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mac mini or power mac
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habu
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Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2005-10-04, 09:56

Hello,

I am looking to finally switch and I have a couple questions about which to buy. The mini caught my eye, size and sleekness obviously and because it's a great low-cost alternative. However as I've looked into the mini more and holding off because of the potential upgrades to the mini 1.42 > 1.5, more vram...etc, etc, I am concerned about the power that it has. I don't absolutely need a screaming machine, but my current PC is probably the same as the mini and I definitely want to feel like I am going up. (current PC, P4 2.6, 512RAM, 80Gb HD.etc..)

So, my question is : Is it worth the 1,200 to 1,400 more to buy a moderately loaded dual 2.0 Ghz power mac G5 ?
G5, 1Gb RAM, 250Gb HD, 9650 256Mb....

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Brian
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*Joe*
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cambridge, UK
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2005-10-04, 11:46

Most importantly, it depends on what you want to do with the machine? Just a bit of surfing and wrod processing? Or HD Video editing?
If you just provide a brief summary of what you want to use the machine for it would help people give a recomendation
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habu
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Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2005-10-04, 11:56

ah... I did not mention that at all. Should have, sorry.

I haven't begun to do any serious video editing but would certainly like to learn. I am a web-programmer(LAMP) and so I typically use my computer to write stuff I don't have time to at work(HTML, php...etc). I do alot of music trading, legal live music, so burning CD's and DVDs are important as well as storage for the 40Gb iPod that I have and misc Live Shows that I have to burn. As well as normal day-to-day computing, browsing..etc.

Now having typed that all out it doesn't sound like I would need a G5. However what I have read here and other places about the mini's shortcomings with the HD and the video card and am not sure that I'd just be better off with a power mac.
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benkraft
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Join Date: May 2005
Location: Halle or Berlin, Germany
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2005-10-04, 12:31

Have you considered taking the middle ground, both financially and performance-wise, and looking at one of the iMacs?
G5 processor, decent graphics card, "real" HDD, a great display (from what I've heard). Waiting for mine to arrive, due in sometime this week.

Quidquid vis fieri, fac; facienda faciet nullus pro te.
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habu
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Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2005-10-04, 13:11

Yes I have and if I hadn't bought a 19 inch dell a couple of months ago I'd jump all over it.... man, hindsight is a pain. I'd be saving about 4-500 bucks over the powermac by going with a beautiful 20" widescreen iMac. arrrrgh.
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Luca
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2005-10-04, 13:30

Why not order the iMac anyway?

- Less expensive ($1799 vs. $1999+)
- Bigger screen (20" vs. 19")
- Higher resolution (1680x1050 vs. 1280x1024)
- Wide aspect ratio (16:10 vs. 5:4)
- Even less expensive once you sell your Dell 19" LCD for $250 or something.

I just have to ask why not? The Dell LCD is probably wonderful, but the iMac's widescreen is even better, and it costs less! That frees up the Dell LCD to use with another computer or to sell for a little extra cash.
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*Joe*
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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2005-10-04, 14:46

Personally, from what I hear, the iMac would suit you down to the ground. Besides, surely you could use that Dell screen as well? Just span your desktop over it was well and give yourself even more real estate??? That way you are getting an awesome G5, twice the desktop space, and all for less than a powermac???
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habu
New Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2005-10-04, 14:57

you know... I thought that my only real alternatives were the mini and the powermac and had pretty much disregarded the iMac. A mistake it now seems.

Thanks. I would have never considered the iMac until now. Probably head over to the Apple store this weekend.
Hmmmmm 20" widescreen........
Thank You for all your help.
Brian
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Luca
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Minnesota
 
2005-10-04, 14:57

*Joe*, you make a great point. Technically, the iMac only supports monitor mirroring, but there's a quick'n'easy hack you can apply to allow monitor spanning. Sadly you'll be forced to use the VGA connection (no DVI on the iMac), but wouldn't it be nice to use both the built-in 20" display as well as an external 19" one?
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holbox
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Florida
 
2005-10-04, 15:00

Quote:
Originally Posted by habu
Hello,

I am looking to finally switch and I have a couple questions about which to buy. The mini caught my eye, size and sleekness obviously and because it's a great low-cost alternative. However as I've looked into the mini more and holding off because of the potential upgrades to the mini 1.42 > 1.5, more vram...etc, etc, I am concerned about the power that it has. I don't absolutely need a screaming machine, but my current PC is probably the same as the mini and I definitely want to feel like I am going up. (current PC, P4 2.6, 512RAM, 80Gb HD.etc..)

So, my question is : Is it worth the 1,200 to 1,400 more to buy a moderately loaded dual 2.0 Ghz power mac G5 ?
G5, 1Gb RAM, 250Gb HD, 9650 256Mb....

Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Brian




YES, YES & YES!

You'll love the power And speed of the PowerMac you describe way after you've forgotten about the extra $$ it cost you.

You'll also probably be using it several years longer, so it'll really cost less in the long run. Nobody ever bought too big a computer.

I love mine and really don't use a fraction of the power it has. Up until this Dual G5 2 Ghz I never owned a computer that I wasn't sating to myself "Gee, I wish I'd have added this or that!"

All I've thought for the last 8 months is how smart I was and how this baby is going to sit right where it's at.(Hopefully forever!)

Cheaper? You bet..........




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*Joe*
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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2005-10-04, 16:37

Quote:
Originally Posted by Luca
*Joe*, you make a great point. Technically, the iMac only supports monitor mirroring, but there's a quick'n'easy hack you can apply to allow monitor spanning. Sadly you'll be forced to use the VGA connection (no DVI on the iMac), but wouldn't it be nice to use both the built-in 20" display as well as an external 19" one?
Just to add to that, I have used the Screen Spanning doctor with my iBook and it works a treat. once it's installed you never think twice!
It is a shame about the VGA connection over DVI, but still the iMac with spanned 19" TFT as well would still be sweet!
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