Dilemma..Yet Another Intel/G5 iMAC ?...Need your Advice!

[rbswitch]

Finally "unlurked", great forum and I need advice...from you the master apple guru's

Here's the situation...friend recently got the Intel iMac(20incher with 2gig mem and 256 vram). Went over and set up his network - what a screaming machine!!! Apparently has had some issues(believe he was told video card and hard drive) and is getting a new one.

Saw the machine and gave it a workout in a few hours - impressive for the most part. (The non PPC apps were dreadfully slow - Photoshop)

I want to switch and had planned to when a great mac media mini or something was announced. Old news - didn't happen, yet. Have my Dell laptop for work and my home pc just took a dive. Need to replace it ASAP...so guess I can't wait for the latest greatest. Onto the dilemma...

Whatever I buy now - will still get the media mac if it ever shows up for my HT. So lets take that off the table. Need a home pc for the following uses...
Surfing, Heavy Word/Excel/PPT, iTunes, various photo editing utilities - backing up my LEGAL dvd's, IPOD use, playing old style RPG type games - no first person shooters here or WOW, DOOM etc, educational titles(kids), various budget bill activities and apparently a few apps that are windows only without a MAC equivalent. (Money, wife-3 d embroidery software etc), need VPC or soemthing like it - or could rummage in the garage for an old machine that could function for these real basic apps if I had to.

Somewhat price sensitive - Can get G5 iMac $1350 or Intel iMac $1550 - from Amazon.

Have done a bit of research and the following are my concerns:
Intel iMac

- seems to have a few early adopter pains (not just friends experience - but reports around the web and from apple store)
-won't run VPC or anything like it for awhile
-edu titles and games I like are up in the air - with some not running at all...yet
-slow on non PPC apps
-higher initial cost(slight I know)
-absolutely needs max ram out of the gate - add $230 to cost - G5 would add a gig so relly only about a $120 factor
Pro's
-Blazing fast on UB apps
-Dual monitors - don't really need but nice if I ever did
-better graphics card
-longer term investment

Now the dilemma - I view this as a shorter term decision, as stated earler will get the mac media whatever, whenever its released. Will most likely sell either iMac within the next 12 months and go to more proven/tried/upgraded whatever - such as iMAC with...fill in the blank...

So...do I get the G5 which will do everyhting I need to do now - except for maybe playing HD trailers, nice but not even on my major list or do I get the Intel and potentially go through some of the growing pains.

Have to get something - want to switch - so no computer(wait) is not an option. Really do not want to buy another Windows PC.

Sorry for the long read...hopefully you can assist me here...need to make decision before Amazon rebate goes away.
THANKS!!!!
Ron

 

[sonofthesun]

well, g5imac 20" just saw a pricedrop of 200$ worldwide - quite a nice drop

 

[calebjohnston]

there's not much advice that anyone can give you in this situation. I know that I'm personally very happy that I got my mac before the intel thing started, there's just too many compatibility issues right now for one of those. I suspect by two years from now - when I'll probably get a new computer, that the intel integration will be more fluent, and applications will have switched off of power pc.

 

[kretzy]

If I were you, I'd brave the Intel. By the time you would want to sell your G5 iMac, I imagine there will be quite a severe drop in resale prices of PPC Macs. At this time, the entire Mac line will have moved to Intel and people will be less willing to get PPC machines.

 

[powerbook911]

I'd say go with the iMac Core Duo. I've had the machine for eight days now, and it is an absolute joy. A really fantastic computer. I think most if not all of your needs could be met by the machine.

 

[rbswitch]

Thanks for the advice. I am leaning more towards the Intel IMac.

I am somehwat concerned about some of the problems cropping up on Apple support - but figure there are always a few defects in any product - so maybe I will "not" be lucky

So why I'm leaning - speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed of course!!

Just figure if I do not sell in another 10-12 months - and have to keep - stuff happens - we will be happier with this choice.

And then there is the speeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed

Spent too much time at the Apple store trying one out today. Set up right next to a dual G5 - pretty impressive when I was doing stuff on both machines and they both responded pretty snappily. Wasn't a G5 iMac on the floor - main reason I went. Then headed to Compusa to try out the G5.....

Just think I know what I'll be missing with the G5 and might regret the decision...so still a few more hours to think about it...but am heavily leaning towards the Intel iMac...

Did I mention the ...

Spppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedddddddddddd!!!