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what to buy?

dylan6950204

dylan6950204

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 21, 2006
89
0
camphill PA
i just purchased a brand new ipod video and it has 30g of space but my g3 imac only has about 12g of space. so i am running into a problem but also a great opportunity to get a new computer but there is another problem because i am 15 and have football everyday so i cant work. so i am pretty strapped for cash so i am looking for a mac any type of mac for between 300$ and about 500$ and can probably stretch to 600$. what i am looking for is to be-able to download tv shows, movies and music quickly(leagaly) also i would like to get it into my ipod quicker because now i have to use a 1.1 and it sucks and i am not really interested in gaming but i want to be able to surf the web quickly and be able to have it through college and be able to update so anyone got any advice. i would prefer a laptop. but it doesn't matter, i seen some power books for cheap what disadvantages would i have with a powerbook.
 
um...this will be hard unless you already have a screen and USB keyboard and mice at home, but Mac Mini. The g4 is a fantastic machine and Intel just has to be better. If not, look into maybe a used mac, or, dare I say it a PC. YOu can find cheap deals with keyboard mice screens etc if you try hard enough
 
Look on craigslist for an ibook g4 or a 12 inch powerbook g4 if you want a notebook around that price. It should be perfect for your needs. If I were in your situation I'd go for a 12 inch powerbook (since I've had one). I saw a few on craigslist today for about $500. If you can manage with a desktop you can pick up a g4 mac mini or maybe even an intel one if you look in the right places. Good luck.
 
yoyo5280 said:
um...this will be hard unless you already have a screen and USB keyboard and mice at home, but Mac Mini. The g4 is a fantastic machine and Intel just has to be better. If not, look into maybe a used mac, or, dare I say it a PC. YOu can find cheap deals with keyboard mice screens etc if you try hard enough
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well i do have mouse and display as-well as a keyboard but this may be a stupid question but what is the difference between a intel and a g4 mac mini.
 
Not stupid at all. THe g4 was the first mac mini Apple made. It is much slower then the intel mac mini, and does not have as many features. Intel is fast, has more USB ports, has apple's front row media center software,and ya.



PS: G4 and Intel are the processors in the machine. :)
 
dylan6950204 said:
but i want to be able to surf the web quickly and be able to have it through college and be able to update so anyone got any advice. i would prefer a laptop. but it doesn't matter
Click to expand...
This is the point where I actually tell someone on MacRumors to consider other non-Apple options. Apple doesn't do the entire sub-$1000 market very well (the intel mac minis are overpriced grossly), and older used laptops are still not that cheap.

That being said, you might be able to purchase a core duo MacBook for $5-600, if you're lucky. You can definitely find some low end non-Apple laptops that do for a lower price..not easy to find a Mac that cheap.

As for downloading movies legally..uh huh. That's dependent on your connection speeds, usually not your computer. And if money is such a concern with a computer, where are the movies coming from?

Lastly, although I suppose it's technically feasible to pull off the magnificent feat of having the same laptop through college from somewhere in HS...it's easier said than done. More likely than not you will reach the point somewhere where the computer needs repairs but the repair will cost more than a new computer, being out of warranty...or it will just not meet your needs, or needs of various classes you might be taking. Just buy a really cheap and crummy computer right now, whatever it might be that'll last a couple years, and then go and splurge the rest of the money on a new laptop with education discounts right before you go to college.
 
yoyo5280 said:
Not stupid at all. THe g4 was the first mac mini Apple made. It is much slower then the intel mac mini, and does not have as many features. Intel is fast, has more USB ports, has apple's front row media center software,and ya.



PS: G4 and Intel are the processors in the machine. :)
Click to expand...

thanks now ill no for future reference
 
janey said:
This is the point where I actually tell someone on MacRumors to consider other non-Apple options. Apple doesn't do the entire sub-$1000 market very well (the intel mac minis are overpriced grossly), and older used laptops are still not that cheap.

That being said, you might be able to purchase a core duo MacBook for $5-600, if you're lucky. You can definitely find some low end non-Apple laptops that do for a lower price..not easy to find a Mac that cheap.

As for downloading movies legally..uh huh. That's dependent on your connection speeds, usually not your computer. And if money is such a concern with a computer, where are the movies coming from?

Lastly, although I suppose it's technically feasible to pull off the magnificent feat of having the same laptop through college from somewhere in HS...it's easier said than done. More likely than not you will reach the point somewhere where the computer needs repairs but the repair will cost more than a new computer, being out of warranty...or it will just not meet your needs, or needs of various classes you might be taking. Just buy a really cheap and crummy computer right now, whatever it might be that'll last a couple years, and then go and splurge the rest of the money on a new laptop with education discounts right before you go to college.
Click to expand...

well i hate windows ii have always used a mac its so hard to even use the windows in school after using a mac so long
 
dylan6950204 said:
well i hate windows ii have always used a mac its so hard to even use the windows in school after using a mac so long
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If you have to run OS X, then so be it. My point is that you will probably get more choice and performance out of your money if you can deal with a non-Apple computer instead.

I honestly hate to say it, but you're looking for a bargain computer right now, and Apple just doesn't do that. If you were looking at the minis, you'd need a keyboard+mouse+display already to make it worthwhile, and even with those, you're looking at prices for the intel mini that rivals dell's lowest end computers that already come with a nice display for cheaper. If you're looking at the laptops under $500, you're going to be stuck on older editions of OS X perpetually and there's only so much you can upgrade on them...and so on. It's impressive you're still using an iMac G3 these days, but you're obviously frustrated by its limitations..you'll be in the same position come freshman year in college with whatever you get now, probably.
 
Ya...hmm...thats hard. Well look into the mac mini, but if it ends up being expensive and you might have to get a PC, you can download a piece of software called FlyAKite OSX. It takes windows, and completely mac-ish-es it so it looks, kind of like Mac OS. Only works in windows XP I think
 
well as far as one of the power books what would i be limiter to and forget the colledge i just want it for now also how bout a imac g4 would that do pretty well with what i want.
 
i don't get wat your last post meant.:confused::confused::)

If you know how to get information on your computer (processor speed, memory, OS etc.) Send it over. We can compare to a used iMAc g4 or g5 or something... Or MINi:)
 
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