[businezguy]

Well, I've decided to bring my turmoil out into the open. I am the happy owner of a dual 1 GHZ MDD. It does everything I need it to do, and it does it pretty fast. It does lag in Unreal Tournament 2003 when I have the settings turned all the way up, but that is nothing a new video card could fix.

With that said, I have this strong impulse to get the Dual 2 GHZ. Mind you, the most demanding thing I do is gaming. So, this isn't a need thing, this is a compulsive need to have the fastest, newest. lastest, greatest system sitting on my desk to I can smile to myself.

So, should I do it? Should I make the leap? The fact is, if I do this, I would hope this machine would last a few years before I'd need to replace it (knowing me, that will never happen--I'm lying to myself).

If only I could be displeased with my current machine!

Okay, okay....I like things to be snappy. While my machine is hardly slow, do you think I will notice a big difference when opening/closing programs and running multiple programs?

Also, my other dilemna is if I get one, what configuration should I pick?

With my current machine, I have a super drive. I haven't burned one DVD with it! Why? Well, I just never made a DVD movie. I only do still photography. Still, I could use iMovie to make an awesome still photo movie, I've just never gotten around to it. So, the first big question is: Should I get the Superdrive? I would save $200 if I didn't. Do you think it's worth it?

My second dilemna is whether I should upgrade the video card or not. As I said above, I fully believe my current MDD would play Unreal Tournament without a hitch if I upgraded the video card. I know for a fact that a video card is definately the biggest performance booster when it comes to games. Still, a GHZ G5 is such a HUGE leap in performance that that performance boost, in and of itself, would probably make up for the difference. So, how does the ATI 9000 compare to the newer 9600? Is there a big difference in performance? Or, should I go for the 9800 to be on the save side? I know the 9800 will do a much better job. Easily double the performance. That is a hard thing to ignore.

I'll definately need an airport card, so that will set me back another $100.

So, here are my possible configurations--

Most Conservative:

Dual 2 GHZ
ATI 9600
Airport
Combo Drive

Price with tax: $3071.88

Living a little:

Dual 2 GHZ
ATI 9600
Airport
Super Drive

Bottom Line: $3283.88

Gaming Machine with a few bucks saved:

Dual 2 HZ
ATI 9800 Pro
Airport
Combo Drive

The Damage:$3389.88

Balls of Brass Purchase

Sticker Shock: $3601.88

I will not consider the 1.8 or 1.6 GHZ G5s. They are out of the question. Obviously not for practical reasons, but because I want the most speed one can get.

I want your comments along with your vote.

One other question, can I customize a Powermac through somebody other then Apple and save on the cost of taxes? That would be great!

[GORDYmac]

I will never understand why people spend thousands on computers to play games. Gaming consoles cost less than $200. Not intended to flame, I just don't get it.

[RevEvs]

Sounds to me like you dont need a G5, you just want one

And do you really want to spend $3000 just for playing UT2003.

If you got the ££ to spare then get it, but Id probably wait for the next batch of G5's.

Anyway, If you have the ££ to spare, then why not, but otherwise I wouldnt bother.

Oh and if you do get one, go the whole way and get a dualy

revs

[-Q-]

I'd wait. With absolutely nothing wrong with your G4, and with the G5 being a Rev. A machine, I'd save the cash and let the bugs be worked out. And by the time Rev. B comes around, it'll be that much faster and that much more stable.

[businezguy]

I've been pretty open about the fact that I don't NEED a G5. Sure I want one, who doesn't? It's just a question of whether I should part with the money.

Am I going to see a big difference in performance when going from the G4 to the G5? If so, is it worth it?

[kentuckyfried]

I will never understand HOW people find time to spend all day playing video games on a system they spend thousands of dollars on.
Ever since I switched jobs at my company, I've barely had time to go play anything.

I'm assuming that alot of them don't sleep. More power to ya.

Originally posted by GORDYmac:
I will never understand why people spend thousands on computers to play games. Gaming consoles cost less than $200. Not intended to flame, I just don't get it.

[businezguy]

Wow! So far nobody favors me getting my G5. I'll tell ya, I wasn't expecting this. I'm surprised.

I still need more opinions though. C'mon guys!

[businezguy]

I stand corrected. One person has supported putting my pedal to the medal. Everybody else has suggested the cheap skate approach so far.

[MindFad]

I totally support you getting a G5, but I agree with some of the others -- you have a decent machine as it is. If I were in your position, I would wait for the rev Bs. And not because I have some rev A paranoia that some seem to have, but because your machine will hold up just fine until January. C'mon, think of that dual 2.5GHz, dude with 9800 Pro. I say tough it out with the dual gigger until rev B. And I don't see any problem in getting a computer and one of the reasons being gaming. Many games are different on computers, and allow for different types of gameplay compared to console games. It's just another platform -- an expensive one, but one all the same.

If you choose to wait until the rev Bs, I'd go all out. 9800, SuperDrive, the trimmings. Rockin'.

[kcourt]

It sounds like your machine is pretty good already. I have a G4, 400mhz, so I am going to splurge and go all the way for the dual, 2ghz.

I do NOT need it, but I want it!

Kathy

[MattiMattMatt]

YES! You should get the G5.

THEN, to justify your purchase, and assuage your guilt, you should donate your old machine to the nonprofit organization that I work with (www.rimemusic.org). It's tax deductible, you would make a genuine and positive impact, and everyone would think you were an angel, rather than indulgent, for getting a G5 for games.

-MattiMattMatt

[geekwagon]

I have a dual 1.25 FW800, and I plan to upgrade to the G5. I absolutely don't NEED it (for most definitions of need) but I definitely WANT it. And I'm not the kind of person who would be able to happily wait for something newer and faster when other people are getting their new toys, either.

And not for playing games. I don't have time to play games. I just figure, why not get the fastest machine that I can afford? I spend a ton of time in front of this thing.. Maybe if I didn't use it as much I wouldn't even think about spending that much money.

I say, if you want it, and can afford it, get the best machine you can. The G5 should be quieter than your current machine, and you'll have another year of warranty. Oh, and there is the whole crazy speed thing

[businezguy]

Yes, this is true. I have a 1 year warranty, and it ends in September. I also don't like how noisy my current Powermac is, although I'm going to bring it into the Apple Store for that fan fix thing they have. Still, it certainly wouldn't be as quiet as the new G5s.

[passmaster16]

Originally posted by MindFad:
I say tough it out with the dual gigger until rev B.

haha, Yeah, he really has to tough_it_out. C'mon guys, a dual gigger still isn't a slouch. I'd say hold off until you see what comes out with next Rev. Whats the deal with not being able to use dual optical drives? Seems to me like more clutter. But I'd still take a dual G5 if i had the flow

[Superchicken]

You have an MDD this automatically qualifies you for my approval on upgrading. now if you had a Dual Ghz quicksilver I'd say hold off and wait for a Rev B, but ya know... I mean... MDD... ick...

Of course if you wanted to give your MDD a home up here in the great white north... I think I could surive with it's pressance.

Anyway, uhh... do you have a kid or something? What kinda job do you have?

If you're like struggling financhally or a college student or something I'd say you're nuts. If you're married and have a kid and this is gona be a toy for daddy while Junior's gona have to work his butt off to be able to not get horribly indebt in college, I'd say start a college fund for your kid.

If you're someone who's not planning on having anything that you seriously would rather spend this cash on, buy the G5. If you can put it towards something else and helping someone else, that'd probably make you feel better than playing unreal tournament.

[businezguy]

Hehehe, it looks like those favoring my purchase of a G5 are outweighing those who say I shouldn't. Furthermore, those who are saying I should get the G5 are saying if I'm going to do it, go all out.

Superchicken:

No, I don't have a family or kids or a wife. I suppose if I did I wouldn't be considering this purchase so soon after having already made a major purchase. Being single allows me a significant level of irresponsibility I couldn't otherwise afford. Perhaps that's why I've remains single.

As far as the MDD is concerned, here's the thing. Apple could have released a dual G4 at 2 ghz and I wouldn't even care. I'd still be satisfied with the machine I have, and I'd realize that, whil a 2 ghz G4 is a lot faster, it still has a limited bus, and really offers no improvements other then a higher clock speed (maybe more L3 cache).

But this is a gorgeous G5 we are talking about here! For starters, Apple has always done a great job of allowing us to benefit from 2 processors. So having dual processors might increase performance up to 30 to 40 percent. The G5, on the other hand, is far more optimized for dual processor performance. So much so that performance benefits can reach about 80 percent higher with 2 processors.

Then you have to factor in the fact that even the single 1.6 ghz G5 would blow away my machine in performance for gaming, and most any other area of functionality. One could argue my machine would multitask better because of its dual processor nature, but that actually remains to be seen (I have my doubts).

Ohhhhhh how I crave one!