How'd I do?

So I was just searching around ebay and found something that I've wanted for a little while.

I found a Power Mac G5 Dual 2.0Ghz with 8 RAM slots, currently with a 250GB HDD and 5GB RAM.

I plan to keep it on Leopard as that's the most it'll run. I also plan to upgrade it a bit and possibly use it for photo editing and web browsing.

All this and I paid $91 for it.

So 2 questions, how'd I do and no what should I do for upgrades?

ifrit05 said:

Great find!!! I got mine for $150. So yeah you got a really good deal.
For web browsing get TenFourFox, (the G5 build) it will really help, trust me.

As for upgrades... You could get a 500GB drive for ~$60-$70, or max out the memory.

As it is right now though it should scream. Does it have the Radeon 9800XT or 9600?

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Awesome!

Is it not able to run Chrome on 10.5.8?

I'm not sure that i'll use up the 250GB, but I do believe I can connect a couple more.

That right there I am not sure yet haha I'll update when I get it thought for sure!

Also not sure if it comes with an OS, the pictures show that it does thought so I'm hopeful. If it doesn't, can it boot from USB?

ifrit05 said:

Chrome's Javascript engine is intel only, Google never released Chrome for PPC.
TenFourFox is a backport of more modern versions of FireFox to PPC since the official releases dropped support for the architecture.
They have 1 build for G3, 2 different G4 optimized builds and a G5 optimized build.
For YouTube I would suggest MacTubes, you can even play HD YouTube videos with it.

PowerMac G5's support 2 SATA I drives (1.5 Gb/s) and are capable of booting from USB.

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Hey as long as I get a browser that works, I'm good!

I would like to get a Powerbook G4 again sometime down the line, one of the 14" aluminums, but this has taken just about all of the remainder of my Christmas money and then there's that whole rent thing haha

Thanks for the suggestion on programs! Sounds like I'll be just about set and then I'll have to find out what photoshop and lightroom versions were pre-intel.

VanneDC said:

your not missing much with Chrome. Stick with Leopard. You got a great deal mate. a few nice vid cards for that one mate.

enjoy

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Honestly, I'm just used to Chrome from all of my other computers, but if I can't use it here, not a big deal.

Glad I got a decent deal here too, I was really worried about overpaying but I understand finding any of these in good condition can prove hard sometimes.

Are there options to upgrade the video cards at all or am I pretty much set either way?

I would eventually like WiFi, but I can run a hard wire in my apartment for the time being and I should be set on the monitor as well.

gooser said:

i wouldn't bother to upgrade anything.

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I may look into upgrading the RAM just bumping to a full 8GB, but that'll be about it.

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noodle654 said:

Is this a dual core (late 2005)? If so and you want a better video card I have 2 7800GT's I am not using.

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It's a 2.0GHz Dual Core (I believe?). This interior is what had me sold.



What do you want for the video card?

Altemose said:

Adobe CS4 will run on a G5, and actually rather well! TenFourFox and MacTubes or QuickTime Enabler is your best bet. Leopard is great and the Mountain Leopard theme by AQUADock is fantastic!

Here is a basic list of software that will run on your Mac:

TenFourFox G5
Microsoft Office 2008
iLife 09
iWork 09
Adobe CS2-CS4
Spotify
Thunderbird
Xcode 3.1.4
Skype 2.8
Audacity
Google Earth
Dropbox (Still Actively Developed for PPC)
GIMP
Transmission

I included version numbers if I could remember them. Otherwise, it would be easy to find out!

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gavinstubbs09 said:

The PowerPC Archive should help you

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Thank you guys! Looks like there's still quite a bit this thing can do, which is good because for it's age it's pretty dang powerful!

Do you guys know if they had built in Bluetooth? I heard it was an earlier version and wanted to make sure before I buy a mouse or keyboard.

Altemose said:

The PowerMac G5 can have Bluetooth if the appropriate card and antenna is installed. There will be a T shaped antenna that pops onto the back plug right next to the AirPort plug.

Something to note if you were going to use Apple bluetooth devices is that the Magic Mouse is supported fully, as well as the keyboard. However a Magic Trackpad will simply work as a simple pointing device with no scrolling. Just point and click!

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Ahh okay, I'll have to look into that further when it arrives!

That seems to work fine for me, I love the look of the Magic Trackpad with the keyboard, but I just don't like how it operates. Magic Mouse it will be for me

Also, is there a classifieds here and is it a post count to make it appear or do I have to pay that 'advanced' fee?

This is all I have for now: I'll take another shot once it's actually in my possession which should be Wednesday.



Are the dual core's supposed to be better than dual processors?

Intell - does this mean I can just get the bluetooth card or you mean the whole motherboard?

Either way I feel like I'll figure it out more when I get it in my possession.

Intell said:

In general the dual cores are better as they are PCIe based and have DDR2 memory. In most applications, there isn't much difference. The Bluetooth thing really isn't a card, it's more of a board. It measures about 1"x2" in size. On the bottom of it is a little notch the plugs into the PowerMac's logicboard. Here's an image of one. Generally, the blue ones are from Intell Macs and are Bluetooth 2.X and the green ones are from PowerPC Macs and are Bluetooth 1.X. You can see where the internal antenna extension connects on the lower left of the left picture. It's the round in the in middle of the board. That extension leads to the external antenna and without the external antenna, it doesn't really work very well. How ever you can get a standard laptop WiFi antenna that will connect to that antenna connection and run it up into the optical drive tray cover. I did this and affixed it to the groove in the tray cover with a bit of hot glue. Works very well and no costly external antenna.

View attachment 455850

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Thanks for the input!

Sorry if I'm making you repost, I just want to make sure I got it for the most part.

So if I get the green bluetooth card (assuming the intel based blue card will not work) then all I need is the antenna to stick out of the rear of the case?

Also, is there a classifieds section here?

Intell said:

The blue Intell cards work just fine in PowerPC Macs that can take those Bluetooth cards. Yes, you would need the PowerMac G5 Bluetooth antenna. They can be a bit pricy. MacRumors does have a marketplace, you may not be able to see it. There are post and time restrictions that have to be met before you will be able to access it.

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I'll have to take a look around and see what I can find. I should probably wait to see what I get in the box first haha

I'll have to look into the marketplace posts and stuff, I think my time restriction should be long enough but I thought they had a pretty high post requirement here. I can't fully remember though.

I appreciate the input! It'll really help me when the computer actually gets here!

Intell said:

I believe the post requirement is 250 post and the time is 6 months.

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Ahhh I have a couple posts to go then, only 200

I've done that in a day before haha