Keep PowerMac G5 or Upgrade

[tytanic11]

I've got a PowerMac G5 with the following specs:
- 2.0 ghz single CPU
- 1.5 gb memory
- 750gb hard drive
- Superdrive

I use the computer for some Photoshop, a little bit of video editing, and occasionally ripping DVDs for playback on my iPod touch. It seems a bit slow when working with video - should I be looking at a Mac Pro ? or will adding additional memory help?

Also, I want to be able to burn dual layer DVDs.. is it possible to buy a DL superdrive and install it ?

 

[Lord Zedd]

Your computer already has a dual layer DVD burner.

 

[tytanic11]

Your computer already has a dual layer DVD burner.

In System Profiler > Disc Burning , it does not list dual layer as a type that can be written.. that's what I was going off of. Will it work anyway?

 

[iGrant]

I've got a PowerMac G5 with the following specs:
- 2.0 ghz single CPU
- 1.5 gb memory
- 750gb hard drive
- Superdrive

I use the computer for some Photoshop, a little bit of video editing, and occasionally ripping DVDs for playback on my iPod touch. It seems a bit slow when working with video - should I be looking at a Mac Pro ? or will adding additional memory help?

Also, I want to be able to burn dual layer DVDs.. is it possible to buy a DL superdrive and install it ?

It seems alot of people are asking this question and here is what I keep telling people. I would recommend keeping your Power Mac G5, its a wonderful computer with plenty of life still in it. Here is what I would do to help speed you your computer however, I would max the ram out.

Here is the link to the ram I got for my Power Mac DUal G5 1.8Ghz:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220030

I love this Patriot Ram and at 29.99 for 1gb stick, its a great price. However keep in mind that in a Power Mac G5 you have to install Ram in pairs. I think the Power Mac G5 2.0Ghz had 8 ram slots . . . can't remember exactly you can just go to System Profiler and look.

Anyways, I would max the ram out, which will either be 4gb or 8gb. If you can put 8 ram sticks in your Power Mac G5, it will only cost your 239.92 plus shipping. I know that should like a lot of money, but the speed increase you will see will amaze you.

My Power Mac Dual G5 1.8Ghz is the model that can take 8 ram slots came with 512mb of ram. Let me tell you, I saw a huge performance increase when I went from 512mb to 2gb. I then saw another increase when I went from 2gb to 4gb and the when I went from 4gb to 8gb, note all using the Patriot ram, I never felt like my Power Mac G5 was bogging down. The G5 had so much ram that it rarely has to use the hard drive as extra ram.

Also I tip for Photoshop, Adobe really recommend you have a second hard drive that can be used as a scratch disk I believe. Here is the link:
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/viewContent.do?externalId=317280

I would get a small secondary hard drive for this Scratch Disk, for example this hard drive from newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148231

I would not use that hard drive for anything except the scratch disk in Photoshop. I do not deal with Photoshop at all really, but my father is a Professional Photographer and he lives in Photoshop. I installed the second hard drive in his Mac for this purpose and he says he say a significant speed increase in Photoshop.

OH if you really want a Dual Layer burner, just get this one from Other World Computing for 32 bucks:
http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Pioneer/DVR115DBK/

*UPDATE* I fixed the wrong links, sorry about that! *UPDATE*


I hope this helps!!!

-iGrant

 

[Firefly2002]

Hm. If you're doing serious video editing, you might be running out of memory, though possibly not. Throwing in another gig or two wouldn't hurt if that's the case.

By single 2.0, I assume you mean a single dual-core 2.0? That's still pretty fast.

Btw, if you're in Tiger, you might want to stay there.... Leopard sped up Intel-based Macs, but slowed down PowerPCs.

And yeah, you should have a dual-layer drive..

P.S., you can put up to 16 GB in a dual-core 2.0 G5. I could absolutely swear it's possible to hit 16 GB with your computer, too, iGrant, even though it wasn't documented by apple... but I could be wrong.

 

[iGrant]

Hm. If you're doing serious video editing, you might be running out of memory, though possibly not. Throwing in another gig or two wouldn't hurt if that's the case.

By single 2.0, I assume you mean a single dual-core 2.0? That's still pretty fast.

Btw, if you're in Tiger, you might want to stay there.... Leopard sped up Intel-based Macs, but slowed down PowerPCs.

And yeah, you should have a dual-layer drive..

I found Leopard to work faster on my Power Mac G5 that Tiger. Also Apple never made a single processor Power Mac G5 2.0Ghz. If his Power Mac is the 2.0Ghz, its a dual processor G5 or a dual core G5.