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netwrk219 · Nov 15, 2008, 10:19 PM

I have a macbook pro, I also have a 400mhz g4...slow but reliable. I need a desktop for my brand new business, but need to maintain a budget. I have an opportunity to get a G4 ddm. Its got the dual 1.25 ghz processor, it has 2gb of ram and a 120gb hdd. Is it worth getting for web design? I have been asked by the owner to trade a compaq laptop for it. I am more than willing, but wonder, should I keep looking for a G5 or an intel mac pro?

Or can a g4 still serve my needs for dreamweaver, photoshop, fireworks etc.? It is running Leopard, if that helps at all.

Thanks in advance guys, Im sitting here torn as to what to do.

Thorzdad · Nov 17, 2008, 08:25 AM

Well, the new release of Adobe Creative Suite 4 has a minimum requirement of at least a G5 running OSX 10.4.11. You will have to purchase CS3 (which is still available on Amazon) for the MDD G4.

So, yes, you can certainly run what you need on the new G4, as long as you get the older version of Creative Suite. Understand, though, that it's a good bet that you will be frozen with that machine, as you probably won't ever be able to upgrade beyond that point. This is probably true about OSX as well as the Adobe software.

OreoCookie · Nov 17, 2008, 08:50 AM

That depends on the price. It won't be fast, especially if you use a ProBook as your main machine. Any Intel-based Mac mini or iMac will be substantially faster. I wouldn't look into PowerPC-based Macs anymore, unless you need PowerPC compatibility.

SierraDragon · Nov 20, 2008, 02:43 PM

Originally Posted by netwrk219

I need a desktop for my brand new business, but need to maintain a budget ...can a g4 still serve my needs for dreamweaver, photoshop, fireworks etc.?

No. And the answer is not dependent on price. Getting a new/used box to professionally run heavy graphic apps it would be crazy to choose such an old, old legacy platform as G4, even for free. I ran those apps on a 2x1GHz G4 tower until 6 months ago, so it can be done, but it is a very different thing building up a new box as compared to eeking the last few months of usability out of a box one has been using for years.

Best from a life cycle basis would be a used or refurbished 2006 2.66 GHz Mac Pro, but the better G5 towers are very cheap and acceptable if one's budget is so tight that only legacy hardware is affordable (since ~2005 apps have not been designed to optimize on G4/G5 Macs). Avoid the lowest-end G5s that had restricted RAM access.

IMO if your budget is so low as to suggest a non-Intel box I would recommend an external display and FW800 hard drives, and using the Macbook Pro as a desktop box rather than going backwards to Powermacs.

-Allen Wicks

SSharon · Nov 23, 2008, 08:05 PM

How much do you guys think that MDD is worth? I am contemplating buying one for myself, but it is $300. I already have one MDD and just want it to be a bit faster or to plug it into my tv and use it to serve media files.
My reasoning is that spare parts for my machines can't be bad and $300 for what I essentially will use as an Apple TV isn't so bad considering it holds 4 hard drives.

OP, don't get it for pro work any more. I'm only considering it as an extra machine for backup purposes.

dimmer · Nov 24, 2008, 09:28 PM

If the trade is for a Compaq laptop: run, don't walk to get the deal!

SSharon: a Mac Mini or Apple TV would be a much, much better way to go. The MDD is useful only if you have existing hardware cards you want to bring forward, or want something that can boot into OS 9.

besson3c · Nov 25, 2008, 12:33 AM

If you mean designing graphics for websites, then you'll need whatever can run CS well. If you mean website programming/design, the computer you have is pretty much irrelevant so long as it runs a text editor you like.

SSharon · Nov 25, 2008, 05:09 PM

Originally Posted by dimmer

SSharon: a Mac Mini or Apple TV would be a much, much better way to go. The MDD is useful only if you have existing hardware cards you want to bring forward, or want something that can boot into OS 9.

The mac mini and apple tv don't have nearly the HD capacity. I have some existing hardware, but all of it that matters can be brought over (isight, usb devices, etc. only my pci cards can't be used and they are for usb2, extra IDE channels, and audio). I like the idea of getting another MDD because then I will have spare parts in case one dies or if I give one to my family to be used as a media server.

Would anyone buy a dual 1.42 for $300 if they were in my shoes?

OreoCookie · Nov 25, 2008, 05:27 PM

You can put up to half a GB of internal space and 1.5 TB externally. What's the problem with that?

Northeastern292 · Nov 25, 2008, 06:44 PM

I enjoy (partially) my new FW800 Mirror Drive Door. I wouldn't use it now for heavy graphics intensive activities, but it's still a worthwhile machine.

SSharon · Nov 25, 2008, 07:42 PM

Originally Posted by OreoCookie

You can put up to half a GB of internal space and 1.5 TB externally. What's the problem with that?

Aside from that still not being as much as you can put in a MDD. I don't like the idea of having to use externals. As I've mentioned in threads about time machine and being forced to use external drives I don't want to have to teach my wife how to properly disconnect the externals and I don't want to leave them plugged in all the time. The only reason I like the idea of the mac mini is because I can use it as a DVD player and reduce clutter. If I go the MDD route, it will be well hidden.

dimmer · Nov 29, 2008, 04:21 PM

Originally Posted by SSharon

Would anyone buy a dual 1.42 for $300 if they were in my shoes?

Quite honestly, no -- but it sounds as though you have a pile of drives inside your machine, so if you need to keep that arrangement you may be a special case.

SSharon · Nov 30, 2008, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by dimmer

Quite honestly, no -- but it sounds as though you have a pile of drives inside your machine, so if you need to keep that arrangement you may be a special case.

Thanks for the reply. I guess if I stream content rather than store it locally I can cut down on how much space I need.

I WAS the One · Nov 30, 2008, 03:03 AM

I own 4 Macs in my Design Office. We use a Dual G4 MDD tower max out for Audio and Graphics ( audio using protools LE / graphics using Adobe Creative Suite 3 design premium) No problem at all. They run fast and stable. I save everything on two MyBook external drives of 1T each. I also have CS3 in my new iMac aluminum. and you know what? it doesn´t matter what all this guys here told you, when U r in graphics design as your main business U spend a lot in plug ins and brushes etc etc.... I bought the iMac thinking about switching to a better and faster platform but I ended up running all my pro apps in Rosseta because of the plugins and all the third party fx I paid. FYI they run better in the old G4. Now I got a brand new imac just for play and web and my old G4 is for seriuos business. thats the truth. If I want to take advantage of my new iMac I need to upgrade to CS4 and upgrade all my plugins and it doesn´t worth it. My businness is running as it is, and I´m happy with it. so max out that g4 and enjoy it.

dimmer · Nov 30, 2008, 05:54 PM

Anything running under Rosetta will be comparable to running on a native PPC. CS4 doesn't need Rosetta and hence runs much, much better on an Intel based Mac. As far as plug-ins and brushes go, that's a very specific requirement.

it doesn´t matter what all this guys here told you

Although you might prefer to take advice from all this guys who can write a coherent sentence.

No-one in the thread has implied that the G4 systems are anything less than stable, or that they work worse now than when they were bought. That still doesn't make them a wise investment.