iMac G4

braidibraidi
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
How well do you think an iMac G4 with 800mhz and 265mb of ram will run for things like video editing in final cut, and multitrack audio editing and recording in Garageband? Do you think it can handle 8 tracks at a time? Also, is there a significant noticable speed difference between this and say, an iMac G5 1.6ghz? Thanks.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    proxyproxy Posts: 232member
    I've used an 800mhz G4iMac and I have a 1.8ghz G5 iMac at the moment. The G4 imac will do what you ask though you will need to have at least 512Mb of Ram. I found that after about seven tracks in Garageband it became a bit sluggish, but you can get around this by turning some of the tracks into AIFF files which reduces the CPU load.

    On the other had the G5 just tears through stuff that the G4 struggled with. If you possibly can afford the G5 iMac then I'd go for that. It'll have a much longer useful life span and it'll be much easier and cheaper to upgrade stuff like RAM, HD and optical drive on the G5.
  • Reply 2 of 12
    braidibraidi Posts: 12member
    Ok thanks! So I see the iMac should be fine. Do you guys know where I can find the cheapest 512 MB stick of ram for the iMac G4?
  • Reply 3 of 12
    proxyproxy Posts: 232member
    Actually.. I misread your first post. I've never tried multitrack recording in garageband. The most I've done is record guitar onto Garageband with about six or seven previously recorded tracks playing. Not sure how many tracks the G4 could record simultaneously. Perhaps you'd be better asking that question in the Applications forum of AI.
  • Reply 4 of 12
    braidibraidi Posts: 12member
    Ah ok thanks.
  • Reply 5 of 12
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    Anyone know where I can find an iMac G4 20"?
  • Reply 6 of 12
    braidibraidi Posts: 12member
    Ebay has some. Look around on there.
  • Reply 7 of 12
    chipzchipz Posts: 100member
    Cubit,



    Head yourself over to smalldog.com. They carry many refurbs and used G4's. Their prices are also reasonable.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    Thanks folks. I just find the iMac G4 adjustabiltiy so much more user friendly. Besides, I actually like it!
  • Reply 9 of 12
    cubitcubit Posts: 846member
    It is always a little bit sad to see a very much preferred form factor bite the dust. I loved the Cube, two of which I still use, but I found the all-in-one iMac G4 incredibly easy to use with the adjustable monitor. I guess I am just addicted to the bigger screens now serving my Cubes Cinema 22 in one case.
  • Reply 10 of 12
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by braidi

    How well do you think an iMac G4 with 800mhz and 265mb of ram will run for things like video editing in final cut, and multitrack audio editing and recording in Garageband? Do you think it can handle 8 tracks at a time? Also, is there a significant noticable speed difference between this and say, an iMac G5 1.6ghz? Thanks.



    not sure how well and pleseant itll run.. but you never know unless you try? which i guess can be questionable and risky in some cases, but i usually always opt for the lets try it and if it doesnt work, go to plan B type thinking... good luck, hope you can find a solution





    as for cubit



    ebay is good, or private dealers may sell them also like mama and pop places.. and apple store you could ask them if they have any extras laying around that they'dn want to sell
  • Reply 11 of 12
    macinphilemacinphile Posts: 39member
    I just replaced my 800MHz G4 iMac. It was getting pretty slow running Photoshop 7, Safari, and iTunes. Even with 512 RAM. I'd recommend you get the best and fastest for multitrack recording simply because frustration and anxiousness will turn a fun jam session into a not so fun editing session. That goes for video editing also.

    Buy quality and only cry once, you know?
  • Reply 12 of 12
    ragingloogieragingloogie Posts: 426member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Macinphile

    I just replaced my 800MHz G4 iMac. It was getting pretty slow running Photoshop 7, Safari, and iTunes. Even with 512 RAM. I'd recommend you get the best and fastest for multitrack recording simply because frustration and anxiousness will turn a fun jam session into a not so fun editing session. That goes for video editing also.

    Buy quality and only cry once, you know?



    yup... sounds like good advice
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