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If you were to buy a Mac NOW...


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If you were to buy a Mac NOW...
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counterculture
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
 
2004-09-08, 22:02

...what would it be?

In less than 24 hours I'm about to place an order for a new Mac and I justed wanted to see how my decision compares with everyone else's (albeit hypothetically).

My first post here was that either I'll get a Powerbook with 2GB RAM OR the new G5 iMac plus a 14-inch iBook. I decided to go for the higher-end 15-inch Powerbook with 1GB RAM and keep the savings (while adding on to it over time) to get the new Powerbook G5 whenever that may be OR a better iMac G5.

Why not the new iMac? I think most of the criticism against it that I've read in the press are reasonable, and for that I think Apple will upgrade the new iMac soon enough -- like next spring -- including improving the RAM, and having Bluetooth and Airport Extreme card built-in. In fact I'll go on to say they'll probably make wireless mouse and keyboard standard.

As for choosing the Powerbook, I did have some hesitation because this batch - the significant upgrade from titanium to aluminum - has been around since January 2003 and was last updated in April. I feared that another upgrade might be in order soon. Then again, I thought the only significant upgrade they could do to it from hereon is to put in a G5 chip - which isn't likely to happen by January.

So I thought: optimistically, a G5 PB should be in the market by middle of next year. Then I'll have a choice of a new PowerBook OR a better iMac! (I really need two computers...I think.)

There. Just wanted to share my views and ask this question, perhaps seeking reassurance...
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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-08, 22:03

iMac, though I wish there were a PowerBook G5.
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DMBand0026
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Chicago
 
2004-09-09, 03:06

I'd have to go with a 20' iMac, just for novelty purposes. You could have my 12" PB when you pry it from my cold, dead hands
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johnq
Multi-touch Piñata
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-09, 03:54

Hot dead hands, more likely
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staph
Microbial member
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2004-09-09, 04:10

I wouldn't hold my breath on major architectural changes to the iMac G5 in the foreseeable future — the history of the iMac suggests that this is pretty unlikely. There would probably be a bump in 6–9 months, but that's all that it will be — a bump, maybe an updated graphics chipset as well.

Personally, I'd buy an iBook and an iMac (although I'd try to hang out the extra AU$500 for the 12" PowerBook) now. If you're really thinking about saving for a substantially better performing desktop than the current iMac, you should be aiming for a Powermac.
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Barto
Student extraordinaire
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Canberra, Australia
 
2004-09-09, 04:25

iMac G5, easily. If I didn't already own an iBook G4, then an iBook G4.
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Zodiac
Shiny, Musky, Fleshy Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: The Beer Store
 
2004-09-09, 06:40

Wow, there have been a lot of threads like this lately....
I would buy an Imac G5 20" maxed out with everything.
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cudaboy_71
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Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: sacramento, ca
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2004-09-09, 08:53

you didnt specify if you already had a system or not--and what you plan to do with it.

as a first system, and with the speed of laptops these days, i'd have no problem having a powerbook as my only computer--if it was only for general computing; word processing, email, web, consumer-grade A/V. prolly go with a 15" pb. my 12" 867pb is perfect for my needs as i take it everywhere with me. but, if it was my only computer i'd want a little more real estate.

as a graphic designer i just ordered a dual 2.0Gz rev b G5 tower. my current workstation is getting a little tired at 5yrs old. the 2.5s just dont seem like a good return on investment, while the 2.0s seem like a significant upg from the base 1.8s for the $$$. just my 2¢.
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counterculture
Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
 
2004-09-09, 09:35

oh yeah, i have an old g3 imac dv se with 384mb ram, and it still works fine, although rather slow when i tinker with photos on photoshop and iphoto. it's gonna go to a 5-year-old niece when i get my new mac. i'll be using my new machine for general computing as you mentioned, which is why i'm not in a hurry to get a g5. it's just that there's this nagging feeling, knowing a g5 imac is already here...
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cudaboy_71
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2004-09-09, 18:42

as just a home computer i like the looks of the imac g5. if i didnt already have a glut of machines--and, i if i wasnt spoiled rotten with airport, i'd get one for home.

the 'cool' factor for me would be to hang it on a wall. the bad thing about that is it puts the screen further away from you than having it on a desk....making a 20" monitor look like a 14"er at that distance. it still looks pretty nice lookin' sittin there on the desk tho....and even less footprint than my cube setup.

if youre pinching pennies, nothing apple offers right now runs poorly on the current os. get a stripped emac and you'll be happy doing basic chores.

if you've got money, put it where it will make the most difference to YOU--

and remember, ram and harddrives can be had from 3rd parties for a fraction of what apple will charge you. you'll want at least a gb of ram. and remember to order backup drive space. noone likes losing hundreds of gbs of data.

post back with your final decision. i like hearing about everyone's new setups.
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Quagmire
meh
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-09, 18:53

Money aside I would buy a dual 2.5 Ghz G5 with the 6800 and 2 30" displays(who wouldn't?).

But, of course there is a budget. Under budget I would buy a 12" powerbook G4 with a 20" or 23" display to hook on. So I get portability when I need it and I have big screen when I am plugged in.

giggity
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thegelding
feeling my oats
 
Join Date: May 2004
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2004-09-09, 19:12

iMac G5 20 inch--don't really need a tower...don't really need portable (have a computer at home, have a computer at work...don't need one for the drive between the two and everywhere else i go i use the computers there)

g

crazy is not a rare human condition

everything is food if you chew hard enough
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psmith2.0
Mr. Vieira
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Tennessee
 
2004-09-09, 19:25

[Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson] Mmm-mmm, good choice, motherf***er! [/Chappelle as Samuel L. Jackson]
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BarracksSi
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Washington, DC
 
2004-09-10, 16:19

Realistically, I'd get another 12" laptop, whether it's an iBook or PowerBook. I like doing my computing from the couch.

A dream setup, if I had the cash, would be a 12" PB and a monster of a G5 tower with the biggest display. No use half-assing things if I could afford it.
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porter
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
 
2004-09-10, 17:22

I'd be split between a 1.8Mhz iMac and 12in Powerbook. I'm looking for something easy to move between apts with. I don't need to work on my computer at starbucks or at the library. I like the iMac for it's power. But I like the Powerbook for its extreme portability. And seeing as I buy in cycles and I already have a desktop now, I'd probably go with the 12in PB.
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thequicksilver
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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2004-09-10, 19:07

I'm currently so pleased with my iBook G4 (current 12" model with 768/60GB/AE/BT) that I'd go for a desktop Mac to complement it nicely. With the current lineup, that would be a 20" iMac with 512MB base memory and an extra 512MB from a reputable third party retailer, plus a nice roomy 250GB drive so I can stop using my PC as a file server…
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Messiahtosh
Apple Historian
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-10, 19:14

Off topic, but how do I make it so the computer requires a password for access, when awakened from sleep?

Nevermind, thanks to Apple.com

Sweet dreams
You can set Panther to always require a password when your Mac wakes from sleep. That means laptop users can breathe a little easier when on the road.

"We are reviewing some 9,000 recent UNHCR referrals from Syria. We are receiving roughly a thousand new ones each month, and we expect admissions from Syria to surge in 2015 and beyond." - Anne C. Richard, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
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applenut
BANNED
I am worthless beyond hope.
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-10, 20:48

$1499 17 inch iMac
best mac for the price
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Koodari
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
 
2004-09-11, 18:58

It always depends on what you have now, and what you plan to buy in the future. I find for most people it would be good to plan on having two computers eventually. One computer plus one computer is a network, not just two computers - you can back up stuff from one to another, two people can both use a computer when necessary, you have a computer even if the other one breaks down or is stolen.. you can think up the rest. It's nice to have a laptop, and very nice to have a proper desktop computer with a big display and peripherals you don't have to plug in and out all the time. Storage space is practically free on the desktop, costly on a laptop, and you don't have to upgrade the laptop storage if you have a desktop to "sync" with.

At the beginning of summer I got the 15" Combo, base configuration, added 512MB RAM myself after about two months when I got to it - also, this way I could really appreciate the speed difference. Frankly, I think the difference between the base 15" and top 15" models is minuscule, and more than 768MB of memory is only good if you do graphics. The 10% more power you could get in the top end is nothing, however you save a lot of cash towards that eventual desktop Mac purchase. Compared to something like an 12" iBook, the 15" PB is very nice to work with even on the desktop.

Guessing your budget from your choices, I recommend...
15" PB in the same configuration as mine if you have a desktop presently, OR
iMac and iBook. (unless you need Superdrive, I'd go with the 12" iBook every time)
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Xaqtly
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2004-09-13, 15:03

dual 2.5 Ghz G5, obviously.


Oh, you meant something that I could actually afford? um... let me get back to you on that.
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