iMac updates

[mpowell77]

I'm a college student currently on a G3 ibook 700 dual usb 640 mb ram. I've been getting into video work latley and this setup is a little slow. I've never owned a desktop before but am looking into buying one for my next purchase. Useing the desktop for processor intensive work and the iBook for day to day class activities. I'm not looking at purchasing til late september and I know that it is impossible to predict when a new generation will come out. I'm wondering how many of you believe a new iMac will come out by then and how many think it will be a G5 version? I really don't want to get anything less than a G5 since 64 bit is the future.

 

[jsw]

I'm a college student currently on a G3 ibook 700 dual usb 640 mb ram. I've been getting into video work latley and this setup is a little slow. I've never owned a desktop before but am looking into buying one for my next purchase. Useing the desktop for processor intensive work and the iBook for day to day class activities. I'm not looking at purchasing til late september and I know that it is impossible to predict when a new generation will come out. I'm wondering how many of you believe a new iMac will come out by then and how many think it will be a G5 version? I really don't want to get anything less than a G5 since 64 bit is the future.

By September, one way or another you'll be able to get a cheap G5 (used 1.6, possibly new low-end Power Mac). It is doubtful the iMacs will go to G5s by then (opinions vary) and, as a college student, I'd recommend you get an upgradeable system as opposed to an iMac. iMacs are great (got one), but it's a better investment to buy something you can keep up to date a bit easier. A used or otherwise cheap Power Mac will keep you very happy (and monitors are cheap), whereas an iMac, though stylish, is always going to seem sluggish compared to a comparable generation PowerMac. You've got the iBook for portability (I feel your pain - I have a 400MHz G3 PowerBook). Get something a bit more powerful for a desktop. If there are G5 iMacs by September, still pay close attention to what you get for the money, and likely the iMac wil be overprices for the performance you get.

 

[Savage Henry]

I agree with the timing and the tech details of jsw. When the G5 iMac upgrade will be announced, the graphics card will be slightly under par and the price will be slightly over.

Long term intentions: Powermac to the max of your budget (never go over your budget, for that is silly)

 

[mpowell77]

I have more of a budget than most people would spend but I would like to not spend the max that I'm going to alot for the new desktop. If the lowest end powermac gets dual processors than that's what I'm going to go with. If it doesn't receive dual procs than the middle line powermac is my max budget and wouldn't have money for monitor(s). But then you never know what could happen between now and when I'm ready to purchase, hey I might win the lottery.

 

[Ambrose Chapel]

i don't know if you live in a dorm or not, but the iMac's form factor (assuming a G5 iMac will not be too much bigger) is probably better suited for a sorm room than a tower+monitor