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FozzieUK · Nov 6, 2003, 03:55 PM

I know it looks a nice bit of kit but I feel if I was to buy a G5 it would have to be the Dual 2.0.

The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present! Now that is fantastic I know, but want to be really happy that it is not a dog compared to the Dual 2.0. I will be really happy anyway, but it is not my money, I want to know it's her money well spent!

TIA...

Eug · Nov 6, 2003, 04:06 PM

It's OK. I'd prefer the 1.8 though as a better bang for the buck. Faster memory, 8 memory slots, etc.

But if you max out the RAM, the 1.6 would be fine.

Anand · Nov 6, 2003, 04:10 PM

Compared to the dual G5, Halle Berry is a dog!

powerbook867 · Nov 6, 2003, 04:20 PM

For my needs, the 1.6 is great! Next year I will be maxing out the ram and bumping the videocard to something high end. I do play some games and I tend to have ALOT of apps open at once.

My wife inherited my Powerbook and now we're both happy...

PS...that girlfriend may be a keeper!! wow....

Landos Mustache · Nov 6, 2003, 04:31 PM

Originally posted by Eug:
But if you max out the RAM, the 1.6 would be fine.

It will take 4 GIgs of memory before you consider the computer fine!!!!????

Eug · Nov 6, 2003, 04:44 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
It will take 4 GIgs of memory before you consider the computer fine!!!!????

Comes with 256 MB (which I assume the GF got), and a reasonable max out would be another 512x2. Total: 1.25 GB, for $180.

To put 4 GB of name brand RAM in it would cost you roughly $1350.

Hydra · Nov 6, 2003, 05:09 PM

Originally posted by Anand:
Compared to the dual G5, Halle Berry is a dog!

I'm staring at my dual G5 right now and I would trade it straight away if Halle walked in right now

-Jerry C.

The Mick · Nov 6, 2003, 05:49 PM

My G5 1.6 is no dog to be sure, it is almost as fast overall as the previous dual 1.25 G4 powermacs, and in some tests it is faster.

philzilla · Nov 6, 2003, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:
The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present!

St Helens isn't far from me. i'll be over to exchange numbers with your ex-girlfriend

Commodus · Nov 6, 2003, 06:42 PM

I wouldn't say that it's a dog, it's just not an absolute monster. I'd actually go so far to say that it's basically *the* other choice for G5s besides the dual-2.0. The 1.8 sits awkwardly in the middle. It's a bit faster than the 1.6, but not by as much.

Look at it this way: you get a system which is attractive, quick, and quiet. It has front-mounted Firewire and USB to boot. Unless my current system was a dual-1.42 GHz G4, I'd consider it an upgrade!

powerbook867 · Nov 6, 2003, 06:49 PM

4 gig is alot of ram.....

I have servers at work that have less ram than that...

blackbird_1.0 · Nov 6, 2003, 08:57 PM

the 1.6 is pretty good, i have one and love it, runs like a champ, yeah 4 gb of ram is a lot

Arkham_c · Nov 6, 2003, 10:24 PM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:
The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present!

My wife does stuff like that. She buys me technology as a present but doesn't know what she's doing. I got my iBook and my camcorder that way.

The G5 1.6 is a nice machine. The 1.8 is nicer. The 2.0-dual absolutely rocks, but it costs a lot. You get what you pay for, and none of them are cheap.

jyvin563 · Nov 6, 2003, 10:58 PM

Don't worry, the 1.6 is great. I have owned mine for a few days and am very satisfied. I would say that the 1.6 is the G5 for the common person. I do a bit of everything but no huge, processor centric activities. Keep stepping up the RAM and you will not be disappointed.

MichiganRich · Nov 7, 2003, 12:35 AM

Okay, the dual is great. I bought the 1.6. I think the 1.6 is the second best choice, because it's a good chunk cheaper than the 1.8. I figured the price difference between the 1.6 and 1.8 would allow me to order the ATI 9600 video card upgrade and a gig 'o' Crucial RAM. FOR A HOME MACHINE, the 4 RAM slots are sufficient. FOR A HOME MACHINE, I have no use for PCI-X slots. FOR A HOME MACHINE, it's affordable (relatively) and quiet and is built like a Swiss watch. The 1.6 is a drool-worthy piece of kit FOR A HOME MACHINE....

This does not apply to people trying to squeeze profit margins out of how fast they can get video editing done.

Let the flaming begin...

powerbook867 · Nov 7, 2003, 06:53 AM

MichiganRich, I think you are completely correct...No flaming here!!!

Cadaver · Nov 9, 2003, 01:52 PM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:
I know it looks a nice bit of kit but I feel if I was to buy a G5 it would have to be the Dual 2.0.

The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present! Now that is fantastic I know, but want to be really happy that it is not a dog compared to the Dual 2.0. I will be really happy anyway, but it is not my money, I want to know it's her money well spent!

TIA...

Depending on what you're upgrading from, the 1.6GHz machine could seem like a huge step forward or a small step backward. If you're moving from a dual 1.42GHz machine, I'm not sure you'd get any benefit from it. But if you're moving up from anything 1.0GHz or less, you'll be amazed.

And, as you say, there is a significant price difference. The $1000 (�750) price difference could pay for a lot of software or other upgrades later down the road.

Must take in to account how much power you need vs. how much power you want (and can afford).

Also remember it's cheaper usually to keep a machine for 18 months, sell it and buy the new low-end model than to buy a high-end model and be stuck with it for 3 years. In 18 months, the new low-end machine may be as powerful as the old, more expensive high-end machine.

mousehouse · Nov 10, 2003, 02:43 AM

on the Dutch applestore (http://www.apple.com/nlstore/) the difference between the 1.6 and 1.8 is just 100 Euro's if you change the disk & memory specs to the level of the 1.8 !

the base price difference in the US looks much more reasonable.

NYCFarmboy · Nov 10, 2003, 08:42 AM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:

The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present! Now that is fantastic I know, but want to be really happy that it is not a dog compared to the Dual 2.0. I will be really happy anyway, but it is not my money, I want to know it's her money well spent!

TIA...

Enjoy her loving gift with every thread of your being. Enjoy it as it for a few months. I suspect by late next summer you will be able to upgrade it to a dual 3.0 G5... so enjoy it as it is now... then when a major upgrade comes available in about a year upgrade it and extend your gift of her love.

Wow.... a girlfriend who would do that for you... that is LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FozzieUK · Nov 10, 2003, 11:50 AM

Hi again.... well birthday today and unfortunately TNT Courier and Applestore UK have messed up. Whatever I am getting had been ordered over a month ago and was promised in email from Apple. GF upset at delay but we are leaving what I am getting as a surprise! It is due this week....... (It could be just a mouse mat! lol)

AngryAngel · Nov 10, 2003, 12:43 PM

Originally posted by mousehouse:
on the Dutch applestore (http://www.apple.com/nlstore/) the difference between the 1.6 and 1.8 is just 100 Euro's if you change the disk & memory specs to the level of the 1.8 !

the base price difference in the US looks much more reasonable.

But if you don't buy the hard drive and memory from Apple (who would?!) then you can get a much better equipped 1.6 for the same price.

Spend the money saved on more RAM and more/larger monitors!

Todd Madson · Nov 10, 2003, 09:13 PM

That's some girlfriend if she did indeed spring for a G5 tower for you.

Some of us are still using 400 mhz G4 towers
(and some of us are still using beige G3 boxes).

Any G5 is better than no G5. With Panther it ought to rock.

axlepin · Nov 10, 2003, 11:04 PM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:
...The problem is I have a feeling my girlfriend has gone and bought me a G5 1.6 as a birthday present! Now that is fantastic I know, but want to be really happy that it is not a dog compared to the Dual 2.0. I will be really happy anyway, but it is not my money, I want to know it's her money well spent!

I agree with whoever says that your girl is a keeper! zowie! Don't know all the particulars, but she probably knows that the G5 is the Mac to have, and she got you the most Mac she could manage...

Anyone here who got the Dual 2 is in the same boat: one day soon, a much faster Mac will whiz right past us. You'll never be the fastest on the block for long.

From what I've read, the 1.6 is no dog at all, and I think you'll be tickled with it...after you get it, you'll be so busy getting things done with it, you won't really think about what's under the hood.

Plus, you'll have that swell girl!

a

Love Calm Quiet · Nov 11, 2003, 07:08 AM

A *dog*? It gets compared to a dual 1.25 - and said maybe not to be any faster.

Awwww... a Mac that's not much better than a DP 1.25? What would you have said about such a gift barely six months ago.

FozzieUK · Nov 11, 2003, 08:14 AM

I meant a *dog* in relation to the other G5 models... still no word on what is coming!! I wouldn't want someone I care for making a bad investment on my part, I can do that all on my own

I would get a new graphic card and hard drive for my G4 400 and be happy... was just questioning the relative price difference between the base model G5 and the top model Dual G5. As an investment I think the Dual G5 is the one. Just to add, I am in the UK and we get stuffed on exchange rates by Apple. You can get a half decent PC for under �1000 with a flat panel screen! The base G5 is �1500 without a screen.... (I know the Apple is better, blah de blah... and all that, I have had Macs since the first 128k in 1985)

Thought you Yanks would let us Brits have them at cost price and just rip the French and Germans off hehe (Joke! before I get flamed)

jcadam · Nov 11, 2003, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by FozzieUK:
I meant a *dog* in relation to the other G5 models... still no word on what is coming!! I wouldn't want someone I care for making a bad investment on my part, I can do that all on my own

I would get a new graphic card and hard drive for my G4 400 and be happy... was just questioning the relative price difference between the base model G5 and the top model Dual G5. As an investment I think the Dual G5 is the one. Just to add, I am in the UK and we get stuffed on exchange rates by Apple. You can get a half decent PC for under �1000 with a flat panel screen! The base G5 is �1500 without a screen.... (I know the Apple is better, blah de blah... and all that, I have had Macs since the first 128k in 1985)

Thought you Yanks would let us Brits have them at cost price and just rip the French and Germans off hehe (Joke! before I get flamed)

The 17.5% VAT you guys have over there in the UK is what's screwing you, not necessarily Apple.

An example from the Apple UK store:
Note: VAT is included in price:

Dual G5: 2299 lbs.

- 17.5% for VAT = 1896.68 lbs.
converted to US $ = 3162.63

base US price (before sales tax): $2999.00

Ok, Apple is screwing you out of US$163, or 97 Brit pounds. Of course, it may cost them that much more to distribute their stuff overseas, but I dunno....

Ok, this post was pointless, off-topic, and completely uncalled for, but I was bored and felt like doing some math.