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Wishlist for the G5

W

Wyrm

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jan 7, 2003
250
0
Toekeeyoe, Japan
Not to gripe, but some constructive feedback to Apple:
Points I'd like to see:

1. ECC Memory - I can find no mention if the new boards support ECC. A quick count of the marketing picture shows this to be regular memory. Anyone know otherwise? ECC should be standard for a pro box.

2. RAID - 2 drives are a bit of a disappointment, but there's also no hardware RAID option. If it could have 3 SATA drives, then a RAID 5 setup would be truly professional. I would have liked to see the HDDs as removable, like the XServe.

3. 2nd Optical bay - I've heard this desire around, that some people like 2 optical drives. I think it makes a lot of sense. There is no other bay! Extending the case a little higher to fit this could also mean more drives for point 2.

4. Space - say you put a PCI-X SCSI card in there... ok, so where do you put the drives? Externally? Is it just me, or is the new encloser harder to access things like memory and HDDs than the old box?

5. Water-Cooled option - ok, a little off the deep end, but water-cooling technology for the masses has really advanced, and it would make the system even quieter.

Ok - what else?

-Wyrm
 
6. Fourth PCI slot. Many people who buy powermacs use them for audio, and need many slots.

7. More "middle of the road" video card choices, as it is, they have a very low end card and the very high end, not much in the middle. Like why did they drop the 9700 pro? Maybe even some more nVidia cards, more FX series cards


I guess they could use expansion chassis (many already do, as they need more than 4 slots as it is now)

Maybe we need an Apple branded PCI expansion chassis. Would be pretty cool for the xserve for audio people. JMO
 
oh well

all extremely valid points
the dual optical was probably nixed so that the developers could sell more firewire drives, ditto the 2 hard drive limit, now you need the xstation or individual harddrives. does anyone mac a nice 4 channel firewire 800 card and 4disk firewire hd case enclosure in aluminium.
still the biggest disappoint is the lack of internal hard drive space. i am dreaming of 4 sata 10000 raptors at 62MBS each 248 together 5.7ms access, or 4 15k.3 cheettahs 76 MBs 3.5 ms acees 304together.
hopefully someone will come out with a matching 2-4 hdd case that can be put on the side or top with individual access.
most lowcost scsi cards have in and out split so 320 would be 160 internal and 160 external.
the lack or the forth pci is gonna hurt some pros. but hopefully a low cost pci chassis is around the corner..
do you really have to take the fans off to change the memory. ouch.
pcs have 256MB video cards out now , ati and nvdia need to get on the ball and release them for mac along with low cost 128MB agp cards available for well under $100 pc.

anyway i like it . not as good as i hope but still okay
 
Originally posted by WannabeSQ

7. More "middle of the road" video card choices, as it is, they have a very low end card and the very high end, not much in the middle. Like why did they drop the 9700 pro? Maybe even some more nVidia cards, more FX series cards
Click to expand...

As a marketing ploy Apple regulated the 9800 (As I understand its just a slight upgrade of the 9700?) to a BTO option so they can make the Duel 2.0 under $3000.

$2999 sounds much better than $33 hundred that they would have to charge for having the 9800 built in.
 
Originally posted by pretentious
As a marketing ploy Apple regulated the 9800 (As I understand its just a slight upgrade of the 9700?) to a BTO option so they can make the Duel 2.0 under $3000.

$2999 sounds much better than $33 hundred that they would have to charge for having the 9800 built in.
Click to expand...

I personally think the 9600 is a middle of the road card. Also it can be had on the entry level PowerMac for just $50 more so there really is no reason for someone to have to have that poor slow NVidia they are pawning off.
 
the damn things haven't even been shipped yet. Still being built and already people are complaining that they aren't good enough. i hate people...
 
well, I think they are good enough but they could be better. Such is the nature of humanity - we want the best we can get.

I would like to see:

cheaper prices (same pricing scheme as the last g4's)

cheaper prices

cheaper prices

a new case

oh, and did I mention cheaper prices?

a removal of that ugly black background on the apple site for a lot of things concerning the g5 (like the main apple page).

Apple has taken a step in the wrong direction asthetically today. The new case is ugly (Although it matches my desk better than the MDD's), they are changing their site to a more black and brushed metal theme (and black and brushed metal just plain don't go well together), and they have made a process viewer window almost identacal to the task manager window from Windows. Bah they could have at least fancied it up. Oh well, it is more than I could have dreamed of.

GJ apple. Do just as good next time please.

cdcb35acd7902df97d2eb5e6c320263b.png
 
Man, you people wanted the freaking G5 for almost 4 years and now when we get it you complain.
 
Re: oh well

Originally posted by daveg5
now you need the xstation
Click to expand...

Bro. There is no Xstation. Slow down there, champ. Baby steps. We waited 3 years for the G5. ;)
 
Originally posted by scem0
Apple has taken a step in the wrong direction asthetically today. The new case is ugly.
Click to expand...

Wow. I heartily disagree. The case is really nice. It's so understated and smart. Like the use of materials for air flow. It's almost like the panels of the case aren't there. And the shape is reduced to its most basic elements.

To me, its intelligence is similar in fashion to Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth house.

Just MHO, though. Does it have a speaker?
 
I love the case... It looks just like something out of a sci-fi movie... No cables are visible (from what I've seen), and it just looks cool...

I agree with most of the points, except for water cooling... That requires much more maintenance, and it defeats the point of owning a mac: simplicity.

That's why I don't see me buying anything until the next gen 3ghz G5's come out :D :cool:
 
Originally posted by WannabeSQ
6. Fourth PCI slot. Many people who buy powermacs use them for audio, and need many slots.

7. More "middle of the road" video card choices, as it is, they have a very low end card and the very high end, not much in the middle. Like why did they drop the 9700 pro? Maybe even some more nVidia cards, more FX series cards


I guess they could use expansion chassis (many already do, as they need more than 4 slots as it is now)

Maybe we need an Apple branded PCI expansion chassis. Would be pretty cool for the xserve for audio people. JMO
Click to expand...

I hear you, but now the optical audio ports are built it, they might need one less anyway, but I know, more is always better :D
 
Originally posted by scem0
well, I think they are good enough but they could be better. Such is the nature of humanity - we want the best we can get.

I would like to see:

cheaper prices (same pricing scheme as the last g4's)

cheaper prices

cheaper prices

oh, and did I mention cheaper prices?

cdcb35acd7902df97d2eb5e6c320263b.png
Click to expand...

Ditto ditto ditto!

I want an entry level PM for less!
 
Originally posted by iShater
Ditto ditto ditto!

I want an entry level PM for less!
Click to expand...

An entry level PowerMac is the G4 1.25. It can be had for $1,299.

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APP...gYzNOF1Z0cZaxX/0.0.7.1.0.5.21.1.8.1.0.0.0.1.0

If you want the latest and greatest you're going to pay more. Face it Macs aren't run of the mill computers and never will be. Even if they are slower they offer a different kind of experience and you have to pay for that. If you just want an entry level Mac you should consider an iMac or eMac if you want an entry level Mac that has some expandibility you should consider the now very cheap G4 that I mentioned above.
 
Re: Wishlist for the G5

Originally posted by Wyrm
1. ECC Memory - I can find no mention if the new boards support ECC. A quick count of the marketing picture shows this to be regular memory. Anyone know otherwise? ECC should be standard for a pro box.
Click to expand...
If you want things like ECC memory, built in Fibre Channel, etc., you really need to look at a higher-end workstation like a Sun Blade 2000. Sure, they are expensive as hell, but these components are not cheap. That's why Sun charges a premium for them.

One thing you get with Sun that you'll never see in an Apple: ECC across all data paths. That's why they're so expensive. People that do medical imaging and chip fabrication/design on these boxes want to know that a flipped bit in memory won't translate into data corruption on the display, or that their data will be preserved intact on the hard disk after travelling from memory, across the PCI bus, through the Fibre channel adapter, and out to disk. The Sun workstation's ECC insures that.

But don't expect Apple to add that without quadrupling the price of their current workstations. The parts just cost too much.
 
Re: Re: Wishlist for the G5

Originally posted by illumin8
If you want things like ECC memory, built in Fibre Channel, etc., you really need to look at a higher-end workstation like a Sun Blade 2000. Sure, they are expensive as hell, but these components are not cheap. That's why Sun charges a premium for them.

One thing you get with Sun that you'll never see in an Apple: ECC across all data paths. That's why they're so expensive. People that do medical imaging and chip fabrication/design on these boxes want to know that a flipped bit in memory won't translate into data corruption on the display, or that their data will be preserved intact on the hard disk after travelling from memory, across the PCI bus, through the Fibre channel adapter, and out to disk. The Sun workstation's ECC insures that.

But don't expect Apple to add that without quadrupling the price of their current workstations. The parts just cost too much.
Click to expand...

ECC memory support (forget ECC on all data-paths) is not that hard, and pretty good bang for the buck, especially if you keep your machine running 24x7. Although I must admit, I've never had a problem running a non-ECC machine 24x7 - so maybe it's just the equivalent of an IT soother.

But speaking of memory, does anyone know if the G5 uses regular DDR memory? I assume they would - but their prices are astronomical - over 2x what ECC PC3200 memory costs here in Japan, or 4x what PC3200 memory costs (yeah - sure noname brands, but still). I guess this is nothing new, but they are charging more than the G5 to go 8GB - ug!

-Wyrm
 
Re: Re: Re: Wishlist for the G5

Originally posted by Wyrm
ECC memory support (forget ECC on all data-paths) is not that hard, and pretty good bang for the buck, especially if you keep your machine running 24x7. Although I must admit, I've never had a problem running a non-ECC machine 24x7 - so maybe it's just the equivalent of an IT soother.

But speaking of memory, does anyone know if the G5 uses regular DDR memory? I assume they would - but their prices are astronomical - over 2x what ECC PC3200 memory costs here in Japan, or 4x what PC3200 memory costs (yeah - sure noname brands, but still). I guess this is nothing new, but they are charging more than the G5 to go 8GB - ug!

-Wyrm
Click to expand...

All ram that Apple uses on all it's computers is plain ram but it has to meet the specs nearly exactly. So I recommend buying from a retailer that certifies it to work with Apple hardware. That way if you have a problem you can return it no questions asked. A good place to start your search is at www.ramseeker.com which has a Mac only ram price list. They haven't updated yet for the G5 but I expect it soon. I personally almost always use www.18004memory.com when I buy ram anyway. I've been using them for 8 years without a problem and they do certify Apple compatibility.
 
Apple should really be using Crucial, Mushkin, or Corsair instead of the generic stuff. If I wanted generic, I could go to Fry's :)
 
Originally posted by ZildjianKX
Apple should really be using Crucial, Mushkin, or Corsair instead of the generic stuff. If I wanted generic, I could go to Fry's :)
Click to expand...

Who said it was generic? Just because it doesn't have a name brand on it doesn't make it generic it means they are a large supplier that buys in huge amounts. They probably get the ram from the same people who build their boards.
 
It may not be generic... but its obviously not going to be of the same calibur as the above mentioned companies, the producers of the highest quality RAM made... and cheaper than Apple charges, lol.
 
Originally posted by ZildjianKX
It may not be generic... but its obviously not going to be of the same calibur as the above mentioned companies, the producers of the highest quality RAM made... and cheaper than Apple charges, lol.
Click to expand...

I would find it hard to make a blanket statement like the Ram they use not being on the same level. For all you know it actually comes from one of them. Apple is known for using top of the line parts.

Also I doubt Apples charge is for the ram remember there is labor involved also. I would expect they probably charge $500/hour also there is a 1/2 hour minimum.;) :D
 
Originally posted by ZildjianKX
It may not be generic... but its obviously not going to be of the same calibur as the above mentioned companies, the producers of the highest quality RAM made... and cheaper than Apple charges, lol.
Click to expand...

do you think Crucial makes their own RAM????

Apple RAM is good stuff... much better than OEM crap from Fry's.

lets try to avoid personal attacks, ok?
 
So, what would be a better idea when it comes to buying RAM--going with 18004MEMORY's or Apple's? This is in terms of speed/reliability/etc etc.

I want to get the very best. Money is not so much of an issue. If it comes to saving thousands and getting barely noticeable speed decreases, I would go for the 18004MEMORY. But, if it means getting a noticeably better speed, I wouldn't mind paying the extra trillion dollars to Apple for their RAM.

What do those in the know advise?

And does 18004MEMORY not sell 1gb RAMs (not the 2 x 512) for the dual 2.0 g5?

I really want to max out the RAM to 8gb...
 
Originally posted by Aurora
So, what would be a better idea when it comes to buying RAM--going with 18004MEMORY's or Apple's? This is in terms of speed/reliability/etc etc.

I want to get the very best. Money is not so much of an issue. If it comes to saving thousands and getting barely noticeable speed decreases, I would go for the 18004MEMORY. But, if it means getting a noticeably better speed, I wouldn't mind paying the extra trillion dollars to Apple for their RAM.

What do those in the know advise?

And does 18004MEMORY not sell 1gb RAMs (not the 2 x 512) for the dual 2.0 g5?

I really want to max out the RAM to 8gb...
Click to expand...

All that matters is getting something that is guaranteed to work in the G5. That alone will comfirm it is quality ram as OSX and the Macs period are very picky about ht ram used in them. By the time the G5 ships I would nearly gurantee that 18004MEMMORY will be carrying 1GB Dimms. Also I would also recommend any of the retailers listed at the top of the price lists at www.ramseeker.com .
 
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