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20" imac G5 or 17" imac intel
- Thread starter kjs862
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iMac G5 20". Amazing machine, amazing price. The increase in screen size makes a big difference. He won't regret it.
kjs862 said:
The 20" iMac G5 is untill more optimization of intel code, as fast or even faster than the new iMac Intel. Also the 20" display is great, it's a really huge difference between 17 and 20..
I'm also a bit sceptic to 1st gen products and the "old" iMac G5 is a really nice machine.
kjs862 said:
A step backwards? Absolutely not. They are the same machine. Just different chips. And don't believe the "twice as fast" hype. Right now, the G5 runs everything natively. No need for Rosetta, so everything flies. Also there are video issues with the new iMacs. I recommend sticking with the G5 for a while. I chose the G5 over the Intel and I don't regret it. Good luck. Don't worry too much about specs and things. Just get it, use it, and enjoy it.
I would also lay a vote down for the iMac G5. Especially if your friend plans on using photoshop and office over the next year. The G5 is an awesome chip and it will last him years to come. Also, as mentioned earlier the larger screen realestate is a big plus.
ripfrankwhite said:...They are the same machine. Just different chips. And don't believe the "twice as fast" hype. Right now, the G5 runs everything natively. No need for Rosetta, so everything flies...Don't worry too much about specs and things. Just get it, use it, and enjoy it.
For the intended uses the new Intel iMac will run everything "native" OSX and iLife are all that you need for basic use. For these programs the Intel machine really is twice as fast or fastr. If you were to be a full-time Photoshop user the answer is different
The decision may become moot very soon as the stock of G5 iMacs is running out
ChrisA said:
Do we have any real benchmarks to see how much faster these intel chips are in the iMac? not just SPARC
Alright so I went and tried to find some benchmarks and I found
http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?4,2518798,2518798
To brake it down a bit you have the intel iMac doing things a little faster (except H.264 encoding where it is twice as fast because there is harware built into the new video cards (x1600) that they are using to be optimized for this task) But this is for G5 1.8 which was before PCIe (I think) so I would think that a 2.1 G5 would be performing tasks at essentially the same speed as the 1.83 Core Duo. The fact that these machines are twice as fast is BS that apple is trying to sell everyone . Clock for clock the G5 blows these intel chips to pieces.
(On the other hand if you are multitasking, which is common in the Mac world, then having that extra core there should really help) I am not trying to diss the whole intel thing, the core duos are in almost every way better than the G4, but they are NOT better than the G5. Apple needed intel for laptop chips which IBM could/would not provide but they are selling them for more than they are.
Bottom line IMO I would get the G5!
http://forums.dealmac.com/read.php?4,2518798,2518798
To brake it down a bit you have the intel iMac doing things a little faster (except H.264 encoding where it is twice as fast because there is harware built into the new video cards (x1600) that they are using to be optimized for this task) But this is for G5 1.8 which was before PCIe (I think) so I would think that a 2.1 G5 would be performing tasks at essentially the same speed as the 1.83 Core Duo. The fact that these machines are twice as fast is BS that apple is trying to sell everyone
. Clock for clock the G5 blows these intel chips to pieces.(On the other hand if you are multitasking, which is common in the Mac world, then having that extra core there should really help) I am not trying to diss the whole intel thing, the core duos are in almost every way better than the G4, but they are NOT better than the G5. Apple needed intel for laptop chips which IBM could/would not provide but they are selling them for more than they are.
Bottom line IMO I would get the G5!
I guess the winner between the 20" imac g5 (2.1 Ghz) and 17" imac intel (1.83 Ghz) is the imac g5. Lets just hope there still in stock next week when my friend is ready to order. Thanks again for everyones comments.
The only thing in the back of my mind is we are comparing a 2.1 Ghz g5 to a 1.83 Ghz intel. As godbout pointed out and suggested they are about the same speed. However, if my friend had the money to fork over logically the 2.0 Ghz intel core duo would be ideal.
The only thing in the back of my mind is we are comparing a 2.1 Ghz g5 to a 1.83 Ghz intel. As godbout pointed out and suggested they are about the same speed. However, if my friend had the money to fork over logically the 2.0 Ghz intel core duo would be ideal.
I vote Intel iMac
The reason being is it will be faster with newer Intel applications. Plus the Graphics is MUCH faster (4 Pixel Pipeline card vs. 12 Pixel Pipeline card), Memory is faster 667MHz vs 533MHz. Dual-core Intel processor is faster than the single core G5 (in native tasks). Anyway, the bigger screen is nice, but I would choose the Intel in a heartbeat.
The reason being is it will be faster with newer Intel applications. Plus the Graphics is MUCH faster (4 Pixel Pipeline card vs. 12 Pixel Pipeline card), Memory is faster 667MHz vs 533MHz. Dual-core Intel processor is faster than the single core G5 (in native tasks). Anyway, the bigger screen is nice, but I would choose the Intel in a heartbeat.
I'd go with the G5. Your friend's needs don't seem to be that which necessitate the latest, newest thing. I just got the G5 20" and it's fantastic! I'd save the $$ and get more real estate. It's awesome and the thing I love the most about it is the remote.
carlos700 said:
Same here. You could always add an external display for more screen real estate (its what I have).
The intel machine is very impressive, both the processor and graphics card. I'd pick it.
Screen Size
For the basic tasks he will be doing then the Intel iMac will be faster. Now it won't be insanely faster, so it's not like the G5 will be threading water. All those basic tasks run pretty fast on just one G5 chip which shows how strong that Processor is. Now the Core Duo is faster on the basic tasks and you benefit from it when those apps use the second processor. Now for your friend does doing something in 5 sec as opposed to 3 sec really a big deal? Unless he is using Handbrake and enconding video which is not a basic task and then it really makes a difference because of the two cores. For me the issue comes down to the screen size. The G5 is no slouch at all and if he wants or needs the extra real estate then the 20'inch Imac G5 I think will be the better value for him.
For the basic tasks he will be doing then the Intel iMac will be faster. Now it won't be insanely faster, so it's not like the G5 will be threading water. All those basic tasks run pretty fast on just one G5 chip which shows how strong that Processor is. Now the Core Duo is faster on the basic tasks and you benefit from it when those apps use the second processor. Now for your friend does doing something in 5 sec as opposed to 3 sec really a big deal? Unless he is using Handbrake and enconding video which is not a basic task and then it really makes a difference because of the two cores. For me the issue comes down to the screen size. The G5 is no slouch at all and if he wants or needs the extra real estate then the 20'inch Imac G5 I think will be the better value for him.
My new imac g5
Dudes and Dudettes-
I just picked up my iMac G5 20"...I've actually been waiting since 2003 to get a G5 (I'm poor) and wanted to get a PowerMac because I was afraid anything else wouldn't be fast enough ( I do a lot of audio stuff in Logic) but I just couldn't resist the price drops with this machine. I just finished setting it up and let me say this...it SMOKES!! It dosen't even flinch at the audio stuff I've thrown at it so far...Stuff that made my poor 12" PB whimper. Plus I don't get a headache after using it for more than 15 minutes because I can actually see what I'm doing!! Not knocking my PowerBook...I still have it and LOVE it to death, but man...for the price (I got mine for $1199.00 at The Apple Store. It was a floor model but it had 1 GB of RAM already installed so again, I couldn't resist...). Do yourself a favor and snatch one of these babies up. I actually feel kinda bad for Apple because it's highway robbery the amount of computer I got for the money. Intel iMacs? Yawn...I'll pick another up in 2 years when they get the bugs out. In the meantime G5's RULE!!!!!!
Dudes and Dudettes-
I just picked up my iMac G5 20"...I've actually been waiting since 2003 to get a G5 (I'm poor) and wanted to get a PowerMac because I was afraid anything else wouldn't be fast enough ( I do a lot of audio stuff in Logic) but I just couldn't resist the price drops with this machine. I just finished setting it up and let me say this...it SMOKES!! It dosen't even flinch at the audio stuff I've thrown at it so far...Stuff that made my poor 12" PB whimper. Plus I don't get a headache after using it for more than 15 minutes because I can actually see what I'm doing!! Not knocking my PowerBook...I still have it and LOVE it to death, but man...for the price (I got mine for $1199.00 at The Apple Store. It was a floor model but it had 1 GB of RAM already installed so again, I couldn't resist...). Do yourself a favor and snatch one of these babies up. I actually feel kinda bad for Apple because it's highway robbery the amount of computer I got for the money. Intel iMacs? Yawn...I'll pick another up in 2 years when they get the bugs out. In the meantime G5's RULE!!!!!!
Well, I don't share your opinion of the intel Macs, but that is an exceptional deal you got on your iMac G5 20-inch.
You're really going to enjoy that machine. That is a lot of computer, for the price, plus the big display. Well done.
You're really going to enjoy that machine. That is a lot of computer, for the price, plus the big display. Well done.
powerbook911 said:
I'm certainly not knocking the Intel Machines...They look really sweet. I guess I've just been enamored by the idea of owning a G5 since they came out in 2003 and I feel like they were a bit shortchanged by Apple in lieu of the Intel switch. A Mac, to me, is a somewhat magical experience. I feel that from a G5 machine. The Intel's, (again, to me. I don't presume to make pronouncements for others) just don't yet have that Apple "Wow" factor yet. That's what I meant by "Yawn". The dual core is great and I'm sure as the lineup matures they will be every bit as fantastic as we all know Macs to be, I just don't feel it yet.
That said, I always get most of my excitement from reading others impressions of their machines. I suppose that's exactly why I feel the way I do about the G5. When I read the first buyers impressions of the Dual 2.0 back in 2003 it made me want to get one ASAP. But as I said already...I'm too poor!!
just ordered a G5 iMac 20" yesterday. I put a lot of thought into my purchase and the more I thought about it, the more I realised I dont want to have anything to do with the Beta stages of the intel switch. that includes waiting for software to go UB.
Once the intel switch is done, complete, finished, Ill sell the G5 and get an Intel PowerMac
Once the intel switch is done, complete, finished, Ill sell the G5 and get an Intel PowerMac
Honestly, right now, the 20" iMac G5 is an amazing deal. Everything runs natively on it. The price has been chopped. It's a great machine with potential and will be supported for at least 3 more years into the future. By that time, you might want a new one anyhow. Go with the G5! Good luck with your new iMac.
Good luck with your new iMac.
Caitlyn said:Honestly, right now, the 20" iMac G5 is an amazing deal. Everything runs natively on it. The price has been chopped. It's a great machine with potential and will be supported for at least 3 more years into the future. By that time, you might want a new one anyhow. Go with the G5!
I'd actually say go for the Intel iMac. Intel is the way Apple are heading so that's the way you should be heading to.
Caitlyn said:True, Glenn. But then he/she doesn't have to worry about Rosetta and can just enjoy the speed.
But when the developers finish everything up in 6 months and everything in Universal, he/she wont need to worry about Rosetta aswell, and could enjoy speed faster than the G5. Intel is the way ahead in my opinion
Dont buy based on whats happening this month, think ahead a little. Eventually all apps will be Universal, what will you want to be running then?
Caitlyn said:
Did you read the first post? His friend wants the computer for basic tasks...Mail, Safari, iTunes, ect. I didn't see Photoshop in there