Can't afford intel mac and don't want a pc, PPC beat a new PC?

[Johnny7]

Hey guys, I was planning on getting a computer for media/little gaming and after I got my powerbook, I fell in love with the Mac OS operating system and I feel that I would be downgrading if I bought a desktop pc . Could you guys please tell me what powerpc macintosh could handle these needs and also if a PC could out due the powerpc..

(btw, the mac I had in mind was a powermac g5 dual processor or more, maxed ram etc.)

-HD video editing
-HD YouTube/Hulu/Heavy flash content
-Gaming.. I feel embarrassed to admit but I play runescape..heh, anyone know if it could handle full screen HD?
-Speedy, by this I mean, if it could do the same as a modern day PC does that also mean that it could beat a PC in speed rather then just completing the task.

Also.. Is it even worth it? I'd enjoy having a used powerpc mac over a brand new pc but don't want to fork out nearly $500 on it when I can buy a brand new pc that can do even more .

Please give me opinions, options etc. I am open to almost anything! Really would like a reliable and long lasting system.

Thanks guys!

 

[spinnerlys]

A G5 PowerMac could handle most of the tasks, albeit a bit slow.
Runescape should run, but the HD video editing and HD YouTube part might be a bit slow.

You can look into Hackintoshs:

InsanelyMac Forum
Hardware Database
OSx86 Project - the undisputed leader in information regarding OS X on x86 hardware and Apple's Intel transition.

 

[alust2013]

You won't find a PPC Mac that can keep up with new PCs, unless you look at maybe the G5 quad. Fastest PPC machine made, only problem is no snow leopard. HD video editing won't be as fast as on a new quad core PC though (although finding a quad pc for less than $500 wouldn't be easy)

 

[PowerGamerX]

A Quad G5 can't beat a last generation Mac Mini most of the time. I see 2.26ghz ones for around 500 all the time. Thats cheaper than most G5 Quads anyway.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Don't bother. I know it's very tempting to get a PPC, but you'll be stuck in Leopard. It's not only the fact that they've stopped making programs for PPC, it's that the developers have moved onto Snow Leopard, and next year, they'll be moving on. You'd be two or three years behind at that rate.

You're better off making a Hackintosh.

 

[CubeHacker]

You won't find a PPC Mac that can keep up with new PCs, unless you look at maybe the G5 quad. Fastest PPC machine made, only problem is no snow leopard. HD video editing won't be as fast as on a new quad core PC though (although finding a quad pc for less than $500 wouldn't be easy)

My friend purchased a quad core HP desktop back in 2008 for $499. So it certainly is easy.

 

[leekohler]

As much as I hate to say it, don't do it. Find an inexpensive used Intel mac. I would not waste time or money at this point on a PPC Mac.

But if you do it, definitely get the quad G5.

 

[iThinkergoiMac]

I agree, don't waste your money buying PPC, get a used Intel Mac.

 

[Sun Baked]

Always a current refurb Mini, or a used Intel Mini.

 

[raysfan81]

Get a newer mac or something running Windows. PPC is still very good for backup computers and for most tasks but if you need newer programs they aren't for you. Though my MDD is still faster than my top-of-the line 2009 hp laptop , I say go for something a bit newer for your main computer and maybe get a few older ones if you have some hobbyist in you.

 

[MacHamster68]

the answer is simple , and answered with a question why you need to run heavy flash as flash is on its last legs it's as outdated as the flintstone is for making fire , html5 /H264 is the future



http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/blog/2010/apr/29/steve-jobs-flash-ipad-letter-dead

 

[OrangeSVTguy]

Every day tasks you will not notice any difference between a late '05 G5 and a current Mac Mini. If you go by geekbence numbers(what most people do) my Mini just missed my G5 by a few hundred points. When it comes to encoding my videos, there's no comparison between the two. The G5 wins hands-down when I encode my movies in Handbrake.

But I would recommend a Mini anyways. Great little machines, once you throw a little upgrades to them

 

[Hellhammer]

Refurb Mini is 429$, that leaves you money to upgrade the RAM to 4GB.

http://www.refurb.me/

A PC will definitely beat Mini in terms of performance, take a look at Hackintoshing

 

[drewdle]

I think others have the right idea. Most entry-level Intel Macs will handle what the G5 Quad could do, only faster. They'd also be arguably more reliable.

If this is a production (i.e. business depends on it) machine, DO NOT Hackintosh. I may take flak for this, but I'm going to say it anyways: using third-party modified software on hardware that it's not designed to support is asking for problems. Apple designs OS X around Mac hardware, and while PCs are now very similar to Mac hardware, you're still going to run into problems updating, problems getting certain hardware to work, etc. As an experimental thing it's great, but until Apple lets regular X86 hardware owners buy Mac OS (which ought to be around the same time we can have a ice-skating party in the underworld) I wouldn't recommend it.

Besides, cheap Mac Minis! Try and find one with the Nvidia 320M in it, those will have no problem with HD anything.

 

[sysiphus]

Big-picture, a used Intel mini will be a better value than a high-end G5 tower. With that said, a lower-end G5 tower will still perform competently enough for basic use, and offers expansion slots, more flexible graphics options (multi-monitor, for example), a higher RAM ceiling, and larger/faster/multiple internal hard drives. All of this will be cheaper, too. A dual-1.8 G5 can probably be had for a bit less than a Mini. The high-end duals/quad G5 aren't worth the money they command, except for those who MUST use Classic apps or have a particular desire for PowerPC (The G5 is still hard to beat for some specialized computations). It's easy to see where my bias is. I love the G5 towers. With that said, for your typical general-purpose user, I'd have to recommend an Intel box...sigh. Bottom line, be perfectly realistic/honest about your intended use/duration of use before replacement.

(Personally, I don't care that WoW is going to phase out PowerPC support this year, or that you can't get the latest Creative Suite or iLife on PowerPC. My typical use is Matlab (older license that works fine on PowerPC), Mathematica, Office (Office '08 does just fine), Mail.app, Firefox, and iTunes, with a little Lineage thrown in on the side. For all of this, a G5 is fine, and I only plan on using the machine for the next couple years (rewarding myself with a new Mac Pro roughly a decade after getting into my first G5 tower).)

 

[jaykk]

My friend purchased a quad core HP desktop back in 2008 for $499. So it certainly is easy.

I have exactly similar machine, bought around same time for same price. But after using it couple of years(works like a champ, 4 cores etc, minor issues with Power Management, sound etc, still a big hassle for many), I won't recommend $499 hackintosh to anyone. I will rather go with a Mac Mini refurbished.

 

[JaguarGod]

I love my Quad G5 and I use it everyday for most of my tasks. But, as much as it pains me to say it though, unless you can get an absolutely unbelievable deal on a Quad G5, I would find an intel based Mac. I think being able to run Snow Leopard is a big deal for future use and it really is a very smooth and fast OS. I still run Tiger on my Quad and my other PPC Macs because I seem to have better luck on speed with it. But Leopard seems to run fine on them also.

It took me a while to come around to the intel Macs from the PPC, but since I have taken the plunge and now have a few of them, they really are nice with Snow Leopard and knowing that any new software released for the Mac I will be able to use is good also.

Good luck in finding Your Mac.

 

[VanneDC]

for anything /other/ than hobby stay AWAY from hackingtosh.. its a feakin nightmare updating, even with vanlina kernel..

 

[Paulywauly]

You may pay slightly more for an intel mini than you would for the G5, but you also need to factor in the running costs and life of the machine. A G5 is going to use ALOT more power than an Intel Mini and isnt going to be as useful for as long if you need up to date software. The Mini is more likely to stay useful for longer too

 

[max¥¥]

Hey guys, I was planning on getting a computer for media/little gaming and after I got my powerbook, I fell in love with the Mac OS operating system and I feel that I would be downgrading if I bought a desktop pc . Could you guys please tell me what powerpc macintosh could handle these needs and also if a PC could out due the powerpc..

(btw, the mac I had in mind was a powermac g5 dual processor or more, maxed ram etc.)

-HD video editing
-HD YouTube/Hulu/Heavy flash content
-Gaming.. I feel embarrassed to admit but I play runescape..heh, anyone know if it could handle full screen HD?
-Speedy, by this I mean, if it could do the same as a modern day PC does that also mean that it could beat a PC in speed rather then just completing the task.

Also.. Is it even worth it? I'd enjoy having a used powerpc mac over a brand new pc but don't want to fork out nearly $500 on it when I can buy a brand new pc that can do even more .

Please give me opinions, options etc. I am open to almost anything! Really would like a reliable and long lasting system.

Thanks guys!

well i have a dp 2.5 with 3 gb of ram,
i can't advise about video editing as i have never done it
g5 handles flash fine, heck my 1.2 g4 could play runescape in fullscreen (with my ridiculous res for a 19" screen)
as for general speed everyone says intel trashes ppc but my 500mhz g3 ibook is just as fast for day to day tasks as my dads 2.53 macbook

 

[omnibusfilms]

not a powermac g5

i was a proud owner of a powermac g5 for 5 1/2 years. I would not buy a used one, it will only break your heart. The reason i say this is the the last 2 years mine was shaky. I am very technically inclined and had that damn thing apart every six months trying to figure out what was wrong with it this time. If its the original power supply in the machine, forget it, or buy one with the machine. Its going to fail. As far as speed is concerned, get a PC, or refurbished intel imac. Any processor made in the last 3 years will run circles around the PPC G5. Also cheaper to fix, not act as a space heater, and much quieter. I use final cut studio and other apple only programs, so i'm married to for awhile. If you don't want to upgrade anything other than memory or hdd, then go for it, but i would recommend sticking with tiger. Leopard kicked my G5 right in the huevos, and it was never the same afterward.
My dual 533mhz wind tunnel g4 still runs like the day i bought it brand new, go figure.
imac i3 2010, no yellow

 

[disconap]

Disagree on the fail end, I'm still running a first gen G5 as a back-up graphics machine/torrent server. Runs just fine.

HOWEVER, IMO if you need something for more than a couple years you should get a low-end PC and put Linux on it. It breaks my heart to say, but the PPC machines are at the end of their lives. They will continue to work mostly the same for quite some time, but software development has finally completely abandoned them, so they won't get any better in future.

Also, most G5s won't do well with HD video editing (though a better GPU and maxxing RAM does help). You won't be able to run a newer version of After Effects, as it's been Intel only since at least CS4, I think even earlier than that.

 

[chrismacguy]

Id agree with the others: Used Mac Mini or possibly even an older iMac (Ive got my White iMac, which has been in full time use, and will continue to be until my Pro arrives, for encoding video. Even my 1.83 CD iMac outperforms my friends admittedly lower-end Dual 2.0G5 for most tasks, and Id definitely look into an Intel mac, as any Consumer Mac from the last 2-3 years will be similar to even the Quad G5 (My '08 MB geekbenches to a G5 Quads level)