Choosing between 2 Macs, need some advice

So I was walking around the warehouse at work today and I stumbled across a G5 box so I went to see how much it'd cost me to buy it (sometimes our prices are ridiculously low on weird items.) This turned out to be one of them. I wound up buying a G5 PowerMac dual 2.7GHz for $550. I think the computer was a demo from one of our stores.
I hadn't really given any though of getting rid of my iMac for something different and now I am kinda wondering if I should.

I'd have to purchase a monitor for the PowerMac if I keep it. The one I was looking at Best Buy is $210. And I'd sell the iMac to cover the $550 and the monitor only leaving me some money to put in the bank. If I sell the PowerMac, I could run out and get an HD LCD tv I've had my eye on with just profit alone (I think it'd fetch around $1600 on eBay.)

Here are the specs:
iMac- 20" Core Duo/2GB PC5400 RAM/250GB 7200 HD/DVD+DL/128MB X1800/Airport/Bluetooth
It ran a 122.8 when I tested it using Xbench.

PowerMac G5- Dual 2.7GHz/1GB PC3200 RAM (2x512MB)/250GB HD/DVD+-RW/64MB GeForce FX 5200/no airport/no bluetooth
It ran a 116.8 when I tested it using Xbench.

Maybe it just seems really cool cause I just opened the box, but the G5 has a lot of short comings (1GB RAM, no DL burner which I use a lot, slow vid card (it wasn't an option on the PowerMac 2.7GHz, its a downgrade), and I'd need a monitor. But if I got it running to max capacity, it'd be a lot more powerful than the iMac.

Please help me, I am torn right now.
Bryan

Really depends what you intend to do with it. An iMac obviously has something aesthetic to it that you might want to weigh in. The Power Mac is a good machine, and even though it's a PPC chip, it'll run 64 bit when Leopard comes out. The iMac won't.

So if you can afford to max out the G5 over time, I personally suggest the G5, because it is expandable...

But maybe it could be a clearer decision fi you told us the purpose and placement of this Mac in your house.

It's money for nothing whatever you do.

I'd buy it, use it for a while then decide which one to get rid of. All you have to do is fund $760 for a couple of weeks, right?

Bottom line is you're geting a grand and a half worth of kit for $550. Nice.

PowerMac, or you can send it to me, and I'll send you my iMac in return.

The PowerMac is a keeper for sure.

Right now I don't do anything labor intensive. I've haven't really shot anything since college and no longer own a camera. So shooting is mostly non-existent. I just use the iMac for browsing and making DVD's.
I guess I really don't necessarily need the extra power even if I do get my photo work started soon. The iMac has handled what I've done so far with ease.
Yea, I do like the idea of having a 64 bit machine. I was disappointed when I found out the core duo was only 32 bit. (i bought it refurbed a few months ago and they didn't mention nor did i notice a difference between a CD and C2D from their lack of description on the Apple site.)
My iMac is in the corner of my apartment sitting on a corner desk. I have room for the PowerMac, the tower would just sit on the floor.
The PowerMac is just so irreresitable. I don't think I'd ever find an opportunity like this to pass it up. I guess I can just mess around with it for a few weeks and see which I like more.
Any other opinions?
Bryan

Too bad you can't keep them both. You stole that machine though for sure. Amazing deal! The Intel Macs are the future and that iMac is a very fast machine, but I love those G5 Dual CPU towers too. If I had to choose it would be a hard decision.

Dump the PowerMac, it doesn't sound like you have any reason to keep it when the iMac can do everything you need and more.

From the standpoint of a hardware guy - I think the dual PPC 2.7's will blow the iMac core duo out of the water on just about everything you will want to do. Plus like yogi noted, you are ready for 64 bit Leopard. For me, this alone would be worth keeping over the iMac.

One thing is what model G5 you have. Just from a quick check at OWC, looks like some had AGP and some PCI-e. If it is PCI-e, another plus for keeping it. If AGP, a negative.

Just on a quick check, if it's PCI-e, looks like you could upgrade to the ATI X-1900, get one of the Pioneer DVD drives and add 4GB of memory for maybe $700. This would be a killer machine for $1200-1300 invested.

If AGP, I would have to re-think the whole thing. If 3200 RAM is the fastest it takes, would also be a negative for me.

Another option - sell both and get one of the newer Core2Duo iMac's and have money left over to put towards that HDTV or maybe between them, you might be able to make enough for a Mac Pro.

As hot as the Powemac is, I'd sell it.

More and more apps are being released that are intel only and that's not going to improve...

The iMac will probably perform just as well as the Powermac and the only downside is the lack of 64-bit, which you'd only really need if you were doing high-end memory intensive stuff and if you could afford more than 4 gigs of memory (btw: I look forward to reading this post in 2 years and laughing at 4 gigs of memory... )

I'd get a nice second monitor for your iMac instead and put the rest on a dusty shelf for when you need to upgrade that iMac of yours.

That's what I worry about. Although it has the capacity to be a million times more powerful than the iMac, it will be dated sooner because it's not an Intel. That is an option of selling both computers but I think I will wait till I get my hands on a refub of the new iMac whenever it decides to be released (by new i mean the one to be released next if it is 64 bit.)
Yea, it's only 8x AGP. It's got PCI-X but no E. And it can hold up to 8GB DDR400 PC3200 RAM.
When I was at Best Buy last night browsing for a new TV, I couldn't resist one and would rather have it over the PowerMac in a heartbeat. Those new Samsung 40" 1080p LCD TV's look amazing and would rather have that. Plus I can sell my crap 27" Insignia 1080i CRT TV for some extra cash back.
I decided to list the PowerMac on eBay so it should be on there in a few hours.
Bryan

Aptmunich said:

More and more apps are being released that are intel only and that's not going to improve...

Click to expand...

Out of curiosity which new Applications are coming out Only Intel and not Universal?

id get the g5.

Adobe have released a few apps that are Intel only I believe (soundbooth is one and I think there was another), EA have announced that they are bringing their games to the intel Mac only as well, Silverlight (the flash competitor) is currently intel only and so is joost.

Obviously it's not such a big deal yet, but this is just over a year since intel macs became available. The tendency is definitely there - especially for companies just getting into Mac development whose primary revenue stream isn't necessarily in selling Mac software (See Joost).

Eh, EA's games are nothing to get excited over.

StretchR said:

Eh, EA's games are nothing to get excited over.

Click to expand...

Tru Dat!

Here's the link:
eBay Listing

Peace,
Bryan

Bryan, have to agree, with an iMac in the house already, would rather have a 1080p set than the PowerMac also. Looking at them today myself.

I think you're making a good decision in selling the PowerMac. Someone who needs the horsepower will get a decent deal on it, and you'll pocket some cash. Great find, though, and if you didn't have an iMac already, a great machine to keep.