Apple Releases New PowerMacs

[aafuss1]

Very good update:
-1.All dual processors lineup (excellent for say Apple Motion) similar to when in 2002, they had a all dual lineup with the G4
-9600XT Graphics
- It seems the G5 used is made on a 90nm process

 

[MrSugar]

why would someone buy a dual 1.8 g5? with 1/2 the hard drive space(80gb instead of 160), 1/2 the ram capacity (4gb instead of 8gb), 1/2 the actual ram it comes with (256mb), and crappier PCI's (PCI, instead of PCI-X) , and what do u get in exchange of all that? oooh la la an 8x superdrive... thats crap.. im soo happy i bought the older dual 1.8 g5

Because you save about $550

 

[fishtank22]

Delete this bookmark

Enough!!!
I'm deleting this site from my bookmarks.

 

[pjkelnhofer]

As you can see, Better graphic cards in these applications will perform much better, expecially at higher resolutions. A G5 system released this month, should not have what now is "Bare minimum" hardware to run these applications.

Of course better graphics cards will make it run better. So will more RAM, a faster FSB and a faster processor this is always true.

I have no idea what you want Apple to put in the G5's for a video card. The 9600XT and 9800XT are the fastest video that are made for Macs. When ATI or nVIDIA come out with faster cards then they can do something. Right now, it doesn't not make sense for Apple to put the top of the line card in any machine because they would not only lose the premium they make on the upgrade to the 9800XT but also have an awful lot of people "downgrading" to the 9600XT so they can get a Dual 2.5GHz for $2699.

I don't see how the G5 is the bare minimum when both Maya and motion will run a G4 with lesser cards.

 

[-hh]

Give me a single G5 headless iMac for under 1200. I'll buy one right now. My G4 450 (1999!) is almost unusable and Mom is not buying my computers anymore. H e l p

Has anyone told you to stop whining yet?

If you think your G4/450 is so pitiful, I'll swap you my 7500/132 and 8600/400 for it, which is what I was using up until ~9 months ago, when I picked up the 1st Generation SP 1.8 G5.


Either bite the bullet, or spit it out. Gnawing on it will give you lead poisoning.


-hh

 

[Hattig]

Okay then. I did rate this positive despite not being as impressed as I was hoping to be.

Facts:

All Dual Lineup for the professional machine : GOOD
Top End is 25% faster (clockspeed) : GOOD
However 12% on average in benchmarks : POOR SCALING
Graphics Cards : WEAK by default, expensive to upgrade

Lack of internal HD expansion is still an issue. Maybe Apple will release an external Firewire 800 drive enclosure in the G5 styling to sort this out?

Hopes:

Rumours suggested a single 1.6 and 1.8 machine in addition. I'm hoping that these will be new consumer machines, "iPowerMacs" single processor, slightly cheaper case, nothing fancy, not an all-in-one though. This, or the new iMac.

I don't expect a 3GHz PowerMac now until next January. Then I expect:

Dual 2.2
Dual 2.5
Dual 3.0

Hopefully not with a FX5200 as the baseline graphics card!

 

[paulypants]

ugh

Looks like I'm keeping my G4 for awhile more....

 

[zimv20]

My guess is the slower models are the old 130 nm systems. I can't find anywhere that it says 1.8 and 2.0 are 90 nm.

if you go here and open the Power Mac G5 Tech Overview pdf, you'll find this:

The PowerPC G5 is fabricated in one of IBM’s world-class semiconductor manufacturing facilities. It uses 90-nanometer circuitry with more than 400 meters (1300 feet) of ultrathin copper wiring—less than 1/1000 the width of a human hair.

i don't think that's conclusive, but it's more data.

 

[invaLPsion]

Thats what my wife is saying, should wait to see how they cripple the new Imac. I was going to order today but i guess she and you are right. History shows Apple will cripple Imac and that Imac never has a better video system then Powermac. Right now though im planning on a silver Aurora with AMDs 64 3400 with hyperthreading and has a 1600 mhz bus! mate a X800(256) to this and its going to be awesome. comes with 512 ram standard. Many have said it but Powermacs video and memory are pathetic in this day and age but i guess someone has to pay for Steve's millions and his Jet he flys around in. It aint going to be me unless he release a much better Imac. New powermacs after a year are a dissappointment. Could he surprise us by making Imac something better? I wonder

Look at Falcon Northwest, first. I hate Alienware.

 

[numediaman]

I don't expect a 3GHz PowerMac now until next January. Then I expect:

Dual 2.2
Dual 2.5
Dual 3.0

Hopefully not with a FX5200 as the baseline graphics card!

This is hilarious. Back in January everyone was speculating about the new G5s to be introduced at MacWorld SF.

Now, six months later we have speculation about whether we will have G5 updates in January 2005!

Here's my prediction -- new G5s across the board by the end of the millennium.

 

[Multimedia]

Yes The Overview Does Imply All Are 90 nm. Does That Mean All Are 970fx?

if you go here and open the Power Mac G5 Tech Overview pdf, you'll find this: "It uses 90-nanometer circuitry"

i don't think that's conclusive, but it's more data.

Thank you. Yes, The Overview Does Imply All Are 90 nm. Does That Mean All Are 970fx?

And what are the benefits of the 970fx over the original 970?

 

[dex22]

Video cards...

I've drawn conclusions on these low-rated video cards.

They do not fit in any other model than the PMs. Apple has an inventory of them. They know they're undesirable. Best to bundle them with a new PM model to clear them out on a sales burst, then update the cards later when you drop the ADC connector and do the next clock speed boost.

Since PM sales have been poorer than expected, Apple is bound to be sitting on a good number of ordered but not sold video cards it needs to clear out or write off. Including them with an intermediate model release like this is the only opportunity they have - it looks like they took it.

Conjecture. No evidence. No facts. Just opinion.

 

[Multimedia]

Buy AppleCare To Guard Against Water Cooling Problems

Being a worrier, I've waited for 'Rev B' machines so problems can be sorted out, and now I really want to get the 2.5 machine.

However, should I be worried about this 'Rev A' water cooling system? How prone to teething troubles is this going to be ... am I going to wake up one morning with my new G5 looking like the the volcano outside the Las Vegas Mirage?

Buy AppleCare To Guard Against Water Cooling Problems. That's my plan.

 

[Macmaniac]

It may not be the best, but I am buying!

Everyone is going to point and laugh at me, but I am going to buy! With student prices I get a 2.0ghz G5 with the 9600 XT as a $40 BTO, and I throw in AppleCare brining my total for student discount to $2543, I already have a monitor I can use, but I am not going to wait another year before Apple releases a new G5, I want to play warcraft 3 without having to sacrifice video quality. iMac's may be in the pipeline but I want to be able to upgrade my RAM and video card so PowerMacs are the way to go for me.
Or maybe If I am lucky I can find a place still selling the un-nuetered 1.8 duals and get one of those.
I'm getting a new computer for summer!

 

[MrCommunistGen]

I'm Dissapointed...

But then again most people are. I was hoping that the Rev B's would kick serious butt, and I guess the 2.5 Dual sorta does... but the 9600XT sucks by modern standards. Even the 9800XT gets beat out by 50% by the new X800Pro which goes for $350-400, the cost of UPGRADING to the 9800XT on the BTO. The X800 XT has almost a 100% speed increase. I've held on to Macs since I was a little kid, while all of my friends have switched to PC's. I would like to continue using Macs because I HATE Windows with a passion (guess who's had to fix my friends' PCs over the years!).

I guess I could go for the dual 1.8 to replace my iMacDV, but an aquaintance of mine has a single 1.8 with a gig of ram and it didn't really seem all that fast. If I went with the 1.8 I'd go for the n'vidia card or maybe the 9600XT... I'm NOT getting ripped off on the 9800XT which is last years news.

Just my shpeal
-MCG

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Look at Falcon Northwest, first. I hate Alienware.

You got to be kidding, they have the number 1 gaming sytems. simply put they are awesome.

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

I've drawn conclusions on these low-rated video cards.

They do not fit in any other model than the PMs. Apple has an inventory of them. They know they're undesirable. Best to bundle them with a new PM model to clear them out on a sales burst, then update the cards later when you drop the ADC connector and do the next clock speed boost.

Since PM sales have been poorer than expected, Apple is bound to be sitting on a good number of ordered but not sold video cards it needs to clear out or write off. Including them with an intermediate model release like this is the only opportunity they have - it looks like they took it.

Conjecture. No evidence. No facts. Just opinion.

Nice conjecture and i think your right, doesnt mean i will wait another year while they are getting their house in order.

 

[fpnc]

Thank you. Yes, The Overview Does Imply All Are 90 nm. Does That Mean All Are 970fx?

And what are the benefits of the 970fx over the original 970?

Yes, the latest Power Mac whitepaper does state that the G5 processor is manufactured on IBM's 90nm fab. However, I don't think that guarantees that the slower 1.8/2.0 GHz systems are using that part. It seems more likely to me that they are using the older PPC970 as was shipped in the original G5s.

As for the differences between the two chips. IIRC there aren't many from a functional perspective. The 970fx apparently has more power-saving modes, but I think that's about it. However, the 970fx consumes less power per MHz and therefore it should run cooler. And eventually, it should be less expensive to manufacture and that should lead to either higher profit margins for Apple and/or less expensive systems for the consumers.

 

[iGary]

And how do you know this please? I can't find any documentation on which processors are used in each model. Thank you for your clarification through documentation with URL link please.

The 2.0 G5 in the X Serves are on the 90nm process.

The 2.5 G5 in the PowerMac is, too.

I'd assume the 1.8 is also a 90nm chip.

But...I could be wrong.

 

[titaniumducky]

I've drawn conclusions on these low-rated video cards.

They do not fit in any other model than the PMs. Apple has an inventory of them. They know they're undesirable. Best to bundle them with a new PM model to clear them out on a sales burst, then update the cards later when you drop the ADC connector and do the next clock speed boost.

Since PM sales have been poorer than expected, Apple is bound to be sitting on a good number of ordered but not sold video cards it needs to clear out or write off. Including them with an intermediate model release like this is the only opportunity they have - it looks like they took it.

Conjecture. No evidence. No facts. Just opinion.

That's a very good point. It makes perfect sense. I was scratching my head until now as to why Apple would commit suicide by making this poor (for a year's wait) lineup sport ooooold graphics cards. It's all so clear now...

 

[JonYo]

Woa, slow down there...

Well I thought about taking that approach. Need to add $45 for the upgrade to the barely usable ATI 9600, Will need to spend another $200+ on 2 512MB chips to bring the RAM up to 1.25 GB. Personally, I'd also have to buy 2 internal SATA drives. The 80GB they ship can hold my music, the OS, and a few programs and documents but not much else. So there's another $300 I'd need for a 160 GB drive and a backup drive. Then I'd still have to give up having 2 opticals and 52X CDR speeds on my DP 867. Nope, for me no temptation to spend that kind of money. And there is no way I am going to spend $2000 in 2004 for a 1.8GHz machine. I don't care if it came with 4 processors.

Woa woa woa! A few things:
1. Calling the ATI 9600 "barely usable" is waaaay off base. No they're not the NEWEST thing on the block, but they are still very good graphics cards.

2. Where are you getting you RAM prices? With a tiny bit of research you can get good name brand (PNI, Kingston, etc) PC3200 1GB modules for about $120 a piece, and 512MB modules for about $59 a piece. So, 2 512MB modules would be about $120 more.

- JonYo

 

[jsw]

... but the 9600XT sucks by modern standards.

Not true. The 9600XT is more than adequate for the vast majority of tasks - including games - that the vast majority of Mac users will attempt.

Granted, it is much slower than state-of-the-art. It does not, however, suck "by modern standards".

 

[iGary]

Right now though im planning on a silver Aurora with AMDs 64 3400 with hyperthreading and has a 1600 mhz bus! mate a X800(256) to this and its going to be awesome. comes with 512 ram standard. Many have said it but Powermacs video and memory are pathetic in this day and age but i guess someone has to pay for Steve's millions and his Jet he flys around in. It aint going to be me unless he release a much better Imac. New powermacs after a year are a dissappointment. Could he surprise us by making Imac something better? I wonder

Good, buy an Alienware and stop bitching already.

Buh bye.

 

[iriejedi]

Stop BASHING the video cards!

The 9800 XT is the best card a Mac owner can buy!!!!! I talked to ATI there are no plans for a mac x800... yet.... Mac Mall was wrong to post it.

So Apple put in the best card options available to APPLE! Yes they are not the best cards produced but that is nVidea and ATI not APPLE!

I would love to be wrong - but ATI and nVidea support my claim... please point out my errors! I want an x800 really really bad! But I'll settle for $270 9800XT with a street price of $400+

Iriejedi

Proud future owner of a 2.5gig machine! (due date Aug 4th)

I've drawn conclusions on these low-rated video cards.

They do not fit in any other model than the PMs. Apple has an inventory of them. They know they're undesirable. Best to bundle them with a new PM model to clear them out on a sales burst, then update the cards later when you drop the ADC connector and do the next clock speed boost.

Since PM sales have been poorer than expected, Apple is bound to be sitting on a good number of ordered but not sold video cards it needs to clear out or write off. Including them with an intermediate model release like this is the only opportunity they have - it looks like they took it.

Conjecture. No evidence. No facts. Just opinion.

 

[Liske]

Woa woa woa! A few things:
1. Calling the ATI 9600 "barely usable" is waaaay off base. No they're not the NEWEST thing on the block, but they are still very good graphics cards.

2. Where are you getting you RAM prices? With a tiny bit of research you can get good name brand (PNI, Kingston, etc) PC3200 1GB modules for about $120 a piece, and 512MB modules for about $59 a piece. So, 2 512MB modules would be about $120 more.

- JonYo

please tell me where you can get the 512s for 59.