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Which Mac to buy?

2K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Dr.G. 
#1 ·
At these prices I am looking to buy a G4. Which machine should I buy? Apple educator prices puts a G4 1.25Ghz at $1699.00. At London drugs in Saskatoon I saw a 1Ghz for $1599. Is the extra .25 worth the $100.00? Posterboy, any similar deals on the 1.25 Ghz? Also I can't afford the Apple 17" LCD any ideas on where I could still get a new 15 inch LCD or 17 inch CRT? Any help is appreciated.
 
#2 ·
Totally butting in, but oh well...

Keep an eye out for the dumping of some Quicksilver models. I just recently saw a QS 933 w/superdrive go for $1595.00 locally. That's an OS 9 bootable Mac that's very capable and is faster than the 1 ghz Macs you see on the Apple Store. (it has a 2mb L3 cache)

As to the 1.25 model, you have to ask yourself, do I need Firewire 800, Gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth? They are up and coming technologies, but may not be important right now. A tough call to be sure. The current crop of Apple Store entries lack those features.

At a local Apple reseller one can buy (for $2399.00) a dual G4 1.25 with a combo drive, and you don't have to pay for 6 months. That's a machine with all those features (FW 800, Gigabit, Bluetooth) and the upgraded quieter power supply. A nice option while they last.

So, be picky, but don't wait too long if you need OS 9 bootability. Otherwise, the sky is the limit as people dump Macs to get a G5. I'm pretty sure the used market will flourish as stupid Mac fanatics (like myself) sell the farm to get a new G5. (I sold a G4/867 for $1600.00) Many will sell for less. Take advantage.

-GW
 
#3 ·
gwillikers,
Not butting in at all, I appreciate the feedback.
The QS933 w/Superdrive you saw, was that new or used? If new, PM me to let me know where I can find one. I really want a Superdrive but at these lowered prices I may not find one. Also, the Applestore 1.25 Ghz lists Gigabit but not Firewire 800. I wonder how I can find out what else it has, I guess I could call Apple directly.
 
#5 ·
That was a used G4/933, so no warranty, but a very good price none the less, mainly because of the superdrive it had.

Don't get too caught up in benchmarks for single processor G4 machines in the 867 to 1 ghz range. With a good video card and lots of RAM they are all pretty close to each other in performance.

If Firewire 800 isn't listed on the Apple Store specs, then I don't think it has it. Same with Bluetooth. That was what I learned when I phoned Apple Canada about the OS 9-bootable dual 1.25 machine.

-GW
 
#7 ·
Just for market watch purposes, here's what I saw today...
A G4/867 with a Superdrive for $1595.00. A good deal if you wanted a used Quicksilver, in my mind at least.

I've been keeping an eye on the local market since the G5's were announced, it's interesting. It's fluctuated down approximately $300.00 since Steve Jobs took the stage. It varies widely though.

I'm thinking that by September, a person could get a G4 867 or 933 for about $1200.00. Even less on eBay no doubt, but I don't do eBay. In any event, there's some good deals to be had. We'll see how this shakes out.

I've got a G4/466 that will be near worthless by September. Yet it's a great machine. -sigh- The perfect candidate for a 1 ghz upgrade card.

-GW
 
#8 ·
For what it is worth, I would say go for the newest machine you can afford. The newer machines have some notable advances that will make them perform better, such as the faster system bus on the MDD G4s.

For example, if you have the choice between the QS DP1000 and the MDD DP1000, take the MDD version because despite the smaller L3 cache, the faster system bus is going to let it perform a little better.

Also, the newer the machine the longer it will be supported by Apple (and I am talking years down the line here).

Yes, the extra 250 MHz is worth 100 bucks, but you wont really find that single 1.25 machine anywhere but Apple's web store. It is a good deal though.

As to a 17" display, you can get a decent one starting from around 750$ or so at most retailers, and you can get passable ones for less. Personally, I like Viewsonic monitors, and their best performance/value LCDs in the 17" range are all around the 800 - 900$ mark.

Otherwise, a CRT is also an option, but I would recommend going for something a little higher end, a la the G (graphics) series or P (professional) series from Viewsonic, rather than the E (economy) series from Viewsonic, or anything else that does not have a flat surface. The trick is to get one with a Flat Technology built in (Aperature Grille or Shadow Mask) built into it (the E series monitors have a flat surface, but no actual flat tech in the tube).

Hope some of this helps.

--PB
 
#10 ·
PosterBoy, while you are on the topic of monitors, what are your views pertaining to the Apple 17" and 20" LCDs? I ordered the 2GHz with no monitor, in that I could only configure a 1.8 G5 with the 20", or the 2.0 with the 17" monitor. I use a 19" CRT at home and in my office, so a 17" LCD monitor would not be a step down in size, just clarity and no-flicker viewing. A friend in Singapore has hinted that Apple might be coming out with new displays in the late fall to coincide with the new PowerMacs aluminum styling. He could not tell me much more, in that it is his son that works in the Asian tech industry and passed on insider info to him. Still, he suggested waiting until the revamp of the Apple display line comes out before a final purchase of a monitor is made. Is there a way I could hook up my current Dell 19" CRT to the new 2GHz G5 until I make a final decision about a monitor? As always, thank you for your expertise.

[ August 22, 2003, 09:28 AM: Message edited by: Dr.G. ]
 
#11 ·
If you want to wait for a new monitor, yes you can plug your Dell 19" into your PowerMac. The Dell uses a VGA connector probably, and the PowerMac comes with all the plugs/adapters to use a VGA monitor[1].

There are rumours of new monitors that I have read/heard as well. The biggest one being that the 17" monitor is to be discontinued, and a 30" [2] display added the lineup. I have heard little of the styling of these rumoured new monitors though.

For what it is worth, Viewsonic makes a 19" LCD (VX900) which is cheaper than the 20" Apple LCD by just over 600$, the only real downside is that it is a standard monitor aspect (read: not wide screen), which really is the appeal of the Apple monitors isn't it?

[1] The PowerMacs use have both a DVI and ADC monitor connector, and come with a DVI-VGA Adapter for older (and new CRT) monitors.

[2] Yes, 30" is actually a fairly persistent rumour too. The rumours of the price tag for such a thing are quite varied though, most recently I have heard that it would cost in the range of 3000$ USD.

--PB
 
#12 ·
PosterBoy, again, thanks for your MacMaven expertise. I am not sure if I actually need a wide-aspect screen, since I shall not be viewing DVDs on this screen, nor would I be able to see two pages of text side-by-side on such a 20"screen, in that the font would be too small for my vision. Unless the 20" monitor would be more efficient for video-editing, which is probably the #1 reason I am getting a Mac, then I would consider the larger screen. My friend in Singapore relayed info that his some told him re the new line of Mac displays. Lionel is a Mac person when he was here in St.John's, and has remained so at the university he is teaching at in Singapore. His son, whom I have known since he was a little boy, is very trustworthy. Thus, if I can wait until Oct-Dec with my old Dell CRT Sony monitor, then I shall have a better selection of displays from which to choose. We shall see (no pun intended).
 
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