g4 cpu upgrade worth it????

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

i currently have a 400mhz sawtooth.

i want to upgrade to leopard.

i found out the radeon 9800 128 is sawtooth/leopard compatible the cost is anywhere from $150-200

sonnet 1.8 $269 or power logic 1.6 $219

i currently have 1g ram but the sawtooth could support 2g

$349-400 for a leopard mackitty

thoughts?? has anyone upgraded? if so, was it worth it?

Eidorian · Jan 27, 2008

You're already in the Mac mini price range there. You'd be better off with one of those.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

Eidorian said:
You're already in the Mac mini price range there. You'd be better off with one of those.

why would i want a gamecube?? the video capabilities wouldnt compare

motulist · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
g4 cpu upgrade worth it????

No. Next question?

Cromulent · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
why would i want a gamecube?? the video capabilities wouldnt compare

They'd be as good as a G4 if not better. Seriously, the added speed of the Mac Mini would be a much better investment. Plus the fact that it is Intel and not PPC and you have very little reason to keep the G4 hanging around.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
why would i want a gamecube?? the video capabilities wouldnt compare

last i checked for a mini 1.8 starts at 600... not including memory/hdd upgrades

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

motulist said:
No. Next question?

u must be an apple employee..

the question is aimed at those who have done it..

349 for a 1.6 1g 80hhd Radeon 9800

make it 369 for a 1.6 2g machine..

1 gig can be had for 20 bucks at the local swap meet..

motulist · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
last i checked for a mini 1.8 starts at 600... not including memory/hdd upgrades

Hard drives and memory are dirt cheap. But regardless, there's WAY more to a computer's speed than cpu mhz + video card + memory + hard disk. There's system bus speed, motherboard, cpu architecture, and more, all of which are not upgradable on a G4 and wouldn't be cost effective even if they were.

You're not the first person to ask on these forums if upgrade cards are worth it, and it's almost a total consensus on MR forums that upgrade cards are not worth it.

bluesclueU said:
u must be an apple employee..

the question is aimed at those who have done it..

I have done it in the past, and I'm telling you that it's not worth it. If you don't want to listen to people's advice then why did you ask for it?

kirkbross · Jan 27, 2008

In addition to motulist, I speak for the next 5,000 people who answer this -- do NOT waste $1 upgrading your current Mac. It's 9 years old and that's about four lifetimes in computer years. Save an additional $200 and get a used G5 or a Mac Mini.

If you have some sort of emotional attachment to the old Mac, keep it in the closet for a few years for posterity.

Cromulent · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
u must be an apple employee..

the question is aimed at those who have done it..

349 for a 1.6 1g 80hhd Radeon 9800

make it 369 for a 1.6 2g machine..

1 gig can be had for 20 bucks at the local swap meet..

It isn't worth it.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
last i checked for a mini 1.8 starts at 600... not including memory/hdd upgrades

lets see i checked out apple.com

a mini mac 1.83 2g ram 120 hdd would cost $824 and thats machine doesnt have the 9800 pro card

i could add several hdds/dual burners to this mac which i already converted to a modded atx case.. its clear with lights.. sooo pur t.. so me.. choice abound

jwdawso · Jan 27, 2008

Hey don't be so negative towards the replies - you asked for thoughts, and so you got them.

If all you have is $400, then it's a big upgrade. But do you have to also buy leopard? But if you can afford to pick up any Intel Mini, you are way ahead. Plus you now have 2 Macs, and whatever hard drive space you have on your G4. I have a Quicksilver 867Mhz, and have refused the temptation of upgrading the processor. I have a Mac Mini Core Solo 1.5Ghz, that is ready to be upgraded to a C2D soon.

Eidorian · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
lets see i checked out apple.com

a mini mac 1.83 2g ram 120 hdd would cost $824 and thats machine doesnt have the 9800 pro card

i could add several hdds/dual burners to this mac which i already converted to a modded atx case.. its clear with lights.. sooo pur t.. so me.. choice abound

If you're going to ignore our advice then carry on with your purchase.

The Mac mini isn't in a refurb page right now but it does hover around $499-549 when it shows up. The Mac mini G4 can be found for $350-400 online as well.

I sure hope you enjoy upgrading a nearly 10 year old computer.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

motulist said:
I have done it in the past, and I'm telling you that it's not worth it. If you don't want to listen to people's advice then why did you ask for it?

(oops sorry for not using multi quote)

first off you didnt state you've tried it..

i understand bus speed architect.. fact is though i run one program at a time.. i dont do major editing.. sounds like mass propaganda on this board.. they all said the earth was flat too.. and how many ppl actually use all the power that their computers possess.. i'd say 10%.. the hardcore core just cause and the professionals

sounds like someone paid a lil too much for something they dont use.. ive seen bench marks where a g4 is just as fast as a g5 in certain apps..if not faster.. explain that..

surflordca · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
lets see i checked out apple.com

a mini mac 1.83 2g ram 120 hdd would cost $824 and thats machine doesnt have the 9800 pro card

i could add several hdds/dual burners to this mac which i already converted to a modded atx case.. its clear with lights.. sooo pur t.. so me.. choice abound

g4 cpu upgrade worth it????
i currently have a 400mhz sawtooth.

i want to upgrade to leopard.

i found out the radeon 9800 128 is sawtooth/leopard compatible the cost is anywhere from $150-200

sonnet 1.8 $269 or power logic 1.6 $219

i currently have 1g ram but the sawtooth could support 2g

$349-400 for a leopard mackitty

thoughts?? has anyone upgraded? if so, was it worth it?

In your other post you find it all right to spend $800 for an upgrade on OLD hardware but $824 is to much for new stuff?
You don't want advice for other people, you just want someone to say that spending money on your upgrade is worth it. IT'S NOT...

Cromulent · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
first off you didnt state you've tried it..

i understand bus speed architect.. fact is though i run one program at a time.. i dont do major editing.. sounds like mass propaganda on this board.. they all said the earth was flat too.. and how many ppl actually use all the power that their computers possess.. i'd say 10%.. the hardcore core just cause and the professionals

sounds like someone paid a lil too much for something they dont use.. ive seen bench marks where a g4 is just as fast as a g5 in certain apps..if not faster.. explain that..

We are not talking about G5s though, we are talking about Core 2 Duos. Which are faster.

It really is not worth it.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

surflordca said:
g4 cpu upgrade worth it????
i currently have a 400mhz sawtooth.

i want to upgrade to leopard.

i found out the radeon 9800 128 is sawtooth/leopard compatible the cost is anywhere from $150-200

sonnet 1.8 $269 or power logic 1.6 $219

i currently have 1g ram but the sawtooth could support 2g

$349-400 for a leopard mackitty

thoughts?? has anyone upgraded? if so, was it worth it?

In your other post you find it all right to spend $800 for an upgrade on OLD hardware but $824 is to much for new stuff?
You don't want advice for other people, you just want someone to say that spending money on your upgrade is worth it. IT'S NOT...

this is a propaganda board.. ur post makes it clear..

where do you get me upgrading my g4 at the cost of 800 dollars??

369 < 800... umm ok..

you ppl shouldnt hate.. the g4 it a tribute to apple..built ahead of its time... 9 years later i could have something that would eat a mini alive..

Cromulent · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
you ppl shouldnt hate.. the g4 it a tribute to apple..built ahead of its time... 9 years later i could have something that would eat a mini alive..

I don't know where you are getting this information. The Mac Mini will be faster than the G4.

motulist · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
ive seen bench marks where a g4 is just as fast as a g5 in certain apps..if not faster.. explain that..

I don't need to explain it to someone who's acting like a snot, because it's already been explained a billion and one times all over the net, which makes you either a troll, an idiot, or too lazy to do a google search. Take your pick.

Do us all a favor, go buy your silly upgrade cards now and stop trolling the MR forums.

surflordca · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
this is a propaganda board.. ur post makes it clear..

where do you get me upgrading my g4 at the cost of 800 dollars??

369 < 800... umm ok..

you ppl shouldnt hate.. the g4 it a tribute to apple..built ahead of its time... 9 years later i could have something that would eat a mini alive..

My mistake saying $800 as I read your post wrong but your G4 is NOT worth the upgrade

JNB · Jan 27, 2008

Um, nobody's hating, just trying to save you time and hassle.

What is your time worth? You work for free? Unless you do, you have to factor in the time it'll take you to execute the upgrade, not to mention the severe headaches that arise during the process, and they WILL arise. This isn't a P&P process.

Plus, when you run into those problems, you'll find it exceedingly difficult to get help. Apple won't, most folks on the forum couldn't, and Google will have you spending days, if not weeks searching for answers that are generally not quite what you're looking for.

I love my G4, and my G5, and my Intel MB, but I'm not going to flay myself trying to put lipstick on a pig when that time comes. I'll just repurpose it into something more suited for its age and capability, or resell it to defray the cost of a new machine.

In any case, here's a decent resource to give you some ideas, where others have already found out the viable upgrade paths. Good luck.

Everythingisnt · Jan 27, 2008

I think the main issue here is power/per $ value. From the perspective of upgrading a 400mhz Sawtooth to g4, you probably would get more mhz for your $ then if you went went with the mini. But you DO need to consider things like architecture, bus speed, etc. Even if the mini doesn't seem like a viable alternative to a relatively cheap CPU upgrade now, in 2 or 3 years it certainly will.

The sawtooth is around 9 years old - and you can't upgrade it indefinitely. I'd say upgrade to a mini now and spare yourself a headache down the line.

bluesclueU · Jan 27, 2008

motulist said:
I don't need to explain it to someone who's acting like a snot, because it's already been explained a billion and one times all over the net, which makes you either a troll, an idiot, or too lazy to do a google search. Take your pick.

Do us all a favor, go buy your silly upgrade cards now and stop trolling the MR forums.

sounds like ur the troll between you and i..

if its been explained sooo much why do i keep getting info proving otherwise.. why are their bench marks proving the g4 can still be a beast for years to come and upgraded it out preforms g5 and the mini or on par levels.. apple will do what it can to phase it out im sure.. and they will have ppl like you creating propaganda until then.. to get ppl to fork over more then they have to..

i will upgrade just for you.. well more for me.. but i'll have you in mind during my 10 minute instillation.. uu i may have to download some firmware..

omg i dont know how to install leopard.. give me a break ppl... the rumor here is you all are the trolls..

oh and to the other poster i do work for free when i work for myself... theres nothing wrong with giving value to myself..

lets not look at the obvious factor...PRICE $369 DOLLARS for a 1.6 2 gig mac running leopard.. that will be suffice for 3-5 more years..

and to those whos argument is based on age.. some things are just classics.. i would compare the g4 to a 69 camaro.

the other obvious here is everyones quick resistance.. a tell tell sign of something far more sinister.. and its coming from rumor vets.. more like apple employees

and to another poster.. the sawtooth is a g4.. but youre almost right its shelf life would be 3-5 years.. it will have its day to die unless some guru finds a way.. and in 3 -5 years what r you gonna do with that mini ppl???? it will be rendered useless....

with the 500 plus dollars i will save.. it will go towards the g6 intel quadx4 in 3-5 years.. but i guess some of you like to just waste money when its not needed.. unless you fall into the 10% where you have to.... its the waste

JNB · Jan 27, 2008

We really don't need to start pi**ing back & forth now. It's obvious that when it comes to opinions, you'll not change anyone else's mind, and they won't change yours. The forums work best when we're not argumentative or intentionally dismissive; when you get the juvenile responses, just don't rise to the bait, they'll go away.

Keep in mind, you did ask for input, and you got it. It's not personal attacks, not trolling, and generally (except for some ill-considered comments) based on experience. Most folks here want you to not only be successful, but also not place yourself in a position where you end up throwing good money after bad should things not work out well.

You have apparently already done a fair cost-benefit analysis for your own purposes, so as that may be a perfectly viable and appropriate option, have at it. The Mini may not have the expandability or growth potential you need, fine, that's all you need to say and we can move past that point.

bluesclueU said:
it will go towards the g6 intel in 3-5 years

Wrong manufacturer, wrong processor series.

Cromulent · Jan 27, 2008

bluesclueU said:
sounds like ur the troll between you and i..

Hmm.

bluesclueU said:
if its been explained sooo much why do i keep getting info proving otherwise.. why are their bench marks proving the g4 can still be a beast for years to come and upgraded it out preforms g5 and the mini.. apple will do what it can to phase it out im sure.. and they will have ppl like you creating propaganda until then.. to get ppl to fork over more then they have to..

Care to post any of these sources providing this information you are getting?

bluesclueU said:
i will upgrade just for you.. well more for me.. but i'll have you in mind during my 10 minute instillation.. uu i may have to download fireware..

I have no idea what you are talking about here.

bluesclueU said:
omg i dont know how to install leopard.. give me a break ppl... the rumor here is you all are the trolls..

Or here.

bluesclueU said:
oh and to the other poster i do work for free when i work for myself... theres nothing wrong with giving value to me..

Or here.

bluesclueU said:
lets not look at the obvious factor...PRICE $369 DOLLARS for a 1.6 2 gig mac running leapard.. that will be suffice for 3-5 more years..

Mhz ratings are meaningless between different CPUs. You need to look at real world performance.

Do not forget the Mac Mini is a dual core computer so actually has the equivalent of two processors in it, compared with your G4 which only has one.

bluesclueU said:
and to those whos argument is based on age.. some things are just classics.. i would compare the g4 to a 69 camaro.

Unfortunately computers are not the same as cars.

bluesclueU said:
the other obvious here is everyones quick resistance.. a tell tell sign of something far more sinister.. and its coming from rumor vets.. more like apple employees

Eh? Wow, talk about paranoia.

bluesclueU said:
and to another poster.. the sawtooth is a g4.. but youre almost right its shelf life would be 3-5 years.. it will have its day to die unless some guru finds a way.. and in 3 -5 years what r you gonna do with that mini ppl???? it will be rendered useless....

I guess you have very light computer needs if you think a G4 is going to last another 3 - 5 years.

bluesclueU said:
with the 500 plus dollars i will save.. it will go towards the g6 intel in 3-5 years.. but i guess some of you like to just waste money when its not needed.. unless you fall into the 10% where you have to.... its the waste

G6 Intel? What are talking about? the G3, G4 and G5 processors are all PPC (i.e Motorola and IBM CPUs) there is no such thing as a G6 Intel and there never will be.

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