08-11-2009, 01:03 PM

My G4 was purchased new when it first came out and I am still using it although with a Leopard OS. I use PhotoShop and other Adobe products, making graphics up to billboard size.

However, lately most upgrades or even new ones to programs I use will not work on the G4, like iLife 09. I cannot afford anything but a Mac Mini right now and I am wondering if anyone knows how well it handles applications like Photoshop, Illustrator and inDesign.

After reading several reviews of the Mac Mini it seems the best purchase option is the $599 with a memory upgrade plus adding a firewire external and booting from the external. That is all I clearly understand from the reviews.

Any opinions?

08-11-2009, 01:07 PM

If money is an issue, then I would suggest getting an older model... but still newer than the one you have.

A dual G5 system can be had for the price of a mini... and it would offer you a tremendous boost in power.
Even a first or second generation Intel iMac would offer a better option than the mini for around the same cost.

08-11-2009, 01:19 PM

Originally Posted by pesto

Any opinions?

Yes. There are pros & cons to your question.

Although any Intel based Macintosh would probably be a decent upgrade from a G4 (depending on what sort of graphics card you have in your G4)...the Mac Mini is still on the bottom end of performance in the current Macintosh lineup.

Not to say that it's a "slow-poke"...just bottom end.

You also have to make sure that the software you're using is optimized for Intel processors, otherwise you may not see much of a speed increase...and possibly no speed increase.

Older software is optimized for PowerPC processors...like you find in G3's, G4's, and G5's.

Also...if you upgraded the hard drive in your G4 to a faster model...the hard drive on a Mac Mini may be slower. If you're working with big graphics files...slow hard drive read, write, and throughput speeds will drive you nuts!

If you're heavily into Photoshop & other Adobe products (I'm assuming CS3 or CS4)...and working with graphics up to billboard size...most folks doing this wouldn't get a mini.

But...with all of the above said...the newest Mac Mini's are no slow pokes...and since you're upgrading from a G4 (you didn't mention the processor speed)...you should see some improvement.

But a Mac-mini is no Mac Pro...so don't expect Mac Pro like speeds.

I hope this helps,

- Nick

08-11-2009, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by D3v1L80Y

If money is an issue, then I would suggest getting an older model... but still newer than the one you have.

A dual G5 system can be had for the price of a mini... and it would offer you a tremendous boost in power.
Even a first or second generation Intel iMac would offer a better option than the mini for around the same cost.

Yeah I was thinking about suggesting a used dual G5...but some folks don't like used!

- Nick

08-11-2009, 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by pigoo3

Yeah I was thinking about suggesting a used dual G5...but some folks don't like used!

- Nick

True... but new doesn't always mean "better".

08-11-2009, 02:32 PM

Originally Posted by D3v1L80Y

True... but new doesn't always mean "better".

I'm with ya! My "newest edition" is a "used" MBP 17".

In my case "newer & used" was better!

- Nick

08-11-2009, 09:02 PM

Thanks everyone. I am going to look up some prices on a G-5.

08-11-2009, 09:18 PM

My processor speed is 867 MHz.