733 Quicksilver Upgrades

J

jsorrell

Registered
Hello all. I have a few questions that maybe someone can help me with. I have a 733 G4 Quicksilver, and I love it. I have noticed over time, though, that it has seemed to have slowed down. Things seems to take a while to load and it just doesn't seem as peppy as it was when I first bought it. The system always had 640MB RAM, and i thew in another 512MB Card and upgraded to Panther. I didn't seem to notice a difference with the new RAM, it just seems to poke along like always. I have also noticed that the pictures I have in iPhoto seem to take a few seconds to clear up. I am looking to do some other small, cost friendly upgrades to make my comp feel snappy again. I thought the RAM would make a big difference, but I guess not. I am thinking maybe a bigger, faster Hard Drive might help some, not sure what this has for RPMs, but I know it is the standard 40Gig HD. Also, maybe a better video card would make a difference in iPhoto and such? I am pushing away from the idea of upgrading the processor from the price and such, and I know that things like BUS Speed and such will still slow down the machine, so a Processor upgrade isn't really cost effective compared to a new machine. Any ideas on speed bumps would be greatly appreciated for my aging Macintosh. Thanx!

Justin
 
I have the same machine, with only 384MB or RAM. As long as I repair permissions now and again, and run the CRON scripts (which are the system's own maintenance programs) once in a while (they would normally run at 3am if your machine was on all the time - if you sleep your machine at night like most of us do, they don't get a chance to run), you'll find your machine is snappy and good as ever. Apps to do this include MacJanitor (Free) and Cocktail (Shareware, but includes a boatload of extra features).
 
With my 733 Quicksilver, would it be worth it, financially to upgrade the HD, Add an ATA/133 Controller, put in a 1.5Ghz G4, and add a bigger Video Card? or does it make more sense just to go ahead and buy a new Machine? What is really driving me crazy is iPhoto and Images. My Windoze Laptop with shared Video memory seems to work with images better, lol. I just don't wanna drop too much money into something if it doesn't make sense. Anyone have any input? I don't know if those upgrades would really make that much of a difference in perforance compared to a new machine.

Thanx!
Justin
 
I upgraded my 733 to 1gig with an orignal Apple processor on ebay, and more memory, it gave my Mac new life. Also, a friend purchased a Sonnett card for his and is very pleased with the performance. I would say, upgrading is a good option, if you are looking to get another few years out of your current Mac.
 
Add up the cost of all those upgrades, then compare that to a new machine. Even with all the upgrades, a low-end G5 tower would still be faster, better, and more upgradeable. If the total cost of those upgrades is close to or over one half the cost of a new G5, then I think it's time to start thinking about saving a little more and splurging for the new machine.

Just remember: upgrading your machine will breathe new life into it, but it won't bring you to the cutting edge of technology -- it'll just squeeze a few more years out of it. Think about whether you want to spend your money playing catch-up, or whether you want to spend your money and get something very new that will probably last longer.
 
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