What to get for a new mac?

K

kingcrowing2

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So i was planning on getting a new Mac, and when the Minis came out i was like sweet! i'm gonna have around $1000 from taxes, selling my old mac and my xbox. (i know this is in powermacs, keep reading!)
So i was looking at the 1.42GHz mini with a super drive, 512MB RAM, 80GB HD, and the apple care plan. I'm a studen so with my discount it was $835.
So i figured i'll still have a couple hundred left maybe i should go the next step up... i looked at laptops and the imac but i don't really want one of those, so i turned to the powermac as an alternative.

Agian i've got a studen discount, so for a 1.8GHz G5 (single, sadly) 256MB RAM (i know it real bad, but i'll upgrade eventually, is OS X ok with so little RAM is i've got a G5?), 80 GB SATA HD, a combo drive, and no modem it came to $1233, i can afford that extra money so it's not a big deal money-wise. but do you think it would be worth the downgrade in:RAM, Superdrive, and apple care to go up to the much more expandable G5?

Thanks for all your help!
 
edgefusion

edgefusion


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Your Mac's Specs
MacBook | 1.83ghz | 2gb ram
I'm not sure, I've always seen the 1.8ghz Powermac as a bit of a waste really. If you're gonna get a Powermac you may as well get a higher spec one (at least dual processor), otherwise you just have a more expensive iMac G5.

Anyway, the Powermac and Mac mini are two very different machines, they are at opposite ends of the mac scale. The crucial question is, what are you planning on using it for?

Oh and the 256mb base ram is super stingy on Apples part, go for at least 512 to get the full flavour of OS X.
 
James

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kingcrowing2 said:
So i was planning on getting a new Mac, and when the Minis came out i was like sweet! i'm gonna have around $1000 from taxes, selling my old mac and my xbox. (i know this is in powermacs, keep reading!)
So i was looking at the 1.42GHz mini with a super drive, 512MB RAM, 80GB HD, and the apple care plan. I'm a studen so with my discount it was $835.
So i figured i'll still have a couple hundred left maybe i should go the next step up... i looked at laptops and the imac but i don't really want one of those, so i turned to the powermac as an alternative.

Agian i've got a studen discount, so for a 1.8GHz G5 (single, sadly) 256MB RAM (i know it real bad, but i'll upgrade eventually, is OS X ok with so little RAM is i've got a G5?), 80 GB SATA HD, a combo drive, and no modem it came to $1233, i can afford that extra money so it's not a big deal money-wise. but do you think it would be worth the downgrade in:RAM, Superdrive, and apple care to go up to the much more expandable G5?

Thanks for all your help!
Click to expand...

It depends mostly on what you want to do with a computer. If you want something that can grow with you and last you for quite a few years, I would go with the G5 system. 256 ram sucks, but that can be cured when you get a couple extra bucks. Expandability adds years to a computer, and the G5 can expand over the mini, not to mention it starts from a higher place.

As far as the Apple Care, how lucky are ya? I have never bought extended service contracts in the last 20 years on anything, and have never had the need for them. A Superdrive can also be added later...
 
OP
K

kingcrowing2

Guest
Well i figure it will be cheaper to buy memory seperate anyways, and adding RAM is a snap, 90% of what i do is internet, Office, and i do use PS CS a lot too (check out my Sig/Avatar!) but i currently use PS CS on my laptop, it's a Dell 2.0 Celeron w/ 256MB RAM and i can stand it, eventually i'd like to use Maya 6 PLE (3D graphics stuff used for Spiderman and LOTR) but i'd definately updrade the GPU and the RAM before i did that, and i think the expandblilty is really Key, if i get the mini, all i'll ever be able to do with it is the same as the day i get it, but if i start really liking Maya with the G5 i can bump up the RAM and GPU (6800 ultra DDL... oh yeah!)

Note on G5 imac: thats pointless, i've got a monitor already, and the base price for that is $1200, so for $33 more i get the desktop
 
OP
A

adamxj2

Guest
dont get the mac mini

as tempting and as cool as they
look the mac mini,
to me seems to be for like your
mom or grandma so they can keep
in touch with their grandkids by e mail
I am sure it is cool and I am apple's biggest fan.
But I believe it is apple's attempt to reach
the Mac Interested with less money
(which I am all for by the way)
I know from experience you are gonna
need a fast computer for Maya
and plus with my dual g5 1.8 w/1 gb of
ram opens 50 mb ps cs files in seconds.
The mac mini you will be seeing that
blue bar for for quite a long time.
Dude I bought my g5 last april and I saved pennies nickels
and any thing I could to scrape up enpugh for it
The total cost was 4000 for the 20" display and the tower
plus extra ram with my educational discount.
But my friend, I am IN LOVE with it and
it is worth the wait

adam
 

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