Need to know about the different IMACS

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I was planning to give my wife this IMAC G5 20' with intel and looking into getting the IMAC G5 20' without intel...can you tell me if there willbe a big difference between the 2 and would I be disappoint? I don't plan to install windows in either.
 
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First off, the naming scheme refers to processors. The iMac G5 and iMac Core Duo are different machines.

As for what you should get her, I suggest the new iMac Core Duo. It is much faster than the G5. However, there are some issues.

Apple has always used a processor architecture different from what Windows PCs use, called the POWER architecture, whereas Windows machines have always used the x86 architecture. I'll spare you the technical details (even I don't get all of them), but basically, they're different, really different.

When Apple introduced the Intel chips (which have an x86 architecture), this created a big problem, as older chips (such as the G5) ran the POWER architecture.

Because of this, the majority of the applications designed for the Mac won't run on Intel processors unless emulation is involved. This is where Apple's Rossetta application comes in. Rossetta emulates the PowerPC architecture (how, I don't know) and allows most applications to run on the Intel chips. Although Apple has ported most of it's own applications (OS X itself run perfectly fine, as well as all pack-in applications), some applications (most notably Photoshop) don't run at full speed on the Intel machines, as they aren't written to run on the x86 architecture.

Still though, I strongly recommend the Core Duo. The speed increase is well worth it, not to mention that almost all applications will be able to run at full speed and not need emulation by the end of the year (these are what are called "Universal Binary" applications. These applications include binary's to run on both Intel and PowerPC machines).
 
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Thanks...I think I will get another one with the intel...I just saw one that was cheap to get without intel.
 
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If price is an issue, the G5 will do fine for most uses, but if you can, I recommend the Intel.
 
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If I may ask a question along these same lines. I bought my wife an iMac Intel and I'm hoping to run the current Mac Office 2004, my question is, will it run?
 
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Yeah Office 2004 will run, but it will run in rosetta (a program that allows Power apps to run on Intel chips) and will be a little slow when loading and closing it.
 
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BlindingLights said:
Yeah Office 2004 will run, but it will run in rosetta (a program that allows Power apps to run on Intel chips) and will be a little slow when loading and closing it.

Thanks, and I take it Rosetta come pre-installed?
 
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Yep, Apple would be shooting themselves in the foot it it wasn't.
 
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Go with the Intel Core Duo, it has a much better outlook into the future, as well as more exspandability. Plus it runs cooler, faster, and more energy efficient, a win win win.
You woiuld be dissapointed it you were to go with the G5 .
 
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dimagex20 said:
Go with the Intel Core Duo, it has a much better outlook into the future, as well as more exspandability. Plus it runs cooler, faster, and more energy efficient, a win win win.
You woiuld be dissapointed it you were to go with the G5 .


Thanks
 
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dimagex20 said:
You woiuld be dissapointed it you were to go with the G5 .

I purchased an iMac G5 in December, 3 weeks before the Intels debuted. I certainly wouldn't call it a disappointment!
 
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dimagex20 said:
You woiuld be dissapointed it you were to go with the G5 .

Just so you know, this is a complete lie lol. You won't be dissapointed AT ALL if you got the G5, yeah its not as fast as the Intel Core Duo, and obviously the Intel is more futureproof (even though the PPC's will be supported for many years), but its still a very good machine!
 

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