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Powermac G5 from Mac Mini

M

majorp

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Nov 28, 2005
314
0
UK !!!
After switching about a month ago i have decided to stay with Mac. The mini is good but sometimes things just take forever. Do you think i will see a great improvement with a dual core G5 in things like photoshop and general things (eg. watching a video while doing something else) as my mini often struggles. Also all effects on the mac mini (minimizing, dashboard etc) stutter a little. Will the G5 be able to perform the UI smoother?

Thanks
 
How much ram do you have in your mini? This will make all the difference. The Mini isn't really slow, but it needs (read os X) ram! So max the ram out (that is one 1 GB stick), and you'll notice a big difference.

And yes, the G5 is a bit quicker, especially a dual G5 or dual core. But it also needs ram, else it is just plain slow.
 
the dual PMs are considerably faster at almost everything. To make them so with EVERYTHING, you should upgrade the graphics card and the RAM right away.

Today's are better than they were, but traditionally, for some reason, the powermac graphics cards have been anemic, even on the 3,000 dollar version. I guess they want to force you to upgrade. This time last year, a 3,000 dollar computer with no monitor and an nVidia 5200 with 64mb of RAM could only mean Apple, because no other company in the world would expect someone to buy such a thing...

well, yes, the new dual-core PMs are very nice. Heck, the quad-CPU ones are ultra-nice. With a 7800 and 3-5GB of RAM, maybe a nice RAID array, and you're looking at a NICE chunk of machine that will do anything you want it to do (short of games) faster than any normal PC would ever think about doing it. Unless you've got an opteron with a 4 processor config. Or maybe one of the new dual-core FX chips...they blaze...
 
Ok, thanks for your help. I put my mac mini on ebay and it sold in a couple of hours! Now im stuck. There are a few PM's on ebay (dual 2ghz) but they don't list the graphics cards?! Is there anywhere where i can find a powermac roadmap (to see all previous revisions etc?)
 
majorp said:
Ok, thanks for your help. I put my mac mini on ebay and it sold in a couple of hours! Now im stuck. There are a few PM's on ebay (dual 2ghz) but they don't list the graphics cards?! Is there anywhere where i can find a powermac roadmap (to see all previous revisions etc?)
Click to expand...

You can always check out http://apple-history.com/ to look at the PowerMacs. They're a pretty trusted source for stuff like that.
 
man, i just got the dual core 2ghz Power Mac yesterday. This thing is AWESOME! Ordered 1gig from Newegg to have 1.5 gigs RAM. Things are SMOOTH. The mini can't even play HD video at the Apple Store I was at, this thing flys!
 
majorp said:
Ok, thanks for your help. I put my mac mini on ebay and it sold in a couple of hours! Now im stuck. There are a few PM's on ebay (dual 2ghz) but they don't list the graphics cards?! Is there anywhere where i can find a powermac roadmap (to see all previous revisions etc?)
Click to expand...
Apple's refurb store online would be a safer and more reliable bet than eBay...
 
You will definitely see an improvement.
I second the idea that you try to buy from the Apple Store (special deals/refurb/sale section). You get a full warranty with it.
 
CanadaRAM said:
Apple's refurb store online would be a safer and more reliable bet than eBay...
Click to expand...

Right now they are offering a dual 2.5GHz PM for $2049.00 and a dual 2.7GHz PM for $2149.00......good deals.
 
I would buy from the apple store without a doubt but im in the UK and for some reason they never have powermacs on offer :mad:

from what i have researched you can pretty much tell what revision it is from the graphics card alone? unless BTO. is this right

rev a fx5200
rev b 9200
rev c 6600

do you think about £950 for a 2.0 DP, 160GB HD, 1.5GB, ATI 9200 ram sounds ok?

edit: ha ha, saying that they have one now

Dual 2.3GHz PowerPC G5
1.15GHz frontside bus per processor
512K L2 cache per processor
512MB DDR400 SDRAM
Expandable to 8GB SDRAM
250GB Serial ATAThree PCI-X Slots
ATI Radeon 9600
128MB DDR video memory

for £1259 ($2,168) what do you think?
 
majorp said:
do you think about £950 for a 2.0 DP, 160GB HD, 1.5GB, ATI 9200 ram sounds ok?
Click to expand...

Sounds alright to me... I'll also be in the market soon for an approx £1000 PM for a friend of mine. She thinks she wants an iMac but as a design student, I'll think she'll be happier with a PM in the long run.
 
I wouldnt do a thing until Apple shows us its cards, we know 2006 is going to be Fantastic with faster hardware that will be able to run anything. Why limit yourself to PPc's slim software selection when the new Macs will be able to be used anywhere in the market place with almost any software.? Buying a ppc based machine now is like wanting a 040 when the G3s came out, then just as you got that 040 Apple announced G4s. Thats whats going on here watch and mark my words.
 
I know you're trying to save some money buying used and the dual processor
2.3 is a great choice HOWEVER,
keep in mind that the newer DUAL CORE machines are vastly improved
with a major upgrade from PCI-X AGP 8X graphics
to PCI-EXPRESS 16X graphics.
You CAN NOT upgrade an AGP system to PCI-Express.

I've looked at the available refurbs and honestly the prices for the refurb
PowerMac are NOT that good.

Moving up to PCI-Express is a major industry standard change and
well worth the extra expense.
 
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