[Mac_X]

I was wondering if anybody has a good estimation of how much longer a PPC G4 will last.
Right now, a new C2D iMac is looking pretty good, but im tight on cash. I have the latest eMac (it might be 16 months old)- so i though a RAM upgrade to 768 from 256. However i have seen a RAM stick that should be 1GB (is that possible?)

How long would you predict the G4 will last until it will practically HAVE to be replaced (aka of old age, programs only being intel made, or just too fast to work on a G4/any PPC) ??



Thanks In Advance

[imitchellg5]

Yes, you can get a 1 gig RAM stick. Your eMac should run fine until the CRT blows, which could be 2 years, or could be 10 years. Make sure that you never have it display still images for that long as that is bad for CRTs. Definetly upgrade the RAM.

[Mac_X]

ok thanx alot..... (i try to make a screen saver/screen sleep come into action after 3-5 mins)

any clue about when the apple programs will become too powerful for the G4 ?

[mduell]

Originally Posted by Mac_X

any clue about when the apple programs will become too powerful for the G4 ?

Some (Aperature, Motion) already are.

[GopherAlex]

Originally Posted by Mac_X

I was wondering if anybody has a good estimation of how much longer a PPC G4 will last.
Right now, a new C2D iMac is looking pretty good, but im tight on cash. I have the latest eMac (it might be 16 months old)- so i though a RAM upgrade to 768 from 256. However i have seen a RAM stick that should be 1GB (is that possible?)

How long would you predict the G4 will last until it will practically HAVE to be replaced (aka of old age, programs only being intel made, or just too fast to work on a G4/any PPC) ??



Thanks In Advance

You will be ok for at least a few years yet. Even once Apple stops releasing PowerPC software in 2008 or 2009 or whatever, the existing PPC software will still run. With a RAM upgrade you could probably tough it out for 5, 6, even 7 more years.

[imitchellg5]

I would say at least 3 years before Apple's main apps ( iLife, iWork) and major other ones ( Photoshop, Rapidweaver) become slow and hard to use.

[Mac_X]

Thanks.... now i'll certainly keep it until Leopard comes out.... then ill see.

One last question..... what speed differences will i see between 1.28 Gb and 768 Mb of RAM ??

[imitchellg5]

Not much differences with apps like Firefox and the like. But if you run many apps at the same time ( Firefox, Safari, iChat, iTunes, Photoshop, iCal, Entourage, Word) you will notice a big difference because you will have more RAM for those apps to access, therefore making them faster.

[macintologist]

Originally Posted by Mac_X

ok thanx alot..... (i try to make a screen saver/screen sleep come into action after 3-5 mins)

any clue about when the apple programs will become too powerful for the G4 ?

Some already need G5s, like Motion Aperture, Shake, and with all practicality in mind, Garageband.

However think about it for a second. At one time, the 1Ghz G4 was Apple's top of the line Powermac, and back then they advertised how awesome Final Cut Pro would run on their Powermac G4, so I don't think you have much to worry about. iMovie and Final Cut should run beautifully on your eMac. Same with any game released before 2004/5. Just ask yourself: Were games not fun until this last year? NO! Games have always been fun to play and theres nothing wrong with playing an older game. Leopard should also run just fine on your eMac. Considering that Apple was still selling G4 machines up to May of this year shows that they still had faith in that processor. It's a decent processor as long as you're not to trying to do mega 3d compositing or edit 16-tracks of audio at once.

[iMacfan]

Macintologist is very right - boot up classic, get a copy of Deus Ex, and we'll see you in a couple of months...