Should I further upgrade my machine or get a G5?

outsideroutsider
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
This is my dilemma. My computer needs are modest at home. Mostly email, web, MS-office, lot of Illustrator (side-work), some photoshop, iPhoto, iMovie, minimal gaming, and occasional VPC for certain apps that require it. I started out with a G4 466 with 256MB RAM and the 30GB hard drive. Since then I upgraded the processor to a 933MHz with 2MB cache, RAM to 1GB, video card to an ATI 8500 w/64MB, and a better CDRW (24X burn).



I want to start burning DVDs and work more on websites. I'd like to learn Java, Flash, etc. I also have less than 4GB left on my HD. I checked some sites and found some inexpensive upgrades for several items:



A 120GB 7200rpm Seagate HD for $84

A Pioneer DVR-105 Super drive for $157

Extra 512MB RAM (Micron) for a bump to 1.5GB for $55



Total= $296



Processor is something of a problem. The 933MHz is fine for now, but I can see myself needing a dual soon. My choices are:



PowerLogix PowerForce Dual G4 1GHz for $679

PowerLogix PowerForce Dual G4 1.2GHz for $789



Pricey and by the time I upgrade the processor there may be something out better. But I can see my self getting $300 or so on ebay for the 933 I have so that would lessen the load.



Or would I make better use of my cash saving up for a lowend G5? The thing is that $2000 hurts right now. I'm doing freelance tech work for a company right now that pays well but I was laid off for a few months. My wife just got Laid off and is looking. I got $500 saved up so far but I may have to dip into that to pay other bills. So basically i can wait and get a 120GB HD now, saving my money for a G5 early next year. Or beef up this G4 I have now and use it for another 2 years or so. I would incrementally upgrade, a bigger HD now, super drive a month later, then RAM, and then next year get the dual G4.



Any advice?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    709709 Posts: 2,016member
    I'd hold off until Rev.2 of the G5s if I was in your shoes. If you go and lay out the cash for the 1.6 now, you're going to be kicking yourself a year down the road when PCI-X is more 'standardized', and that you didn't get a dual proc. Hopefully Apple will release a lower-priced dual next go-around, and it sounds like you'd be better off to wait for that.



    Even with the new software you'll be learning, nothing screams 'dual' to me, except maybe photoshop, but even then I'd only expect version 8 to really start taking advantage of duals.



    I'd spend the money on the Seagate for sure, and maybe even save yourself a few bucks on the burner by getting an DVR-A04 instead. 2X burns vs 4X burns isn't really a huge consideration if you're not constantly making DVDs. Plus, you'll probably be selling the 933 6-12 months from now anyways, and a couple hundred bucks to make life a little easier during that time is a wise investment IMO.



    Oh, and I'd forget about the proc upgrades all together. You'll never recoup that cost when you decide to sell.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Thanks. I was hoping the price of the A05 to go down with the intro of the A06. I remember when I sold my 466 to get the 933 on ebay. The sale of the 466 module paid for 60% of the cost of the 933MHz module. I was hoping to do something like that again.
  • Reply 3 of 10
    leonisleonis Posts: 3,427member
    Get a DELL and don't look back



    Okay okay



    Hm....in your case......if you are only doing vector illustration works will Illustrator as your "main" work. The 933 SlowSilver? you already have seems fine until the Rev B G5 comes



    Those G4 upgrades....to me.....are the blundant ripoff?. Totally not worth it. I really am suprised that PowerLogix, Sonnet, etc are still in business



    Now I have a question for you. Why swap the DVD-R Drive? Are you burning a lot of DVDs......if not so I really don't see the point to get a newer one.



    remember. your cash is tight



    I used to have a habbit of switching to new machines every 10 months (much slower than our beloved Murbot )



    Then I realize I am not financially able to afford doing this.



    I will have to stick with my Dual GHz SlowSilver? for at least another 6 months
  • Reply 4 of 10
    cubedudecubedude Posts: 1,556member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Leonis



    Those G4 upgrades....to me.....are the blundant ripoff?. Totally not worth it. I really am suprised that PowerLogix, Sonnet, etc are still in business





    It's all those Cube owners who refuse to let go.
  • Reply 5 of 10
    rokrok Posts: 3,519member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Leonis

    Those G4 upgrades....to me.....are the blundant ripoff?. Totally not worth it. I really am suprised that PowerLogix, Sonnet, etc are still in business



    i find that they are useful if you are trying to upgrade a very old machine and trying to get some use out of. for example, they keep dropping the prices of the upgrades for the older pre-g3 upgrades, because people just keep jumping on the new computers.



    but i have an old 7300, and between a 500 MHz upgrade, the sonnet trio card (which i think has usb, firewire and ultra ata on it) and a radeon pci card, i have a kickass os 9 machin eon my network that can run all of those old photoshop filters that will never be updated for os x. then i just transfer the photoshop files back to my os x machine and carry on. should work pretty well.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    leonisleonis Posts: 3,427member
    I am only talking about the G4 upgrades.



    If you are running a Cube or some first gen G4 towers. They are somewhat okay.



    But for anything newer than the 733 DA G4s those upgrades really are, like what I have said, blundant ripoff?



    Other accessories like PCI cards, G3 upgrades are totally fine.



    My sonnet ATA-133 card works very well by the way
  • Reply 7 of 10
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Leonis, I don't have a DVD-R drive at the moment. It's one of the things I would like to acquire. My wife wants to convert much of our 8mm tape to DVD and edit some of it to distribute among family.
  • Reply 8 of 10
    leonisleonis Posts: 3,427member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Outsider

    Leonis, I don't have a DVD-R drive at the moment. It's one of the things I would like to acquire. My wife wants to convert much of our 8mm tape to DVD and edit some of it to distribute among family.



    Really? AFAIK all stock 933s have SuperDrive built-in.....



    If that's the case....get one DVD-R drive
  • Reply 9 of 10
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Leonis

    Really? AFAIK all stock 933s have SuperDrive built-in.....



    If that's the case....get one DVD-R drive



    Well I didn't have a Quicksilver. i had a 466 that I upgraded to a 933 with a card I got off ebay. The card was a Quicksilver pull from a computer with a bad motherboard that some guy was parting out. It was too good a deal to pass up ($400) and I ended up selling my old 466 card for like $250 on ebay myself.
  • Reply 10 of 10
    leonisleonis Posts: 3,427member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Outsider

    Well I didn't have a Quicksilver. i had a 466 that I upgraded to a 933 with a card I got off ebay. The card was a Quicksilver pull from a computer with a bad motherboard that some guy was parting out. It was too good a deal to pass up ($400) and I ended up selling my old 466 card for like $250 on ebay myself.



    Okay. Clear



    Go get a DVD-R drive then
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