OK ... how do I put this? (shuffles feet)
Apple, I'm breaking up with you. (hedges) It might only be for a little while. Honestly, things just aren't the same between us anymore and I've been tempted by other options.
Here's what happened. Dell has asked me to switch to their most powerful tower ever, the T7600. And they have souped it up with all the new toys.
-16 cores running at 2.7Ghz
-32 gigs of RAM
-4 internal harddrives with one SSD
Etc Etc ...
This machine is a beast.
And if that wasn't enough they've loaded the machine with the Nvidia Maximus GPU configuration which consists of the Quadro 4000 and the Tesla C2075.
They have asked me to write about my experience with this monster machine for the next three months. If I like the experience (and I can afford the tax hit) then the computer is mine to keep.
Here's the deal Apple. Your software options aren't that enticing anymore. There was a time when you had the best software AND hardware available. But we all know that your focus has shifted at this point in history. I used to be a Final Cut Pro user because it was the best option out there for the freelance editor and because of its wide adoption in the professional marketplace. This kept me on the Mac OS. The halo effect also led me to Aperture and Logic and iWeb and other Apple software solutions. But your neglect of many of these programs and the pro level hardware has changed all of that. Final Cut Pro X is not an option for many freelance editors. For me, its not the features of FCPX that has kept me away (because there are many that I like) but the fact that many of my clients are making the switch to Adobe and Avid. Your neglect of your pro level hardware has forced many of these companies to reevaluate their software and hardware solutions. Powerful WinTel boxes are now considered viable options. I can't run my business on an island.
And since I've decided to use CS6 I've also decided to use Lightroom instead of Aperture going forward. I think its a smart business decision to use cross-platform software at this point. The Pro community really has no idea what your plans are. You can't really fault us for keeping our options open. We know that something is coming from Apple next year but we don't know when or what. We're scared. Honestly your track record with the pro community over the past 3 years hasn't been that great.
So my eye has wandered and Dell has made me an offer I can't refuse. The hardest part will be working in the Windows environment again. When I'm working in the Creative Suite applications I'll probably feel right at home. I'll have to find comparable replacements for my favorite utilities and for the features that make OSX so great. I'm going to have to learn a bunch of new keyboard shortcuts. I believe that those are small tradeoffs for the power that this machine and GPU combination will afford me. I will probably attempt renders in After Effects and Cinema 4D that I would never try on my 2008 Mac Pro. I will no longer be scared of RED footage on my home machine.
Right now I'm excited about hardware again. Ultimately I might hate this transition but I'm going in with an open mind. I will try to keep you all informed with my thoughts as I go.
I'm not sure what to do with my 2008 Mac Pro. It runs pretty good with the GTX570 and the added RAM. And I'll always have a Mac Laptop.
Ultimately if Apple steps up to the plate again next year and regains their mojo then I can switch back. I'm only committed to Dell for 3 months. And the cross platform nature of CS6 and Avid will allow me stay compatible with clients and peers on both operating systems.
Here is the link to the Dell computer page:
http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/precision-t7600/pd?oc=bwct763&model_id=precision-t7600
Go thru the customizations and click away on all the good stuff. You will probably wind up with a machine that is comparable to what Dell is sending me. It was too good to pass up.
Oh yeah, there's one more thing ...
Dell is going to be making this offer to two other members of this page. We haven't worked out all the criteria for selection yet so stay tuned.
In the immortal words of "DELL" Corleone:
&feature=youtu.be
Gast
