New PowerMac 1.8GHz Released

[Zaty]

For what its worth, I'd buy the iMac as well, since you get the display included, but for those with an existing display, or who need the expandability, more RAM, more HD, etc. I still think this is an attractive option.

Yes, but this doesn't beckon potential switchers to cross the border. But at least it's a step into the right direction.

 

[salmon]

Canada Gets Hosed Again

It seems a bit too expensive to me as well for what you get. Would be fine if it were $1200-1300, methinks.

But, in Canada it's even worse - $2099cdn

According to xe.com:
1,499.00 USD United States Dollars = 1,890.48 CAD

So we would have to pay an extra $200cdn+ because....

...I'm not sure why.

Stuff like this pisses me off.

 

[oeholmen]

What to do...

I can se that many of you are sceptical to the new Power Mac, but I must say that it has made me think twice about what to do. I have an iMac G5 (20 inch) on order that is shipping nov. 1. Now I'm thinking maybe I shoud cancel my order and get a Power Mac G5 and a 20' Cinema Display. It will cost me about $1200 more, but I get a display that can last for many, many years to come. Plus I get more expandability. But is it worth it? To cansel or not to cansel, that is the question!

 

[Centris 650]

WoooHoooo! I'm happy! Ok, now to go talk to the wife and explain how I need to dump my clamshell and get a G5 PMac!

Needless to say I'm pleased. It would be nice to have this config a $100-$200 cheaper but...isn't that always the case?

 

[aafuss1]

Sweet!-finally a headless profesional Mac . Guess it may use the U3L like the iMac G5

 

[Stella]

That extra $500 may be too much for some people.

You could upgrade this thing far more than you can with an iMac. You have PCI slots free.

Because of the upgradable GPU this has a longer potential life than an iMac. Graphic Cards are outdated faster than CPUs.

The FSB does suck though.

Its always good to complain about something..

Moan: apple and exchange rates.
Once again, the rest of the world are subsiding the american prices with apple dodgy use of exchange rates!

That felt good.

Well, at least they released a lower priced PowerMac to fill the product gap. I don't think they spec's are all that, though.
Why would you buy the single 1.8 with 600MHz bus when you can double up the processors and add a sdcreaming 900MHz bus for $500 more?
At the $1499 price, you might as well get an iMac. The only selling point is the upgradeability of the GPU. woo-hoo!

Seems like it would have been better to keep a 900MHz bus and drop the price to $1199 or so.

At least it's nice to have something concrete to complain about

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Whilst the single proc PM might fill a niche, its going to be hard to convince would be switchers that this is there entry level machine, because when you add on more ram, a better graphics card, larger HDD etc, its getting pretty pricey compared to the PC world...

True, but if you compare machines built by manufactors of Pcs its a little closer then it was yesterday.

 

[wPod]

I agree, at that price point Apple is back in the game for a lot of people wanting growth and expansion in a computer but dont have 2 grand to spend. $1259 gets you a very nice machine. I wonder how those that bought the single 1.8 a year ago feel about it?

arent the single 1.8 that shipped a year ago more powerful? more FSB ? more expansion for RAM?

i guess im just dreaming, but i would love a headless G5 single processor for around a grand! couldnt they make a mini G5 tower? looks the same just smaller? that would be cool!

 

[tace]

The real price of the new 1.8 G5

To make this machine actually worth using we have up a couple of things and we get this:

• 1GB DDR400 SDRAM (PC3200) - 2x512
• 80GB Serial ATA - 7200rpm
• ATI Radeon 9800 XT w/25MB DDR SDRAM
• 8x Super Drive (DVD-R/CD-RW)
• Apple Keyboard & Apple Mouse - U.S. English
• Mac OS X - U.S. English
- subtract the useless modem card

Subtotal $2,045.0

OK damnit, I finally admit, some Macs are more expensive than PCs.

 

[soosy]

Good for business

I commented yesterday that the price point (and possibly huge form factor) doesn't make this the iCheap/headless iMac we were asking for.

However, I must admit this is a great move by Apple to lowering the barrier of entry to the PowerMac line.

At my interactive agency, IT always complains about the cost of the Macs compared to Dells. iMacs aren't really an option for us... all-in-ones aren't want we want and dual monitor support is desired for designing. This machine is a great option. We'll see how much the FSB affects speed...

 

[Lancetx]

arent the single 1.8 that shipped a year ago more powerful? more FSB ? more expansion for RAM?

Yes they were, but they also were priced about $600 higher at the time than this new model is today as well.

 

[tace]

And another thing

Did Apple get a buy 10 for $5 deal on those nVidia 5200 GPUs or what? What's the deal with them already?

Apple, please stop bundling in yesterdays discards into your supposed-to-be the top of the line G5 towers.

 

[g4cubed]

Ah man, no new form factor. It's too... big, we all know the G5 1.8 can be cooled adequately in the smallest of environments, and not everyone wants a monster G5 tower, or a cutesy TFT iMac. This doesn't fill the niche at all.

Crappy FSB, too.

I agree with you on the case being to big. A waste of space. I was hoping for another cube style

Man, and they lowered the FSB too!!!!! Damn apple, just when I think you get the picture, you do this

Kimo

And why oh why did they cripple the FSB is beyond me.

 

[Diatribe]

If they had dropped the price tag to about $1200 with the SD or lower then it would have been THE machine and would have switched a lot of people. Now it is going to attract attention but far less.
When will Apple get it? More units sold makes up for a smaller price.
Sometimes I think Apple doesn't quite believe in the success of their products...

 

[jxyama]

Why would you get this over the iMac G5 that's the same price? You get a 17" screen... I guess there's the whole expandability issue but...

"BUT YOU DON'T HAVE TO THROW AWAY THE MONITOR WITH THE POWERMAC!!! LOL!!!"

when will apple win?

also, to the idea this would sell better if priced at $999 - of course it will. cheaper is better. but tell me how it will make apple money.

a switcher will not be convinced because of this machine. if all other products haven't, this one won't, regardless of the price. this one fills a niche - a small business (esp. artistic ones) clients who have no need for an all in one nor dual processor machines. this is a great cheaper option for clients looking to upgrade their G4 PMs.

 

[kbonnel]

I guess if you really want a cheap G5, one could pick up the 1.6 single refurb. I wonder how long it will be before CPU upgrades are created for G5's...

Power Mac G5 1.6 GHz 256MB/80GB/SuperDrive/GigE/56K - Apple Certified
Learn More
Price: $1,199.00

 

[macridah]

Not bad. I would use all the G5 chips for the super in demand iMac, and release a 2.0 single processor powermac with a 900Mhz board.

 

[baylormac]

Whilst the single proc PM might fill a niche, its going to be hard to convince would be switchers that this is there entry level machine, because when you add on more ram, a better graphics card, larger HDD etc, its getting pretty pricey compared to the PC world...

If you added more ram, a better graphics card and a larger HDD it wouldn't be an entry level machine anymore. If they want to start out with more they should get something else. If they don't mind waiting, they can upgrade their machine after-market for a lot less.

I do think that it is odd that a machine with pretty much the same specs down the line as the 17 inch iMac 1.8 costs the same even thought he iMac has a 17 inch flat-panel. Should expandability really cost that much?

As far as the FSB issue. I have a single 1.8 G5 PM with a 900 MHz FSB at work and a 20 inch iMac 1.8 with a 600 MHz FSB at home. I can tell you even when running things like Motion and FCP HD the difference is next to unnoticable. (and then the thought is if you need to run Motion and FCP HD you would probably not buy the low level machine anyway.) There will not be much of a performance hit for 97% of users of this machine by dropping the FSB to 600 MHz.

 

[g4cubed]

i would love a headless G5 single processor for around a grand! couldnt they make a mini G5 tower? looks the same just smaller? that would be cool!

I was hoping for another cube form, but a mini G5 tower would fit in with the ipod mini theme. Definitely a cool idea Too bad it didn't happen.

 

[coconn06]

I think the major reason this new PowerMac isn't priced lower is because of the iMac. It would kill iMac sales, and Apple doesn't want that.

Unfortunately for us.

 

[solvs]

Als added new GeForce 6800 too?

The NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT DDL graphics card will be available for order in early November.

Pretty much what I expected. Unfortunetly. I was going to write this big, long whine fest. But by the time I hit reply, there'd be a hundred people saying the same things. Ah well, maybe next month.

 

[Devie]

YES!!!
I think this will be my comptuer now . I'll just pick up a cheapish LCD 17" display and buy this (1GB, 9600XT)... comes to about the same price as the iMac G5 20".
Then I'll just slowly save up and get me a 20" ACD, and run dual head... THANKS APPLE!

One problem, the FSB... ah I'm over it

 

[thevessels]

this might sound stupid, but how much faster is a dual proc?
is there any benchmarks comparinfg the old single 1.8 and the new dual 1.8?

hmmmmm...

but an extra $500 is half an ibook !!

 

[tiselday]

the new Cube?

this SHOULD be a silent machine: 970FX 1.8 Ghz, the "lite" memory controller found in the iMac G5 (also using 90nm technology) a lots of space to dissipate heat...

 

[Devie]

this might sound stupid, but how much faster is a dual proc?
is there any benchmarks comparinfg the old single 1.8 and the new dual 1.8?

hmmmmm...

but an extra $500 is half an ibook !!

I beleive that the only difference in dual processors is when programms actually support them, usually only pro products (Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, 3D aps) utilise them.
Gaming I think doesnt use them at all... (I THINK)