SEARCH
diglloydTools™As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases @AMAZON
Mac Pro Buyer's Guide: Step-by-Step
You can build an ideal Mac Pro using this step-by-step page.
If you need help, contact us for consulting for your specific needs. We save most clients time and money— get it right the first time.
Other Mac?
Not building a Mac Pro? See Choosing and Configuring a Mac.
Build a screaming-fast Mac Pro
You can—and should—familiarize yourself with the other materials on this site before buying a new Mac, but this page condenses it all down to the essentials and makes it easy to assemble a screamingly fast Mac Pro that will prove ideal for nearly all users.
Order “bare bones” new or refurbished Mac Pro Nehalem
Get the mimimum configuration 2.66Mhz single-processor, quad-core Mac Pro. Do not get dual optical drives or you won’t be able to use the lower optical bay for a boot drive.
If you want the 2.93Mhz model or the eight-core model, that’s fine, but please read this before proceeeding. Avoid the 2.26GHz model.
Order memory and hard drives from OWC
The ideal setup for most users is 12GB memory, one solid state drive (SSD) for boot, and five matched hard drives (four internal, plus a spare). For details, read this.
The SSD yields performance and frees up all internal drive bays for your data (details). You can omit the SSD and boot off an internal drive or external Firewire 800 if you prefer.
To get the right parts, click the link that matches the Mac Pro you ordered:
If you need 24GB of memory for your 8-core, use this link:
Configure
Now you’re ready to assemble and configure your new system.
