For Mac to PC switchers – A great system for editors wanting power

[Tom Daigon]

Greg, thats an air intake fan designed to keep the noise to a minimum.

Tom Daigon
PrP / After Effects Editor
http://www.hdshotsandcuts.com
Mac Pro 3,1
8 core
10.7.3
Nvidia Quadro 4000
24 gigs ram
Maxx Digital / Areca 8tb. raid
Kona 3

[Juan Manuel]

Well, you can always buy the components and pay someone else to assemble them. Depending on prices, it might end up cheaper.

[John-michael Seng-wheeler]

Only problem I see is that the specs and the pictures don’t match at all… Not at ALL.

Here’s the specs they list: (Connections actually observed in photos, when different.)

Processing
Socket: Dual 2011
CPU: Intel Xeon E5-2600 Family
Form Factor: EATX
Chipset: Intel C602

Expansion Slots:
Slot 1: PCI Express 3.0 x16 (empty, blocked by CPU cooler. A plug bracket would fit.)
Slot 2: PCI Express 3.0 x8 in a x16 size (PCI Express 3.0 x16)
Slot 3: PCI Express 3.0 x16 (Unknown)
Slot 4: PCI Express 3.0 x8 in a x16 size (PCI Express 3.0 x16 slot, unknown how many lanes.)
Slot 5: PCI Express 3.0 x16 (PCI Express 3.0 x4)
Slot 6: PCI Express 3.0 x8 in a x16 size (PCI Express 3.0 x8)
Slot 7: PCI Express 3.0 x16 (good old PCI)

Memory:
Type: DDR3 ECC Registered 1600 MHz
Number of Slots: 8 (12)
Max per Slot: 8 GB
Max Supported: 64 GB

Connections:
Rear USB 2.0: 6 (4)
Rear USB 3.0: 2

[John-michael Seng-wheeler]

Mind you, the Motherboard listed in the specs does have exactly slots and ports listed. So as long as they give you what they write, rather then what they show, all’s well.