Power mac G5

[barefeet]

I have been looking into purchasing a Power Mac G5 (either dual 2.0 or 2.5). I edit photo and video so this seems to be my best option. I have a few questions though:
1) One of my friend's is also looking at getting a G5 and her dad told her that the dual 2.5GHz isn't a 'true 65bit'. Is this true and is he right that the dual 2.0 is the better option?


Thanks!

 

[Chaszmyr]

The dual 2.0 is probably the better (more cost effective) option.

As for it not being true 64 bit.. Total BS. It's not pure 64 bit obviously (none of the G5s are, they can all run 32 bit code), but it is definitely as true of 64 bit as processors come.


(You typed 65bit, but i'm assuming you meant 64bit)

 

[ChrisFromCanada]

And also if your firends dad is so concerned with 64 and is recomending something like and Athalon64 or something like that just tell him longhorn won't be out for quite some time.

 

[justin216]

Current G5 class processors are not true 64-bit because they still process 32-bit natively and at the moment, always process at 32-bit. The G5s can basically read and write 64-bit registers. This works on the same principle as the Athlon 64 processors. When full 64-bit comes into play, these processors won't perform as well as full 64-bit only processors.

And AFAIK, 64-bit processors have been around for a long time, with SUN and all. Obviously, AMD has Opteron processors that are 64-bit only and Intel is about to release a fully 64-bit Itanium class processor, finally leaving the Xeon class totally (Previous Itaniums were built from Xeons). 64-Bit processing isn't going to be a phenomenal jump really. You will be able to process more registers, but with more overhead, software will definitely fill up all those registers. This allows software to become more robust and more effecient.

 

[Mord]

Current G5 class processors are not true 64-bit because they still process 32-bit natively and at the moment, always process at 32-bit. The G5s can basically read and write 64-bit registers. This works on the same principle as the Athlon 64 processors. When full 64-bit comes into play, these processors won't perform as well as full 64-bit only processors.

And AFAIK, 64-bit processors have been around for a long time, with SUN and all. Obviously, AMD has Opteron processors that are 64-bit only and Intel is about to release a fully 64-bit Itanium class processor, finally leaving the Xeon class totally (Previous Itaniums were built from Xeons). 64-Bit processing isn't going to be a phenomenal jump really. You will be able to process more registers, but with more overhead, software will definitely fill up all those registers. This allows software to become more robust and more effecient.

itaniums are like completely different dude they use a different instruction set.

 

[crazzyeddie]

Back on topic... the Dual 2.0 and 2.5ghz models are both utilizing the same kind of 64-bit processor. Pick whichever one suits your needs (and funding) best.

 

[wdlove]

The current problem with 64 bit is that software isn't really being produced to take advantage of the G5's ability. In time that will change, with more G5's it will encourage developers. The 2.5 just happens to use the latest technology with water cooling. You just have to decide what you can afford.

 

[AliensAreFuzzy]

I'd say you should go with the dual 2.0 GHz with more RAM/Better video card. If you're going to be doing video editing and stuff, it'd be better to get the RAM than the upgraded processor

 

[Catfish_Man]

Current G5 class processors are not true 64-bit because they still process 32-bit natively and at the moment, always process at 32-bit. The G5s can basically read and write 64-bit registers. This works on the same principle as the Athlon 64 processors. When full 64-bit comes into play, these processors won't perform as well as full 64-bit only processors.

And AFAIK, 64-bit processors have been around for a long time, with SUN and all. Obviously, AMD has Opteron processors that are 64-bit only and Intel is about to release a fully 64-bit Itanium class processor, finally leaving the Xeon class totally (Previous Itaniums were built from Xeons). 64-Bit processing isn't going to be a phenomenal jump really. You will be able to process more registers, but with more overhead, software will definitely fill up all those registers. This allows software to become more robust and more effecient.

wrong. PowerPC is a 64 AND 32 bit instruction set, and can process either at full speed. The fact that desktop implementations of PowerPC have been 32 bit up until the G5 (except for the ill-fated PPC620) is just an implementation detail, not a limitation of the ISA. Also, Itanium is totally different than Xeon, and has always been 64 bit. 64 bit code won't go any faster (and possibly slower due to increased cache pressure) except in two circumstances. 1) Need to use integers larger than 2 to the 32nd power, 2) Need to use more than 4GB of ram. The Athlon64 line turns on more registers in 64 bit mode, but it's totally unrelated to the bitness. They only did it because they were changing one thing already, so they used the opportunity to fix some of the broken bits of the instruction set.

 

[QCassidy352]

I'd say you should go with the dual 2.0 GHz with more RAM/Better video card. If you're going to be doing video editing and stuff, it'd be better to get the RAM than the upgraded processor

I agree with that.

 

[Hoef]

I'd say you should go with the dual 2.0 GHz with more RAM/Better video card. If you're going to be doing video editing and stuff, it'd be better to get the RAM than the upgraded processor

I can see the RAM part .... More is better. But how would a faster video card improve video editing? I thought rendering et all was done by the processors on the motherboard. Don't you want a faster video card for better game play?

 

[iMax531]

I disagree. I'd go for the 2.5 Now. You can always upgrade the videocard and RAM, but at this point, you'll be stuck at 2.0 ghz as long as you have the computer, vs spending a little more and getting 2.5 ghz.

 

[Mord]

I disagree. I'd go for the 2.5 Now. You can always upgrade the videocard and RAM, but at this point, you'll be stuck at 2.0 ghz as long as you have the computer, vs spending a little more and getting 2.5 ghz.

the cpu's are in sockets so there is no doubt that sonnet, powerlogix and giga designs are working on upgrade cards.

 

[Chaszmyr]

the cpu's are in sockets so there is no doubt that sonnet, powerlogix and giga designs are working on upgrade cards.

I was under the impression that the G5 cooling system may make this impossible.

 

[oingoboingo]

I was under the impression that the G5 cooling system may make this impossible.

There were some hints in an interview with a Sonnet employee on a European Mac site (might have been German?) a few months back that Sonnet was currently working on G5 processor upgrade boards. They said they were waiting for the market to mature a little and wait for demand for upgrades to appear...basically at only 1 year after the PowerMac G5 launch, the total demand for CPU upgrades was still too low to launch a product. With regards to the cooling system, I think the G5 firmware may need updating, or 'thermal recalibration' to deal with a new processor being installed...or so I hear. Please jump in an correct me if anyone else has further details.

Apart from that small piece of information, I think everything else to do with 3rd-party G5 upgrade cards is still heavily based on speculation and rumour. But if someone has any additional information, please post it. I was hoping when I bought my 1.6GHz G5 that one day I would be able to upgrade the CPU (much like G4 PowerMac owners can now), and I'd be interested to learn more of the upgrade vendors' plans.

 

[Jovian9]

How long do you plan on keeping this system? If you plan on having it for awhile then go with the dual 2.5........you'll have time to upgrade the RAM and such, but most likely you will not ever be able to upgrade the processor. If you plan on getting a new system in a year or so then go with the dual 2.0 and up the RAM.

 

[oingoboingo]

How long do you plan on keeping this system? If you plan on having it for awhile then go with the dual 2.5........you'll have time to upgrade the RAM and such, but most likely you will not ever be able to upgrade the processor. If you plan on getting a new system in a year or so then go with the dual 2.0 and up the RAM.

I will be keeping my current G5 for quite a few years. It was a stretch to be able to afford even the single 1.6GHz G5 and stock it with a decent amount of RAM. Buying a dual 2GHz or 2.5GHz system in the next year or two is completely out of the question, barring some type of lottery win. Not only are PowerMacs relatively more expensive here in Australia than they are in the U.S., but we don't have an Apple refurb store or anything equivalent. You either pay full price, or take your chances on eBay.

I'm not desperate for a CPU upgrade any time soon...the 1.6GHz G5 does me just fine, and probably will continue to do so for a considerable period of time. However, after tracking down and Google translating the original German interview with Sonnet on http://www.macgadget.de (http://www.macgadget.de/imgespraech/sonnettech/sonnettech.shtml), it seems pretty clear that Sonnet are indeed planning G5 upgrade kits in the future, and that they anticipate that these will be user-installable. Time will tell.