Can I make this work?

Discussion in 'Mac Pro' started by johntommybob, Nov 5, 2010.

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  1. johntommybob, Nov 5, 2010

    johntommybob macrumors member

    Joined:
    Sep 5, 2006
    #1
    I have a G4 cube with a 17" Apple studio CRT display (clear plastic), and a new apple Key board. The Cube power converter is starting to go bad. but I have it on life support with a small fan to cool it. There is this guy with 2 Power Mac G5 computers for sale.

    This is one:
    -Dual 2.7Ghz PowerPC G5
    -ATI Radeon 9650 256MB VRAM (2x DVI output)
    - 1.5GB PC3200 RAM (Upgradable to 8GB)
    -200GB SATA Harddrive
    -DVD-RW super drive
    -Mac OS 10.5.8
    -All software up to date as of 10-29-2010

    This is the other:
    -1.8 Ghz PowerPC G5
    -NVidia FX5200 64MB VRAM (1x DVI output 1x ADC)
    - 1.5GB PC3200 RAM (Upgradable to 8GB)
    -200GB SATA Harddrive
    -DVD-RW super drive
    -Mac OS X 10.5.8
    -All software up to date as of 10-29-2010

    He says one will work with my display: the 1.8Ghz, but the other won't because it doesn't have the right graphics card.

    I plan to buy a Macbook pro, but I would still like to have a desk top, and this way I could use my keyboard, mouse and display.
    Could the faster unit be made to work, and what are they worth?

    The computers came from government offices. He gets them and puts new hard drives in them and sells them. I think the old hard drives are removed for security reasons.
     
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  2. DualShock, Nov 5, 2010

    DualShock macrumors 6502

    Joined:
    Jun 29, 2008
    #2
    Though I don't have any experience with G5's, I'd be a bit wary about the faster model. The 2.5 GHz and 2.7 GHz models used liquid cooling, and tend to have coolant leakage problems.

    Any other G5, 2.3 GHz or slower, has air cooling and would be a better long term bet.
     
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  3. Transporteur, Nov 5, 2010

    Transporteur macrumors 68030

    Joined:
    Nov 30, 2008
    Location:
    UK
    #3
    If I were in the market for a G5, I'd buy a late 2005 model with either 2 or 2.3GHz. Both of them are air cooled, use DDR2 RAM (cheaper to upgrade than DDR RAM and have PCIe slots which makes upgrading a little easier.

    I had the 2GHz late 2005 once, upgraded to 8GB RAM and a 256MB Nvidia 6600. Nice machine, no question, but not comparable to a MBP. Even the slowest MBP is considerably faster than the G5. Still very capable of most office tasks, though.
     
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  4. kellen, Nov 5, 2010

    kellen macrumors 68020

    kellen

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2006
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    #4
    If you are going to be buying a MacBook pro, I would just sell everything and buy the Mbp and a new external monitor. It will be faster than either and you have the luxury of having one machine and not having to keep them synced.
     
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  5. johntommybob, Nov 5, 2010

    johntommybob thread starter macrumors member

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    Sep 5, 2006
    #5
    Thanks! I'm sure you are right. It's just that I'm an old geezer burdened with the rather ancient habit of hating to throw stuff away that still works. :(

    I've still got an old Color Classic Mac that I ran my business on before I retired.
    It's still chugging along, though seldom used.

    Keeping up with the times is not easy for some of us.
     
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