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I WAS the One · Mar 1, 2006, 08:00 AM

ok, I have a PowerMac G4 MDD 867mhz Dual.... I know, it is an old machine.
and I need to buy me a faster one.

Now the Mac Mini sounds a lot better than my MDD, better processor, better graphic card, and its more faster.

so, the logic question is....

I do graphic arts for extra cash as my freelance as a second part-time job, and with the MDD it's been a while now, but I need more speed and as I said I do not have the extra cash for a Quad G5, so it is a good choice to buy a Mac Mini Intel? I use Adobe CS2 Suite, and a couple of other apps...

please help me here, the Mac Mini sounds as a good option

Eriamjh · Mar 1, 2006, 08:59 AM

You won't be doing any graphics art quickly on an Intel Mini. None of your software is Universal so you'd be running in Rostta (very SLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW).

You'd be better off dropping a G4 upgrade chip into your MDD than buying a PPC mini (although I'm not sure they exist).

chris v · Mar 1, 2006, 09:14 AM

Loook at the refurb. page at Apple. They have dual 1.8 G5s for 1299.00 right now. That'll beat the pants off your 867 in CS 2.

I WAS the One · Mar 1, 2006, 03:14 PM

but... if eventually all Macs will be Intel soon, it wouldn't be better to buy an intel machine now? because I don't know, maybe I buy the G5 and next day all Macs are Intel, I will need to buy an intel machine too?

mduell · Mar 1, 2006, 03:17 PM

Adobe CS2 on the new Core Duos, in emulation, can be faster or slower than it runs on your G4 depending on what you're doing. Once CS3 comes out with a Universal Binary, Core Duo will be faster than your G4s in the majority of cases (CYMK<->RGB conversions come to mind as an exception).

Altair · Mar 1, 2006, 04:26 PM

If you do not need a lot of upgradeability, I would go ahead and get the core duo mac mini. It will blow away your MDD (even with Rosetta) and will only get faster as more universal binaries are released. Though if you're a casual gamer, I would wait a month or so to see people's experiences running games such as World of Warcraft (which is what I plan to do).

Geezus_Aach · Mar 1, 2006, 09:43 PM

guys, i was 'thinking about' upgrading to this mac mini...ready to buy right now online. but the price is turning me off. plus the graphics are supposely not too hot..??! whats the deal.?

---oh, upgrading from my 400dv

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smoke-tetsu · Mar 1, 2006, 10:00 PM

I would wait and see if apple doesn't end up offering upgrades for the new mac mini myself. If not in a few months like with the macbook pro but in the next revision.

sledsbehave · Mar 1, 2006, 10:24 PM

buy it...

if need a new system, buy it, it'll be as fast yr G4 and faster with universal programs...

there is no reason to keep waiting for "whatever's next" buy the latest machine and go with it...

consideirng you haven't upgrade yr machine in 3 years, i wouldn't recommend any powerpc machine

DCapple · Mar 1, 2006, 10:48 PM

hey have you seen this? pretty cool, right? mac mini house!

I WAS the One · Mar 1, 2006, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by Altair

If you do not need a lot of upgradeability, I would go ahead and get the core duo mac mini. It will blow away your MDD (even with Rosetta) and will only get faster as more universal binaries are released. Though if you're a casual gamer, I would wait a month or so to see people's experiences running games such as World of Warcraft (which is what I plan to do).

nope, I don't do games, just work and internet in most cases....
as I said, Adobe CS2 Suite & Freehand MX to be exact. Work. not games.
(for that I got a XBOX pre-mod full of stuff not rated yet! LOL)

but being real, it seems that my G4 MDD 867Mhz Dual, is a P.O.S. v.s. Mac Mini Intel right?

here's my Old G4 MDD specs:
G4 867Mhz Dual
2.0 Gig RAM
32MB Video (Factory card)
four HD Inside (20,60,80 and 250)

I'm planning to stay with the MDD just for Audio Production (I'm fine with that, I mean the Apps I use are OS 9.2 Standard so it's pretty fast in that department) and eventually use it as an external Firewire Backup MDD tower for the Mac Mini when I need to archive my digi files...
it is a good idea or not?

Tuishimi · Mar 1, 2006, 11:47 PM

I used my G4 mini for work. But I am a programmer/web developer so it didn't much matter in the rendering department of things.

My G4 was pretty quick. Right now I am on an iMac G5 20", but ordered the core duo mini and a monitor.

I really like my iMac, but it isn't as quiet as the mini was... and it sits in my bedroom and stays on 24/7 because I run several web sites on it, as well as a mail server. The fans bug my wife a little, so the mini will be welcomed by her, and it packs plenty of power for what *I* do.

It's funny, all the arguments going on here (not this thread) about performance... I know software is growing larger and more complicated with time, but this new mac mini is virtually a super-computer compared to computers of just 5 years ago... Heh, one of my favorite computers was an old Microvax w/32 mb ram and who knows what for graphics, probably only 4 mb, running DECWindows/Motif.

But anyway, unless you are planning on gaming, I think the mini is an excellent computer for doing nearly every other task you can come up with...