Can I justify needing a Mac Pro

[picoprinter]

Is a low end Mac Pro a high end Photoscan workstation.  How would you rank the following for import in spending more money; my order is this without much research (and confience):

1. Assuming it can use multi core; the number then speed of each core
2. If only using one core, the fastest core I can afford.
3. RAM
4. More RAM
5. More faster RAM
6. Video card upgrade
I am trying to start a business in 3d scanning and printing.  Great to have discovered this software and this forum.  So thanks everyone for what you have contributed already.

I am developing my camera rig in my garage while keeping my day job.  So money is a great concern.  But so is not succeeding in opening a retail 3d scanning and printing shop.  I am working on the 3d scanning part first.

[Alexey Pasumansky]

Hello picoprinter,

CPU is used on every processing stage and effect on the processing speed. GPU also speed-ups the processing time, but only for depth maps computation (sub-step of Build Dense Cloud stage). While amount of RAM limits the number of photos that could be processed in a single chunk for the current quality selected (please check the following Wiki page for more information regarding the memory consumption peaks - http://www.agisoft.ru/wiki/PhotoScan/Tips_and_Tricks#Memory_Requirements).

You can find more information based on user experience in this forum regarding the computer configuration. For example, you can check the following topics:
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=346.0
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=651.75
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=1683.0
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=1811.0
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=1868.0
http://www.agisoft.ru/forum/index.php?topic=1907.0

[picoprinter]

Thanks Alexey, I did a quick pass thru the links and as I like the recommended CPU specs.  But newer and faster seems good too. IOW the recommended Sandy Bridge is good, and so is the multi core Xeon procs that ship with the new Pros (Ivy I think).

But for my purposes, where I will be scanning a subject in a fixed ground rigging, the tips and tricks article implies I should be considering the Arbitrary  Mode.  And if my goal is Ultra high quality, with fewer cameras,  I am looking at 32-96 GB or better 48 to 144 GB if I can afford more than 50 cameras.  The Mac Pros have a $500 premium to achieve 32 GB.  I know there are cheaper after market Mac RAM vendors, but I have not researched how easy RAM swapping is on the new Pros.  Besides, they always cheat you with the RAM config they ship and you end up shelving perfectly good RAM sticks to get the results you need slot wise.

So am I right that I will want 48GIG RAM from the onset for ground level, precalibrated rigging?  If so I will budget the cheapest RAM CPU Mac Pro (CPU seems outstanding at the get go with 6 Xeon cores that can overclocke (Turboboost) to 3.8 MHz. when push to the max.  Time is money right.

I am on a shoestring budget but love getting the right technology to do the job.