Extend the Life of my G5 or Sell Now?

[tjwett]

i've got a dual 1.8 G5 (4 GB RAM version) w/ an 80GB HD, 1.25GB RAM and 64MB video card. someone is offering me $1500 (i paid $1799 a year ago) for it and they are ready to buy today. this is really tempting. i could grab a new Intel iMac with the money, or even a mini to hold me over for a little while. i also have a 20" Cinema display and i like the idea of keeping it around as it could last me a very long time, but if i get an iMac i'd probably sell it. think i should sell this G5 while it's still worth something or should i just keep it and beef it up a little more and make it last me a few more years?

 

[Eidorian]

If you're not tethered to PowerPC based applications the iMac is a great buy right now. You're getting a good sale on that Power Mac G5 too. You can use your Cinema display with the iMac too.

 

[friedymeister69]

I think that $1500 is too low, but then again, I'm not the expert. I do, however, know that if you were to keep it a while longer, it won't depreciate TOO much. A good example is the powermac g4s that are still pretty expensive.

 

[Eidorian]

I think that $1500 is too low, but then again, I'm not the expert. I do, however, know that if you were to keep it a while longer, it won't depreciate TOO much. A good example is the powermac g4s that are still pretty expensive.

83% of the original value is regained. The RAM is the only outstanding feature about it.

 

[tjwett]

If you're not tethered to PowerPC based applications the iMac is a great buy right now. You're getting a good sale on that Power Mac G5 too. You can use your Cinema display with the iMac too.

i woudn't say tethered but i do use Photoshop fairly often for web design work but i'm not working with hi-res imagery and i think Rosetta would be usable for now. and yeah, i totally forgot that the new iMac will do proper extended desktop. hmmm, that could be fun.

 

[Mord]

sell it.

 

[tjwett]

83% of the original value is regained. The RAM is the only outstanding feature about it.

yeah i think $1500 is about as high as it could get, especially after one year. the machine is in mint condition and has been well taken care of. the RAM and an Airport Extreme card are the only things i've added to it. it actually suits my needs just fine but it's just so big and pumps out so much heat.

 

[jsw]

You give me hope. I've got a dual-2.0/320GB/3.5GB/Miglia TV card PM with a 20" ACD (the older style) I'm going to be selling soon. Nice to see prices are good.

 

[Eidorian]

yeah i think $1500 is about as high as it could get, especially after one year. the machine is in mint condition and has been well taken care of. the RAM and an Airport Extreme card are the only things i've added to it. it actually suits my needs just fine but it's just so big and pumps out so much heat.

Eh, I'd love a Power Mac but my iMac's form factor suits me much more. Maybe once I settle down after college I can afford the weight and price of a Intel Power Block.

$1,500 on that G5 is a great deal for you. It's around $1500 for a refurbished 2.0 GHz Dual CPU G5 off of Apple.

 

[tjwett]

sell it.

what option would you choose?

1. sell the G5, keep the display and buy a mini as a hold-over
2. sell the G5, sell the display and get a 20" iMac and have some cash
3. sell the G5, keep the display and get a 17" iMac

i also have a 12" PowerBook that i am very happy with. the desktop is for the home office and for my girlfriend and i to share. i'm leaning towards a mini now, then probably another one when they release the next Intel version. the G4 could become a server or something.

 

[Eidorian]

what option would you choose?

1. sell the G5, keep the display and buy a mini as a hold-over
2. sell the G5, sell the display and get a 20" iMac and have some cash
3. sell the G5, keep the display and get a 17" iMac

i also have a 12" PowerBook that i am very happy with. the desktop is for the home office and for my girlfriend and i to share. i'm leaning towards a mini now, then probably another one when they release the next Intel version. the G4 could become a server or something.

I'd get the 17" iMac and keep your 20" Cinema display. You'll love the total area. Hell, use your Cinema display as your main screen.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

what option would you choose?

1. sell the G5, keep the display and buy a mini as a hold-over
2. sell the G5, sell the display and get a 20" iMac and have some cash
3. sell the G5, keep the display and get a 17" iMac

i also have a 12" PowerBook that i am very happy with. the desktop is for the home office and for my girlfriend and i to share. i'm leaning towards a mini now, then probably another one when they release the next Intel version. the G4 could become a server or something.

Number 1 and then get an Intel PowerMac when it comes out.

 

[tjwett]

Number 1 and then get an Intel PowerMac when it comes out.

part of the reason i'm selling the power mac is also because it's really overkill. i've always bought power macs and never taken advantage of the expandability. i've never put anything into a PCI slot in my life and don't ever need to. but yeah, if something i'm working on requires it when the Intels come out then i'd definitely consider it.

 

[Eidorian]

Number 1 and then get an Intel PowerMac when it comes out.

Eh, the already have the PowerBook though so it's partially covered. Unless they really need the expansion and RAM capacity of the Intel Power Mac the iMac Duo Core is just fine.


What kind of work do you plan on using this new machine for? Do you really need ZOMG power?

part of the reason i'm selling the power mac is also because it's really overkill. i've always bought power macs and never taken advantage of the expandability. i've never put anything into a PCI slot in my life and don't ever need to. but yeah, if something i'm working on requires it when the Intels come out then i'd definitely consider it.

Eh, I found that I love the expansion of the Power Mac. I have 2 video cards and a USB 2.0 PCI card in my work machine. I'd be dead without them. If you don't make a living off of the speed of your machine the iMac is fine.

 

[tjwett]

Eh, the already have the PowerBook though so it's partially covered. Unless they really need the expansion and RAM capacity of the Intel Power Mac the iMac Duo Core is just fine.


What kind of work do you plan on using this new machine for? Do you really need ZOMG power?

Eh, I found that I love the expansion of the Power Mac. I have 2 video cards and a USB 2.0 PCI card in my work machine. I'd be dead without them. If you don't make a living off of the speed of your machine the iMac is fine.

well it's a mixed bag really. up until 2 months ago i was co-owner of a sound design company and i did quite a bit of heavy audio work. now i do a lot of AppleScripting, FileMaker Pro, Photoshopping (low-res for web design only), iWork and iLife'ing. i play the occasional round of Warcraft III or Myst as well. the appeal of the iMac's 250GB HD and the option for 256MB video out of the box is very appealing. to add those options to my current G5 would be another few hundred bucks. not to mention the $800+ i've already spent to have the same display. on that note, the freedom of the separate display is a nice feeling. so confused. one thing is for sure, this G5 won't be worth much soon and my office is about 100 degress.

 

[Spanky Deluxe]

part of the reason i'm selling the power mac is also because it's really overkill. i've always bought power macs and never taken advantage of the expandability. i've never put anything into a PCI slot in my life and don't ever need to. but yeah, if something i'm working on requires it when the Intels come out then i'd definitely consider it.

In that case sell the PowerMac and the screen and get a 20" Intel iMac. You could keep the cash left over locked up and ready to spend on the Merom based iMacs, switching over when they're out. I doubt the iMacs will go 64 bit until the beginning of '07 anyway in order to maintain a noticeable difference between the iMacs and Powermacs. Buying a Mac and selling it after a year in order to buy a newer one is imo the most efficient way of buying computers because with Apples you don't lose too much in value and can stay ahead of the wave.

 

[Eidorian]

well it's a mixed bag really. up until 2 months ago i was co-owner of a sound design company and i did quite a bit of heavy audio work. now i do a lot of AppleScripting, FileMaker Pro, Photoshopping (low-res for web design only), iWork and iLife'ing. i play the occasional round of Warcraft III or Myst as well. the appeal of the iMac's 250GB HD and the option for 256MB video out of the box is very appealing. to add those options to my current G5 would be another few hundred bucks. not to mention the $800+ i've already spent to have the same display. on that note, the freedom of the separate display is a nice feeling. so confused. one thing is for sure, this G5 won't be worth much soon and my office is about 100 degress.

I haven't tested FileMaker but iLife and those games should run fine via Rosetta. If you don't expect to be doing processor intensive tasks then the iMac is just fine. Just pick between a dual display with the 17" or just a single big one with the 20" iMac.

You don't seem to need the full power of 64-bit.

 

[Mord]

In that case sell the PowerMac and the screen and get a 20" Intel iMac. You could keep the cash left over locked up and ready to spend on the Merom based iMacs, switching over when they're out. I doubt the iMacs will go 64 bit until the beginning of '07 anyway in order to maintain a noticeable difference between the iMacs and Powermacs. Buying a Mac and selling it after a year in order to buy a newer one is imo the most efficient way of buying computers because with Apples you don't lose too much in value and can stay ahead of the wave.

imacs wont use merom, they'll use conroe.

 

[tjwett]

...You don't seem to need the full power of 64-bit.

now that makes me think though that having this dual G5 when Leopard comes out might make for a nice performance increase. is that so?

also worth noting, this G5 is one month away from the end of it's one year warranty and i don't feel like dropping another few hundo on Apple Care.

one more thing, and i know it's kind of silly but this G5 typically gets an XBench score of around 95. yesterday in the Apple Store i ran XBench on a few Intel iMacs and they all scored around 50. what's up with that?

 

[tjwett]

forgot to mention one more option...

4. sell the G5, keep my display and don't buy anything right away

i gotta wonder if even the Core Solo mini that's coming out might be enough power for me. i could potentially wait, use my PowerBook for a little while and grab that in a few months. i'd be taken care of and have a grand left over in my pocket.

 

[jrk07]

forgot to mention one more option...

4. sell the G5, keep my display and don't buy anything right away

i gotta wonder if even the Core Solo mini that's coming out might be enough power for me. i could potentially wait, use my PowerBook for a little while and grab that in a few months. i'd be taken care of and have a grand left over in my pocket.

That sounds like a really interesting plan. If you can hang with the core solo mini (which will probably be pretty damn nice) then I would opt for that route. Especially being that you would have ~$900 left to just spend on whatever else you would need. Plus, being without a desktop for a while will make you appreciate a new one when the time comes around and you get one. I vote for selling the PowerMac and waiting for something else, be it a mini, rev B intel iMac, or anything else. I don't think you should spring for these new iMacs mainly because you have the nice screen already, even tho you could dual screen that would take up a lot of desk room.

 

[tjwett]

That sounds like a really interesting plan. If you can hang with the core solo mini (which will probably be pretty damn nice) then I would opt for that route. Especially being that you would have ~$900 left to just spend on whatever else you would need. Plus, being without a desktop for a while will make you appreciate a new one when the time comes around and you get one. I vote for selling the PowerMac and waiting for something else, be it a mini, rev B intel iMac, or anything else. I don't think you should spring for these new iMacs mainly because you have the nice screen already, even tho you could dual screen that would take up a lot of desk room.

yeah, desk room that i really don't have. i'd really like to go with a headless mac again, just not a power mac. i'm willing to take a hit and sell to get new stuff but the display is only a few months old and i quite like it.

 

[TheMasin9]

sell

id sell, 83% is good retention of value.

 

[Eidorian]

now that makes me think though that having this dual G5 when Leopard comes out might make for a nice performance increase. is that so?

also worth noting, this G5 is one month away from the end of it's one year warranty and i don't feel like dropping another few hundo on Apple Care.

one more thing, and i know it's kind of silly but this G5 typically gets an XBench score of around 95. yesterday in the Apple Store i ran XBench on a few Intel iMacs and they all scored around 50. what's up with that?

It has something to do with Quartz on Intel. There's another thread about this.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/181325/

Unless you're using over 4 GB of RAM for your applications you're not going to notice much of a gain vs. 32/64-bit. That is 32-bit applications running on a 64-bit system.

 

[Mr. Mister]

I'm personally selling mine now because value will probably, maybe not definitely, go down a bit when Intel powermacs are released.