Well after shaking off the "I want the latest" syndrome today (thank goodness) I'm curious as to how often you replace your Mac.
I have the 933Mhz Powermac which is just fine with me, I'll get OS X 10.2 and wait at least until the next set of Powermacs come out.
Comments
1. It no longer runs the latest games and applications reasonably quickly.
2. The cost of installing upgrades (new video card, processor, etc.) outweighs the cost of buying a new Mac.
This usually means every two or three years.
For example, my current Mac is a B&W G3. It will only run Max Payne (my current favorite) at the lowest resolution/detail. It also barely meets the minimum requirements for games like Warcraft III. Since it lacks AGP, upgrading the video card is a dead end.
Conclusion...time for a new Mac. That's why I ordered a new dual gig yesterday!
Me: Depending on what machines are out.
Here are the systems I've had, in order:
SE/30 (roughly 1992-1994 or so)
IIcx (roughly 1994-1997 or so)
Quadra 610 (roughly 1997-1998)
PowerMac 7100/80 (roughly 1998-2000)
PowerMac 8100/100 (2001-early 2002)
PowerBook G3/233 (2002)
Of course, I got these systems a while after they were released, and my memory is sketchy earlier on. I don't really remember how long I had the SE/30 for, or even if I had it at all... I do remember my brother having it in his room. I distinctly remember playing Escape Velocity when it was first released on the IIcx, and I know that I didn't have the Quadra for very long. The final point worth noting is that I wasn't as picky back then - I didn't care that I had a 68030 when there were PowerMacs around.
I do expect, though, that I'll replace my system about every three or four years.
My next one will be in the following summer. It will be a PowerBook (think DDR).
or atleast till when my dad upgrades
1991- Macintosh LC
1993- PowerBook 180
1994- PowerMac 6100
1995- Peforma 575
1995- PowerBook 5300ce
1996- PowerBase 200
1997- PowerBook 3400c - Currently own
2000- PowerMac G4 450MHz - Currently own
2001- PowerBook G4 550MHz - Currently own
I pretty much get a new computer every 1-3 years, only upgrading when a machine is too slow to run my favorite programs.
I'm typing this on a two and a half year old G4, which I still find plenty fast. Every other machine I've owned was really beginning to show it's age at this point, but my G4 remains youthful. I doubt the PowerBook I bought last November will last this long. This PowerMac is definitely wisest purchase I?ve made.
[ 08-15-2002: Message edited by: Kecksy ]</p>
PowerMac G3(yosemite) 400 at 1999 until then
and i am palnning to buy a Dual 867 G4
..i made the mistake of buying an ibook.
..the next computer i get will be a pmac g4 tower and a cheapy pc.
laptops suck.
April 2000 - Swapped with parent's beige G3, upgraded RAM, bought Radeon, G4/400 upgrade - $600
January 2002 - Power Mac G4 Dual 1 GHz - $3000
I'd say every 2 years though the beige G3 was sort of a half-upgrade. My next new Mac will be in at least 2 revisions. I don't plan on buying the first of any Power Mac based on a brand new CPU. Hopefully we get something great in about a year.
<strong>I replace my Mac when two things are true:
1. It no longer runs the latest games and applications reasonably quickly.</strong><hr></blockquote>
You would do much better buying a separate gaming device. Relying on your Mac to be your gaming platform is, financially, a bad idea. This is true even for a PC, actually. For under $200 you can get a PS2 or X-Box or GameCube and then use your computer for your computery stuff. Your Mac (or PC) will last a lot longer when you don't require that it run the latest games well. Your regular computery tasks don't slow down as fast.
[quote]<strong>2. The cost of installing upgrades (new video card, processor, etc.) outweighs the cost of buying a new Mac.</strong><hr></blockquote>
If you're upgrading in order to play games better, consider simply buying the latest PlayStation or Nintendo. The cost is probably equivalent.
edit: upgraind? I guess it's too early for me.
[ 08-15-2002: Message edited by: spotbug ]</p>
I have the original G4 (450mhz) and its been running great ever since. Only recently have I been noticing it getting slower as my Apps get faster. So my next upgrade will most likely be:
17 inch LCD (replacing the 17 inch CRT)
Radeon (so I can run the LCD)
extra 512 megs of RAM (to max it out at 1.5)
There hasn't been anything compelling enough in the new towers for me to upgrade.
Gigabit ethernet? - nah, don't really need it
More Harddrive space - yeah I keep adding drives to my existing machine.
My last Mac before this one was an All-in-one G3 (pre-iMac) and the one before that was a 5200.
So I've decided that I won't upgrade again until Apple has a new chip in the towers.
It just doesn't seem worth it to go from a G4 to another G4. Maybe when the next processor comes out it'll have REAL ddr and Firewire 2.