pm g4 value

cj171cj171
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hello, i'm just thinking about putting together a mac desktop system eventually and i'm toying with either the idea of getting a mac mini or an old AGP model for about $150 and upgrading the hell outta it...hopefully for about the same price as a slightly upgraded mini...



my concerns:

I need a very quiet system

I would like it to have some life in it for a few years



so which seems like the better path?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 6
    alliancep.s.ialliancep.s.i Posts: 133member
    it depends on your needs
  • Reply 2 of 6
    cj171cj171 Posts: 144member
    well i'd like to stick it along my windows box to move my main computing needs to with the windows box sitting there except for gaming, so everyday things with a little photoshop, movie editing, and audio stuff
  • Reply 3 of 6
    mynameheremynamehere Posts: 560member
    If the system being quiet is a primary concern, then the Mini is the better choice. The PowerMacs (especially G4s) are notoriously loud.
  • Reply 4 of 6
    cj171cj171 Posts: 144member
    ah, thanks for letting me know...and I was considering souping up an agp model but found support for newer video cards is scarce because of the agp 2x...so much for that ider
  • Reply 5 of 6
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    I think a mini is the best way to go unless you have lots of old hardware sitting around to plunk into the powermac.



    My dual 450 died last week and i'm looking at a replacement g4 tower off ebay. For me, this makes sense because I have the following already.
    • 7.1 sound card

      usb2 card

      radeon 9800 pro

      2 gigs of ram

      3 160gb hard drives

      super drive

      airport card

      dual 1.4ghz cpu upgrade

    With this hardware still in working condition, it makes sense to buy a powermac g4 466 or better. Starting with the digital audio G4, the system bus went to 133mhz, agp to 4x, and memory/pci bridge was removed.



    Without old hardware to scavenge, a mini makes more sense at the same price point.
  • Reply 6 of 6
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I sold a Dual 500 with 512MB and ATTO SCSI for $550 on eBay a few weeks ago. I don't think you'll find a G4 for $150.



    In other words, just get the mini. Sure, at the end of the day it will cost $600 or whatever, but it's faster than anything you'll be able to get for that, and it can plug into an HDTV. Plus, it's damn tiny.
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