What design is best. iMac G4 or iMac G5

andersanders
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
only considering the aesthetics and usefulness. Not "WOuld it be able to handle the heat?", "is the design too expensive?" etc.



I consider the G4 iMac the perfect computer design but people have begun saying the current iMac is better because of the smaller space. The space requirements are too similar for me to be taken into consideration.



But how do you feel?
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 28
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,322moderator
    It's a tough choice because although I think the imac G4 is far more aesthetically pleasing, it isn't nearly as practical in terms of transporting it or fixing it. I voted for the G4 anyway because I think the G5 is ugly with that big ugly bit under the monitor.



    Just try making a cute hopping lamp style advert with a G5 imac.
  • Reply 2 of 28
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Anders



    I consider the G4 iMac the perfect computer design but people have begun saying the current iMac is better because of the smaller space. The space requirements are too similar for me to be taken into consideration.



    But how do you feel?



    I am with you in this. The perfection level achieved with the iMac G4 has no similar in computer design. Apple has outdone itself with this one and of course no one yet has even come close.
  • Reply 3 of 28
    gene cleangene clean Posts: 3,481member
    Well based on looks, the iMac G4 has no counterpart, Apple, or not. It is simply the best looking computer that has ever been created. On usefulness, I don't know. While I *really* liked the swiwel thing that allowed you to arrange your monitor in many ways, it was also very expensive and not at all good for transportation. It was also somewhat hard to upgrade the thing because of the way things were crammed inside it.
  • Reply 4 of 28
    mbg5mbg5 Posts: 36member
    they are both sick
  • Reply 5 of 28
    zenatekzenatek Posts: 203member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by mbG5

    they are both sick



    sick good? or sick bad?
  • Reply 6 of 28
    mynameheremynamehere Posts: 560member
    I personally thought the G4 had a sexier design than the new one, although the new design probably makes more sense, especially given that it shrinks every revision. I'm sure Apple had their reasons to move to the new design.



    On another note, how come the iMac G3 isn't on this poll? That was the ultimate in cool in its day.
  • Reply 7 of 28
    chipzchipz Posts: 100member
    The G4 is gthe absolute best design ever!!! The G5 might have a smaller footprint, but it has design flaws. i.e., the "chin".
  • Reply 8 of 28
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,322moderator
    Quote:

    Originally posted by chipz

    The G4 is gthe absolute best design ever!!! The G5 might have a smaller footprint, but it has design flaws. i.e., the "chin".



    I wonder why they didn't put the chin at the back in the middle of the monitor. It looks as though it would fit there quite easily.
  • Reply 9 of 28
    msanttimsantti Posts: 1,377member
    I like the G5/Intel design.



    I really do not know if one really needs that much monitor adjustment.



    And I am sure if cost a fair bit more for Apple to produce.



    The optical drive door on the G4 was kind of clunky IMO.
  • Reply 10 of 28
    iposteriposter Posts: 1,560member
    iMac G4 of course! 8)



    Though I may be a bit biased since the G4 is the only model of Apple I have owned so far, and the only other ones I have seen in person were a PM G3 and a G3 iMac. The 'Jay Leno' G5 just doesn't do it for me aesthetically...and I'm very concerned about the life-span of the vertically mounted HDD and Combo/Superdrive. Most drive bearings AFAIK are just not designed to wear normally in that orientation! Had a PC at work with a vertical HD and the IT guys had to replace it annually....

  • Reply 11 of 28
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    I believe that aethestically the perfect computer shape is simply a floating monitor. The iMac "Chinny" comes the closest to that form factor.



    The reality is I really only need see the screen so anything else is just in the way.
  • Reply 12 of 28
    banchobancho Posts: 1,517member
    I voted for the G5. It seems very no-nonsense to me. It's attractive and functional and the display/keyboard can't be possitioned to obstruct the optical drive.



    While I liked the G4 the plastic used for the dome seemed to get dingy and dirty looking (at least it always seemed that way to me).



    My personal favorite though is the original. I had a rev. A G3 and it was a fantastic machine in its day.



    In the end though they are all winners.
  • Reply 13 of 28
    thegreatlukethegreatluke Posts: 65member
    I like both equally.



    I like the iMac G5/Intel because of the iSight, very slim design, nice screens and iPod-like style. Also, it's awesome when I show people the iMac (for the first time... PC users) and they say "where's the computer?" and I say "That's it!"



    I like the iMac G4 because it just looks cool, with the round case. Also, it's very nice to be able to swivel the screen in any direction. If they had managed to find a place to put a slot-loading drive in there while still making it look nice, that would be awesome.
  • Reply 14 of 28
    dbug7dbug7 Posts: 11member
    G4 for me



    remember that ads of the G4? lol...
  • Reply 15 of 28
    imavimav Posts: 15member
    I own a 17" G5 and 20" Intel...Enjoy that design. However, I really like the look of the G4's and wouldn't mind picking one up off of Ebay.
  • Reply 16 of 28
    auroraaurora Posts: 1,142member
    G4s floating screen was superior,G5s design is bland and those skinny screens kind of bite. Apple's designs have gone down hill since G4 iMac. G4
  • Reply 17 of 28
    iposteriposter Posts: 1,560member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by dBUG7

    G4 for me



    remember that ads of the G4? lol...



    Like this one?
  • Reply 18 of 28
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    I've used both, and the iMac G5 is nicer. It takes up less desk space and is easier to upgrade the RAM on. How many times did I move the display around? Maybe once when I first sat down to it. After that, what was once a clever design element became a frivolous extra. The iMac G5, on the other hand, is impeccably designed, and there's nothing frivolous about it.
  • Reply 19 of 28
    dbug7dbug7 Posts: 11member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by iPoster

    Like this one?



    i've never seen that one before..

    the one with a guy walks pass an apple store with a G4 in the display..;D
  • Reply 20 of 28
    newnew Posts: 3,244member
    The G4 was a great design, but some things always bugged me about it.



    The G5/intel is for me the perfect symboiosis of function and form, it solves all my issues withe the G4.



    It has looks destinctly as a natural evolvement of the first imac, while the G4 looks more like a danish design experiment.



    The worst thing about the G4, where it actually became less functional than the original imac was the cable clutter. Going for external speakers and a base where the cables had to run around it was not a brilliant design move.

    Also going back to tray-loading was always a mystery to me, the way it hit the back of the keyboard was a joke.

    Lastly, while being great engineering, the arm was an answer to a problem that wasn't there. why have a turnable screen, when the whole machine turns easily by itself?
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