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I'm ready but a few questions first

U

utilizer

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 12, 2002
154
0
In Atlanta!
After listening to the feedback from everyone regarding the performance of the new PowerBook lines and PowerMac lines, I believe the time has come to finally upgrade to a new machine. I have a BlueChip 500mhz G4 Pismo now, but the dang graphics card holds it back!

I've also taken into account how the potential for the debut of the 970s in later this year, but at the same time remember the hell everyone went through to get their machines to act right when the G4s came out way back when. So it would just make sense to get one later on down the road, rather than now, at least for me. I configured a system the other day at the Apple Store and it came out to be about $5,800 with the 23" HD Display; hey, it's $700 more then the 20" and I get three extra inches of space to work with not to mention a better resolution (not brightness, I know).

But anyways, I was wondering how long do you think that 23" HD display will be in the product line for Apple?

Also, what are the upgrade possibilities for the current G4 towers?

And finally, just a statement: I wanted a G4 17 in. so badly before but it just won't make sense, especially at nearly $4,000 for a newly released design. No thanks, I'll take the tower!

Thanks in advance for feedback.
 
Re: I'm ready but a few questions first

Originally posted by utilizer
I configured a system the other day at the Apple Store and it came out to be about $5,800 with the 23" HD Display; hey, it's $700 more then the 20" and I get three extra inches of space to work with not to mention a better resolution (not brightness, I know).

But anyways, I was wondering how long do you think that 23" HD display will be in the product line for Apple?

Also, what are the upgrade possibilities for the current G4 towers?
Click to expand...

The 23" HD cinema will be around for a while. Its a great display and much cheaper than its competitiors.

The current G4 towers are very expandable. They sky is really the limit in many areas and as i'm sure you know the case is very easy to open. If you give some ideas of how u want to upgrade. I'm sure others will affirm its possible.
 
well the 23" might not be there forever, but it would be replaced by something similarly-sized or bigger...

i wouldn't worry about connecting it to, say, a 970 in a couple of years. there will be some option for it.

can't say much about upgrades on current models...

pnw
 
Originally posted by paulwhannel
well the 23" might not be there forever, but it would be replaced by something similarly-sized or bigger...

i wouldn't worry about connecting it to, say, a 970 in a couple of years. there will be some option for it.

can't say much about upgrades on current models...

pnw
Click to expand...

Not a dual 970 though (at least not cheaply, and not fast). The 970's bus scheme is fundamentally different from the G4's, which hasn't happened since the 601 (The G4 supports both the 60x and MPX protocols). The only way I can imagine hooking a 970 to the current layout is having some sort of bridge chip on the CPU daughtercard that converts from the 970's elastic interface to the G4's MPX bus. That wouldn't come cheaply. If they pulled it off, though, you could make an upgrade that would work on machines all the way back to Sawtooth.

Basically, $5800 is a lot of money for something that has a crappy graphics card, a crappy bus, and a crappy processor. The PowerMac is not competitive and Apple knows it. It's going to be replaced soon. If you need a new machine now, or if reliability is extremely important (if your job depends on it, for example), then get one now. Otherwise, I would wait.
 
Originally posted by Catfish_Man
Not a dual 970 though (at least not cheaply, and not fast). The 970's bus scheme is fundamentally different from the G4's, which hasn't happened since the 601 (The G4 supports both the 60x and MPX protocols). The only way I can imagine hooking a 970 to the current layout is having some sort of bridge chip on the CPU daughtercard that converts from the 970's elastic interface to the G4's MPX bus. That wouldn't come cheaply. If they pulled it off, though, you could make an upgrade that would work on machines all the way back to Sawtooth.

Basically, $5800 is a lot of money for something that has a crappy graphics card, a crappy bus, and a crappy processor. The PowerMac is not competitive and Apple knows it. It's going to be replaced soon. If you need a new machine now, or if reliability is extremely important (if your job depends on it, for example), then get one now. Otherwise, I would wait.
Click to expand...

a crappy graphics card?? The Radeon 9700?? Ok, if that's crap... what would you suggest?
 
Great comments

Thanks a lot for all the feedback; I'm still in awe from the experience yesterday at the Apple Store but I will make this one last concession:
I probably will wait until June 23 so that these issues could possibly be addressed at WWDC. I can then better assess what is immediate at that time for my business needs and what kinds of projects I'll be receiving. I'm doing web design now on the upgraded Pismo and it's showing its age unfortunately.
 
incremental

Why not get the 1GHz for now... and get the 970 in 6-12 months?

$3857 with the 23" and speakers and 1GB of RAM.

Would smoke your current machine, and keep your lost money at a lower amount, assuming you can't / won't wait for the 970 (if it comes).
 
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