Mac advice needed

[Flashmatazz]

I'm thinking of buying my first Mac, basically since I'm totally fed up with my pc which is giving me a load of cr*p lately... :a:

Only problem with Mac: they're pretty expensive.

Now what I'm wondering is: if I primarily use Flash (and nothing like 3D software or video editing software): will a Mac Mini suffice? Or would you rather buy an iMac or PowerMac?

Another question about the iMac G5: would I be able to have a dual monitor setup? 'cause I have a 19'' iiyama CRT which I'm still quite happy with. I haven't found any info yet if dual monitor is possible at all. If not possible it would be even beter to spend just a little more on a Power Mac?

Questions, questions... :) Hopefully someone can give me some good advice..

Cheers.

[Mik3]

Oh, if you have the chance to buy a Powermac, Mac mini, or Powerbook, definitely don't get the Mac Mini. The only reason I got the Mac Mini was because I absolutely couldn't afford other Macs... But if you can, definitely get the other ones.

I would just get the PowerMac over everything, especially since you already have this really nice monitor...

[Jeff Wheeler]

A Mini will do, but I'd wait until early 2006. Apple recently announced their moving to Intel chips, and you really don't want a depreciated chip that fast, do you?

[bleach20xx]

agreed,

if you are going to buy the mac mini, wait till they upgrade that chip, since it's the first machine they're going to convert over.

Otherwise, an imac g5 wouldn't be bad to get, if you had to get a computer right now. Those machines won't have the new chips installed till sometime 2007...so you got a good 2 years before you'd have the incentive to upgrade again...

though, just because mac is upgrading the chips doesn't mean that everyone has to drop kick their current macs out the door.

I know I'm perfectly happy with my g5 & current software...so I won't be upgrading to the new chip unless some earth shattering version of flash/photoshop comes out that makes my current versions seem like black and white tvs in comparison....bad example...but i think you get the idea

[G]

A Mini will do, but I'd wait until early 2006. Apple recently announced their moving to Intel chips, and you really don't want a depreciated chip that fast, do you?

totally agree money spent now may be wasted :(

[Flashmatazz]

I hadn't thought of that but I really don't want to wait another 6 months or more. Not with my pc annoying me like it does....

How about the dual monitor thing with the iMac? 'cause if that's an issue it might be preferrable, like Mik3 said, to spend a bit more on a Power Mac...

[Mik3]

I wouldn't buy a Mac Mini now that Tiger is out. I'm very dissapointed with my purchase of the Mac Mini for one single purpose: It's graphics card. It's not supported by any of the new, ground-breaking graphic acceleration services that Apple has in Tiger. (CoreImage and QuartzExtreme2d)

It seems like the Mac Mini is outdated only a couple months after it's released...

Someone better find a way to upgrade the darn graphics card or something.

[kirupa]

Flash, have you considered formatting your PC and seeing if it will hold out until you get a Mac with Intel chips?

[KaiserSouze]

Only Power Mac's 'officially' support dual monitor setups. iMac's and eMac's have video mirroring (where you see the same thing on both monitors), but you can get patches which allow dual monitor setups. Be warned though, the patches can damage the computer... Mac Mini's only have the one monitor output, so no dual monitor there.

If you really can't reformat and wait like Kirupa suggested, have you thought about going onto the Apple site and checking out the reconditioned machines (on Wednesday afternoons I think, you'd have to check). Even the Power Mac G4's released just before the G5's had dual monitor capability, and they have better specs than the iMac, eMac & Mini Macs.

[Mik3]

Flash, have you considered formatting your PC and seeing if it will hold out until you get a Mac with Intel chips?

Yeah, I agree. I would just wait until they release the Intel Macs.

[Flashmatazz]

Thanks for all the suggestions people :thumb:

@Kirupa: I already have a reasonably fresh install, but it's really some hardware problems I have: once in a while, pc won't recognize HD so it won't boot. I have 2 hd's and both give me the same problem when used as primary disk. Also the videocard, or slot has some problem: I first will have to reset my pc a few times before getting a normal image on my monitor, like it first has to 'warm up' or something :m:

Basically, lots of annoyances which make me, you know, sometimes want to throw it out the Windows.... ;)

One more question: what is meant by 'reconditioned machines'??

[Jeff Wheeler]

Refurbished, fixed up, or old computers made new. Pick your definition.

[kirupa]

Reconditioned means the same as refurbished. Usually, people send their computers back for any reason (ranging from a cheaper deal elsewhere to some hardware issue), and the manufacturer fixes any errors and puts them back up for sale. It's kind of like buying a used car that has only about 1000 miles on it. It's almost new, but it's 2nd hand :P

flash - when was the last time you changed the battery in your PC's motherboard? It could be related to that.

[Jeff Wheeler]

Why did you say his name at the beginning of the second paragraph, when your entire response was directed at him, not just the end?

:P

[kirupa]

Why did you say his name at the beginning of the second paragraph, when your entire response was directed at him, not just the end?

:P
While all convos. in this thread are directed slightly towards Flash, the last part will ONLY be relevant to him. I wanted to be nice and emphasize that :P

[Jeff Wheeler]

And this conversation is directed at Flash?

I'll look good by actually replying now, even if it is nonsense.

Buy a PowerMac now, as it'll be the last thing to switch, I'm sure.

[Flashmatazz]

While all convos. in this thread are directed slightly towards Flash, the last part will ONLY be relevant to him. I wanted to be nice and emphasize that :P

Kirupa, thanks. You ARE nice :P

And I'd have to say, I've never changed the battery and didn't even realize that could be the problem. Stupid me... :trout:

@everyone: thanks for all the advice. Looks like I'm not getting me a mac mini. I'll first change my mobo battery and see if that makes any difference. And when I've got the money I might go for a Power Mac :)

Cheers.

[Flashmatazz]

Well, changing the batteries didn't make any difference unfortunately. I got one of those nice blue screens again when booting and my pc let finally let me in after about 5 resets... :( Guess who is going to the garbage in a little while...

Anyway, I still haven't totaly made up my mind between an iMac of a PowerMac.
Yesterday, when looking at the online Apple store I found out that a 17" 1.8GHz iMac G5, including 512 Mb RAM, ATI Radeon 9600 128 Mb videocard, 160 Gb harddisk, airport extreme, cost €1299

Now, a PowerMac also with 512 RAM, 1.8 GHz, but 80 Gb harddisk, and 64 Mb videocard cost €1379

What's up with that? Looks to me that an iMac with better specs AND a built-in monitor is lower in price? :puzzled:

Where's the catch?

[Jeff Wheeler]

The PowerMac has more potential to be faster. You can put 8 gigs of ram in it for crying out loud...

:lol:

[Flashmatazz]

But to me that doesn't explain why initally it's more expensive. So I'm paying for potential?

[Jeff Wheeler]

I don't know, I'm actually wrong ;)

There is probably something I don't know about that the little magic elves at 1800-MY-APPLE know about.

[Flashmatazz]

:P

Come on you little elves, tell me...

[kirupa]

Check the memory and bus speeds. I'm guessing that the iMac uses lower speed RAM and lower speeds with which to shuffle data around on the motherboard.

[morse]

Get a PowerBook and dual-monitor that. It's easy as pie and the stuff to do it comes with it in the box.

[Flashmatazz]

I don't think I will go for a powerbook. I'll be looking at another few hundred €'s extra if I did.

About the speed differences: I don't see them really.

Both say: PC3200 (400 MHz) SDRAM
"Frontside"-bus 600 MHz

The guy at the store told me that dual monitor shoudn;t be a problem either, so I think I've made up my mind and go for the iMac.

Thanks for all the advice :)

[maccie]

If you don't need gigabit ethernet, firewire 800 and 3 extra pci slots, you can go for the iMac.