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Need Help Deciding on New Computer

fh2level

fh2level

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 25, 2006
109
0
ATL
Guys I NEED HELP DECIDING what to get and when to get it.
I need a new desktop: First of all Mac or PC, I know this is a mac forum but lets be FAIR to BOTH sides. I have both Macs and Pc's and truthfully they both have equal amounts of problems, when they have them.

Now we are talking desktops here... I will still have my PC laptop for buisness work that requires windows.

How I uses a computer:
Well a little bit of everything - the obvious (internet, email, contacts), video editing, photos, webdesign, Databases, Gaming, runing multiple programs on multiple monitors at one time, and all the other fun stuff.

Ok so what do you all think: Power Mac G5 and buy now? , wait for Windows Vista in Nov-Dec, or will any NEW Power Mac G5's be coming out within the same time-span?

:)
 
kretzy

kretzy

macrumors 604
Sep 11, 2004
7,921
2
Canberra, Australia
If you're willing to wait till Nov-Dec just for Vista, then maybe you should wait till then to see the Intel equivalent of the PowerMacs.

PS You're not going to get many PC recs around here. ;)
 
M

mwpeters8182

macrumors 6502
Apr 16, 2003
411
0
Boston, MA
If you're at all into gaming, the PC is the better choice (that might change with the intel macs, but we don't know that yet.) I've found databases/web design to be more fun on the mac, mainly because of it's Unix underpinnings. Also, the new iMac will allow you to span, which is cool. That's the route I'll probably go when my PC desktop dies.

If you buy a quality machine, you can't go wrong in either case. I prefer OS X, but I do a lot of my computing on a Windows/Linux machine as well.

Since you've got a PC to use if you need it, and if you don't do any heavy gaming, i'd recommend a Mac - this way, you can get the best of both.

Hope this helps.
 
OldCorpse

OldCorpse

macrumors 68000
Dec 7, 2005
1,758
347
compost heap
Bad luck. This happens to be a bad time to buy a desktop. On the PC side, with Vista coming out, there will be a whole new hardware requirement. So, I'd be cautious about buying a PC right now - for a PC I'd wait until next year February or so.

For Macs, it's equally bad, but for different reasons. Simply put, buying a PM right now, is buying an already obsolete computer and paying full price for it, and a high-premium price to boot (unlike with 12" iBooks, which are a steal). I think it's better to wait for PMs to go intel. That has two purposes. First, you'll be actually buying a new machine, not obsolete, and more importantly, by the time they come out, the major pro apps should have univeral binaries, and you'll actually be able to run them on those new PMs (unlike the situation with the new iMacs, which are useless if you need to run FPC, Logic, Photoshop etc.).

I'd vote definitely wait - at least until new PMs come out, see what the feedback is, and if the Rev A doesn't have horrendous problems, then get one. All IMHO.
 
QCassidy352

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area
OldCorpse said:
Simply put, buying a PM right now, is buying an already obsolete computer and paying full price for it, and a high-premium price to boot
Click to expand...

I don't agree with that. I think it's going to be quite a while until we see an intel powermac that tops the Quad G5. The G5 is still very much a viable chip. Look at the intel imacs - yes they are faster than the imac G5, but not by nearly as much as apple claimed initially, and they have two cores! I bet a dual-core imac G5 would have been just as fast or faster than these intel imacs.

I'd get a G5 now - you can get an absolute steal on a dual 2.5 or 2.7 refurb from the apple store. They won't be updated for a long time, and they are not even close to "obsolete."
 
OldCorpse

OldCorpse

macrumors 68000
Dec 7, 2005
1,758
347
compost heap
QCassidy352 said:
I don't agree with that. I think it's going to be quite a while until we see an intel powermac that tops the Quad G5. The G5 is still very much a viable chip. Look at the intel imacs - yes they are faster than the imac G5, but not by nearly as much as apple claimed initially, and they have two cores! I bet a dual-core imac G5 would have been just as fast or faster than these intel imacs.

I'd get a G5 now - you can get an absolute steal on a dual 2.5 or 2.7 refurb from the apple store. They won't be updated for a long time, and they are not even close to "obsolete."
Click to expand...

I suppose it all depends on how you define "a long time". It seems Jobs is determined to complete the transition to the intel platform this year. So, you can figure, there will be mactel PMs no later than November - that's 9-10 months.

The reason the mactel iMacs are not performing better is due entirely to the fact that they are not running native software. And remember, the new PMs will have way more power than the new iMacs, and by then, universal binaries should be available. At which point, the new mactels wil certainly outperform the current G5. Of course, will that be a substantial difference, is a separate question. It is possible that they will only be 20% faster in real life... I have no way of knowing. Thing is, the PM is the kind of computer one tends to hang onto (unlike laptops which seem to become obsolete much faster). That's why it seems better to get a new mactel PM, since you're more likely to hang onto it for a long time... now, would you rahter hang on to an old G5 or a mactel PM as pro software slowly moves away from the PPC platform? Since the new PMs are just months away, seems to me, the answer is clear... seems a small price to pay (a few months) for some insurance against obsolecence compared to the certain obsolescence of the PM G5 which has struggled all of its existence under the never fulfilled IBM promises. All IMHO.
 
Dont Hurt Me

Dont Hurt Me

macrumors 603
Dec 21, 2002
6,055
6
Yahooville S.C.
Buying a G5 machine when apple has started the switch to Intel isnt what i would call a smart move, apple could throw in 2 dual cores Intel into the Powermac anytime they want.
 
fh2level

fh2level

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jan 25, 2006
109
0
ATL
Well I really do want to get a Powermac G5. Since I plan on getting away from the computer based gaming. But I wasn't impressed with the difference in OSX to the Tiger version and MS Vista will be coming out but we all know will have plenty of bugs until the first couple Service Packs come out. And If the Intel chips are going to be put into the Powermacs i dont' want to buy one yet either... UGH!!! I wish I had dates and prices now cause I really need a new machine but can't afford to waste money on old technology when new is right around the corner.
 
AstrosFan

AstrosFan

macrumors 6502
Jul 26, 2005
334
0
OldCorpse said:
I suppose it all depends on how you define "a long time". It seems Jobs is determined to complete the transition to the intel platform this year. So, you can figure, there will be mactel PMs no later than November - that's 9-10 months.

The reason the mactel iMacs are not performing better is due entirely to the fact that they are not running native software. And remember, the new PMs will have way more power than the new iMacs, and by then, universal binaries should be available. At which point, the new mactels wil certainly outperform the current G5. Of course, will that be a substantial difference, is a separate question. It is possible that they will only be 20% faster in real life... I have no way of knowing. Thing is, the PM is the kind of computer one tends to hang onto (unlike laptops which seem to become obsolete much faster). That's why it seems better to get a new mactel PM, since you're more likely to hang onto it for a long time... now, would you rahter hang on to an old G5 or a mactel PM as pro software slowly moves away from the PPC platform? Since the new PMs are just months away, seems to me, the answer is clear... seems a small price to pay (a few months) for some insurance against obsolecence compared to the certain obsolescence of the PM G5 which has struggled all of its existence under the never fulfilled IBM promises. All IMHO.
Click to expand...

Well put! I think this logic makes complete sense - if you don't have a burning need to have this computer in the next few weeks, then it makes sense to wait until mid-year or later to re-evaluate.
By then, you should have more information, and you will also be able to see whether the third-party software companies (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.) have been able to come up with native applications for the Intel Macs.
Good luck with your choice!
 
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