Buying an eMac 700MHz G4. What kind of performance can I expect?

pigoo3 · Sep 16, 2009

pokeman89 said:
Yeah, but I could always use a spare monitor. My Dell CRT is starting to make weird noises anyway, so I think it is on it's way out. I have an LCD I would use instead. I was thinking of that too, but since I only want to use it for about a year upgrading it would not be worth it at all, except maybe in graphics. Another concern is that it has only usb 1.1 so my ipod nano 4G would not work on it. Then again, I have two PCs that it does work on, so it isn't a dealbreaker, and I honestly cannot expect a mac with usb 2.0 for this price range anyway.

Last time I had a spare CRT, I gave it away for a broken laptop which I then turned around and sold for $30 for parts, so I have made money off of CRTs myself before.

Now that I think about it, I have a Nvidia geforce 4 mx 440 AGP 8x card, that power mac has a 2 mx card, would I be able to upgrade it? I do not know which AGP slot it has, or whether or not it would like the hardware choice, especially if it came from a dell.

Hey...if you can use the CRT monitor...then go for it!

The seller is probably looking to unload it anyway!

As far as that Nvidia geforce 4 mx 440 AGP 8x card...if it's coming from a Dell computer...it will not work in a Mac. Different programming on the video card chips.

As far as the USB 1.1 vs. 2.0 for the iPod...the 700mhz eMac wouldn't have USB 2.0 either.

Good luck,

- Nick

pokeman89 · Sep 16, 2009

pigoo3 said:
As far as that Nvidia geforce 4 mx 440 AGP 8x card...if it's coming from a Dell computer...it will not work in a Mac. Different programming on the video card chips.

As far as the USB 1.1 vs. 2.0 for the iPod...the 700mhz eMac wouldn't have USB 2.0 either.

Good luck,

- Nick

Right, I figured that. Well the guy said yes to $100, so I will be buying it off of him on Saturday. It is an hour drive so it has to wait a bit. I'm kind of excited though, I have always wanted a mac but never had the extra cash to buy a new one. Hope I'm not disappointed ;D

wow, RAM upgrades are scary. I've never heard of $50 for a 512 stick, is this the normal price of mac components or is it just because the mac is old and they don't make ram for it anymore? YourMacStore Shopping - Memory for PM G4

Also, which is better, a combo drive or Super drive? and what is the difference?

Mac SK · Sep 16, 2009

Beware of craigslist you can get taken really fast. Better to buy one without a HD or memory form an ebay store and fix it up. You have some recourse when someone takes your money.

pokeman89 · Sep 16, 2009

Mac SK said:
Beware of craigslist you can get taken really fast. Better to buy one without a HD or memory form an ebay store and fix it up. You have some recourse when someone takes your money.

Not when the HD and memory are that expensive. I made sure I could try it out before saying yes, and we are meeting in a public place too. plus then I would be paying $40 alone just to ship it.

So how could I spot potential HD or stability issues from a first glance?

Mac SK · Sep 16, 2009

pokeman89 said:
Not when the HD and memory are that expensive. I made sure I could try it out before saying yes, and we are meeting in a public place too. plus then I would be paying $40 alone just to ship it.

So how could I spot potential HD or stability issues from a first glance?

I just happen to have parts and stuff so thats not an issue for me..But I understand your point. Listen for the chime. It should boot to the desktop in a reasonable time. Check the system profiler for HD size and memory installed. Listen for a bad HD, chatering a lot. Picture should be bright. Case clean. Shut it down and start it back up. Good luck and let us know how you came out.

pokeman89 · Sep 17, 2009

Mac SK said:
I just happen to have parts and stuff so thats not an issue for me..But I understand your point. Listen for the chime. It should boot to the desktop in a reasonable time. Check the system profiler for HD size and memory installed. Listen for a bad HD, chatering a lot. Picture should be bright. Case clean. Shut it down and start it back up. Good luck and let us know how you came out.

Will do, I am looking at it on Saturday.

Mac SK · Sep 17, 2009

pokeman89 said:
Will do, I am looking at it on Saturday.

Forgot one..Smell in the case slots on the back...should smell electrical but not something burning.

pokeman89 · Sep 17, 2009

Mac SK said:
Forgot one..Smell in the case slots on the back...should smell electrical but not something burning.

Ok, while it's on or off?

dtravis7 · Sep 17, 2009

Please don't take this as a for sure, but my iPod Mini worked fine on the USB 1.1 port on my old 500Mhz Power Mac G4. Not sure about the newer iPods, but as long as you have the correct version of iTunes, they should work. I will try my newer Nano on my older Mac and get back to you later.

You can get RAM a lot cheaper than that. The 867Mhz G4 is probably a Quicksilver which takes PC133 SDRAM. You can get a stick of PC133 that is guaranteed to work with your Mac for $26.

Memory Upgrades for your Apple PowerMac G4 QuickSilver 867MHz (2001) at OtherWorldComputing.com

When you come home with your Power Mac show us a pic if you can.

pokeman89 · Sep 17, 2009

dtravis7 said:
Please don't take this as a for sure, but my iPod Mini worked fine on the USB 1.1 port on my old 500Mhz Power Mac G4. Not sure about the newer iPods, but as long as you have the correct version of iTunes, they should work. I will try my newer Nano on my older Mac and get back to you later.

You can get RAM a lot cheaper than that. The 867Mhz G4 is probably a Quicksilver which takes PC133 SDRAM. You can get a stick of PC133 that is guaranteed to work with your Mac for $26.

Memory Upgrades for your Apple PowerMac G4 QuickSilver 867MHz (2001) at OtherWorldComputing.com

When you come home with your Power Mac show us a pic if you can.

I have the iPod Nano 4G, and if it doesn't even work on my old universal dock or composite video cables, then I doubt it would work in the wrong USB port. But luckily for me iTunes 8 will work on this mac, so I will try it on the offchance that it does work.

What would be a reasonable startup time for this mac? I only have windows so I have no idea what would be fast or slow. It has 10.4.11.

Mac SK · Sep 17, 2009

Its going to boot faster than XP.

pokeman89 · Sep 17, 2009

Mac SK said:
Its going to boot faster than XP.

What about a general time? I have one machine that XP starts in about 0:30, and another one that takes almost 5:00!

Mac SK · Sep 17, 2009

If it takes 5 to boot thats to long for a Mac. Depending on the memory it should be rather quick. Spinning wheel and to the Apple logo. Your just looking for any system issues at start up. If it goes smoothly its Ok. If you have a system disc your going to check it out after you get it and run the utilities and trash any strange stuff. As if you should Boot with a disc in front of this guy that up to you. You do not what to apear that you do not know what your doing. Its like buying a used Car. Except its a Mac.

pokeman89 · Sep 17, 2009

Mac SK said:
If it takes 5 to boot thats to long for a Mac. Depending on the memory it should be rather quick. Spinning wheel and to the Apple logo. Your just looking for any system issues at start up. If it goes smoothly its Ok. If you have a system disc your going to check it out after you get it and run the utilities and trash any strange stuff. As if you should Boot with a disc in front of this guy that up to you. You do not what to apear that you do not know what your doing. Its like buying a used Car. Except its a Mac.

Got it, but are there any utilities I can run without a startup disk?

manymanymacs · Sep 17, 2009

For your question on the Emac: The Emacs WERE built as cheap, quick computers to be sold to schools (only the 700MHz model). And pigoo is right. You might want to consider buying a different computer.

That g4 powermac sounded like a good deal!

manymanymacs · Sep 17, 2009

my emac fully boots in 1.45 secs.

Mac SK · Sep 17, 2009

manymanymacs said:
my emac fully boots in 1.45 secs.

Thank You for a time. I have some Imacs but no Emac and dont want to give wrong numbers. Just wanted the guy to know if its slow as syrup theres something wrong with it.

pigoo3 · Sep 18, 2009

manymanymacs said:
my emac fully boots in 1.45 secs.

WHOA...that seems like an awfully short boot time.

5 seconds I could believe...but 1.45 seconds seems very short.

What OS version are you running & what is the CPU speed of your eMac?

I will have to time my 700mhz eMac's boot time...and post the results.

- Nick

manymanymacs · Sep 18, 2009

its a 700MHz emac w/ 1.4.11 and 512 RAM. Maybe I got lucky on that start up. It starts pretty fast for me.

harryb2448 · Sep 18, 2009

But not lucky enough for 1.45 seconds dead set guaranteed!

Buying an eMac 700MHz G4. What kind of performance can I expect?

pigoo3

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pokeman89

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dtravis7

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