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Would it be worth it?

I

iMacZealot

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Mar 11, 2005
2,237
3
...to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo iMac?

I have a 17" iMac G5 running at 2.0 GHz with .5 GB RAM, a 160 GB internal hard disk, and a Superdrive. I bought it on 5/5/05. I've been using Final Cut Express HD with it, and it's been a great computer. I'm also very proud that I paid for most of it (which was a lot for the time.) However, I'd like to upgrade to Final Cut Studio, and also speed up my mac, as well as get some more hard disk space (I have 180 GB in external hard disks.)

I was planning on upgrading to another 1GB of RAM, which is close to $100 there. And I'll probably have to buy another external hard disk soon, too, which will be about $200, so that's $300 in upgrades right there. I've looked on eBay, and if I were to sell my iMac G5 with iLife '06, Office, and Final Cut Express, I could probably get close to $1,000 for it. The iMac Core 2 Duo I'd get would be somewhere betwenn $1150-$1399 (I can get an edu discount.)

My question is: would it be worth it to upgrade? Would I notice that big of a difference when working with Final Cut and the other apps I work with? Should I just save up for a more powerful machine (like a Mac Pro) later on?

Thanks.
 
I've no guess as to how much faster the machine you're looking at would be, but it seems to me that you've forgotten the cost of FCS in your upgrade. That's going to add a hefty bit right there.

Though I suppose if you're going to be buying it anyways, that's a bit of a moot point. I'd say go ahead with the upgrade.
 
Mac Pro If You Can But C2D iMac Will Help A Lot

iMacZealot said:
...to upgrade to a Core 2 Duo iMac?

I have a 17" iMac G5 running at 2.0 GHz with .5 GB RAM, a 160 GB internal hard disk, and a Superdrive. I bought it on 5/5/05. I've been using Final Cut Express HD with it, and it's been a great computer. I'm also very proud that I paid for most of it (which was a lot for the time.) However, I'd like to upgrade to Final Cut Studio, and also speed up my mac, as well as get some more hard disk space (I have 180 GB in external hard disks.)

I was planning on upgrading to another 1GB of RAM, which is close to $100 there. And I'll probably have to buy another external hard disk soon, too, which will be about $200, so that's $300 in upgrades right there. I've looked on eBay, and if I were to sell my iMac G5 with iLife '06, Office, and Final Cut Express, I could probably get close to $1,000 for it. The iMac Core 2 Duo I'd get would be somewhere betwenn $1150-$1399 (I can get an edu discount.)

My question is: would it be worth it to upgrade? Would I notice that big of a difference when working with Final Cut and the other apps I work with? Should I just save up for a more powerful machine (like a Mac Pro) later on?
Click to expand...
It's worth it for sure. If you can swing a 4 core refurb Mac Pro for $2200 + a screen it would be worth it. But the bump to a C2D iMac will be a lot.
 
Or you could always get a refurb 1.66 CD Mini for $649, and get a nice 20.1" widescreen Dell display or the like for $300 or so... more screen real estate! That's what *I'd* do, but I'm probably a bit biased since I miss my Mini.
 
Or the 20" Refurb iMac 2.16GHz Would Be A Good Deal

livingfortoday said:
Or you could always get a refurb 1.66 CD Mini for $649, and get a nice 20.1" widescreen Dell display or the like for $300 or so... more screen real estate! That's what *I'd* do, but I'm probably a bit biased since I miss my Mini.
Click to expand...
Refurbished iMac 20-inch 2.16GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SuperDrive
1GB (2x512MB) 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM (PC2-5300)
250GB Serial ATA hard drive
Slot-load 8x double-layer SuperDrive
ATI Radeon X1600 with 128MB GDDR3 memory
Built-in AirPort Extreme and Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in iSight Camera and Apple Remote
Learn More
Price: $1,299.00
Estimated Ship:
1-3 business days
Free Shipping

Don't forget to wait for Leopard to ship with it.
 
gauchogolfer said:
I've no guess as to how much faster the machine you're looking at would be, but it seems to me that you've forgotten the cost of FCS in your upgrade. That's going to add a hefty bit right there.

Though I suppose if you're going to be buying it anyways, that's a bit of a moot point. I'd say go ahead with the upgrade.
Click to expand...

Well, I can get the education discount, so it'd be only $700, but I pretty much have to upgrade first because while .5 GB RAM is the minimum for FCS, 1 GB is recommended. Plus, I need 42 GB of disk space for all of the templates and other data, and none of my three disks have 42 GB available on its own. And, I'll certainly be adding tons of more video to my disks, and a 90 GB boost to a 250 GB hard disk would definitely be nice.

I never realised how important screen real estate is in film editing when I first bought my G5. I'm tempted to get the 20".

How much do you think my G5 would sell with the features I listed (see OP) plus iLife '06, FCE, and Office?

Oh, one more question: I originally bought FCE 3.0, which was PPC only, but I bought the upgrade to 3.5. Does that make it a universial bianary, or should I buy FCE again if I buy a C2D iMac?

Thanks!
 
Wait Until April 16 NAB Announcements

iMacZealot said:
Well, I can get the education discount, so it'd be only $700, but I pretty much have to upgrade first because while .5 GB RAM is the minimum for FCS, 1 GB is recommended. Plus, I need 42 GB of disk space for all of the templates and other data, and none of my three disks have 42 GB available on its own. And, I'll certainly be adding tons of more video to my disks, and a 90 GB boost to a 250 GB hard disk would definitely be nice.

I never realised how important screen real estate is in film editing when I first bought my G5. I'm tempted to get the 20".

How much do you think my G5 would sell with the features I listed (see OP) plus iLife '06, FCE, and Office?

Oh, one more question: I originally bought FCE 3.0, which was PPC only, but I bought the upgrade to 3.5. Does that make it a universial bianary, or should I buy FCE again if I buy a C2D iMac?

Thanks!
Click to expand...
FCE HD 3.5 is UB. A move like you are contemplating should not be done until after NAB Mid April. You need to know what is coming next. Final Cut Studio 6 with Leopard required is likely. WAIT until April 16 to figure out the landscape first.
 
gauchogolfer said:
I've no guess as to how much faster the machine you're looking at would be, but it seems to me that you've forgotten the cost of FCS in your upgrade. That's going to add a hefty bit right there.

Though I suppose if you're going to be buying it anyways, that's a bit of a moot point. I'd say go ahead with the upgrade.
Click to expand...

What sort of stuff can I expect in the next iMac upgrade? I can never keep track of the Intels because it was never as simple as "200 MHz faster G5's tomorrow!!!!"

Oh, and will there be a major redesign this year?
 
Well, you could always do what I did and upgrade to 2GB and a bigger hard drive via Newegg. Installing new hard drives in the rev A and B iMacs isn't that hard, especially if you're upgrading the RAM at the same time. You can get a pretty big drive for around ~$100. I do some basic FCP and DVD Studio Pro with my 2GHz 20", and it's alright. But I am considering upgrading to an Intel Mac when Santa Rosa comes out, hopefully with Leopard and iLife '07 included.

You won't get $1000 for your G5 though. Especially after what I'm waiting for comes out. And I wouldn't buy now unless it's a refurb and you're desperate. Would still have to upgrade the RAM though.
 
solvs said:
Well, you could always do what I did and upgrade to 2GB and a bigger hard drive via Newegg. Installing new hard drives in the rev A and B iMacs isn't that hard, especially if you're upgrading the RAM at the same time. You can get a pretty big drive for around ~$100. I do some basic FCP and DVD Studio Pro with my 2GHz 20", and it's alright. But I am considering upgrading to an Intel Mac when Santa Rosa comes out, hopefully with Leopard and iLife '07 included.

You won't get $1000 for your G5 though. Especially after what I'm waiting for comes out. And I wouldn't buy now unless it's a refurb and you're desperate. Would still have to upgrade the RAM though.
Click to expand...

Well, I don't want to replace my internal hard disk because it seems like too much hassle and I don't have a place to store all of the files on it in the meantime. Plus, I could just get a new iMac for the price it would be to upgrade.
 
An iMac Core 2 Duo will absolutely flog the single G5 system mentioned above. My iMac Core 2 Duo is faster than my old dual G5 for most things. I say go for it.
 
iMacZealot said:
Is it quieter?
Click to expand...

In normal operation I can't hear my iMac at all. I have to put my ear right up to it to hear any noise. It is summer here at the moment and we have had a few 38/39'C (100'F +) days here recently and I still can't hear anything unless I put my ear right up to it. The Power Mac G5 on the other hand sounds like a jet airplane during these times. When reading or burning CD/DVDs the optical drive can get a little noisy but nothing I would consider loud. The drive is pretty much silent when watching a DVD or listening to a CD though.

We actually have an iMac G5 here too and sometimes I can hear the fans on that machine, but like I said I can't hear any noise coming from the Core 2 Duo unless I chuck my ear on the case.
 
risc said:
In normal operation I can't hear my iMac at all. I have to put my ear right up to it to hear any noise. It is summer here at the moment and we have had a few 38/39'C (100'F +) days here recently and I still can't hear anything unless I put my ear right up to it. The Power Mac G5 on the other hand sounds like a jet airplane during these times. When reading or burning CD/DVDs the optical drive can get a little noisy but nothing I would consider loud. The drive is pretty much silent when watching a DVD or listening to a CD though.

We actually have an iMac G5 here too and sometimes I can hear the fans on that machine, but like I said I can't hear any noise coming from the Core 2 Duo unless I chuck my ear on the case.
Click to expand...

Somebody on here has a signature that said that they use their PowerBook G4 as a computer and a PowerMac G5 to heat their bedroom :rolleyes: .

I really don't know what to do. I mean, I can use Final Cut Express a little longer, but I'm going to start getting paid soon (I'm kind of like an intern), so I'd like to upgrade to FCS to make the best work I can, and I'm not sure how much longer FCE will suit my needs.

A Mac Pro certainly would be nice, but it's certainly out of my price range for the time being. If I were to save up for a Mac Pro (and not sell the G5), I probably couldn't get one for another year. Although, if I were to get the Mac Pro, I'd give the G5 to my mom to replace her G3, so maybe I can make a little deal with her.
 
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