My Free Power Macintosh G5

[wonderings]

I don't deny the G5 is built well. Apple was forced, due to the heat of the chip to actually design a case with an eye towards thermal control. Unlike the cases of the G4 where function suffered for form.

I just have never cared for the look of the G5. For me, the Quicksilver is the nicest looking. Alas, I've had the Quicksilver and the thermal design inside is pretty bad.

It is definitely subject for the over all design. I loved the G5 for the simple and elegant look with premium feel from the materials they used. Everything with super clean inside, cables tidy and managed to a level that many people don't even have today in their PC builds. For function I loved the Dual G4's the best, the way it just opened up and laid out, everything was in reach with easy access that I don't think anyone has really matched to this date. Not a fan of the plastic look of those, I don't think they have aged anywhere near as well as the G5's have. A G5 case would look good in any modern office to this day and to me looks light years better then any tin can or cheese grater they have come out with to date.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I like the G5/cMP industrial "cheese grater" case design as well. Of the two it's tough because I love the sled design in the cMP and in the G5 I am a big nerd about how Apple engineered their thermal solution with strategic fan placement and the air deflector.

With that being said I also think the idea of puting the computer on a hinged access door that would lay flat on the table (which was the complete opposite of the industry at the time) was genius. The Powermac G3 and G4 cases were so easy to work on. That and the corner handles/feet was another nice feature absent from the broader case offerings. It is no surprise that my two favorite PowerPC Powermacs I own are an a1117 Powermac G5 identical to Ops and my M8493 Powermac G4 Quicksilver.

It is unfortunate that Ops free Powermac was too damaged to resurrect but maybe with the funds from his Ebay sales, he can get into another nice one or upgrade his existing macs.

 

[eyoungren]

I should be clear I guess. I don't dislike the design of the G5/MP. I just dislike the look For me there is a difference.

The design is how it's laid out and functions. I love how the side door works and the fact that the drive trays (four of them!) are mounted the way they are. I appreciate the thermal layout and how clean everything inside is. And I understand that the design necessitates all the cheese grater air holes to work.

What I dislike is the look, the exterior. I think Apple possibly could have gone with a finer metal mesh type of thing and I might have liked it a lot better. It just resembles a cheese grater too much to my liking.

Again, I don't hate the look, it just isn't my favorite.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I should be clear I guess. I don't dislike the design of the G5/MP. I just dislike the look For me there is a difference.

The design is how it's laid out and functions. I love how the side door works and the fact that the drive trays (four of them!) are mounted the way they are. I appreciate the thermal layout and how clean everything inside is. And I understand that the design necessitates all the cheese grater air holes to work.

What I dislike is the look, the exterior. I think Apple possibly could have gone with a finer metal mesh type of thing and I might have liked it a lot better. It just resembles a cheese grater too much to my liking.

Again, I don't hate the look, it just isn't my favorite.

That makes complete sense to me; form & function are both important and very different.