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bmizar · May 24, 2006, 01:13 PM

I have some questions about configurations.

I am going to be using it with dual 20" Apple Cinema Displays. Is the stock video card sufficient or should I upgrade to the Quadro? I am going to be using this as my Web Design and Graphic Design station. Lots of Photoshop and Dreamweaver usage.

Should I buy the RAM straight from Apple or have people had luck with aftermarket RAM? Also would having the duel 500GB HD in the computer generate too much heat?

Thanks,
Brandon

Dzokayi · May 24, 2006, 02:13 PM

Stock video card should be fine.

Buy Crucial RAM and save a bundle.

The two drives won't create a heat problem.

Eug Wanker · May 24, 2006, 02:17 PM

Why not just a dual, and put the extra cash to hard drives (separate scratch disk) and RAM?

WOPR · May 24, 2006, 02:58 PM

I agree, a dual with shedloads of RAM and disk-space would be a better buy imho.

the macimum · May 24, 2006, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Dzokayi

Stock video card should be fine.

Buy Crucial RAM and save a bundle.

The two drives won't create a heat problem.

Crucial is the best, that's why apple chooses it as their RAM, sometimes. You should only need about 2-3 Gigs, even for photo and movie work.

Chad A Wright · May 24, 2006, 08:52 PM

The stock card will be great. I'm using a Quad with a 30" and a 20" at it does great. Get mucho ram. I have 3GB and could really use more. I do heavy CS2 work and some Final Cut Studio. Could always use more.

Big Mac · May 24, 2006, 09:08 PM

Ah, a new Quad. Congratulations on your purchase of the best Mac that ever is to be.

Lateralus · May 24, 2006, 09:29 PM

Originally Posted by Big Mac

Ah, a new Quad. Congratulations on your purchase of the best Mac that ever is to be.

It's funny. I had been resolute in my plans to purchase a Quad and keep it forever. But a number of things about the Intel switch, and the way in which the entire Mac community suddenly turned on PPC because Steve said to, have pretty much wiped out my enthusiasm to buy any Mac again.

sonicularulus · May 24, 2006, 11:46 PM

i dont want to sound jealous or mean, but i would wait if i were you until the new intel macs come out...
Intel has proved themselves worthy of the apple name, so i would wait it out until the powermac intel units (AKA Mac Pro) come out so you do not get disappointed...unless of course, you need your ssytem asap

bmizar · May 25, 2006, 12:00 AM

I learned the hard way about buying first generation computers. I bought the Dual 2GHz when it first came out and I had issue after issue with it. I will buy this and enjoy it for a few years and then when the Intels have established themselves along with software I will upgrade.

Big Mac · May 25, 2006, 03:32 AM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

It's funny. I had been resolute in my plans to purchase a Quad and keep it forever. But a number of things about the Intel switch, and the way in which the entire Mac community suddenly turned on PPC because Steve said to, have pretty much wiped out my enthusiasm to buy any Mac again.

I know what you mean, Lateralus. . .

Dr.Michael · May 25, 2006, 06:47 AM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

It's funny. I had been resolute in my plans to purchase a Quad and keep it forever. But a number of things about the Intel switch, and the way in which the entire Mac community suddenly turned on PPC because Steve said to, have pretty much wiped out my enthusiasm to buy any Mac again.

Remember the Lemming commercial? That seems to be us now!

I guess most of us have chosen the mac because it is something special. The whole Intel - iPod - Windows compatibility thing is only done to gain market share and make macs more mainstream. Especially the intel move makes it hard to distinguish a mac from any other box. And now it finally even runs windows... It is disgusting to see people posting pictures of their new macs running windows as if it were a sign of greatness that this is possible.

A great community can only be a small group. This seems to be over.

BTW:
bmizar, congrats to the quad machine. I need a portable but if I had use for it, it would be very cool to have a Quad.

sonicularulus · May 25, 2006, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by bmizar

I learned the hard way about buying first generation computers. I bought the Dual 2GHz when it first came out and I had issue after issue with it. I will buy this and enjoy it for a few years and then when the Intels have established themselves along with software I will upgrade.

well, techncally, the g5 quad is a first generation system as it is the first quad core system apple released...thus it is kind of first generation..

bmizar · May 25, 2006, 11:16 PM

Originally Posted by sonicularulus

well, techncally, the g5 quad is a first generation system as it is the first quad core system apple released...thus it is kind of first generation..

It has been out awhile though and does not appear to be having many issues.

Cadaver · May 25, 2006, 11:54 PM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

It's funny. I had been resolute in my plans to purchase a Quad and keep it forever. But a number of things about the Intel switch, and the way in which the entire Mac community suddenly turned on PPC because Steve said to, have pretty much wiped out my enthusiasm to buy any Mac again.

Except the performance of even the midline "pro" laptop matches a dual 2.5GHz G5, and OS X as well as virtually all apps run just fine on the Intel chip(s). Imagine the performance of the upcoming desktop Macs.

I had my doubts too, but I've been convinced. Not by the Steve Jobs RDF, but by actually using the machine.

And why do you say people have "turned" on the PPC??

G5man · May 26, 2006, 02:00 AM

You may want to bump it to 7800 on the graphics. Do you need dual displays or just real estate? If you need real estate, I'd just get one thirty and you'll have all the space you need. I would go with third party RAM cause it saves thousands.

Jason · May 26, 2006, 02:08 AM

Originally Posted by sonicularulus

i dont want to sound jealous or mean, but i would wait if i were you until the new intel macs come out...
Intel has proved themselves worthy of the apple name, so i would wait it out until the powermac intel units (AKA Mac Pro) come out so you do not get disappointed...unless of course, you need your ssytem asap

He said he uses photoshop and dreamweaver under heavly usage, so even if he waits for the intel machines, i doubt adobe will be nice enough to bring out the native CS3 by then...so unless you feel like waiting for sometime in 2007,

Buying a quad now, for what you're going to be doing with it, is as good as a time as any! Personally I would buy a Quad right now without any dramas, but it's not the fact that i want to wait for something else, or i want to wait for the intels, its simply that the Quad is out of my price range! therefore i'll probably get a Macbook Pro and some sort of extra display.

Congrats on the new purchase champ, take care of her.

Jerk_circus · May 26, 2006, 03:12 AM

I bought a quad when it first came out knowing full well that the intel Macs were coming soon. I didnt have any doubts then, and I do not regret it now. I considered giving up my 4 year old PowerBook G4 for a new intel mac, but when I came to my senses I realized the PB does exactly what I want/need it to do just fine.

As for these comments on "turning on PPC"...I dont understand them. I like my PPC Quad. I dont like it BECAUSE its PPC. I like it because it does what I need it to do without any fuss. Put me in front of an iMac G5 and an intel iMac, and I probably wouldn't be able to distinguish the two. And if one performed better than the other (PPC or x86) and I had the choice of picking one without knowing which machine was running an intel processor and which was running a PPC, I would simply pick the better performing one. And you too (Lateralus/ Big Mac) would most likely do the same. So I dont see how the choice of processors affects your personal computing on a daily basis. Apparently enough that some would never buy an apple computer again... You guys seem more interest in be different for the sake of being different

Dr.Michael · May 26, 2006, 04:09 AM

Originally Posted by Jerk_circus

You guys seem more interest in be different for the sake of being different

Maybe its not because of the ppc. You are right, better performance is - well better performance.
But the community will change. A great community is rarely a large community. That would be a pity (But maybe I am wrong).

tooki · May 26, 2006, 11:55 AM

Originally Posted by Lateralus

It's funny. I had been resolute in my plans to purchase a Quad and keep it forever. But a number of things about the Intel switch, and the way in which the entire Mac community suddenly turned on PPC because Steve said to, have pretty much wiped out my enthusiasm to buy any Mac again.

I, for one, had "turned" on PPC long before Jobs did so publicly. I am not the only person who noticed that Centrino laptops were faster than ours and had better battery life. Intel's desktop chips at the time were disappointing, but IBM's lackluster show wasn't exactly boding well for Apple. What's clear is that laptops are of still-increasing importance -- making up over 50% of computer sales now -- and that Intel's laptop chips were better than what was available, or might even be available in the future, from IBM.

Anyway, with knowledge that Intel's laptop chips were only improving -- and that they would become the basis for future desktop chips -- Intel seems like a good option. The architecture is inelegant, but the industry knows it inside and out, warts and all, and the performance is there, in real life, not just on some road path.

Regardless, you two (Lateralus and Big Mac) really need to let it go, and stop complaining about Intel at every chance. No matter what you say, the change has happened, whether you like it or not. Polluting every discussion with "Intel sucks! Mac as we know it is dead!" helps nothing, and achieves nothing other than irritating everyone around you.

When you buy your next Mac, it'll still be a Mac: it'll still boot with an Apple logo, run Mac OS, and have all the elegance you've known. Besides, it's not as if PPC was the Mac's original CPU, anyway.

tooki

kw14 · May 26, 2006, 12:57 PM

I think "turned against PPC" seems a bit strong. I think its more of a case of people being excited over the Intel Core Duos. Intel+Apple marks a new era in Apple's history. It is an unfortunate fact that PPC (for desktop anyway) is the abandoned child by Motorola and IBM. I don't think Apple really have much choice. If the only savior is the rumored PA-somebody that won't come online until 2007, how would you think Mac users would feel if their Powerbooks and iBooks languished in their dismay performance state for another year? Would this be too much risk for Apple to take when Intel with its bright CPU roadmap and manufacturing capacity is sitting on Apple's lap? I think what you are seeing is Mac users rejoicing at Apple's decision than it is a "turn" against PPC. I, for one, lament the abandonment of PPC by IBM/MOT. I hate little endian with a passion. But one must look toward the future.

kw14 · May 26, 2006, 01:08 PM

Oh, to reply to the original poster...I think the quad core G5 is a good choice. If you have need for its power, then it will definitely worthwhile for you. Its no slouch. By the time you outgrow it, there may very well be some fantastic options available. Just don't get into a hardware envy. I am still fine using my 15" powerbook. That's an almost 3 year machine that had only okay performance from day one.

bmizar · May 26, 2006, 02:54 PM

The thing is I have a MacBook Pro right now and the thing is awesome but all of the apps I use especially the Adobe Creative Suite run like crap on it and crash about every 5 minutes. I think I want the stability of the PPC right now and wait for Adobe to release the Universal versions of its apps.

I already ordered the Quad now I just have to wait for it to get here. The wait is going to kill me.

tillin · 03:12 PM

i had wanted a quad desperately, but wound up with a better deal on the Dual 2.7ghz (that the quad replaced in the apple pro line. )

and because i saved so much money on the computer itself, i was able to drop 6.5GB of ram into it, and get a 23" Cinema Display for the base price of the quad

now to get another hard drive! 400gb just seems... puny?

and just for the record, im almost positive we wont see a universal photoshop until CS3, but i hear that Adobe is going to offer a "cross-grade" program, allowing you to send in all of your Mac only disks, and get the new universal version for under $100. i sure hope they follow through with that!

spring 2007 seems so far away... thats why i bought a G5 now

Congrats on the quad!!

oh yeah! forgot to mention that Apple WILL price match on RAM! <-- Food for thought

kw14 · May 26, 2006, 03:56 PM

bmizar, too bad about CS on MBP. I run CS2 on my PB, I am pretty happy with it since getting 1G ram. So the QuadG5'll be a screamer for ya. If I had a few g's loitering around, or my paying gig demand some processing power, I would have no problem picking up a Quad myself. Hey, I do envy you guys with the big irons. But the equation balances a little differently for each of us. Enjoy.

quarter_pounder · May 26, 2006, 11:47 PM

Look people... Switching from IBM to Intel is NOT some malicious plan that Apple is carrying out. It's just the state of the industry. I have ALWAYS been a PC user. My wife bought an iBook G4 a few months ago and after playing with it i realized the amount of effort that Apple puts into designing their computers. It also helped that the first computer i ever used was an Apple IIe from back in the day when i was in 1st and 2nd grade. My point is that Apple doesn't just stick with a company because that's what they have always done. Apple has always been about innovation and change. The reason they didn't follow intel in the first place was because they felt that there were better options available. That may or may not have been the truth. I personally think that the Motorolla and IBM processors were good for a limited amount of things, but overall the proprietary architecture held them back. The new intel core duo processors (and the new revamp of the infrastructure itself) have really refined the x86 class. Apple is not racist, not stereotypical, and does not turn a blind eye on competition. They are looking for perfection, and will streamline their design at all costs. If microsoft released an operating system tomorrow that managed to outperform OSX, i wouldn't be suprised at all if Apple starting preloading it on their systems. The thing we have to remember though, is Apple is the best at everything it does. Or at least has put forth the best effort. MacOS is as close to perfection as the computing world has ever come. Linux is great, MacOSX makes Unix even better (compatibility, utility, etc). We are in a dog eat dog world people, sometimes you lose, sometimes you win. Today intel is offering the most versatile chips. IBM has annouced its plans to offer a stronger chip, which is not currently available to the public. When IBM shows that they are capable of competing once again with the current generation of intel chips, i guarauntee you that Apple will be the first to tip their hats. Stop being so prejudice. A great computer is a great computer, no longer who makes the innards.

Railroader · May 27, 2006, 12:17 AM

Deja vu all over again.

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.php?t=296922

bmizar · Jun 1, 2006, 12:26 AM

Well my Quad came in today along with my 20" iMac which I am posting from right now. That Quad is a beast. I am loving this iMac though. It has the 500GB HD and 2GB of RAM. Time to get my RAM installed and get my Quad up and going. Hope all goes well and I do not have any issues.