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G5 Quad vs Mac Pro Quad for P-tools

C

cksbcville

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Hi - I am basically trying to build a Pro Tools mixing station. I just purchased a used quad core power pc. I thought I HAD to have the G5 to run the plugins I have - turns out there are updates that work with the plugins and use the same validation key.. so my question is whether people think it is worth it to return the G5 and spend about $500 more to get a intel based machine.

My big worry is that I am investing in a dead technology, I believe the G5 will be able to do everything I want in pro tools, however, I am worried that new plug ins will not be compatible with the G5.

Anyway, I have to decide here in the next few days whether to send this machine back or not - so I would appreciate any thoughts or suggestions. Also, I a fairly new the Macs (just as a disclaimer). I have used windows boxes for a long time - but recently got a lot more serious about music production and switched first to a G4 laptop (which I love and has just run out of power for mixing in pro tools).
 
hackintosh

Hmm.. I had not considered that - how is yours working and would you recommend that solution to someone with decent computer experience but limited Mac experience?

Does it run complex apps (Pro Tools with plugins, Final Cut etc) reliably?
 
hackintosh, as the name implies, requires a lot of "hacking". Most ppl do it for fun, and only some use it as their "main machine". The Mac Pro will be a better choice than a G5 PPC.
 
The Mac Pro will kill a Power Mac G5 at any task. No, a MBA is not as powerful as a G5 quad, the quad G5 is about as powerful as a MBP.
 
Pixellated said:
Heck yes. Your G5 would be owned by even an MBA!
Click to expand...
Or not.

Quad G5 will still toast the MBA, Mini, 2 of the 3 Macbooks, and possibly the other Macbook, baseline Macbook Pro, and baseline iMac depending on whether the apps you use are multi threaded.
 
...wait to get a used one or pull the trigger?

Sounds like I am looking at getting a used Mac Pro (everyone seems to recommend that against the G5) since the new ones are so darn expensive... what is the general take on after market prices dropping in correlation to new Mac Pros? (Seems like they are expecting a new Mac Pro soon.. so should I wait for that and the used prices to drop - or will the used prices not drop for months after the new Mac Pros come out?)

(as you can tell -- I really dont know much about Macs other than that they are great for Pro Tools).
 
Which one

I am goning to assume you mean ProTools LE. Is this with a MBox 2, 003 or what hardware?

Current laptops can do quite alot in Protools LE. My Blackbook 2.0Ghz is close and faster sometimes then my friend's Dual G5.

I also think the Intel chips are more plug-in efficient than the PowerPC machines. I would go for the Intel bc it will last longer.

Check out:

http://www.gearspace.com/board/music-computers/

It's a music production forum.
 
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