Power Mac G5 Expandability

unsha13 · Dec 16, 2010

I really wanted a computer like a mac pro but then realised the true expenditure needed to acquire one of these machines.
I noticed that Power Mac G5 was a lot cheaper and was wondering if it was upgradable to be similar to the stock mac pro,
And if it was how would i do this and how much money would i be required to part with.
I was mainly concerned about the expandability of the graphics card as i am not aware of the options available- i am into gaming and using intensive art programs that would really require a good graphics card.
I am fine with the processor and am aware of the easily changeable RAM and hard drives.

Thank you.

I am looking forward to buying my first mac desktop and hope that this is the one for me (all depends on the graphics card) My fingers are crossed.

Evan

s2odin · Dec 16, 2010

unsha13 said:
I really wanted a computer like a mac pro but then realised the true expenditure needed to acquire one of these machines.
I noticed that Power Mac G5 was a lot cheaper and was wondering if it was upgradable to be similar to the stock mac pro,
And if it was how would i do this and how much money would i be required to part with.
I was mainly concerned about the expandability of the graphics card as i am not aware of the options available- i am into gaming and using intensive art programs that would really require a good graphics card.
I am fine with the processor and am aware of the easily changeable RAM and hard drives.

Thank you.

I am looking forward to buying my first mac desktop and hope that this is the one for me (all depends on the graphics card) My fingers are crossed.

Evan

You can't change graphics cards in an iMac G5.
And most intensive art programs use RAM and processor before the graphics card. This being said, if you game and use PS etc getting a good graphics card is going to be hard, no matter what. There are gaming gpu's and workstation gpu's. There are no real hybrid gpu's out there.

harryb2448 · Dec 16, 2010

iMac? iMac? OP never menyions iMac so must be a desktop G5 tower.

No as it is a PowerPC chip and not Intel. No way you can convert a G5 to be a Mac Pro. The last OS G5's are able to run is Leopard OS X.5.8. You can upgrade the PCI-e graphics card of course, do a search of eBay for dealers selling G5 cards, but they must be PCI-e and not AGP cards and must be Mac cards.

RAM can be upgraded, however unless you are prepared to invest in an SSD, G5's can only handle SATA hard drives and not SATA II or faster. OWC who are Mac specialists sell drives, memory etc.

For what it is worth go for a Mac Pro ase the last model G5, the Dual Core Late 2005, are now over five years old.

unsha13 · Dec 16, 2010

I really don't feel i have the money to splash on a mac pro
How much would a second hand one or a refurbished one be in the UK?
Or is there any alternative way?

s2odin · Dec 16, 2010

unsha13 said:
I really don't feel i have the money to splash on a mac pro
How much would a second hand one or a refurbished one be in the UK?
Or is there any alternative way?

Well, honestly, if gaming and PS etc are your main concerns, you should get a Windows machine. I didn't see any refurbished Mac Pros on Apple's site for the UK. You could check eBay or Craigslist (or something like that in your area). But a Windows machine would be cheaper and better for gaming.

Head_Unit · Dec 17, 2010

Presuming the above is correct, DO NOT get a PowerPC machine. The Intel chips are much faster, I can say from personal experience.

More importantly, Apple isn't really supporting the PowerPC chips any more. And you can't run the more-efficient, slimmed-down latest OS X releases.

I'd get a new iMac far sooner than a PowerPC tower.

But if you're gaming, maybe Windoze is better in some respects.

Anyway, I'd answer your question as "hey, no matter how many options you put on a Volkswagen, it's still just NOT an Audi"

Power Mac G5 Expandability

unsha13

s2odin

harryb2448

unsha13

s2odin

Head_Unit

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