Doubts before buying a new Powermac

[sd_diver]

I guess I'm one

I agree with this as well - how many users would fill up all their RAM slots, have 4 GBs of RAM, and be kicking themselves that they didn't have more? How many PowerMac users actually have more than 4 GB of RAM installed in their machines, I'd like to know...

I'd also like to know where they get the money from to buy four 1 GB sticks of RAM.... (At least the prices are finally coming down on those modules...)

That would be me! Four 1 gb sticks were $88 each. These, plus the two 256 mb sticks that came in the machine give me a total of 4.5 gb with 6 of 8 slots full. The new Photoshop CS2 can use up to 3.5 gb - just what I need when manipulating 16 megapixel 16 bit images.

 

[propropro]

I would go with the Dual G5 2.0 with the 6800 card. So much of Tiger and Lion? will utilize Quartz Extreme and CoreImage in the GPU that there's no reason to get the high performance video card.

If you feel you can upgrade later, then by all means get the Dual 2.3 with the 8GB RAM expansion capability and buy a 6800 or whatever card comes out in the future as your needs change. This may be the best course to take if you're on a budget.

As much as I would like to have such a powerful card as the 6800 (I recognize I don't need all that graphical power, but it's always welcomed), I think I will buy the dual 2.3 PM. Yes I'm on budget so maybe in a year I will upgrade the graphic card. I suppose I can live with the 9650 for some time. As someone has already told, the graphic card can be upgraded but the processor can't. And this has to be a computer that lasts me for many years.
Thank you very much for your answers, they have been all appreciated.

 

[Mord]

dual 2.3GHz powermac then save up for a x800 XT, graphics card you can upgrade cpu and ram slots you cant, you will be fine with a 9650.

 

[~Shard~]

That would be me! Four 1 gb sticks were $88 each. These, plus the two 256 mb sticks that came in the machine give me a total of 4.5 gb with 6 of 8 slots full. The new Photoshop CS2 can use up to 3.5 gb - just what I need when manipulating 16 megapixel 16 bit images.

Cool, I stand corrected! And as I said, with the piece of those 1 GB sticks going down, this will probably be more and more commonplace.

Nice system by the way.

 

[wiseguy27]

is this ever easy???

[Note: I have no experience with Macs. I'm a full time PC user.]

I waited for the rev B 2.0GHz model to become cheaper and after the recent announcements about the new PMs I thought my wait is over and that I would go ahead and buy it!

Along comes propropro (MR user) to open another can of worms. Now I'm caught in the same dilemma about the expandability to 4GB vs. 8GB, although I would like to save money too (while getting a very good system). The price difference for the configurations I'm looking at for the 2.3GHz and the 2.0GHz models comes to around USD400. I'm not too sure now whether I'd like to go for a system that can expand to only 4GB - I have the same intentions as propropro - I want a system that I can use (without feeling that it's very sluggish) for several years. And I think in a couple of years RAM prices would be a lot cheaper, allowing me to add more easily - moreover, I also feel (from my PC experience) that the continuous evolution of software calls for a RAM upgrade every 2-3 years.

Maybe I should just toss a coin and accept destiny.

Any thoughts on the "amount of RAM" required (say 4 years down the line), the future of RAM prices etc. based on your ownership and usage of Macs? My usage would be similar to propropro's (some photo stuff and some video editing - not any professional work. I do not like to work with systems that "crawl" for every activity).

 

[~Shard~]

Any thoughts on the "amount of RAM" required (say 4 years down the line), the future of RAM prices etc. based on your ownership and usage of Macs? My usage would be similar to propropro's (some photo stuff and some video editing - not any professional work. I do not like to work with systems that "crawl" for every activity).

1 GB RAM will be the new agreed minimum, how much will be required is anyone's guess, you could ask that same question now and argue over it. As for RAM prices, as always, they'll go down, that one's a no-brainer.

 

[Mord]

1 GB RAM will be the new agreed minimum, how much will be required is anyone's guess, you could ask that same question now and argue over it. As for RAM prices, as always, they'll go down, that one's a no-brainer.

1GB is hardly the minimum, i hace mercury messenger safari ichat mail photoshop colloque pages and activity moniter open and have 125MB free out of 640MB

 

[~Shard~]

1GB is hardly the minimum, i hace mercury messenger safari ichat mail photoshop colloque pages and activity moniter open and have 125MB free out of 640MB

You're right, 1 GB is hardly the minimum right now (256 MB could arguably be) hence why I said it will be the new minimum - please read more carefully. The poster was asking about RAM requirements in 4 years time, and I was simply stating that 1 GB will be a minimum recommended amount around that time. As I said, read a bit closer before replying next time.

 

[sd_diver]

I'm confused...

...Along comes propropro (MR user) to open another can of worms. Now I'm caught in the same dilemma about the expandability to 4GB vs. 8GB, although I would like to save money too (while getting a very good system). ...

Okay - the revB 2.0 is cheaper than the new rev C 2.0 <i>and</i> it has 8 dimm slots. What you give up is the faster dual layer burner (~$70) and one poor gpu for anoth (9600 vs 5200 ultra). If you ever think you'll need the ram slots, your choices are the new 2.3 or the older 3.0. If you don't, then go for the new 2.0 - the extra $100 that is costs will give you a slightly better gpu and an impractical dvdr (at least until the double layer media becomes affordable)

SD Diver