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maximusbibicus · Mar 4, 2007, 11:43 AM

I am currently looking to pick up a used tower to be used primarily as a downloading machine to be left on 24/7. I have a Macbook as my primary machine.

Assuming i can get either at the same price (and they both have stock specs), what would you reccomend? Would your opinion change if the G5 was 20% more expensive?

For MY needs, what is the best solution? Keep in mind, i don't want my desk littered with firewire drives. I'd like to keep it internal. Also, in all out power, how badly does the MDD trail the G5?

My views:

MDD Pros: Room for 4 HDs and 2 Optical, DP1.0 is more than enough juice for a machine that doesn't get heavy CPU intensive work,
MDD Cons: Might be kinda loud, G4 is a few generations old now,

G5 Pros: G5 is newer and quicker all around, more modern architecture
G5 Cons: Only space for 2 HDs and 1 optical, some of therse machine had firmware issues apparently, potentially higher price

Now for each machine, i want to have the ability to be able to add without subtraction. For example i can put a 200GB drive in the MDD and as i need more space add another drive to slot 2.......then slot 3....then slot 4. In the G5 I can do that once, then i would have to take out an existing drive to replace with a bigger one. PITA in my opinion.

I'd love some insights from the folks here. Thanks.

BigBadBiologist · Mar 4, 2007, 12:34 PM

I thought the MDD only had space for 2 harddrives?

maximusbibicus · Mar 4, 2007, 12:48 PM

Nope. 4.

Don Pickett · Mar 4, 2007, 01:01 PM

The G5 is definitely more future-proofed: it will be officially supported Apple hardware for a few more years.

However, as the primary purpose of the machine is to sit there and download, I wouldn't recommend either one of these. I'd look for a machine which uses a very small amount of power, like an older Powerbook or a Mac Mini.

maximusbibicus · Mar 4, 2007, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Don Pickett

The G5 is definitely more future-proofed: it will be officially supported Apple hardware for a few more years.

However, as the primary purpose of the machine is to sit there and download, I wouldn't recommend either one of these. I'd look for a machine which uses a very small amount of power, like an older Powerbook or a Mac Mini.

They only hold one drive. This is a problem.

BigBadBiologist · Mar 4, 2007, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by maximusbibicus

Nope. 4.

There are two in the cage behind the 5.25 bays (essentially over the CPU). Where are the other two? (forgive my stupidity, I haven't ever opened up a MDD)

angelmb · Mar 4, 2007, 02:21 PM

Front and back HDs carriers…

BigBadBiologist · Mar 4, 2007, 03:00 PM

oh, cool. thanks!

Don Pickett · Mar 4, 2007, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by maximusbibicus

They only hold one drive. This is a problem.

Unnastood. I would still get a Mini and a big, LaCie ethernet external drive.

That said, I would get whichever one is cheaper. You're not buying the machine for its processing power, you're buying it to sit there and suck stuff off the tubes. THe G4 should run 10.5 just fine, so you're good for another two years or so. Even if Apple dropped support, you could throw Linux on it.

skacoreimplore · Mar 4, 2007, 10:34 PM

why buy such expensive/amazing machines to download stuff? you could just buy a g3 B and W put some massive HDs in it and you're set. if thats to low brow for you even like a SP quicksilver or a DP 533 g4 tower is good

SSharon · Mar 5, 2007, 07:32 PM

Originally Posted by skacoreimplore

why buy such expensive/amazing machines to download stuff? you could just buy a g3 B and W put some massive HDs in it and you're set. if thats to low brow for you even like a SP quicksilver or a DP 533 g4 tower is good

yep, I have a MDD as my main machine (with 4 drives in it), but I still have a b&w G3 under my desk that I use as a music server. just get a pci ata card and load it up with drives. I have used it to download stuff and with 350mhz and 384mb of ram it was fine.

hookem2oo7 · Mar 5, 2007, 08:33 PM

my downloading machine is a 400mhz iMac G3 DV with 512mb ram and does a perfect job at it...

skacoreimplore · Mar 5, 2007, 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

yep, I have a MDD as my main machine (with 4 drives in it), but I still have a b&w G3 under my desk that I use as a music server. just get a pci ata card and load it up with drives. I have used it to download stuff and with 350mhz and 384mb of ram it was fine.

dual 1.25 MDD is my main as well and it is just to much power to go to waste as a downloading computer

chefpastry · Mar 6, 2007, 05:53 AM

For your purposes, I think the MDD is a better choice. If you really needed to, you can even put hard drives in the two optical bays. While the G5 may be faster, you'd never use all the power that the MDD has to offer anyway.

wubrew · Mar 7, 2007, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by maximusbibicus

My views:
MDD Cons: Might be kinda loud, G4 is a few generations old now,

I'd love some insights from the folks here. Thanks.

If you think MDD is loud G5 noise will drive you crazy.