TIMING OF INTEL FOR iMac G5

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
My iMac G4 is being sold and would like to buy iMac G5 20 but concerned about processor change to Intel. Does anyone know when the Intel processor will be included on the iMac.



Appreciate opinions as to whether to wait or not?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    depends, can you wait until spring?/summer?
  • Reply 2 of 15
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by switchfromdell

    My iMac G4 is being sold and would like to buy iMac G5 20 but concerned about processor change to Intel. Does anyone know when the Intel processor will be included on the iMac.









    I don't know when, but I guess not earlier than one year from now. I don't see why Apple should rush the iMac, which is right now a nice machine without the performance issues of Powerbooks, and will continue to be so for some time still. My guess is that the next update will bring a 2.3 GHz G5 at most, with perhaps other improvements (although there is not too much room anymore to improve this already well equiped computer).



    Quote:



    Appreciate opinions as to whether to wait or not?




    In your place (that is if the iMac G4 was my only computer, as it seems is your case), I would not wait for the reasons above. Furthermore, I would prefer personally a PowerPC model just to be able to run some old classic applications (Classic will be dead with the advent of Intel machines).
  • Reply 3 of 15
    gargar Posts: 1,201member
    if you "need" a mac, buy it now and buy a iMacG5 20", it's great
  • Reply 4 of 15
    nijiniji Posts: 288member
    mass migration from the powerpc platform by large graphics companies will not occur until about 6 to 8 months after the new intel powermacs are in retail outlets. adobe will not put out a credible product until about that time, based on its switch timing to os x previously.

    therefore you have about 2 years of good use of a powerpc platform mac left.

    buy it now.

    its great.
  • Reply 5 of 15
    Quote:

    Originally posted by niji

    therefore you have about 2 years of good use of a powerpc platform mac left.





    Very well put. It's also interesting to note that there's about 2 years until Intel on mac is going to be in full swing. Lastly, I know that I buy a computer about every 18 months.



    I'm about to get an iMac 20 as well.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    The Imac G5 20 inch is a great computer, and I am very happy of mine.

    I have the 1,8 ghz one, and it's snappy : the latest version should be sligthy better .



    Don't forget to add more RAM. The G5 macs, and in general mac OS X is Ram hungry.
  • Reply 7 of 15
    I was worried about buying an iMac G5 20 because of all the intel stuff... I'm so glad I didn't wait ~ it's the best purchase I've made in a long time. In fact I was so happy with mine I convinced my parents to switch from winblows to an iMac G5 17 ~ they LOVE it.
  • Reply 8 of 15
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    Even after intel macs are released, PPC macs will be more compatible with the latest OS X software for at least a year. It will take over a year after first release for the final, large professional apps to be ported. Even then, their PPC counterparts will be common and PPC software will be better debugged.



    This isn't to say that intel machines are bad... only that PPC machines won't be suddenly obsolete anytime soon. A PPC iMac purchased now will be supported through it's useable lifetime.
  • Reply 9 of 15
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    Even after intel macs are released, PPC macs will be more compatible with the latest OS X software for at least a year.... A PPC iMac purchased now will be supported through it's useable lifetime.



    More than that I would say. Even after the Intel transition is complete, the PPC Macintosh installed base will still be so big, that Apple would have no other choice than to support the PPC platform through universal binaries for many years to come.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    I doubt that when Apple starts releasing new Intel-based Macs, that they will drop a new processor into a current enclosure. If you like the design of the iMac G5, then it would seem to me the best thing to do would be to buy it now... The intel iMac probably won't look the same (just as the iMac G5 didn't look the same as the iMac G4).
  • Reply 11 of 15
    dfilerdfiler Posts: 3,420member
    The enclosure won't necessarily change.



    It Powermac enclosure didn't change between the G3 and G4 but did change between the G4 and G5.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    Considering how closely tailored the G5 case is to the needs of the CPU and it's motherboard position, at the very least I expect the interior to be radically different.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    I recently bought an iMac G5 20", and I couldn't be happier. The switch to Intel, while had me concerned, isn't going to put a hamper in my iMac for atleast 3 - 4 years. The reason why, as so many others have mentioned (like PB), is that the installed base for the PPC is just too large for it to just drop out of the running any time soon.



    Mac OS X will probably have atleast two more revisions to it before it goes Intel only. Probably even a third revision will be PPC capable, but that one is foggy in the ol' crystal ball.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    jcgjcg Posts: 777member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dfiler

    The enclosure won't necessarily change.



    It Powermac enclosure didn't change between the G3 and G4 but did change between the G4 and G5.




    You are right, the first G4 style case was released around the time of the iMac in the Blue and White G3's. Apple changed the color slightly, but not he overall design of the cases. However, due to the scope of the switch to intel I would not be surprised if Apple does change the overall design of the cases across the entire product line to differentiate them from their PowerPC brethren. This would be a change more in the line of the G3 to G4 or G4 to G5 iMac and the G4-G5 PowerMac than the G3 to G4 PowerMac change.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JCG

    However, due to the scope of the switch to intel I would not be surprised if Apple does change the overall design of the cases across the entire product line to differentiate them from their PowerPC brethren.



    If I get correctly Apple's philosophy about design and funtionality of a computer, the user should not notice the difference in the internals. But who knows how Apple will finally make the transition. One only is certain, they will try to incorporate to the transition whatever changes (other than the CPU, internal and external) are necessary to keep the hardware up to date. Just to keep costs down.
Sign In or Register to comment.