Buying a G5 Power Mac

Bogi094 · Jan 18th, 2009, 08:35 PM

I was interested in getting a Power Mac g5- the specs are:
2.3ghz, 2gb Ram, 250gb hard drive, X800xt graphics, and original apple keyboard and mouse.
I was first interested in getting a Mac Mini 1.83ghz or 2.0ghz- from Apple. I was just wondering which is faster? This computer would server as a MediaPC, and would like it to work for about 3-4 years. Would programs still be written for PPC since snow leopard is not going to support it? The mac mini would cost a little bit more, but would it be worth it? Also would it be worth waiting for the new Mac Mini to come out- them buying the older one for approx. $499?
I am going to get a 32" 1080p Samsung TV, and would LOVE to get boxee, so I can watch some episodes.
The mac Mini would approx. cost- $499 + keyboard and mouse= over $700 which would be the same as the G5.
And the last question- can I get a remote to control the G5?

keebler27 · Jan 18th, 2009, 08:44 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Bogi094
	I was interested in getting a Power Mac g5- the specs are: 2.3ghz, 2gb Ram, 250gb hard drive, X800xt graphics, and original apple keyboard and mouse. I was first interested in getting a Mac Mini 1.83ghz or 2.0ghz- from Apple. I was just wondering which is faster? This computer would server as a MediaPC, and would like it to work for about 3-4 years. Would programs still be written for PPC since snow leopard is not going to support it? The mac mini would cost a little bit more, but would it be worth it? Also would it be worth waiting for the new Mac Mini to come out- them buying the older one for approx. $499? I am going to get a 32" 1080p Samsung TV, and would LOVE to get boxee, so I can watch some episodes. The mac Mini would approx. cost- $499 + keyboard and mouse= over $700 which would be the same as the G5. And the last question- can I get a remote to control the G5?

i think the answer to your question lies with snow leopard which won't be written for ppc (from what i've read) so there's a chance programs could be written for ppc, but i would think it's a slight one.

if it were me, i'd get an intel mac mini (and hold on for a month or so b/c there are heavy rumours of new minis coming out).

why? b/c an intel is for the future and also, mac mini is a smaller footprint and i would imagine less power sucking than a g5.

just to toss some confusion - it's not like the G5 wouldn't be great as a media centre, but if you ever wanted to upgrade to some new fancy schmancy media software, you might be handcuffed.

good luck,
keebler

chas_m · Jan 18th, 2009, 08:54 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Bogi094
	I was interested in getting a Power Mac g5

Any particular reason you're not going with a Mac Pro or other Intel Mac?

	Quote:
	- the specs are: 2.3ghz, 2gb Ram, 250gb hard drive, X800xt graphics, and original apple keyboard and mouse. I was first interested in getting a Mac Mini 1.83ghz or 2.0ghz- from Apple. I was just wondering which is faster?

If the G5 you mention is a single processor, then the Mac Mini is WAY faster, since it uses an Intel Core 2 Duo processor (2 processors), even though the proc rating is lower.

	Quote:
	This computer would server as a MediaPC, and would like it to work for about 3-4 years.

Again, why go with a G5 then??

	Quote:
	Would programs still be written for PPC since snow leopard is not going to support it?

Didn't you just answer your own question?

Someone, somewhere out there, is still writing OS 9 programs -- so I'm not going to say there won't be universal binaries still around in 3-4 years, but let's just say they'll be as common as new OS 9 programs.

	Quote:
	The mac mini would cost a little bit more, but would it be worth it?

Hard to judge. It's definitely a more "future-proofed" and faster machine, but has no "real" video card like a tower would -- and of course a mini is going to be about 100x quieter ...

	Quote:
	Also would it be worth waiting for the new Mac Mini to come out- them buying the older one for approx. $499?

You're making a lot of presumptions there. Nobody even knows for sure if there will BE a Mac mini. Having said that, I'm of the camp that believe Apple will be producing a new model that may or may not be called a "Mac mini" in the near future.

	Quote:
	I am going to get a 32" 1080p Samsung TV, and would LOVE to get boxee, so I can watch some episodes.

Sounds like what you really want is an AppleTV, which costs half what you're talking about.

	Quote:
	The mac Mini would approx. cost- $499 + keyboard and mouse= over $700 which would be the same as the G5.

?? A keyboard and mouse will add $200 to the cost???

	Quote:
	And the last question- can I get a remote to control the G5?

Since a G5 doesn't have an infrared receiver, I don't see how the remote will work with it.

CanadaRAM · Jan 18th, 2009, 08:55 PM

And teh G5 is *Big* and sometimes blows a lot of air.

You do not have to spend $200 on the Apple keyboard and mouse -- a $19 Microsoft Optical Wheel mouse is IMO superior to the Apple MightyRodent. USB keyboards are also cheaper.

CanadaRAM · Jan 18th, 2009, 08:55 PM

	Quote:
	Any particular reason you're not going with a Mac Pro or other Intel Mac?

I'm a guess the $700 budget has something to do with it, chas.

	Quote:
	If the G5 you mention is a single processor,

The 2.3 GHz machine was made in a Dual Processor version, and in a DualCore version, but never single processor

The X800 video card is an upgrade (and a pretty darn fine card). I thought it would narrow the field a bit, but it was produced in both AGP and PCI-e versions.

The newer, DualCore 2.3 is the more desirable of the 2 G5 machines. It has faster bus speed and uses DDR2 RAM which is both cheaper and faster than the DDR used in the Dual-Processor PowerMac G5s

chas_m · Jan 18th, 2009, 09:02 PM

There must be some refurb Intel Mac minis below that by now ...

Bogi094 · Jan 18th, 2009, 09:03 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by CanadaRAM
	I'm a guess the $700 budget has something to do with it, chas.

So judging by what everones saying im sticking to the mac mini. The reason i wont get a Apple Tv is you can mask the IP to go on HULU. Also its because i want an actual OS so that i can do some work and browse the web, torrents, etc.

CanadaRAM · Jan 18th, 2009, 09:06 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by chas_m
	There must be some refurb Intel Mac minis below that by now ...

Ummm, yes, the OP is looking at Intel Mac Minis as per the original post. Are we talking at cross purposes here?

But it is a good idea to troll the Refurb store at Apple.ca for good deals on machines.

chas_m · Jan 18th, 2009, 09:15 PM

I agree!

Bottom line: for many reasons, I don't think a G5 tower is the optimum Mac to use as a media server. The Mac mini, despite its lack of a dedicated video card, is a more popular choice for this purpose, probably for a good reason.

Nobody knows when the revamped Mac mini -- or whatever succeeds it -- is coming. I assume that if it DOES come, it will be a very nice machine but probably lack FW400 (but gain more video processing power).

Honestly, it sounds to me like Bogi094 would be happier with an AppleTV. It does all the things he's looking for already, very nicely; it can be hacked if one has that desire; it's about 1/3rd as much as the $700 options he's looking at. Admittedly it's best paired with a US iTunes account at this point, but still.

EDIT: and yes, I wrote this BEFORE I saw the OP's latest post above. So nevermind.

Macfury · Jan 18th, 2009, 09:32 PM

Ive been enjoying a 2.0 GHz Dual G5 for a number of years, but I concur with Chas and Canada RAM, go with the mini. There are already Intel-based applications I can't run. I can live with it until I buy my next box, but I wouldn't get into it now.