G5 new DUAL 1.8 Vs. old DUAL 1.8

[dano the mano]

YEs, i'm wondering what DP 1.8 i should go with. Should i get a first series DP 1.8 for 1799.00! or should i get the Rev. B for 1999.00. I see that you get 160 gig HD and 512 meg ram with the old one.. ? and with the new you only get a 8x superdrive?.. and less memory and HD?

What is the advantage of getting a NEW Rev. B g5?

-dan

[javabear90]

well if your going to be burning a lot of dvd's then you should go with rev b. Other wise go with rev a 1/2

[ddtlm]

The new one would run cooler and quieter due to the 970fx's.

[dano the mano]

hey, well thanks for the heat and superdrive issues.. but that's really it?.. the Fx chip only runs cooler? Is it worth losing out on 256 more in RAm and 80 gig in HD? plus 200 bucks cheaper?

-d

[wordmunger]

Refurbished machines are always going to be cheaper. If you're willing to risk a used machine, then go for it. Also, I think the older machine only comes with an ADC connector; you'd have to get an adapter for DVI.

[Chip NoVaMac]

The older 1.8 dual also had 8 RAM slots verses the new one having 4.

[dano the mano]

SO the new one is kinda like a downgrade, except the 8x superdrive and a new fangled processor.

[Peyote]

By the way, if you bought the old model, you could always just swap out the drive with the new superdrive....I believe they are available at Other World Computing for like $100.

[dano the mano]

if i were to swap it out would that void the warranty?

[MEJ]

The new one would run cooler and quieter due to the 970fx's.

Last I heard, the 1.8 GHz G5's are not 970fx CPUs.

[jrv3034]

Refurbished machines are always going to be cheaper. If you're willing to risk a used machine, then go for it. Also, I think the older machine only comes with an ADC connector; you'd have to get an adapter for DVI.

Didn't the Rev A G5s come with both ADC and DVI? I know the Dual 2.0 did... Anyone know for sure?

I'd definitely get the old dual 1.8. Much better value for the money. Twice the RAM, twice the HDD, twice the space for RAM, $200 cheaper, upgradeable Superdrive. It's just a no brainer.

[powerboy]

The old 1.8 dual also has PCI-X slots. The new one has regular PCI slots.

[Chip NoVaMac]

By the way, if you bought the old model, you could always just swap out the drive with the new superdrive....I believe they are available at Other World Computing for like $100.

Does the 8x SDD really make a difference? What I mean by that is the media for DVD-R, the best price is for the 4x disks right now. Under a $1 each in 25 to 50 quantities and this is for the 4x disks. The only 8x media I have seen is for the Apple at $2 each.

[dano the mano]

yeah, i did hear that the only 970FX chip is in the dual 2.5 is this true?

I guess the older one may be the best bang for the buck!

All i want to do is run Apple's MOTION program and i don't think my dual g4 450mhz will do the job. What do you think?

-dan

[longofest]

if i were to swap it out would that void the warranty?

No. apple lets you upgrade your machine, but just know that you won't be able to get AppleCare support until you return the machine to the condition it was in when they sent it to you (so, keep the old superdrive around). Also, note that iDVD requires an Apple Superdrive to run, so you would have to be very picky in which model of superdrive you upgrade to. It would have to be the same type that is in the new PowerMacs, or iDVD won't run.

[osprey76]

Also, note that iDVD requires an Apple Superdrive to run, so you would have to be very picky in which model of superdrive you upgrade to. It would have to be the same type that is in the new PowerMacs, or iDVD won't run.

The Pioneer drive sold at OWC (http://eshop.macsales.com/Catalog_Page.cfm?Parent=457&Title=DVD&Template=) is the same as the primary source that Apple uses (Pioneer.) I bought one there for my Gigabit machine and it works like a charm.

The new Dual 1.8 G5 uses the same motherboard (or at least the same feature set) as the old Single 1.6 G5. Hence, the fewer RAM slots, standard PCI, etc.

[ddtlm]

MEJ, dano the mano:

Hmm, well I guess I was assuming that they switched over to FX's. Since they are smaller they would be cheaper to make once yeilds or OK, I guess the question is if IBM can produce enough yet. Imagine how cool a dual 1.8 FX machine would run, mmmm.

[dano the mano]

if their were actually Fx's in the low end models.. why would they need the same amount of fans to cool them?

[Sun Baked]

The new Dual 1.8 G5 uses the same motherboard (or at least the same feature set) as the old Single 1.6 G5. Hence, the fewer RAM slots, standard PCI, etc.Doesn't look like the same motherboard anymore, Apple played some games underneath the hood with the HT PCI Tunnel (eliminated it) and dumped PCI onto the KeyLargo2.

So basically a lower bandwidth connection to PCI that is share by all KeyLargo2 I/O (and that's everything but memory and AGP.)

[MrSugar]

I would definitely go 1799 for the old 1.8. Hell if you are willing to spend the money get a Rev A dual 2.0, that's what I did and I love it. I have had no problems with the refurb unit, it runs perfectly. Plus I got a few freebies when I recieved it... save money and get a faster machine less DVD burning. Pretty easy descision I think.

[Mord]

whatever you do dont get a 5200 ultra it's a pile of poo about the same speed as a geforce 3 or a radeon 9000 it's crap get a 9600 and them save up to get a 6800 ddl when you have the cash

some of the latter rev. A's came with 8x superdrives so chances are you will get one

[2A Batterie]

yeah, i did hear that the only 970FX chip is in the dual 2.5 is this true?

I guess the older one may be the best bang for the buck!

All i want to do is run Apple's MOTION program and i don't think my dual g4 450mhz will do the job. What do you think?

-dan
I believe that a 2.0 G5 is the suggested machine for Motion

[iJon]

New:
Half the hard disk space
Half the ram slots and ram total
8x superdrive
3 PCI Slots

Old:
Double hard disk space
double ram and total slots
4x burner.
3 PCI-X slots

note that both of them have the same video card, both with 1 adc and 1 dvi (don't know why someone said only adc). only thing a new one would have is that if any quirks or small kinks with the rev would most likely be worked out with rev b, but as many people here talk about, the g5 has been a really reliable machine. I would go with the old powermac, put the saved money into extra ram, another hard drive, or towards applecare.

iJon

[iJon]

No. apple lets you upgrade your machine, but just know that you won't be able to get AppleCare support until you return the machine to the condition it was in when they sent it to you (so, keep the old superdrive around). Also, note that iDVD requires an Apple Superdrive to run, so you would have to be very picky in which model of superdrive you upgrade to. It would have to be the same type that is in the new PowerMacs, or iDVD won't run.
two things, first is that the applecare situation is not true. you can add a third pary drive, and you can send it back, its just if its the cause of the problem that part wont be covered under warranty. second, idvd does not require a superdrive to run, just to burn.

iJon

[coolguy1382002]

but doesn't the rev a powermacs have a freezing problem ( i keep read about ) so i i buy the rev a do i run the risk of getting a bad system????

I really want one and i don't know which 1.8 to get b/c i'm worried that i'll get rev a with a freezing issue!!

[iJon]

but doesn't the rev a powermacs have a freezing problem ( i keep read about ) so i i buy the rev a do i run the risk of getting a bad system????

I really want one and i don't know which 1.8 to get b/c i'm worried that i'll get rev a with a freezing issue!!
in all honestly, you probably run the same risk of getting a faulty machine whether it rev a or b. the good thing about this too is it's covered under warranty and then everything fixed. since these will be covered under full warranty (unles buying used), i wouldn't let problems you've "heard" be a concern.

iJon

[jsw]

but doesn't the rev a powermacs have a freezing problem ( i keep read about ) so i i buy the rev a do i run the risk of getting a bad system????

I really want one and i don't know which 1.8 to get b/c i'm worried that i'll get rev a with a freezing issue!!

Obviously, YMMV, but I have a rev A dual-2 which I bought last September - so it's got Rev A everything in it. And I have had zero problems, with the possible exception of maybe a handful of freezes during over a thousand hours of use. And ther's no guarantee those are hardware related.

Also, the dual-1.8's came out later (November??) and so had the benefit of slightly revised internals. Plus, odds are good that any refurb dual-1.8 will be even newer than that.

I see zero positives to getting a new 1.8 save the DVD burner. It's a no-brainer, as far as I'm concerned. I think your only choice should be dual-1.8 or dual-2.0. :)

[Sun Baked]

To answer the
New DP 1.8GHz G5
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Developer_Notes/Macintosh_CPUs-G5/PowerMacG5/art/040177001721_01b.gif versus
Old DP 1.8GHz G5
http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Developer_Notes/Macintosh_CPUs-G5/PowerMacG5_Nov03/art/03107301P1724_01.gif
questions

The BIG change is between the U3 and the K2, and places the PCI slots in a slower/shared bandwidth area.

Basically only a problem if you plan on loading the machine with higher bandwidth consuming PCI cards.

Should be enough bandwidth for everything, maybe -- all depends on the internal characteristics of the PCI bus inside the K2.

[bousozoku]

For the sake of longevity, I'd say the older dual 1.8. The older 1.6, newer 1.8 design seems too much like the Yikes machines--a compromise of sorts.

[Sun Baked]

For the sake of longevity, I'd say the older dual 1.8. The older 1.6, newer 1.8 design seems too much like the Yikes machines--a compromise of sorts.Not just the Yikes...

It also starts looking a lot like the old UniNorth-based eMac/iMac (while it's recent for the eMac, you need to look way back on the iMac).

Come out with a smaller U3 (Single CPU and single channel DDR) and drop some of the "extra" I/O ports and the new DP 1.8 G5 start looking a bit like this...

SDR eMac block diagram (http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Developer_Notes/Macintosh_CPUs-G4/eMac_Oct03/art/031068021606_01.gif)

So there is some hope in this direction, since the single chip solution may be a little big and hot.

[furrina]

uh, wow. You guys are, like, into computers or something. :p

[bousozoku]

Not just the Yikes...

It also starts looking a lot like the old UniNorth-based eMac/iMac (while it's recent for the eMac, you need to look way back on the iMac).

Come out with a smaller U3 (Single CPU and single channel DDR) and drop some of the "extra" I/O ports and the new DP 1.8 G5 start looking a bit like this...

SDR eMac block diagram (http://developer.apple.com/documentation/Hardware/Developer_Notes/Macintosh_CPUs-G4/eMac_Oct03/art/031068021606_01.gif)

So there is some hope in this direction, since the single chip solution may be a little big and hot.

Shhh...I didn't want to get into a debate about "DDR--is it real or fake?"

Should we just say it? The low end G5 is sitting on a modified G4 motherboard design just as the Yikes was a modified G3 design able to accomodate the G4. It's probably quite inexpensive and Apple is probably making an excellent profit on it.

[garybUK]

I have the older Dual 1.8ghz machine, it came with the stock 1.8 / 512mb / 160gb Seagate SATA Drive / Geforce FX 5200 Ultra

I have since added 1gb (x2 512mb) of Crucial PC2700 DDR RAM and a Western Digital 74gb Raptor SATA Drive (10,000rpm & 8mb Cache).

Its an extremely fast machine, i mean it does a seti unit in ~3hours whilst running 24/7 on XChat, Mail, Address Book, Adium & Bit-Torrent (Azerus). I am extremely happy with the machine, its quiet, stable and does everything i ask whilst running two setis at -nice 100 :) my pc freinds are amazed when i load a quicktime movie or load C&C generals whilst running two seti's at nice 100 ...

I may add that the extra ram almost 1/2 the bootup times and is a very, very noticable difference in osx 3.4, also the wd raptor drive make this a RAPID machine.

The only thing that annoys me a little, is the chirping that comes out of the machine occasionally, but since i run the audio via optical out to my Rotel / B&W setup i havn't noticed it much anymore.

Go for the rev 8 dual 1.8 it seems to have a better upgrade path than the newer one.

[Jo-Kun]

I always like to buy the mid-section so thats why I have the 2x1.8... and now I woud go for a 2x2 entry-line lacks some features, and top-line doesn't add-up that much for the extra costs...

but that's my opinion :-D

if the difference in SuperDrive speeds is an issue... just check it out... I bought my G5 in the beginning of april... and I have the 8x inside so nobody told me until I checked the partnr and saw it was the 8x ;-)

I still have the feeling that the old 2X1.8 is a better machine... but you need to know if you'll need PCI-X or more than 4GB of ram...

I know that I might need more than 4GB ram when I have the funding & need to work more with video...

grts

Jo

[Ben Sheehan]

if the difference in SuperDrive speeds is an issue... just check it out... I bought my G5 in the beginning of april... and I have the 8x inside so nobody told me until I checked the partnr and saw it was the 8x ;-)

I'm glad you wrote that - I've just checked my rev a and it's the Pioneer DVR-107D as well ( 8 X DVD-R) :)