What do you think the new PM G5's will look like?

wolfeye155 · February 21, 2002 8:45PM

Hi all! I've been lurking around here for about a week and decided it was time to register!

I've been a registered IGN Boards user for quite some time and have 1,335 posts on my account over there.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I'd like to know what you think the new G5s will look like. I think Apple will continue to use the same style tower case with minimal changes (if any). Although it's tough to think what colors and other designs they might use. I personaly LOVE the Quicksilver case that they currently use. I can't really imagine what they'll do for a new design but I'm sure it will be beautiful like everything else they make!

imacman287 · February 21, 2002 9:42PM

Hello, welcome to AppleInsider!

I personally think that the new case will be a very different design. I think that it will be a darker shade of gray. But I really don't know!

Anyone else want to guess?

outsider · February 21, 2002 10:30PM

Squarish case that is white and silver with chrome hi-lights. No handles (notice how the iMac lost it's handle) but retains the easy access door. HOPEFULLY at least 2 full 5.25 inch external drive bays.

spart · February 21, 2002 11:10PM

A sort of orb...something like the iMac's base, just as wide, but deeper and taller...also not a half sphere type thing but a 3/4 sphere or so...nice glossy black case, looks like it has depth...bottom of machine curves under to vents and feet...can't see the feet too well so it looks like its floating...pull the guts out the rear with the exception of the optical drive, speaker. Make the little door that the optical drive comes out of VERY seemless...chrome apple logo...very understated PowerMac G5 text under it.

horned_frog · February 21, 2002 11:15PM

I like handles, and I like the current "Quicksilver" design, so I hope they keep it. They won't however, and I am sure what they come up with will be just as stunning. I also predict everyone here will hate it when it comes out, and a month later everyone will love it.

applenut · February 21, 2002 11:20PM

I think based on the new imac one can conclude that Apple isn't scared to release a daring design as long as it isn't TOO far fetched.

I think the powermac will be similar. It will be unlike anything we have seen yet when we do see it we'll think how logical it is.

The PowerMac probably has the best potential for the coolest design because they have a lot of space and internal air to play with. you know what I mean?

thuh freak · February 21, 2002 11:37PM

i don't think the pMac design will be very different from what it is now, or has been since the b&w g3. maybe a color chg, or a slightly different face, but it'll generally be the same. the pMacs aren't for eating, like the gumdrop iMacs. pMacs are for power, hence PowerMac. Apple doesn't expect, I don't think, a lot of extra sales for the cool factor. Though they always are cool (gotta love a computer that has an escape hatch for all the innards).

But then again, I don't work for Apple.

eugene · February 21, 2002 11:47PM

Much more plain than before, maybe with a twist...who knows.

wrong robot · February 22, 2002 1:54AM

[quote]Originally posted by applenut:

I think based on the new imac one can conclude that Apple isn't scared to release a daring design as long as it isn't TOO far fetched.

I think the powermac will be similar. It will be unlike anything we have seen yet when we do see it we'll think how logical it is.

The PowerMac probably has the best potential for the coolest design because they have a lot of space and internal air to play with. you know what I mean?<hr></blockquote>

this is true...however you do have to factor in that the iMac is geared towards converting Pc users to mac....its wild design helps it do so, because even if a PC user doesn't like it or buy one, they still _notice_ it, and even if they tell their friends its bad, thats still more people that are hearing about apple...and just because one guy things its ugly or dumb doesn't meant that his friend will.

the powermac design should maintain the tower feel...it will definatly keep the easy access hinge...unless there is an easier way to get inside.

I would like it to retain its handles, because they are practical and they look good too. personally I think apple hit a mega grand slam season winning hit with the "QS' case....in my opnion the external of the case is THE best case on the market...the internal could get some enhancements...but its still damn good as it is.

a thing to remember is that the Pmac is a pro machine(rather...its geared towards pros) and the iMac is a more consumer machine...naturally the two designs differ.

when the iMac first came out it was all colorful and all that....then the B&W g3 towers came out, and apple instantly realized that colors were fine and dandy for the average user...but _not_ for the more pro focused towers.

Likewise I think spheres and abstractness are fine and dandy for the new iMac

but NOT for the pmac

applenut · February 22, 2002 1:59AM

I would like it if they shrunk the tower as much as they could without limiting expansion. or perhaps making it like a "tall cube".

sort of like a skyscraper.

9 inches wide and in length but 36 high or something

?

wrong robot · February 22, 2002 2:03AM

[quote]Originally posted by applenut:

I would like it if they shrunk the tower as much as they could without limiting expansion. or perhaps making it like a "tall cube".

sort of like a skyscraper.

9 inches wide and in length but 36 high or something

?<hr></blockquote>

that would be wierd....I was thinking about apple offing the cube, remembering that jobs said something about it not being dead merely laying dormant....or somethign along those lines.

perhaps apple is going to release another cube that will feature more expandiblity, and will be cheaper....maybe...but then again the new iMac is very cube-esque in that its REALLY small and has a g4. but you never know.

I want the pmac tower design to stay the same....though they may ditch the internal speaker in favor of apple pro spekaers....ditching hte internal speaker should open it up a little for more expanision...maybe?

moogs · February 22, 2002 2:17AM

I think they could get away with ditching the speaker too. Most people who buy pro machines would rather use stand alone models anyway. Expansion wise I doubt it would do much, but maybe it would knock the price down by $50 or so. Who knows.

Personally, I'd be happy if Apple simply reshaped the existing El Capitan design a little, made it a little smaller and changed the plastics (as far and color and transparency effects). Overall I think it's a very practical and attractive design. I just think the last couple face plates have sucked bad. They need to do something more elegant with the front of the machine.

[ 02-22-2002: Message edited by: Moogs ? ]

crawlingparanoia · February 22, 2002 2:30AM

Ok... question then: Using the current case, by removing the speaker, how much room could be gained? Enough for another drive bay?

eugene · February 22, 2002 3:04AM

I don't think the speaker is going anywhere. The only Power Mac not to have a built-in speaker is the Power Mac G4 Cube. There's plenty of room in a tower case to put a speaker. It doesn't have to be Harman/Kardon, just something that will twirp/beep every now and then when a warning dialog pops up on your screen.

I can pretty much guarantee a more thoughtful design when it comes to cooling though. As it stands, the main source of air coming into the machne is toward the top, from the CPU fan blowing air onto the heatsink through holes in the I/O plate. The 120 mm main exhaust fan is below the intake, sucking air off the PCI cards, of which many people have only none or only a few. That air escapes through the back of the case as well. The other main exhaust is from the power supply exhaust fan.

That's a 60 mm fan blowing in and a 120 mm + 80 mm fan blowing out. Negative pressure is generally good, IMO, but not when it's that unbalanced.

It would probably be ideal for Apple to have a larger fan blowing air in in addition to a cooling fan on the heatsink, plus the PSU fan blowing out and another 80-92 mm fan blowing out. The Motorola G4s and probably the G5s in the future just run too hot for the current towers.

philbot · February 22, 2002 4:38AM

If you look at the size of the motherboad in a PM 933 you'll see how tiny it is. this makes me think the G5 case will be radically shrunk down.

Yes, the Quicksilver case is fantastic, but how often do you actually have to open it?

I think a new case will be a desktop not a tower (I realise the pro's want a tower for expansion) but you can still have 4 PCI slots in a case the size of a Quadra 700.

<a href="http://homepage.ntlworld.com/phillip.briggs1/G5_1.htm"; target="_blank">web page</a>

This combined with new LCD monitors that attach to the case ala imac and you have a really cool dektop mac.

justinkaisse · February 22, 2002 7:58AM

i kind of agree w/ philbot, altho used to open my blue meanie case all the time to show those at work how small is the processor compared to the huge pentiums in most of the machines. others noted about the case attracting attention, and i so agree on this. mac cases get noticed, for good or bad, but it gets people talking about them. more exposure, more people buying, esp now w/ an industrial-strength OS.

i, too, would like to see a smaller case, perhaps something a la IIcx/ci <http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_ii/stats/mac_iici.html>. that case had ... what, 3 expansion slots? one more HD in place of the floppy, then CD/DVD. a bit bigger if we can't get all that in there, or rearranged. metallic case, perhaps a bit more cubish, tho those above had some really interesting ideas.

keep the blue meanie thru quicksilver case for those who need lotsa expansion, so your just releasing one new case.

ferro · February 22, 2002 8:37AM

It will look something like this...

trust me...

the drive bays, etc. will be flush and invisible when not open...

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drboar · February 22, 2002 8:47AM

A Quadra 700 case is far to small! I would have loved to have a extra large front bay on my G4 tower instead of getting an exernal CDRW.

Apple idea of saving cable clutter with the silly ADC connectors on one hand and then not having room in the "pro" tower for more than one optical drive and one ZIP is plain stupid.

Even with the current CDRW or Combo drive users still need extra front bays for faster CDRW, Jazz drives, tape drives, rmovable HDs or something else

Otherwise the tower is true SOTA. So Apple add some front USB/FW ports and a bay or two in the same tower with some snazzy design and you are set to go

steves · February 22, 2002 9:05AM

[quote]Originally posted by FERRO:

It will look something like this...

trust me...

the drive bays, etc. will be flush and invisible when not open...

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Though, the white plastics would seem to be consistent with Apple's new iMac. I really hope this isn't going to be the new trend for Apple.

I actually like the Quick Silver design. Perhaps a few minor tweaks, etc. I just hope that don't trade form for function with a new case. The Pro line has to be functional more so than the consumer line.

Steve

augustwest · February 22, 2002 9:15AM

I think the key question from a design standpoint would be whether to try to fit the G5 into the "tower cabinets" that many offices use or whether to completely reinvent a person's relationship with the computer, as they did with the iMac. I personally don't care which option they choose, as long as those elves get the damn things on the conveyer belt already.

ferro · February 22, 2002 9:53AM

[quote]Originally posted by SteveS:

... I certainly hope not!

<hr></blockquote>

I hope not too...

As much as it has clean cut lines and a "HAL"esk type feel to it with flush drive bays (which alot of us dont like, no pinhole access)

I honestly cannot even venture a guess...

After the iLamp... who knows????

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What do you think the new PM G5's will look like?

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