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doucy2

macrumors 65816
Jul 7, 2005
1,013
0
crazysaxchris said:
Is a powermac g4 a good mac starter computer?
yes i believe so
powermac g4 is in my opinion the best mac made (i have 3)
easy to upgrade
easy to fix
reasonably priced
still runs all the new apps
and ohh yea looks sweet

nedd ne more reasons
 

Dustintendo

macrumors member
Aug 20, 2005
54
0
a 500 dually should be planty fast, although im not sure if those 2 500s act as a 1ghz in osx, or if the application has to be multithreaded


maybe somone could answer that
 

Sun Baked

macrumors G5
May 19, 2002
14,937
157
Dustintendo said:
a 500 dually should be planty fast, although im not sure if those 2 500s act as a 1ghz in osx, or if the application has to be multithreaded


maybe somone could answer that
Acts as two 500MHz CPUs, the OS does a decent job of handling the threads in Tiger now.

But most apps aren't really multithreaded, unless you take a look at some of the Pro apps.

Even with BSDs SMPng, people still say there are some problems with the way Tiger handles threads and a ways to go.

But there is a lot to like about OS Xs SMP capability also.

OS X is much better than OS 9, which would basically make use of the machine as a single 500 MHz machine -- except for the apps that make use of the multi-CPU extension for some of their filters and plug-ins.
 

Lord Blackadder

macrumors P6
May 7, 2004
15,669
5,500
Sod off
I had a "stock" dual 533MHz G4 w/512MB RAM and it ran great - I ripped/burned backup DVDs, ripped my CDs with iTunes, made my own DVDs with iMovie/iDVD, played Diablo II and a little Call of Duty. etc. etc. it did everything except the games perfectly - Halo and Call of Duty really needed a faster machine.

Now that I've added all the stuff in my sig that same G4 hums along nicely - I can run everything I want to run.
 

disconap

macrumors 68000
Oct 29, 2005
1,810
3
Portland, OR
doucy2 said:
yes i believe so
powermac g4 is in my opinion the best mac made (i have 3)
easy to upgrade
easy to fix
reasonably priced
still runs all the new apps
and ohh yea looks sweet

nedd ne more reasons

Agree 100%.
 

kwajo.com

macrumors 6502a
Jul 17, 2002
895
0
Bay of Fundy
i think it's a great mac for anyone, starter or not!

example: I am habituated to my Dual G5, yet my 350MHz PMG4 is never a pain to use and is actually rather speedy at many things. I can only imagine what a faster G4 would be like
 

p0intblank

macrumors 68030
Sep 20, 2005
2,548
2
New Jersey
What will you be using it for? I always suggest the Mac mini as the "switcher machine." But a Power Mac G4 will also be nice, especially since it is easy to upgrade.
 

Sargiel

macrumors member
Jan 2, 2005
77
0
West Sussex, England
I spent a lot of time mulling over whether to buy a Mini or a second hand Powermac G4 - and in the end it was the upgradability of the Powermac that won me over. I really wanted to be able to switch to a machine that would be able to meet my undemanding gaming requirements and the Mini's 32mb graphics wasn't able to offer that.

Also there is the fun of taking a stock machine and upgrading it to the hilt - maybe that's not for everyone but I've been having a ball ! :D

I also had a wireless networking card that I knew would work with Mac OS X so the Powermac was just as an easy a fit into our home network as the Mini would have been. The only advantage to the Mini is that it would come with iLife.
 
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