New to Mac and from Oz to boot!

[Terame]

Hi there, I couodn't find an Aussie forum so here I am, hoping that the distance from you all doesn't equate to a similar disttance in price ranges

I can't use coupons, because they regularly state only in USA.

I am looking to cross over to Mac for Adobe and Illustrator on Mac, but I have a budget of just $1600 ($US1220) so I am definitely looking at 2nd hand.

I have the option of a g5 iMac 1.6Ghz or a Dual Processor 867 PowerMac

Given that I don't know the different between the two, what would the enlightened members recommend?

The only thing I understand is that upgrading the iMac is not an option... true?

Thanks in advance!

 

[macbaseball]

Get the G5 iMac. It will be much faster than the Dual 867 G4. The only benefit to getting the G4 is that it might be slightly better in video editing, but I'm not sure about that.

Yeah, you can't upgrade the iMac unfortunately (Except for RAM of course)

 

[swy32x]

Hey man! www.appletalk.com.au is a great Aussie forum, especially in regards to the Australian pricing, availability, and feedback from resellers.

I would recommend the iMac. It is upgradable, with the HDD, the RAM, Airport cards and the like able to be added and upgraded.

 

[mad jew]

Go for the iMac but you'll be pretty lucky getting one for that price. I've been looking for about three months on and off for cheap second hand 1.6 and have had pretty much no luck. Macs keep their value far too well.

They're allegedly all going to get updated soon but maybe look at the eMacs. They'll be much much cheaper albeit there's quite a speed difference.

 

[Abstract]

The dual processor G4 867MHz PM is probably as fast as the iMac 1.6GHz G5, believe it or not. However, I'd get the iMac because it includes the screen, and it looks better.

 

[mad jew]

The dual processor G4 867MHz PM is probably as fast as the iMac 1.6GHz G5, believe it or not. However, I'd get the iMac because it includes the screen, and it looks better.

It depends on what you're doing with it though, doesn't it? I'm pretty ignorant on the subject but isn't a dual processor machine better only for apps that have been written to take advantage of it? Have Adobe done this?

Even so, you'd think the 1.6GHz machine would be faster if only for the much faster auxiliary components - RAM, FSB etc.