I need help. I'm trying to decide whether or not to buy a 1.6 Ghz G5 with the Radeon 9600 upgrade or stick with my Dual 1Ghz G4 with the Radeon 9000. I'm a designer running apps like Photoshop, Illusrator, Flash, etc. I've seen all kinds of tests on these applications but what about the normal functions like rebooting time, copying, etc. Basically just using Panther. Would the G5 be better? What the iLife apps? Do these utilize the MP? I've been debating this forever and I need to make a decision ASAP to sell what I've got if I'm going to do it.
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G4 Dual 1Ghz vs. 1.6 Ghz G5
- Thread starter peiji
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I have a dual G5 at work. AMAZING machine!!!!
My opinion is biased but i say go G5 i think they are incredible machines and panther only made them better.
If i didn't need a laptop's portability i would have bought a G5 1.8 for home.
I would also recommend the 1.8ghz over the 1.6ghz, the extra speed, and better expandability of this machine is worth the extra $300. I also remember seeing benchmarks of this machine scoring better in most tests than the dual 1.4 G4 powermac.
My opinion is biased but i say go G5 i think they are incredible machines and panther only made them better.
If i didn't need a laptop's portability i would have bought a G5 1.8 for home.
I would also recommend the 1.8ghz over the 1.6ghz, the extra speed, and better expandability of this machine is worth the extra $300. I also remember seeing benchmarks of this machine scoring better in most tests than the dual 1.4 G4 powermac.
I would say the only G5 worth upgrading to from a dual 1GHz G4, would be the dual 2GHz G5, and personally, unless I really needed the extra power, I'd wait until a dual 2.5-3GHz G5 before upgrading. I'd reckon that your dual 1GHz G4 will be as fast, if not faster than a 1.6GHz G5, and not far at all off a 1.8GHz G5, maybe even faster in dual CPU aware apps.
So in short, keep what you have, you're just throwing money down the drain with an "upgrade" to a 1.6GHz (or even 1.8GHz) IMO.
So in short, keep what you have, you're just throwing money down the drain with an "upgrade" to a 1.6GHz (or even 1.8GHz) IMO.
Doh! outnumbered...
I heavily disagree and believe the G5 1.8 would run circles around the dual 1ghz G4.
The 1.6 may be 'on par' with a dual 1.42 g4 but would still outperform a dual 1ghz g4.
In the barefeats tests, the 1.8 G5 had a significant advantage in all but the MP aware action file test. However in the NON - mp action file test, it greatly redeemed itself.
As near as i can tell the G5's even in single processor form have a major advantage over the G4, alot of it probably due to the superior architecture surrounding it.
See the results here:
http://www.barefeats.com/g5.html
I heavily disagree and believe the G5 1.8 would run circles around the dual 1ghz G4.
The 1.6 may be 'on par' with a dual 1.42 g4 but would still outperform a dual 1ghz g4.
In the barefeats tests, the 1.8 G5 had a significant advantage in all but the MP aware action file test. However in the NON - mp action file test, it greatly redeemed itself.
As near as i can tell the G5's even in single processor form have a major advantage over the G4, alot of it probably due to the superior architecture surrounding it.
See the results here:
http://www.barefeats.com/g5.html
Yeah save your money, your machine is still good.
If you really need a speed boost get more Ram.
The G5 Model you mentioned is only going to be marginally faster if any at all.
If you really need a speed boost get more Ram.
The G5 Model you mentioned is only going to be marginally faster if any at all.
A Dual 1ghz G4 is fine... wait till the faster Dual G5's come out. The only reason the G5 1.8 rules circles around the 1ghz G4 is because its 800mhz faster, plus the extra internal bandwidth.
Wow is that the understatement of the year. I guess i'll play devils advocate again... :-D
I would say the 1.8 G5 is faster cause well, its overall a faster machine...
900mhz bus,
pc3200 ddr ram
8x AGP graphics
Serial ATA
Faster Processor.
on the expandability side. It's expandable to 8gb of ram and has pci-x slots. While you may not need these features immediately if you plan on having this computer long term, these will be beneficial to you.
Re: G4 Dual 1Ghz vs. 1.6 Ghz G5
I think that the Single G5/1.6 will be faster than the Dual G4/1.0 except in apps that are multithreaded (MP aware), are not memory bandwidth limited, and use only integer and/or vector code. The set of apps that fits this description is not particularly large. However, initial benchmarks make the Dual G4/1.0 look relatively good (though still frequently slower than the G5/1.6) because almost no apps have been recompiled yet so that they are scheduled for the PPC 970 core (G5) instead of the MPC 745x core (G4). This will likely be a completely different story by next summer, and by that time the G5/1.6 will win in almost everything except that small subset of apps I mentioned at the beginning.
That said, while the G5/1.6 is a great machine, I would personally wait until the next revision if I were you. It sounds like your current machine meets your needs, and I would guess that the next rev will come by February or maybe even earlier (though who really knows...still, that would be my best guess). By that time you will probably be able to get a single processor G5/2.0 for the same price as the current G5/1.6, and that will *definitely* outrun the Dual G4/1.0 in everything. So why not just wait a couple months?
P.S. I currently have a Dual G5/2.0, and it is an AWESOME machine. By far the best computer I have ever owned (relative to its peers...of course it's the best in an absolute sense, but that would be true even if it sucked just cuz it is newer than all my previous machines). So I definitely do not have any bias against the G5...just saying that if you wait a few months it will probably be even sweeter.
I think that the Single G5/1.6 will be faster than the Dual G4/1.0 except in apps that are multithreaded (MP aware), are not memory bandwidth limited, and use only integer and/or vector code. The set of apps that fits this description is not particularly large. However, initial benchmarks make the Dual G4/1.0 look relatively good (though still frequently slower than the G5/1.6) because almost no apps have been recompiled yet so that they are scheduled for the PPC 970 core (G5) instead of the MPC 745x core (G4). This will likely be a completely different story by next summer, and by that time the G5/1.6 will win in almost everything except that small subset of apps I mentioned at the beginning.
That said, while the G5/1.6 is a great machine, I would personally wait until the next revision if I were you. It sounds like your current machine meets your needs, and I would guess that the next rev will come by February or maybe even earlier (though who really knows...still, that would be my best guess). By that time you will probably be able to get a single processor G5/2.0 for the same price as the current G5/1.6, and that will *definitely* outrun the Dual G4/1.0 in everything. So why not just wait a couple months?
P.S. I currently have a Dual G5/2.0, and it is an AWESOME machine. By far the best computer I have ever owned (relative to its peers...of course it's the best in an absolute sense, but that would be true even if it sucked just cuz it is newer than all my previous machines). So I definitely do not have any bias against the G5...just saying that if you wait a few months it will probably be even sweeter.
i too have a dual 1ghz powermac g4 and i really dont understand why you would want to upgrade. i have used the g5 and although it may be somewhat faster its rediculous to spend that much money on it. your dual 1ghz machine is amazing. i love this machine and even though the g5's are incredible i have no intention on upgrading for several years. i do video editing and speed is important to me but i have had no issues with the speed of my dual 1ghz g4.
I agree. The G5 would be noticably faster.
Not enough so, however, to warrent an upgrade. Wait until you can afford a dual 2 Ghz, or a dual 2.5 ghz comes out. Upgrading now wouldn't be pointless, but you'd get a very bad cost:benefit ratio if you bought now.
thanks so much guys. I had more of a response than I thought I would. I think I will wait until sometime next year for an upgrade. I love getting something bigger and better but I'm satisfied with the G4 as well. BTW, I currently have 768 MB RAM right now. Do you think I could increase performance that much by adding another 512?
just like the majority here, i'd suggest waiting until you can get more for your money and make the purchase of a new CPU significantly better than your current machine, not marginally. as for the RAM, it never hurts! not sure if it you would notice any major improvements, but more is always better. perhaps something to hold you off until MWSF