Need Mac G4 reviews, deals, etc. Pretty Please

[Planktune]

I have to procure a G4 for a friend and would like to find a good deal on good box. I don't know much about newer Macs, so if anyone has links or comments my friend and I will be grateful.
thanks

 

[RossMAN]

1) Does your friend want the older G4's which have been discounted or the newer G4's which come with a CD-RW and GeForce graphics card?
2) Which speed CPU do they want and how much is their budget?
3) Do they also need a monitor?

 

[Planktune]

He does photoshop, publishing and audio editing. I guess he wants the newer one.
any suggestions on price/performance for cpu?
possibly a monitor, I was going to get that separately, since He isn't sure if he wants one. It depends on the total cost of the box.

 

[RossMAN]

Good choice on getting the newer PowerMac G4 he'll love it, now we just gotta decide which model then I have an idea on where he can get the lowest price.

Here's the specs on the Apple PowerMac G4 courtesy of the Apple Computer, Inc. web site.

After reading that, go to The Apple Store and click PowerMac G4 (upper right) which configuration price would he like? If he can afford it I'd say the sweet spot for price/performance is the PowerMac G4/667 which comes which comes with everything you need except for the DVD-R (in which case you'd have to buy the higher priced G4/733).

Again you'll need to ask your friend what he wants and how much he can afford, I cannot help you without specific details.

Here's what the PowerMac G4/667 comes with:
667MHz PowerPC G4
256K L2 at 667 MHz
1MB L3 at 222 MHz
256MB PC133 SDRAM
60GB (7200 rpm) Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce2 MX with 32MB of SDRAM
CD-RW
FireWire Two 400-Mbps ports
USB Two ports (12 Mps each)
Four PCI slots
10/100/1000BASE-T Ethernet
AirPort ready
56K V.90 modem

$2,795.00

 

[Planktune]

thanks for the post.that system looks great. I don't think price is too much of an issue. I would like to reccommend something reasonable.
He doesn't need the latest and greatest. but last years latest and greatest is probably right.

 

[Wallydraigle]

"My friend wants a Mac..." Tell your "friend" not to bother! J/K

 

[Planktune]

I told him that, but he wants a mac. They are Expensive. any deals out there?

 

[Gunbuster]

Does he want that in FlowerPower or Blue Dalmation

If nothing else config the system with the Mac only stuff you need (cpu, MB, case)
buy the expensive (to apple) stuff after market CDRW, RAM, Huge HDD.

Apple tends not to have deals. Except for sending closeouts to Costco

 

[Planktune]

thanks Gunbuster. I think that makes the most sense

 

[Planktune]

It seems that component items cannot be "none".
The apple site makes you buy these overpriced systems, loaded.
Who buys these things?
I am going to try again to talk my friend out of this G4.
Am I wrong?
how does a g4 compare with p3 or athlon?
Iknow mac is faster for matching mhz, but how much so? any benchmarks?

 

[Sugadaddy]

Well, let's just say that for 2800$, you'd probably be able to build a 1.2ghz, full-SCSI system, with a better vid-card than an MX. Macs have gotten better and it's true that mhz for mhz, they are faster, but value-wise, they are still in the dark ages. And who cares if they perform better at the same mhz when you can get an Athlon that's almost twice the speed. But hey, they do look good... (hmm, to some people at least)

 

[Planktune]

right. I can build a descent win/linux box for 800-1000 bucks.
why do people buy these g4s? I dont get it

 

[GetInMyFatBelly]

I am contemplating a G4 myself and am waiting for the SuperDrive (DVD-R) to be available on other systems besides the 733. Hopefully they will be available with the dual 533 soon.

 

[Dameon]

Friends don't let friends buy Crapple Macintrash.

 

[RanDum72]

If the guy does Photoshop a lot, the Apple G4 is still faster than anything out there. Just load up on memory(at least 512mb), probably get a Radeon 64megger as an option. I would probably get the fastest CPU available if money is no object.

 

[Planktune]

The 64 meg Radeon is not an option from apple.
THe G4 is the fastest in Photoshop. Really?? Against a P4 or 1.2ghz Athlon. Why? FPU, or graphics bus fsb.
Apple seems to focus on the color and shape on the box.
I wish thier specs reflected real world apps.

 

[Eug]

By a G4, but not with everything in the package from Apple. Then add memory and a big hard drive from a 3rd party. MUCH cheaper.

Or else just buy a PC, because OS 9 truly sucks, and OS X isn't out yet.


<< right. I can build a descent win/linux box for 800-1000 bucks.
why do people buy these g4s? I dont get it. >>

A Linux box would be virtually useless for his friend, but you're right a Win box would be fine. Not for 1000 bucks though.

 

[Planktune]

Apple does'nt let configure bare bones system.
My friend Ray has all scsi scanners cd etc.
He doesnt need to buy redundent hardware.
I think he's not going to spend more than 2000 dollars.
He said he wanted the CUBE. Thats when I had to speak up aand offer
to figure out whats up with tthe G4. I dont have anything against apple/Mac, but the prices, way to high.
OSX releases in March.

 

[Planktune]

bump