OS X Update on older MacPro: Yes or No

Hi there,

 

I've got an older MacPro (mid-2010) and I'm still running OS X 10.8.5 / Logic 10.0.7 and 9.1.8.

 

Recently more and more new Plugins require 10.9 upwards and I'm starting to ask myself if I should finally update my OS... Never had the urge to do so, as I don't collaborate with other Producers (=>isolated system) and always thought that a new OS will take up more CPU cycles and I'll therefore have less power to run plugs on...

 

My questions:

 

1. Will I experience a decrease in CPU efficiency (use plugins mainly) with a newer OS (10.11)?

 

2. Will the CAMEL AUDIO Version of Alchemy still run (as I've used that one in lots of Projects)? Will I keep all my bought/paid Camel soundbanks? What about CamelPhat and CamelSpace... Will I lose them?

 

3. What will happen to Logic 9 and my projects from there?

 

4. What other possible drawbacks can you think of, that I forgot to mention?

 

Thank you for your Support! Long live this Forum 8)

Sam

All those tools should work (all the Camel stuff works fine for me in 10.10, not sure about 10.11).

 

The bigger problem to check is not really software, it's hardware - there are many changes deep down if you go to 10.11, and it may be that hardware you have may no longer work, as drivers aren't updated and so on.

 

So I'd do a hardware compatibility check first, before worrying too much about software.

 

I don't think you'll notice anything significant in regard to changes in performance.

I'm running a MBP even older than that ... ... and the latest versions of El Capitan and Logic work just fine here.

do it. my Mac Pro is from 2008! it's still fast as hell with current software. you may want to get an SSD for your main system drive

 

lol

@lologic

 

Mine is also a 2008 MacPro running Yosemite. Thinking about El Cap but hesitant, I think I may lose some software. Audio Interface is RME FF800, Firewire (plus I still use older driver because if I upgrade firmware I may get clicking issue) and still use old Emagic AMT8 so was concerned with hardware. What's your config and is it running better than it was on Yosemite?

Hey guys,

 

thanks for the answers, I think I might finally take the plunge over the Weekend... Nice to hear that RME Fireface 800 and Emagic AMT8 seem to work OK under newer OS...

 

Will let you know after the weekend how it rurned out!

 

Oh, and: is it correct that I can fully revert (OS included) to my current status when restoring from a Time Capsule drive?

I have a 2010 Mac Pro. I'm running Mavericks. I tried El capitan, but I can't stand the new San Francisco system in some cases on a non-retina display. Aside from that El Capitan seemed to work ok, but i feel the machine benchmarked a little better under Mavericks then it did under El Capitan, for whatever its worth.

Oh, and: is it correct that I can fully revert (OS included) to my current status when restoring from a Time Capsule drive?

 

I reverted from El Capitan to Mavericks for kicks and it worked in my case.