good moment to buy a Power Mac Dual?
- Thread starter ctaborda
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Jack Hammer
Registered
yeah it is. new comps wont be out till atleast sept and more likely next year
these computers will do a good job but the next gen which i am referring to above will be better
if you had no qualms about buying a g3 when the g4s came out - this is a good time to buy. i on the other hand would go nuts not having the newest chip even though the old one was still ok.
these computers will do a good job but the next gen which i am referring to above will be better
if you had no qualms about buying a g3 when the g4s came out - this is a good time to buy. i on the other hand would go nuts not having the newest chip even though the old one was still ok.
serpicolugnut
OS X Supreme Being
If you can wait until WWDC, I would do so. I don't think Apple will wait until Aug/Sept to release new Power Macs. The last release was in Jan, and they are normally on a 6 month turn around, which puts the next turn at June/July.
But, if you need it now, and you can live with the envy of having a IBM 970 PowerMac released 3 months after your purchase, go for it...
But, if you need it now, and you can live with the envy of having a IBM 970 PowerMac released 3 months after your purchase, go for it...
well, you guys are all right, the thing is that well, they're gonna be more expensive I guess, and the other thing is that this machine is mostly for work, (I'm a graphics designer), and well i've always used Windows but design always looks forward to Macintosh Computers.
Anyways I'm thiking of getting the DUAL 1.42ghz (or whatever, like the latest one), with 512 of ram "BUT, I will buy 1.5gig of ram as soon as I get it", so I will have 2gb of Ram, with the 128 Ati 9700 video card and hopefully the Apple Drive too.
By the way this computer has 2meg of cache?
And is it good, like faster than a 3ghz p4?
Well Thanks!
Anyways I'm thiking of getting the DUAL 1.42ghz (or whatever, like the latest one), with 512 of ram "BUT, I will buy 1.5gig of ram as soon as I get it", so I will have 2gb of Ram, with the 128 Ati 9700 video card and hopefully the Apple Drive too.
By the way this computer has 2meg of cache?
And is it good, like faster than a 3ghz p4?
Well Thanks!
boi
official breaker of macs.
that setup you just described will be smokin'. my dp 867 runs as quick as my friend's 2.2Ghz for a makeshift photoshop filter test and quake III test (dual processors enabled). i ran a little behind in quake III but i was a little ahead on photoshop, so all's good. both computers had 768RAM. i have an ATI 9000 and he's got a GeForce 4 Ti.
I wouldn't expect them so soon. The only reason why they will be talking about it at WWDC is that they need to prepare their developers for the 64 bit architecture. The actual systems will come much later.
So if you need a powermac go for it. Unless you can wait a good 6 months, which is a lifetime in our business
So, you really say that the system I just described is faster than a p4 3ghz with 1gb of rim?
No I wouldn't be able to WAIT 6 Months!, thats like 6 years for me
I'm on a p4 1.5 256 rim now
so well I'm making my mind, tomorrow I will buy it, but depends on what you guys tell me!
since, I don't know if a Dual power mac 1.42 with 2gb of ram will be faster than a 3ghz p4 with like 1gb of rimm
Thanks!
No I wouldn't be able to WAIT 6 Months!, thats like 6 years for me
I'm on a p4 1.5 256 rim now
so well I'm making my mind, tomorrow I will buy it, but depends on what you guys tell me!
since, I don't know if a Dual power mac 1.42 with 2gb of ram will be faster than a 3ghz p4 with like 1gb of rimm
Thanks!
Rhino_G3
Registered
In all truth I've seen benchmarks where a 3 ghz P4 Dell smoked a dual 1.4 Powermac. I've also seen reports that are completely flipped around.
It really comes down to what you want. If you're looking for compatability with your current software I'd go for the PC. You'll have to buy new versions of programs for the Mac.
I also feel that the cost/performance ratio of the PC may be leaning toward the PC side as well.
On the other hand, I've fallen in love with the OS. If the computer is for work as well as play I'd say go for the Mac.
It really comes down to what you want. If you're looking for compatability with your current software I'd go for the PC. You'll have to buy new versions of programs for the Mac.
I also feel that the cost/performance ratio of the PC may be leaning toward the PC side as well.
On the other hand, I've fallen in love with the OS. If the computer is for work as well as play I'd say go for the Mac.
binaryDigit
Registered
Ahh yes, the age old, do I buy now, or wait. This question has been asked by computer folk for a great many numbers of years now. And now as back then the answer is an unqualified, maybe.
Some things to consider:
- Do you actually have a need now. This should be your #1 question. If there is something that needs to get done NOW, then the answer is obvious. After all, if the computer will make you more efficient/generate revenue, will the amount of money lost while waiting make up for the amount of money saved by waiting.
- If you do buy now, do you buy the latest and greatest. You usually pay the biggest premium for buying the fastest. Therefore you experience the biggest drop when prices do go down. Maybe you can offset this by purchasing a not as powerful unit. Also makes it easier to justify selling it and buying the latest and greatest when it becomes available.
- Even if the 970 doesn't ship until later this year/next, it doesn't mean that Apple won't come out with faster G4's in the interim, or do a price drop. So even if you definitively know that the 970's won't be out until Jan, Apple could release 1.6ghz dualies next month, or announce a 10% price drop to move machines. Ya never know.
- If you can wait, maybe getting a used 1.2/1.0/867 now makes more sense. Since the used market is fairly stable, you could buy a used system now, and get close to what you paid for it later this year (or maybe more if you get a good enough deal now), thereby minimizing any financial loss when it's time to buy that bad ass 2.4ghz 970 system.
Good luck in your decision. Most important thing, regardless of what happens if you do decide to buy now, enjoy what you have and don't sweat the latest and greatest thing as even that will be yesterdays news sooner rather than later.
Some things to consider:
- Do you actually have a need now. This should be your #1 question. If there is something that needs to get done NOW, then the answer is obvious. After all, if the computer will make you more efficient/generate revenue, will the amount of money lost while waiting make up for the amount of money saved by waiting.
- If you do buy now, do you buy the latest and greatest. You usually pay the biggest premium for buying the fastest. Therefore you experience the biggest drop when prices do go down. Maybe you can offset this by purchasing a not as powerful unit. Also makes it easier to justify selling it and buying the latest and greatest when it becomes available.
- Even if the 970 doesn't ship until later this year/next, it doesn't mean that Apple won't come out with faster G4's in the interim, or do a price drop. So even if you definitively know that the 970's won't be out until Jan, Apple could release 1.6ghz dualies next month, or announce a 10% price drop to move machines. Ya never know.
- If you can wait, maybe getting a used 1.2/1.0/867 now makes more sense. Since the used market is fairly stable, you could buy a used system now, and get close to what you paid for it later this year (or maybe more if you get a good enough deal now), thereby minimizing any financial loss when it's time to buy that bad ass 2.4ghz 970 system.
Good luck in your decision. Most important thing, regardless of what happens if you do decide to buy now, enjoy what you have and don't sweat the latest and greatest thing as even that will be yesterdays news sooner rather than later.
Binary digit, well you're right with what you say, but once again, I need to make a desition mostly now..
I could wait maybe a month, or something, but lets say, a 1.6mac comes out, anyays a dual 2.6 - 2.8 ghz will be faster, or not?,
thats what I kind of worry about, becasue in January next year, hey its going to be like 7 months from now, I will be able to sell this one and get that one, or if I got the money to get the new 2.4 mac then i'll get it, I worry is about today, not 7 months...
I just worry like paying 3,000 dollars for a DUal power Mac (2gb of ram, dvd burner, 128meg video card, and the 120gb hd), and Paying the same 3,000 dollars for the dual xeon, 2gb of ram 40gb hd.
And well, maybe not knowing wich is going to be better, or faster..
if I get the Power Mac this year, I might still buy the new one for next year, the problem is that I haven't gotten into a Apple OS yet, and this would be that chance, so I don't know..
Other thing, most "design companies" are Apple based, or not?, so knowing the Apple OS will make it easier for jobs.
Thanks.
Carlos-
I could wait maybe a month, or something, but lets say, a 1.6mac comes out, anyays a dual 2.6 - 2.8 ghz will be faster, or not?,
thats what I kind of worry about, becasue in January next year, hey its going to be like 7 months from now, I will be able to sell this one and get that one, or if I got the money to get the new 2.4 mac then i'll get it, I worry is about today, not 7 months...
I just worry like paying 3,000 dollars for a DUal power Mac (2gb of ram, dvd burner, 128meg video card, and the 120gb hd), and Paying the same 3,000 dollars for the dual xeon, 2gb of ram 40gb hd.
And well, maybe not knowing wich is going to be better, or faster..
if I get the Power Mac this year, I might still buy the new one for next year, the problem is that I haven't gotten into a Apple OS yet, and this would be that chance, so I don't know..
Other thing, most "design companies" are Apple based, or not?, so knowing the Apple OS will make it easier for jobs.
Thanks.
Carlos-
If you want a machine that works good and it is really nice and easy to use, then go for a Dual PowerMac...
Don't look at Windows... why is Service Pack 4 going to come out for Win2k? Because Windows XP is NO good! And Win2k is not sold anymore anyway...
With a Mac... you can really work and do a lot at the same time...
The only benchmark I know but I'm not sure about, are those... http://www.barefeats.com/
Look carefully, but do not take them for 100% right...
A Mac is easy to use... and works... no problems with my eMac at home and with PowerMacs at work... even the iMac 17" 1Ghz is really a nice machine
Have fun!
Don't look at Windows... why is Service Pack 4 going to come out for Win2k? Because Windows XP is NO good! And Win2k is not sold anymore anyway...
With a Mac... you can really work and do a lot at the same time...
The only benchmark I know but I'm not sure about, are those... http://www.barefeats.com/
Look carefully, but do not take them for 100% right...
A Mac is easy to use... and works... no problems with my eMac at home and with PowerMacs at work... even the iMac 17" 1Ghz is really a nice machine
Have fun!
Ripcord
Senior Lurker
Carlos:
I don't think there's been any rumors of anything on the horizon in the next month, so the current PowerMacs are the ones you're looking at. Granted, I'd much rather have a dual 1.4 over a P4 (a 100ghz, if they existed) any day =)
iscaro:
The SP4 argument doesn't hold much weight - XP is NOT a replacement for 2000. For that matter, 2000 is CERTAINLY being sold still - Win2k Pro is still positioned as their core workstation OS for corporates... Why do they continue to release updates for WinNT4 (albeit at a much slower rate) since Win2k and Win 2003/XP are out?
My money would go towards the Mac, this coming from a guy with 3 PCs (an Athlon 1800+, Duron 1.3, and Dell P4 1.6ghz laptop)
Rip
I don't think there's been any rumors of anything on the horizon in the next month, so the current PowerMacs are the ones you're looking at. Granted, I'd much rather have a dual 1.4 over a P4 (a 100ghz, if they existed) any day =)
iscaro:
The SP4 argument doesn't hold much weight - XP is NOT a replacement for 2000. For that matter, 2000 is CERTAINLY being sold still - Win2k Pro is still positioned as their core workstation OS for corporates... Why do they continue to release updates for WinNT4 (albeit at a much slower rate) since Win2k and Win 2003/XP are out?
My money would go towards the Mac, this coming from a guy with 3 PCs (an Athlon 1800+, Duron 1.3, and Dell P4 1.6ghz laptop)
Rip
Rhino_G3
Registered
Buy the Mac
If nothing else it will be a learning experience... which it sounds like you're up to.
This is coming from the mouth of a recovering Microsoft addict. up till about 4 years ago I loved MS out of ignorance.
All I had to do was sit down on a mac for 10 minutes before I was sold. Now that we have a robust OS like OS X I've fallen in love with it even more.
Knowing an OS other than windows is a big plus... no matter where you're going.
Just as you said, design companies are either Mac or split desk mostly. (Mac/PC environment) You'll have the upper hand if you have knowledge on both.