 4 screws and slot it back in. I purchased 2 Western Digital 1TB drives and fitted them in under 5 minutes. Switched on the Mac Pro, it recognised the drives and asked me to initialise them. Both drives partitioned and running 10 mins later. I use one as main storage and the other as a backup drive. I connected the WD Studio Edition external drive as an additional backup option.

Anthony.....