PowerPC iMac vs Intel iMac, performance for Apple Mail

[katewes]

I have an iMac PowerPC 1.6 GHz 1GB RAM.

Would I experience much of a speed increase if I took an opportunity to acquire a 2nd hand iMac Intel 1.83 GHz Core Duo currently 512MB RAM?

I want to know on which Apple Mail would run faster? i.e. a software that comes with Leopard itself.

I'm asking this because Apple Mail consists of the vast majority of my daily work used for this machine.

 

[Hellhammer]

If it runs OK on your current machine, I wouldn't upgrade. Mail doesn't need much power so any Mac in past 5 years is fine for it. Have you maxed out RAM in your current Mac? RAM always speeds thing up.

 

[zedsdead]

If Mail is your big concern, you will be fine with what you have. Has Mail not been running well?

 

[katewes]

The only reason for upgrading is that the G5 has been fully written off as a tax deduction, and hence, there's an option to get a further machine. But if there's not going to be a noticeable performance gain for Apple Mail, then there's probably no point. Thanks.

 

[Tom Dahl]

The new machine would have a faster processor but only half the memory. I suspect that for various tasks, the newer Mac would be slower than your old one. 512MB is very skimpy!

 

[PurrBall]

With my growing Inbox, it was taking hours for Mail to load it all up on a clean install on my G4. When I switched to using Mail on my new iMac, it loaded up in a few seconds.

 

[Hellhammer]

With my growing Inbox, it was taking hours for Mail to load it all up on a clean install on my G4. When I switched to using Mail on my new iMac, it loaded up in a few seconds.

But your iMac is a beast compared to iMac OP was looking for.

 

[zmttoxics]

Mail shouldn't have an issue on that machine. Your inbox may be too big. Try emptying it / splitting it up into folders.