Need advice on recent iMac G4 purchase

[evilgreg]

I am buying an iMac G4 from someone on Craigslist for $140 and I'm wondering if you guys think I'm getting a good deal or not.

It's a 15in 1ghz (late model) 256 ram, no airport, with original box, disks, mouse, keyboard, speakers and supposedly in "perfect" condition.

 

[MacHamster68]

if its really in "perfect condition " its a bargain in my opinion especially as it comes with everything like it came from apple as it sounds , most come without disc's ,keyboards ore mice , or speakers and the original boxes got lost years ago

 

[tom vilsack]

miss my old ilamp...i would buy it (box alone very hard to find)

just feed it max ram of 2gig

http://www.lowendmac.com/imacs/15in-imac-g4-1-ghz.html

 

[evilgreg]

Cool, thanks for the advice. I've admired the iMac G4 since day 1 and always thought it was the most beautifully designed Apple product ever (much much better design than the iMacs that came after it imho).

They were too expensive, and I was too young back in 2002, so I thought I'd indulge a little bit and finally procure my teenage dream machine since they are so cheap these days.

 

[Hrududu]

I got a 17" 1GHz with AirPort Extreme and 768MB of RAM for $125 about 2 years ago, so I wouldn't call it a "great" deal. Now, if it were a larger screen or a 1.25GHz model, then maybe. The problem is that 256MB of RAM in there is basically a required upgrade to make it usable. Now if you're buying it simply for collecting sake, great, but if you actually wanna use the thing I would say try and talk him down to at least pay for some RAM and Airport.

 

[wordoflife]

Personally, to me, they are worthless.

 

[SkippyThorson]

I did the same thing as you. I didn't really love Apple back then, as I was in the same boat as everyone else on XP. I was fed up and wanted something different, so in 2006, I got my iBook. After going back and seeing what Apple accomplished, I just fell in love with that iMac G4. It was, is, and always will be, the greatest design in all of the computer world. It just works right; just the way it should.

I finally picked one up for $300 (pre-PPC drop announcement) that had been used by a professor on his desk since purchase. It included everything it came with, and in amazing condition - complete with the plastic wrap on the chrome arm. I love it, and still use it as my main iDesktop to this day. It has become more of my iPhone's home than anything else, but I'll never get rid of it.

 

[evilgreg]

I did the same thing as you. I didn't really love Apple back then, as I was in the same boat as everyone else on XP. I was fed up and wanted something different, so in 2006, I got my iBook. After going back and seeing what Apple accomplished, I just fell in love with that iMac G4. It was, is, and always will be, the greatest design in all of the computer world. It just works right; just the way it should.

I finally picked one up for $300 (pre-PPC drop announcement) that had been used by a professor on his desk since purchase. It included everything it came with, and in amazing condition - complete with the plastic wrap on the chrome arm. I love it, and still use it as my main iDesktop to this day. It has become more of my iPhone's home than anything else, but I'll never get rid of it.

Awesome, this is what I'm hoping for as well. Picking it up tomorrow! I'll post pictures if anyone cares.

 

[SkippyThorson]

Awesome, this is what I'm hoping for as well. Picking it up tomorrow! I'll post pictures if anyone cares.

I'd love to take a look at your new G4. (Feels weird to say that.)

*It's also funny that you have close to the same laptop I'm going to be getting. I personally think that an Intel laptop that gets a lot of use is perfectly complimented by a PPC desktop that will just be used to house all your stuff. My ideal setup is the one I have going now.

 

[evilgreg]

Here she is:

I'll still be mostly using my MacBook, but it will be fun to have the iMac for random things.

 

[SkippyThorson]

I agree. I could get the most powerful laptop in the world, but I would still want some (any) form of a desktop. First off, there's some stuff I just don't want to take with me everywhere - like movies, my whole iPhoto library, etc...

Sure, I could get am external, but I like small laptops. If I want to access it, I'd rather it be on my desktop, ready to go. Plus, it gives me a spare Mac. Even further, it gives me an excuse to have my G4s!

 

[Paulywauly]

I've got one of these with a gig of ram running leopard, makes a great little home server and hifi system. great conversation pieces too!

 

[SkippyThorson]

OP, you also have the exact same hard drive I now have that came with my MacBook. Do you happen to live near Yonkers, and ship a MacBook to Utica?

I think we were meant to meet over coffee. Just sayin'...