Powermac G4...which version?

[xjonx]

I am looking to buy a powermac from a second hand shop this week. I am new to macs and the owner really doesn't know much about computers.

This is what we know about it:

Powermac G4 450mhz
256 RAM
20 Gig hard drive
CD/DVD drive

I have been doing research and it looks like the "sawtooth" model but I am not sure. Do these specs help to identify it?

My other question - I am wondering if this we be able to run Tiger? Mainly will be used for web,email,IM,music and to test web pages with safari and some light web design.

I want to know the model because I have heard bad things about the "yikes" and various reviews about the other models. I also am considering purchasing a sonnet G4 upgrade for 200.00 and have a pretty decent mac for 300 bucks.

I have enough ram here to max it out. He is only asking 100.00 for it so I figure that is a pretty good deal. It boots into OS9 and runs pretty good as far as I can tell.

Thanks!

 

[Daveway]

Clink

Yes it is a sawtooth. Yes, Tiger should run, but not well.......at all. I would go with Panther.

 

[edwardk9]

You can look on the back of the unit. If the sound jacks are at the top its a "Digital Audio" version but I think they were in the 466 flavor it they are at the bottom aligned vertically then its the AGP version(Sawtooth, GigB) otherwise its a PCI (Yikes)

Correct me if I am wrong.

As far as tiger on it - I also purchased a older powermac 500mhz G4 - I will let you know when I get it (Monday) if you haven't already purchased it. I have heard good reports, though.

 

[sw1tcher]

So what you're saying is:

$100 for Mac
$200 for upgrade card
---------------------
= $300

Add in Tiger ($129) and you're at $429

For another $100, I'd get a mac mini instead. Much better investment IMO.

 

[xjonx]

Student discount - 69.00. Yes but I can also upgrade the powermac overtime as I see fit. I can't do that with the mini.

THe graphics card can be upgraded along with CPU hard drive and RAM.

Granted it would probably be less in the long run to buy a new powermac but I don't have that kind of money now and probably won't for some time.

I can buy upgrades as I go along.

 

[cluthz]

If you wanna have fun: Upgrade the RAM!!!! Get atleast 512 mb osx on 256mb is painfull
The sawtooths has 4 PC100 SDRAM slots.. you can add about any PC100/133 RAM to it.
I have a sawtooth with 704mb RAM, new harddisks and upgraded video, it runs panther like a champ!

 

[shadowmoses]

Clink

Yes it is a sawtooth. Yes, Tiger should run, but not well.......at all. I would go with Panther.

This is total rubbish Tiger runs better than Panther, it is a faster OS. Make sure you load up your baby with 1-1.5gb of RAM and have fun Tiger will work nicely on a sawtooth, it runs pretty good on my YIKES so it will run great on a sawtooth..

Shadow

 

[edwardk9]

yeah, I have been reading about tiger on old G4 powermac's and the results seem to be pretty good. Almost all say it's faster than tiger. I will let you know for sure on Monday.

 

[chv400]

I think you also may want to get a Quartz Extreme capable card for it so things like expose will look smooth. Any Radeon Card should do it.