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iMac G4... how much should I really pay?

sikkinixx

sikkinixx

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 10, 2005
2,062
0
Rocketing through the sky!
I have a thing for the old G4 iMacs and have always kind of wanted one.

I was thinking of trying to find a cheap used one and play around with it, have it in my office, etc. But really, how much should I spend? Craigslist pricing varies for $60 to $400! I know if I want any practical use, the USB 2.0 models would be nice but most I see are 800mhz and lower, and even those vary in price a lot.

My old university was giving them away a while back I heard since they finally upgraded to intel ones. So sad I missed out.
 
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No more than $300. I paid $450 3 years ago for a 17" 800mhz model. There's no way they could retain the same value this many years later. I sold mine on EBay last year for almost $300. I would recommend getting the USB 2.0 model, I think they're 1ghz? The 800mhz was pretty much unusable but it looked awesome!
 
As you mentioned, look towards the USB 2.0 equipped models, they will be far more useful. I wouldn't pay more than $100 for a 17" model, and even that is pushing it. A friend of mine purchased a 17" 1.25ghz model for $150, but that was over 2 years ago, and it came with airport card, airport base station, keyboard, spakers, everything. Prices should be much lower now.
 
I doubt you will get a 1.25ghz G4 imac for under 250 these days unless the seller has no clue as to what it is.

they are in rather demand still as they are still very usable and can easily run leopard.
 
3 years ago, I paid $300 for my higher-end 17" model with all accessories. This September I paid $100 for the 15" model, again with all accessories. I wouldn't pay near the high-end of that range at all these days, but $100 is more than reasonable for a nice looking and maintained machine.
 
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Is it rare to get the accessories with it now? They all came with speakers I assume which I'm guessing would be hard to find?
 
I bought mine (see my signature) last October for $100 and it came with speakers, keyboard, and mouse - no software though, just what was installed on it....which I quickly trashed.
 
In 2008 I got a 15" G4 iMac (USB 1.1) for $135 with an 802.11b card. About a year ago I got a similarly specced iMac for $40, but it was a 17" model! The person thought the computer was dead, but it just needed a re-install of the OS! :eek: Came with a nice keyboard & mouse too. So you never know! :)
 
I'd defianatly recommend one of the later USB 2 models, even if it costs a little more. They are faster and all compatible with Leopard which still has good software support
 
i got a 700 MHz one with 512 ram, and even the receipt for 20 bucks..... dont pay more than 80 but try to get one that can run leopard, because even if you dont, that power is great!
 
I got a imac G4 15' 1ghz (usb 2.0) 1.25Gb Ram 80GB HD. for trade for my old dell (2003) i did't use since 2007. i put os x leopard in the imac and it moves very fast:)
 
I got one on eBay for $25 (plus another $25 for shipping) that came with Jaguar retail as well as all the original discs (which was cool since the OS9 seems to be universal so I could install it on other Macs) this was the first gen though.

Your best bet might be CL, there is quite a bit of competition for people wanting it for just the amazing design.

One tip is to use one of those magic erasers on the base and back... mine wasn't really that yellowed but it wasn't "Snow White" it's hard to believe how white it is after cleaning it with the magic eraser.
 
Holy crap, I'd snap one up in a second for the prices they're going for in US. Here in the UK you can expect to pay ~$200 or a 1GHz 17"

MAC MAN JW said:
I got a imac G4 15' 1ghz (usb 2.0) 1.25Gb Ram 80GB HD. for trade for my old dell (2003) i did't use since 2007. i put os x leopard in the imac and it moves very fast:)
Click to expand...
Yes, you've made your point that your posts are more important than ours by putting everything in bold, please give it a rest.
 
i just sold my 17 inch 1.25ghz 1.5gb ram (usb2.0) lampy for $430Nz (that said, it was fully upgraded with 250gb HD, superdrive and max ram) and in top nick, original top nic box, manuals speakers etc, just no keyboard/mouse.

so there you go, they do still fetch quite a price.
 
i had a 800MHz and found it to be slow...i would try and hold out for a 1.25MHz model (also comes with 167MHz front side bus) and run leopard on it....

note:can run up to 2 gigs of mem...also might want to change harddrive (i know in my old mac mini G4...adding a new harddrive made all the difference in the world,even more then the added ram i installed...leopard just performed so much better with the faster new drive)
 
VanneDC said:
i just sold my 17 inch 1.25ghz 1.5gb ram (usb2.0) lampy for $430Nz (that said, it was fully upgraded with 250gb HD, superdrive and max ram) and in top nick, original top nic box, manuals speakers etc, just no keyboard/mouse.

so there you go, they do still fetch quite a price.
Click to expand...

They go up to 2GB, if you replace both modules.
 
i'm angry with a mate,because of a iMac G4 , he's a complete imbecile ,
because he bought one last year in Germany from a turkish import export shop for € 700 only ..

OK some might think that price is ridiculous high , but it was a "BRANDNEW" iMac G4 1.25ghz 20" model in a unopend original box still sealed so it was in virgin state , so i think a bargain ....i'm angry because my mate opened the Box and is using the iMac and devalued it by doing so to about €350 or even less as he even scratched it already in the right top of the display :( .....its just a old Mac he said :eek:
 
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