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To buy or not to buy? Wondering whether I should purchase the new Dual 1.42 or wait?

A

ARKHAM

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hello to all.

I am currently debating whether or not to buy a new dual 1.42 GHz Power Mac or wait until the new IBM 970 chips (or something comparible) are released.

Any thoughts people have would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 
It all depends on what you plan on doing and how much you think you can get done until you end up buying one, which delivery date is not even known.

What are you doing now and what type of machine?

D
 
Re: To buy or not to buy? Wondering whether I should purchase the new Dual 1.42 or w

Originally posted by ARKHAM
Hello to all.

I am currently debating whether or not to buy a new dual 1.42 GHz Power Mac or wait until the new IBM 970 chips (or something comparible) are released.

Any thoughts people have would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Well, this depends on a lot of factors.
  • What are you doing with the machine?
  • Do you earn money using your Mac?
  • What is your current setup?
  • How strong is the tug to get a new machine?
  • What will the itch be like to upgrade when the 970 based systems come out?
For myself, a single 800MHz was not cutting it, so I am awaiting my DP1.42.

I am hoping that I won't feel the urge to upgrade to a 970 based system too strongly for a couple of years.
 
I am actually new to Macs all together. The only Mac I have is an iBook at the moment. Of course, to do the "higher-end" things, I would like to have a more powerful machine ala the Power Mac.

My reasons for chosing Macs is quite simple.

I have spents 10's of thousands of dollars on high end graphic and digital video editing PC systems (dual Xeon, dual AMD, etc.) and have had loads of problems.

I do digital video editing (movies, etc.) and want to start using Final Cut Pro as my editing tool.

I like Formac's Studio TV/DV product for recording movies as well.

In addition to all the digital editing, I also want to turn my computer into a digital hub for listening to music and watching television (another reason for the Formac product).

I am looking into M-Audio's new Revolution sound card so I can output digital audio to my stereo receiver.

With all that said, I really need a high powered system. I realize the G4's are a good processor. However, if in six month's time a new IBM chip is debuted which blows the G4 away, the last thing I want to do is to spend my money now on a system that will soon be out dated.

Any thoughts on this matter?
 
do you have a mac now?

personally i would wait, but like everyone has been saying, its up to you and where your at. It comes done to if the new computer is a need or a want.
 
I suppose there will always be an itch to have a better system. I would like to have the best possible product available at the time I purchase it. However, given Apple's mystery with their product updates, I have no way of knowing whether a newer, better machine, is just three months away.

I believe the 1.25's were released in October. A mere 3 months later, the 1.42's were released.

I would be very upset if I purchased a 1.42 system only to see a better model to come out 3 months later.

I am not sure how much difference there is between a 1.25 and 1.42 system.

However, the difference between a 1.42 and whatever the "next step" is for Apple may be quite radical.

This is why I am in such a technological quandry.
 
Its a tough call, but if you can use your current system for a while, I'd wait. The speed benefit will be significant. I just got a dual 1.25 at work and even though its faster than the TiPB (667) I was using before, the difference isn't that outstanding.

I'm personally waiting for the 970s to upgrade my mac at home.

And I'm a power user doing 3d animation so the rendering times, although a little better (about 3 to 4 times faster) are nice, I'm hoping the 970 will have an order of magnitude difference.

D
 
Originally posted by ARKHAM
I am actually new to Macs all together. The only Mac I have is an iBook at the moment. Of course, to do the "higher-end" things, I would like to have a more powerful machine ala the Power Mac.

My reasons for chosing Macs is quite simple.

I have spents 10's of thousands of dollars on high end graphic and digital video editing PC systems (dual Xeon, dual AMD, etc.) and have had loads of problems.
Click to expand...

I'm curious to know what were the biggest problems you were having with the intel / AMD systems? Compatibility that couldn't be resolved? Where you using DV express or Adobe's Prem.? Thanks.
 
We have no real idea when the 970 will come out. Most likely in sometime in the fall. The question is whether you can hold out or not. It all depends on how immediate the need is for the Mac.
 
basically if you can wait then wait but personally Ive ordered a 1.42 for a few resonds... the PC I had quit on me about a month ago and I had to buy a new hard drive and even now it realy doesnt want to run like it was before and Im waiting on the computer a lot when doing things in photoshop and some other apps, that and the fact Ive wanted to a mac for a while and had decided on my next computer puchase would be a mac about a year ago... those two resonds plus I have a lot of work that cant wait 6 months or how ever long its gonna take for the 970s to come out. Now Ive just waiting for that e-mail from apple sayin they've shipped my mac.
 
Originally posted by ARKHAM

I have spents 10's of thousands of dollars on high end graphic and digital video editing PC systems (dual Xeon, dual AMD, etc.) and have had loads of problems.
Click to expand...


i think someone with your background should wait. your already use to the power of amd and xeon systems. the g4 will let you down. to bad. your in a tuff spot for a mac user. can you get by without a new system for say six months? and what will you do if apple isnt ready to move to a new chip at that time? hmmm. that sucks, i would hate to be in the market for an apple PM right now.
 
I was having the exact same dilemna, but I ordered a dual 1.42 anyway. I figured I've had some dodgy experience with Rev1 machines, and if you look back a few years, it was the Rev1 of the G4 that was PCI only (AGP) which has left it in the dust now.

I'll use this machine for 12-18 months, sell it, and get another then, as when it all comes down to it, I need a faster machine now, so I can't wait.

Anyone got estimated ship dates on the dual 1.42 yes (UK especially)?

H
 
I just said the same thing to another post. I'm no pro, but shouldn't you wait a couple months, and get the new model with a totally new chip?(64bit-970) Buying a G4 at this point is, well, pointless. It's at the very end of it's cycle, and if you are worried about buying new technology too soon, then wait anyways, and when the 970's come the high end G4's will be alot cheaper than they are now. They will be the next ibooks, possibly dual G4 imacs? Either way they will still be using them, and they will be cheaper than buying now. Save your self a good kick in the ass 2-4 months from now. So what ever you decide to buy, do it later. Now is not a good time. When they come out with the new systems, and prices, that will be a better time to ask your self this question.
 
Originally posted by jethroted
I just said the same thing to another post. I'm no pro, but shouldn't you wait a couple months, and get the new model with a totally new chip?(64bit-970) Buying a G4 at this point is, well, pointless. It's at the very end of it's cycle, and if you are worried about buying new technology too soon, then wait anyways, and when the 970's come the high end G4's will be alot cheaper than they are now. They will be the next ibooks, possibly dual G4 imacs? Either way they will still be using them, and they will be cheaper than buying now. Save your self a good kick in the ass 2-4 months from now. So what ever you decide to buy, do it later. Now is not a good time. When they come out with the new systems, and prices, that will be a better time to ask your self this question.
Click to expand...

Don't be stupid, if you NEED a new PowerMac NOW, then how can it be pointless?

What machine are you using? Is it a Dual 1.42? I didn't think so! If you're not using the Dual 1.42 then you're SO NOT CUTTING EDGE, so why bother, it's "pointless". go buy a PC!
 
Originally posted by jethroted
I just said the same thing to another post. I'm no pro, but shouldn't you wait a couple months, and get the new model with a totally new chip?(64bit-970) Buying a G4 at this point is, well, pointless. It's at the very end of it's cycle, ...
Click to expand...
Actually it'll be July at the earliest before they are announced (most likely) and more likely it will be later. And of course it'll take a month or two after ordering to get one.

So a machine now or a machine in 6 months is what the question is.

Just because a newer faster machine comes out, it doesn't make the current machine worthless.
 
Originally posted by Bear
Actually it'll be July at the earliest before they are announced (most likely) and more likely it will be later. And of course it'll take a month or two after ordering to get one.

So a machine now or a machine in 6 months is what the question is.

Just because a newer faster machine comes out, it doesn't make the current machine worthless.
Click to expand...

Exactly.
 
Throw your money away!

Well it appears as though my thoughts are the wrong ones for this forum. So go ahead and buy something now, but when the new chips come you will feel the burn. Sure I don't have the fastest G4. That's not the point. The point is that we are not talking about a crappy Mhz boost. Were talikng about a whole new generation of chip. If you can hold on for a couple of more months then do it. If you MUST get something now then do that, but it's a short term solution. Not to say it will be garbage in a couple of months from now. I'm not saying that at all. It will look pretty flimsy compared to the new chip though, and you will feel like a sap.
 
Re: Throw your money away!

Originally posted by jethroted
Well it appears as though my thoughts are the wrong ones for this forum. So go ahead and buy something now, but when the new chips come you will feel the burn. Sure I don't have the fastest G4. That's not the point. The point is ...
Click to expand...
The point is that some people need a sysem now and some can afford to wait.

Those who need the system now are well warned of the impending 970's. And part of their decission will rest on the benefit of waiting versus the benefit of buying now.

And the question is, how long will the wait really be. 6 months is a good guess, but it could be longer.
 
Im waiting for the Rev.B of the PPC970... My QuickSilver DP 1Ghz will hold me pretty well until then! I'm still extremely happy with this machine!
 
Originally posted by Tiauguinho
Im waiting for the Rev.B of the PPC970... My QuickSilver DP 1Ghz will hold me pretty well until then! I'm still extremely happy with this machine!
Click to expand...
Herein lies the problem. You are always looking for that really great machine that is coming real soon now. Apple has never stated that it will use the PPC 970 in anything. It is only an assumption that Apple will use the 970. Yet, some of you have gone from waiting for an Apple 970-based system to waiting for the second revision of Apple's 970-based system.

Buy what you need when you need it. If you buy something that you don't need, then you are throwing your money away.
 
look

look, if you hold out... then when you do get your new 970 or G5, or whatever the processor is... then you're going to want to get the new processor after that. I was in the same situation, and I have always wanted the latest and greatest. As I am new to apple computers, I have no idea what I'm getting myself into, whether it was a good idea or not to get a mac, i'll find out when my doorbell rings and there's a guy at the door handing me a box with a 17" powerbook inside. But I needed a new computer because my window's computer kept breaking. So I got the powerbook, but i know that in a couple of months I'll have wished that I waited and got the next best thing. But when i get that "next best thing", I'll want the next processor after...

I hope you guys understand all that... sorry if it doesn't make much sense...
 
why don't you buy second-hand, help save the planet by recycling😱 , save a bunch of money and get some work done in the meantime, until that great new thing rises from the imagination of engineers....



weev
 
Re: Throw your money away!

Originally posted by jethroted
Well it appears as though my thoughts are the wrong ones for this forum. So go ahead and buy something now, but when the new chips come you will feel the burn. Sure I don't have the fastest G4. That's not the point. The point is that we are not talking about a crappy Mhz boost. Were talikng about a whole new generation of chip. If you can hold on for a couple of more months then do it. If you MUST get something now then do that, but it's a short term solution. Not to say it will be garbage in a couple of months from now. I'm not saying that at all. It will look pretty flimsy compared to the new chip though, and you will feel like a sap.
Click to expand...

Actually the point is, as so many good people have stated, is the need for a machine NOW.

I've just got a big contract, with a tight deadline, worth $xx,xxx - I need a new, fast machine to get it done by summer. I ordered a dual 1.42 and it will run all the software I have now. And after that, I can buy five G5/970 or whatever Apple release. It's all about NOW in reality, we can dream for the future - I can't remember the last time Apple released a new PowerMac that really please everyone. I think you should get out more and stop looking for the next best thing.
 
well...

...I agree with WEEV in that perhaps you might consider purchasing a used/refurbished PM to tide you over...I don't know how much money you have to spend over the next year, but one of the last 3 revisions of the PM should suit you fine, and you might get a great deal...you would be able to do video/photography work now(perhaps not as fast as it could be done), get any cards for your machine you may want and be good to go. In 6-8 months time you could buy a PPC970 PM (if they ever come to life), transfer cards etc. and either sell your older PM to offset your purchase or keep it around as a second computer. There are always 3rd party upgrade cards that could keep the older machine competetive for a while. Considering the system architecture has not changed much on PM's for a while, I would not necessarily spend top dollar on the DP 1.42s right now, especially if I was anticipating the 970. Hope this makes sense, good luck deciding...
 
For those suggesting getting a less expensive PowerMac for now...

There is a factor that no one in this thread gas considered so far, What is the price difference between the DP1.42 annd the DP1.25?

$300 (US).

That is all the price difference between those two models are if they are configured the same (except for the processors of course).

What do you get for the $300? You get the bigger L2 cache (which can help a lot for some applications). And you get a pair of processors that are about 14% faster. Is this worth the extra $300?

Only the person buying can decide if it is worth the difference to them. Also remember when one is done adding up the system, and componets including the display(s) this price difference could be less than 10 percent of the price.

Also, being realistic, will the person be one who immediatly goes out and gets the next best machine? In a lot of cases they won't be, so getting the best available now makes sense.

I do realize that to some people $300 can be a lot of money, then again if it is, will they be able to afford a new machine in 6 months anyway?
 
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