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PowerMac G4 hardware upgrade questions
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Fresh-Faced Recruit
Join Date: Oct 2006
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Hey all,
These questions come from a longtime PC user who has recently made the swtich. I still have PCs for gaming but i now use a PowerMac G4 MDD as my primary box at home. I've actually been using Macs for many years as my job demanded it. Anyway, i bought this G4 on ebay for a great price. This was it's original config:
1Ghz Single
256MB PC2100
GeForce MX 32mb
60GB IDE ATA
I have since done some upgrading:
1Ghz Single
1GB PC2100
ATI 9800 128MB (on order from OWC)
60GB IDE ATA
200GB IDE ATA
500GB SATA (added a PCI SATA card from OWC)
4-port USB 2.0 PCI card
I guess my question is, what would give me a better performance boost out of this machine? Going from 1GB to 2GB, or replacing the 1Ghz single with a dual processor setup (1.6 or 1.8 i guess)? Or should i just go ahead and do both? I'm happy with the machine but i'm looking to get the most out of this box that i can. Thanks for any help.
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Here
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I yhink you would get more out of dual 1.6s or 1.8s than you would get out of the RAM, depending on what you do. But those CPUs are alot of money.
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Senior User
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: UK
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You have to make sure that you are walking into any more upgrades with your eyes open. The PPC architecture is now going to play second fiddle to the intel chips when it comes to software development. Also, you're likely to be spending as much as a whole intel dual core Mac mini, which will definitely be faster in terms of raw CPU power.
David
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Here
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Originally Posted by iMacfan 
You have to make sure that you are walking into any more upgrades with your eyes open. The PPC architecture is now going to play second fiddle to the intel chips when it comes to software development. Also, you're likely to be spending as much as a whole intel dual core Mac mini, which will definitely be faster in terms of raw CPU power.
David
That wouldn't be so bad, actually. If you didn't mind using a bunch of external drives. Crappy graphics is kind of a drag, though.
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Mac Enthusiast
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: New York City
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Since you have PC boxes for gaming, I would have to agree with iMacfan. Investing in an Intel-based Mac Mini would probably be a better investment of your money.
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Mac Pro 2.8x8 - 32GB - EVGA GTX285 - Apple Remote - Dell 3007WFP-HC
MacBook 2GHz - C2D - 4GB - GMA X3100
Mac mini 2.33GHz C2D - 4GB - GMA950 - 2 Drobos - SS4200 (unRAID)
iPhone 4 + iPhone 3G S⃣
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Truckee, CA
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I own a maxxed DP 1 GHz G4 tower soon to be replaced by a Mac Pro. G4s are now 2 major generations behind. Money - any money - into a G4, especially a 5 year old single processor G4 IMO is illogical unless one intends to run as a server box or run simple very low end apps, never upgrading the apps or the OS.
-Allen Wicks
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Posting Junkie
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Seattle, Washington
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I would do both. OS X is to slow with 1gb.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Port Angeles, WA.
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mac mini is still a glorified Storage hd with os in it! Whether in PPC or MCD....
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It's "Brewed" not "Juiced"
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Mac Elite
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Here
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Originally Posted by wubrew
mac mini is still a glorified Storage hd with os in it! Whether in PPC or MCD....
I disagree. The Mini is a good deal of power in a miniscule container. It fails at games. With more RAM, and an external HDD (maybe even booted from), it becomes a very serious alternative to low-end G5s or all G4s, barring dual/quad G5 models.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Port Angeles, WA.
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"With more RAM, and an external HDD (maybe even booted from), it"
Sorry "res ipsa loquitur"
However I agree with you on the upgrading of a single processor G4 PM.
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It's "Brewed" not "Juiced"
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Moderator  Join Date: May 2001
Location: Hilbert space
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I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Port Angeles, WA.
Status:
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Upgraded PowerMac G4 or Intel iMac?
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It's "Brewed" not "Juiced"
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Dedicated MacNNer
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Port Angeles, WA.
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Powerlogic Dual 1.7ghz--$499
2 channel Sata cntroller card-$49.95
250 gb seagate 7200 ata drive-$79.99
4pins to 24pins power adapter cable-$4.00)
Pc133 512mb ram-$67.99
Ati 9000 agp 128vram-129.95
Not retiring an old friend since 2000-PRICELESS
Hoping to maintain that friendship 5 more years -$175/year go figure
That's my other post on upgrading. However mine is a Dual. Made alot of difference. Single ? If you are going to spend $800 for over all upgrade you might as well get a used G5 Dual x.x for a couple of hundred more. Good luck.
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It's "Brewed" not "Juiced"
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