need new computer, to run pro apps

[treysmay]

Ok, I'm facing some hardships with media work. As of now I just started working at a major design company using photoshop and illustrator on a brand new celeron powered dell. the computer is supplied for free, but is irritatingly slow, I also have a limited and monitored account which we all sign on. My co-workers brought there own various computers to work, because it is allowed and the IT guy comes in and sets up a connection on the server. My boss mentioned I could bring my own laptop to work, which is a 12'' Ibook g4, 1.33ghz and 512 Mbs of ram. it is awfully slow compared to the dell at work, yet light years behind the DP g4s and various g5 powermacs. @ home I use My Ibook to edit video with Imovie, which is even slow (I would like to be using FCS soon). My Ibook is killing me, I am a young working professional, media artist and new media art student. I use my uncles PC for solid works "surface" and "mechanical". I need a computer set up that can handle all of these programs sufficiently. I have briefly tested photoshop CS2 under rossetta and it seemed alright, and have heard that solid works will work. Ok so thats my background and frustration.
My price range is under $3000ca, hopefully $2500ca. could anyone push me in the rite direction with an intel mac. Imac? MBP? mac mini??? wait for macpro??????????

 

[*Y*]

Have you thought about it a Powermac G5? They will be supported for a long time and are pretty powerful machines. Plus all the apps will work natively and if you need the power now I think that is the best way to go.

But hey thats just my opinion.
I admit I love PM G5, so I guess I am a bit biased.

 

[calebjohnston]

I'm going to second the powermac G5 idea. They are incredible computers -- you won't regret it. All professional applications will run at the speeds they're designed to (and then some if you up the RAM a little).

 

[FF_productions]

I third the call for a PowerMac G5, all your adobe apps run natively, and it will be a very long time until Apple decides to dump them.

 

[CanadaRAM]

Whatever you get, plan on bringing the RAM up to 2 Gb or better if you expect performance. (That's part, but not all, of your problem on the iBook)
Don't bother looking at the Mini - you are looking for a pro machine.

 

[treysmay]

the g5 would be great, but I am hopefully looking for a computer that can run xp and os x, to hopefully not have to use a pc alongside a mac and run solid works

 

[FF_productions]

If you want to run windows as well, you can get an Intel Mac Tower, if willing to wait that long. Or else, get a 300 dollar dell and a PowerMac G5.