Upgrade my processor or buy a new Mac
I work at a non profit that's, with the exception of my Mac, all PC. Typically of non profits, we have a limited hardware and software upgrade budget, and this goes tripply for my Mac. My 350Mhz Sawtooth G4 is getting a bit old and I'd like some more horsepower. However, since I get a new computer every 3 years or so, whatever I choose now will be my workhorse through 2005. My choices are to spend @ $375 for an 800mhz CPU upgrade, or ask for a new G4, which would most definitely be the $1700 bottom line version-the dual 867 (maybe a dual 1 gig model if we wait until after MWSF, or a 733--selling locally for $1200--if they deicde to save money).
If I go for the upgrade, I can most likely talk them into a new unit in 2004, when I'm almost postive Apple will have a new chip and radically improved system design. I'm leaning strongly towards that direction, as I'm not convinced that the extra performance I'd get from the dual 867 (with a bus running at 125Mhz vs my current 100Mhz model) justifies the extra cost, as well as the fact that I'd be stuck with that model for the next few years. I'm wondering what others would do in my situation. BTW, I use the computer for web design (mostly on Dreamweaver and BBEdit), image conversion for the web using Photoshop and Fireworks, moderate Quark work, a bit of illustrator, lots of file transfers to and from my webserver, email and browsing, CD creation, etc. Mainly I feel the need to upgrade so I can make the shift to OS 10, and I don't believe my current processor is fast enough to handle the various OS 10 software versions that will be coming out in the next couple of years.
PS I've ruled out the 1 gig upgrade, since they'd be less likely to pay $600 for that and then a new computer a year later. (I am curious how much people think I could get if I chose to sell the upgraded G4 next year, assuming that the new Mac are out by then. I'd guess somewhere around $600-700, depending upon what goodies I included, like extra SCSI cards, extra drives, CD burner, etc. and which processor-800 or 1000-I went with.)
If I go for the upgrade, I can most likely talk them into a new unit in 2004, when I'm almost postive Apple will have a new chip and radically improved system design. I'm leaning strongly towards that direction, as I'm not convinced that the extra performance I'd get from the dual 867 (with a bus running at 125Mhz vs my current 100Mhz model) justifies the extra cost, as well as the fact that I'd be stuck with that model for the next few years. I'm wondering what others would do in my situation. BTW, I use the computer for web design (mostly on Dreamweaver and BBEdit), image conversion for the web using Photoshop and Fireworks, moderate Quark work, a bit of illustrator, lots of file transfers to and from my webserver, email and browsing, CD creation, etc. Mainly I feel the need to upgrade so I can make the shift to OS 10, and I don't believe my current processor is fast enough to handle the various OS 10 software versions that will be coming out in the next couple of years.
PS I've ruled out the 1 gig upgrade, since they'd be less likely to pay $600 for that and then a new computer a year later. (I am curious how much people think I could get if I chose to sell the upgraded G4 next year, assuming that the new Mac are out by then. I'd guess somewhere around $600-700, depending upon what goodies I included, like extra SCSI cards, extra drives, CD burner, etc. and which processor-800 or 1000-I went with.)