[Hinson]

Here�s what I mean by the subject line...

It seems there are two schools of thought as to what the next G5 upgrade will include. Either it will be a modest to moderate speed bump (2.4 or 2.6 on the high end) and nothing more, or it will also include other hardware upgrades (e.g. graphics system changes, more drive bays, etc.).

Now, if we see upgrades by the end of the month, I�d assume that they would be of the former type rather than the latter--Apple could leave the bigger hardware jump until they can hit 3GHz. I would have bought into a simple speed bump back at the beginning of January, but now I�m afraid that such a speed bump will be just that�just something to tide us over for, say, three months until an improved architecture can be announced.

I know, I know, the difference between early Jan and late March (a possible date of announcement for the bumps) is less than three months, but in the computer world, that was a hard three months to wait for a machine that, in the same amount of time, might be fundamentally behind the curve in some areas (not just processor speed).

Deep inside, I�d kind of like it if they didn�t come out with anything new until the WWDC, and then hit us with a more significant hardware updates (rather than giving us something small now and hitting us with something big in the not-too-distant future). Then I�d have no choice but to wait for the bigger jump.

In the end, if they come out with duel 2.4 or 2.6 GHz G5s around the end of the month, I�m not sure what I�ll do anymore. In January, I�d have snatched one up! In late March, I start wondering how long it will be before a more significant change is made and whether I can force myself to hold off yet AGAIN for how ever many months it takes to get the bigger payoff.

Ugh!


-Jay

P.S., IMHO, one of the major benefits of regular hardware upgrades is that the consumer has less anxiety over buying a machine when he/she wants to--no matter when it is, a somewhat better machine is going to come along rather soon and so there�s much less worry about waiting for JUST the right time to buy. That waiting IS my Mac purchasing experience in a nutshell.

[MindFad]

I don't know, but ... uh, we'll definitely know when the new G5s come out.

[power142]

Originally posted by Hinson:
Here�s what I mean by the subject line...

It seems there are two schools of thought as to what the next G5 upgrade will include. Either it will be a modest to moderate speed bump (2.4 or 2.6 on the high end) and nothing more, or it will also include other hardware upgrades (e.g. graphics system changes, more drive bays, etc.).

I'd ask myself this question: Will I really use any such speculated new features (more drives, for example) or will I not? Others may have a different opinion, but as far as I see it, enough architectural changes were made last year to make just CPU speed bumps more than adequate... let's think about a 1+GHz front side bus, dual-channel 400MHz memory and dual 2.6GHz G5 chips

[jcadam]

I hope now that Apple is commited to staying on top of the latest tech. The PowerMac G5 had all the "stuff" when it was first released (AGP 8x Pro, TRUE DDR memory, PCI-X, etc.). For the first time in a while, macs were no longer behind the power curve.

To stay that way, the new G5s need to add PCI-Express. I hope they do it in this upcoming update. Otherwise I'm going to wait until they do. It might not make much of a difference now, but in a few years having PCI-Express instead of AGP will be like having a sawtooth G4 vs. a Yikes (no Quartz Extreme!!!) G4

[djohnson]

Ditto here. I need more power! Maybe the real reason that the "delays" are happening is because they are bringing out the next best thing?

[rogerkylin]

Originally posted by Hinson:

P.S., IMHO, one of the major benefits of regular hardware upgrades is that the consumer has less anxiety over buying a machine when he/she wants to--no matter when it is, a somewhat better machine is going to come along rather soon and so there�s much less worry about waiting for JUST the right time to buy. That waiting IS my Mac purchasing experience in a nutshell. [/B]

I completely agree. It would be nice one knew you had the latest hardware available, versus perhaps Steve holding back on a modest update because the 2.0's are still selling.

[Maflynn]

I'm running on a 1.25GHz PB and a 450MHz cube. Any speed bump would be welcome. I go by the idea that there will always be a faster computer around the corner and be content with my purchase.

Mike

[BZ]

It will be a nice upgrade.

Most people waiting for this release seem to fall into two camps:

1) They wanted a G5 since it came out but waited for the RevB to iron out "bugs" or to save up some money>

2) They need the top of the line ANYTHING and speed matters. Another .4 Ghz per processor could help them make more $$$ so they will trade up.

I fall in the first camp. I certainly don't NEED a dual 2.5Ghz G5 with 4 GB of RAM and a Radeon 9800Pro XT, but I upgrade my computers every 4 years, so whatever I buy now will last me another 4 years. So, when I plunk down my hard earned cash, I want to make sure it is top of the line and has room to grow. The best way to do that, I have found, is to buy right after a release and buy as much as you can afford.

I guess another school of thought would be to buy a refurbed dual 1.8 now for $1999 save the extra $1,000 and upgrade in 2 years not 4.

BZ

[rhansen_x]

I agree with BZ. I am waiting for the RevB. Ironed out bugs and more importantly to save ca$h.

If people are getting anxious for the new PowerMacs, they could throw a couple of $$$ my way and I will purchase mine now. I guarantee that after I buy mine that new models will be released within a week.

[Krusty]

Originally posted by rhansen_x:
. I guarantee that after I buy mine that new models will be released within a week.

Well, please go ahead and buy yours then .. we'd all love to see the new G5s announced next week

[Hinson]

Originally posted by jcadam:
I hope now that Apple is commited to staying on top of the latest tech. The PowerMac G5 had all the "stuff" when it was first released (AGP 8x Pro, TRUE DDR memory, PCI-X, etc.). For the first time in a while, macs were no longer behind the power curve.

To stay that way, the new G5s need to add PCI-Express. I hope they do it in this upcoming update. Otherwise I'm going to wait until they do. It might not make much of a difference now, but in a few years having PCI-Express instead of AGP will be like having a sawtooth G4 vs. a Yikes (no Quartz Extreme!!!) G4

This is the sort of thing I worry about. I need to hold on to a computer as long as I can given the expense. If I get something that is fundamentally behind the curve in three years (due to hardware changes that can't be upgraded) when, by waiting 3-4 months, I could have gotten something that would have kept up for another year or two, that could be worth the wait. The question then is "IS such a hardware update coming and when?" If it's not part of the next release, then the whole guessing match (and possible waiting period) starts over.


-Jay

[Leonard]

A computer without PCI-Express will not be behind the curve in 3 years. 4-5 years, maybe. AGP 8x will do just fine for the next 3 years.

...and if your going to wait for PCI-Express, it's going to be like waiting for the first G5. You'll just keep on waiting and waiting and waiting and... It's not bad waiting one release, but if you're going to wait for something you don't know when it's coming, that's getting ridiculous.

[Eriamjh]

I'm already disappointed.

[daiSho]

threads like this make me extremely glad that i didn't wait back in january to get my G5 dual refurb... i'll vote for a large bump much later this year, but an incremental speed-bump wouldn't depress me at all as it it stands now...

i can say that if i hadn't bought then i'd be more leery about buying at this late a date..

[JCT]

I really can't wait to go for the "full-on" switch to Mac ... figured that since I am used to souped-up self-built PCs I would hold off as long as I could for the Dual G5 I *really* want.

Luckily I have an understanding spouse who bought me a stock Cube to tide me over until the end of the year (Dual G5 3.0 maybe?). Of course the Cube has been taken apart and revved up a bit already.

I hope the wait isn't too long, though .....

JT

[Switched2Mac]

But chances are there will not be any new Macs available to buy until the WWDC in late June 2004. Announcing them end of this month and then waiting 2 months to get one is not the same thing.

And the speed bumps will be minor, most likely:

2.0 / 2.2 / 2.4 gHz Dual G5's

I eagerly wait though.

[Lateralus]

Okay, stop spreading FUD.

You don't have anymore information than the rest of us. But you keep proclaiming that there will be no update until WWDC, and that IBM is behind schedule with the G5.

[Switched2Mac]

Originally posted by PowerMacMan:
Okay, stop spreading FUD.

You don't have anymore information than the rest of us. But you keep proclaiming that there will be no update until WWDC, and that IBM is behind schedule with the G5.

I am hardly spreading FUD. Merely discussing the matter. That is what forums are all about.

And you are right. I have the same information as you. So let us just watch and wait.

[Cadaver]

I believe the updates will come before WWDC, since Apple has been moving away from only releasing hardware at these big events.

However, when the updates are released, I expect nothing but typical revision stuff - faster processors, perhaps different graphic card lineup, perhaps an all dual lineup, perhaps all with bluetooth standard, perhaps more HDD choices... but nothing revolutionary.

(Gee, like my predictive powers. Just like macosrumors.com!)

[jcadam]

All of a sudden the Apple home page is hyping PowerMac G5s again..........

[Leonard]

Originally posted by jcadam:
All of a sudden the Apple home page is hyping PowerMac G5s again..........

A sign of things to come....

[djohnson]

Just think about a computer that will literally blow the crap out of all other systems out there in its price range! Also, maybe Apple is waiting to release new systems once they have the stock needed for the sheer amount of systems they will sell? I can see them easily selling over 500,000 dual 3+Ghz G5 systems in the first quarter... Add on to that the number of iMac G5 systems and possibly PowerBook G5's... Oh yeah, grab that Apple stock while you can!!!!!!!

[jrramsey]

I'll hang tight with my souped up Cube for now...

1.4GigPL
1 Gig RAM
120 Gig Barracuda
ATI 9000
FW External 250Gig OneTouch

Works just fine...though could use a little more graphics power on Halo but still fine.

I'll wait until Summer for the Dual 3Gig's with 9800 XT Graphics.

[Lateralus]

Originally posted by jrramsey:
I'll hang tight with my souped up Cube for now...

1.4GigPL
1 Gig RAM
120 Gig Barracuda
ATI 9000
FW External 250Gig OneTouch

Works just fine...though could use a little more graphics power on Halo but still fine.

I'll wait until Summer for the Dual 3Gig's with 9800 XT Graphics.

Nice Cube man.

What I find so funny is that when the Cube was released, everybody bitched about how unupgradeable it was in comparison to the Power Macs. Yet, most people who bought Cubes have taken them much further with upgrades than the people who chose to buy Power Macs because of expandability have taken their machines.

The Cube is a great machine, I hope we see it or something like it make a return to Apple's product line someday.

[Link]

Yes, because it's not sold in a black and red antec case on an atx board with enough delta fans to rival my mom's hairdryer in noise.