Intel or Power PC

[way2l84sanity]

I have been reading the mac rumors site and the forums for about a year and finally have a question that I didn't see anyone else post.
I currently have the PowerMac dual 2.7 with the ppc processors. I am looking to buy both an imac and an ibook. I'm not sure if i should go with the ppc or get the intel imac. I am going to be purchasing both computers within the next few days so I know the ibook will be ppc. Should I just stay with the ppc for the imac too? Does anyone know if i will have problems sharing files and editing them if i get the intel and network them together? I use Photoshop "elements" frequently and don't wan't to deal with the slow down i've heard about with rosetta. I've also read about some of the glitches that the new imac intels have and am nervous about dealing with graphics problems apps quitting etc.. If i stay ppc will UB apps that come out work on my computers as native ppc apps do now?

~Thanks I know it's long I guess I've been saving them up

Sorry I wasn't very clear. I have a home business and am expanding, not selling my G5. The imac is going to be half for the kids and half for business. ibook business only. ~Thanks

 

[Kingsly]

UB's will work the same on both computers. I have read (but wont know for sure until I get my MBP) that photoshop elements bounces for ever in the dock while rosetta does its thing but once it [finally] launches its pretty fast. Also, a lot of recent games (i.e. Call of duty, Halo) run well under rosetta, proving that graphics intensive programs work just fine. As for sharing, I don't think file format is dependent on the processor. It is the program that opens the file that needs to know how to address the processor architecture that poses problems. If, for instance, you have a .PSD that was made on the PPC iBook and you send it to the intel iMac the iMac wont have a problem opening the file- as long as it can open Photoshop. Am I being clear? I hope so. As for glitches, I haven't heard of any. The software and hardware seem to be remarkable stable, its third party apps that are not ready yet that pose problems.
Hope that helps.

 

[boncellis]

I was in a similar situation around Christmas time when the rumors of Intel PBs were flying. I decided to go with the PPC and haven't looked back despite the MBP being announced a few weeks later. For one, I already had PPC native Office and other software, and I've always been more than satisfied with Apple's hardware. I really don't think you can go wrong with either the PPC or the Intel iMac--you will see some slowdown running Photoshop through Rosetta if you so elect, but on the other hand, you might be able to make up for the loss in other areas. You know your habits best.

I have no buyer's remorse (or worse, considering the new product announcement--call it Steve Jobs remorse, I suppose) for going with the last in the line of PPC Powerbooks.

Also, if you're getting the iMac as well as an iBook, maybe the iMac will tide you over until the Intel iBook gets here, then you would have the same architecture in both machines...

 

[QCassidy352]

wait, question: are you keeping the dual 2.7 G5, or selling it to buy the 2 new machines? I wasn't sure from your post.

If you're keeping the G5, definitely go with the intel imac. After all, if you need to use photoshop, you have a G5, which will spank either imac regardless.

If you're selling the G5 to finance these two purchases it's a harder question. I myself would still go for the intel though. I have an ibook 1.33 Ghz with 1.5 GB RAM, and it runs photoshop pretty darn well. Not compared to a dual 2.7 G5 I'm sure, but certainly well enough.

And if you're planning to have these for a long time, the intel imac will last longer. Once more UBs come out, you'll really wish you had gone for the machine that is way faster in the long run.

 

[Abstract]

I wouldn't go with the Intel iBook andIntel iMac if you aren't going to sell your G5 PowerMac. There may actually be more benefit in getting a PowerPC iBook and iMac for the next 1.5 years. Adobe isn't coming out with their universal stuff until later this year, and chances are even when they're released, they'll be a bit slow. After a few updates and optimizations, they'll be much faster than on a G5 system, but just look at the MacRumours games-related story. I mean, some games are getting the same FPS even after switching over to universal binaries. Some are just getting an extra 5 FPS or so. That's not much. Eventually, the Intel iMac and MBP will look very very fast, but not now, and not for the next year or so.

Personally, I'd get a MBP right now if I had to, but for yourself, I'd stick with an Intel iMac and iBook if you already have a G5 PM.