Good deal or no?
Hey guys, I would definitely consider myself a "noob" when it comes to Apple products so I'm trying to get some decent advice. I have been wanting to buy an iMAC for a while now but could never afford it. I came across someone who wanted to get rid of their iMAC but Im not sure if its a good deal or not. Here are some of the specs that I know.
He said that he bought it last year brand new. Its a G5. 512mb ram, 2.0gz, 20" screen. He wants to sell it to me for $675 but Im sure I could get him down to $600.
I trying to use it for my future in web design. Anyway, I figured that if its a good deal I could spend a hundred bucks or so and sway out the 512 for 4gb of ram. Also, I'm not sure how big the hard drive is. I have a external Seagate Free Agent 750gb that I have been using with my PC. The apple should work with the same USB ports correct?
thanks for all the help in advance guys. I really want to switch over and this might just be my chance
He said that he bought it last year brand new. Its a G5. 512mb ram, 2.0gz, 20" screen. He wants to sell it to me for $675 but Im sure I could get him down to $600.
I trying to use it for my future in web design. Anyway, I figured that if its a good deal I could spend a hundred bucks or so and sway out the 512 for 4gb of ram. Also, I'm not sure how big the hard drive is. I have a external Seagate Free Agent 750gb that I have been using with my PC. The apple should work with the same USB ports correct?
thanks for all the help in advance guys. I really want to switch over and this might just be my chance
Comments
Any USB or FireWire external drive will work (It probably has a 120GB internal drive.)
The latest version of the OS (Leopard 10.5.2) will run just fine on that machine.
No built in camera, but you can get an Apple iSight off eBay, or most other USB or FireWire webcams will work as well.
You can change out the RAM really easy, and the internal HDD can be upgraded pretty easy as well.
It doesn't REALLY matter, but you could whine about it being a PPC CPU rather than the newer Intel ones, and maybe knock the price down a little more
Consider that you can get a substantially better refurb iMac for $1050. link
It includes more RAM and Leopard, as well, so consider that into the price tag.
I only would recommend PPC macs to people who have a lot of pricey, legacy apps that will never be ported. I wouldn't pay more than $500 for it. I would start negotiatons at $400, and if he doesn't bite, I would raise the offer on the condition that he throws in other stuff as well.
As for him throwing in other stuff, there isnt anything for him to throw in, mouse and keyboard
And thanks for letting me know that they stopped making them in 05. I will have to call him out on that one...
Sorry for such newbie questions.... I'm very new to Apple products.
Also, whats the difference between the G5's and the newer mac's that are out now?
The G5 was a Motorola CPU. Newer Macs use Intel CPU's.
At present, the OS and all (recent) Applications are designed to run on either architecture. But as time passes... say, a couple years down the road... you may find that the latest versions of many applications will no longer support the older CPU's.
By that time though, you'll probably be itching fro a newer computer anyhow, regardless of what you get now
If you've got $1000, buy a newer Mac. If you've only got $600, then get the G5. It's still a powerful computer.
The G5 was a Motorola CPU. Newer Macs use Intel CPU's.
At present, the OS and all (recent) Applications are designed to run on either architecture. But as time passes... say, a couple years down the road... you may find that the latest versions of many applications will no longer support the older CPU's.
By that time though, you'll probably be itching fro a newer computer anyhow, regardless of what you get now
If you've got $1000, buy a newer Mac. If you've only got $600, then get the G5. It's still a powerful computer.
G5 was actually an IBM CPU -- nothing to do with Moto. In fact, the motorola additions to the PPC ISA were basically omitted from the G5.
Also, for $600 I bet you can find a 2.1GHz iMac G5, which was in fact a substantial improvement over the 2.0GHz. If you consider that your cost with leopard is going to be in the $730 ballpark, it starts looking like less of a good deal, though. For $1050 you get a new iMac with more RAM, more disk, more CPU, a better design, Leopard installed, and a 1 year warranty. That, my friend, is a much better deal.
G5 was actually an IBM CPU -- nothing to do with Moto. In fact, the motorola additions to the PPC ISA were basically omitted from the G5.
"My bad" as the kids say these days
Also, for $600 I bet you can find a 2.1GHz iMac G5, which was in fact a substantial improvement over the 2.0GHz. If you consider that your cost with leopard is going to be in the $730 ballpark, it starts looking like less of a good deal, though. For $1050 you get a new iMac with more RAM, more disk, more CPU, a better design, Leopard installed, and a 1 year warranty. That, my friend, is a much better deal.
Sure, it's a better deal if you HAVE $1050. But if all he's got is $730, then the G5 is a better deal. And don't suggest loans and CC's ... I get rather opinionated when people start talking debt.
"My bad" as the kids say these days
Sure, it's a better deal if you HAVE $1050. But if all he's got is $730, then the G5 is a better deal. And don't suggest loans and CC's ... I get rather opinionated when people start talking debt.
Or, just save another $400. In two years, the G5 iMac will sell on eBay for around 200, whereas the Aluminum will take a much better percentage, and will likely go for 700-800. The net cost of the the Aluminum model is actually less.
I see what you guys are saying, I plan on getting a iMAC one day, no matter what. Now I'm just debating whether I should spring for the G5 now or just wait a year and get a new one
Splinimodel, it actually is a 2.1gz. I went online to try and check the value of it but I didnt see any 2.1hz, only 2.0gz so I thought that I had made a mistake and was seeing things.
I see what you guys are saying, I plan on getting a iMAC one day, no matter what. Now I'm just debating whether I should spring for the G5 now or just wait a year and get a new one
I have this model of iMac (STILL too much legacy software to get rid of it). It's fine, but even so it was phased out in 2006 when the Intel iMacs came out. In fact, it was a short-lived model, as the Intel iMacs came out early in 2006.
To upgrade my software to Intel would cost $4000!