iMac G5 or iMac Core Duo?

[Greg D!]

Ok I'm having a pretty big dilemma at the moment.

I need a new iMac for music production, within the next week. My options are as follows:

1: Get the G5, and run all of the apps I curently own without a hitch.

2: Get the Core Due, and wait until mid-summer to get my hands on the Universal Binary versions of such apps, possibly having to buy them again, or pay a fee for the update.

Keep in mind that I'm not doing anything like recording bands and such, I'm merely fabricating electronic dance music using CPU intensive virtual synthesizers and such.

My 1.33ghz iBook G4 just cant keep up anymore. While using my favorite synth, the cpu meter pegs instantly to 50%. I really need the extra horsepower, asap!

 

[MIDI_EVIL]

Why don't you get either a used Powermac G5 from ebay, dual processor (for the same price or less than a new iMac G5) or wait until mid summer when all the glitches are ironed out and the UB's are in place.

Dual is a definate.

I have the same interests as you, i want to create electronic music (fan of aphex twin, jackson and his computer band, squarepusher) but it's too much to ask of my G4 Powerbook.

Rich.

 

[mkrishnan]

Why don't you get either a used Powermac G5 from ebay, dual processor (for the same price or less than a new iMac G5) or wait until mid summer when all the glitches are ironed out and the UB's are in place.

I would also recommend considering the used route, including a used iMac G5 option (the PMG5s aren't really flying out of owners' hands because of Intel yet...I think that will come in about six to ten months). If you can do what you want with an iMac G5 / 17", you can get a lovely machine for a very reasonable price. I'm biased in the sense that I just did exactly that, but I still think it can be an outstanding deal.

 

[XFreak]

Be careful of the intel...

As an iMac Intel 1.86Ghz owner, my advice would be to check out exactly what you need to run... because I'm personally finding that rosetta doesn't run a lot of the apps that I use daily... making me consider getting rid, and going back to the PowerPC version.

I'm sure in time this will be sorted out, but right now, the hardware is ready before the software...

 

[cemorris]

the cpu meter pegs instantly to 50%. I really need the extra horsepower, asap!

If it's only 50%, I would stick with what you got until all the correct binaries are out that you need. I would not worry until it starts aproaching 90%.