PowerMac G5 Obsolete?

Every computer I have ever owned has become obsolete all too soon. I hope I can get 3 years out of my G5 Dc 2.3. I guess t depends on how software is written in the future. Will their be Intel only software?
As far as the macbook pro for viedo editing A laptop can match a desktop for heavy lifting.
I should of never upgraded from my IIci.

I just bought a powermac G5, for audio work. (Shipping, at the moment.) And I intend to use it for as long as it will function, at least 5 years+.

You can always sell what you have anytime and get something newer. I think the powermac G5 intel replacement is not going to come until probably next year, as there is no 64bit Intel dual core chip yet, nor native adobe, etc software if that matters in apple's equation.

I think your purchase of a G5 was very wise. Lots of audio production/video production studios around the world are stocked with powermac G5s. They are not going to replace them as soon as the intels come out. They will just continue to use their current equipment until it needs to be replaced, as it is locked in with the specialized software and hardware they use.





12 iBook G4 1Ghz Mac OS X (10.4.5) Other machine: Mandriva Linux i586

Hi All,

I have a g5 dual with 2.5gb ram running 10.3.9 (tried Tiger ran hot and noisey) I use this machine for editing video and creating DVD masters. To date the machine is great for what I do.

I also have a G4 dual with 1.5gb ram and use it for Protools and a few little programs for audio. Running 10.3.9 and Tiger (another partition) not used that often. I keep things simple, have paid for all of my software and keep the system clean. I have not bothered to chase the new technology, Protools 6.2.3 with an internal card works extremely well under 10.3.9 and I get the results my clients expect without the added worries.

I am now out of date, so to speak but have I suffered for this..? NO I still get the work done without the fuss and bother of many of the issues that people are experiencing on these forums. Apple provided me with a system that enables me to generate an income. It is my choice not to keep up. It reminds me of the tortiose and the hare.....I have friends that keep up (at a great cost) and me who just plods along...Is my work any less creative or pleasing to the eya because I use 10.3.9....I don't think so.

My Point is this.......Some people will always want the newest and the best...that is a fact of life....Cheers

I just bought a Powermac G5 Dual 2.7 and did so with absolutely no second thoughts and saving over $800.00 wasn't bad either. I've owned macs since the original 128kb model, in fact it's on my desk and still works fine now over 20 years. Obsolesnece is often a state of mind and of course marketing. I own a lot of software from most of Adobe's products to most of Macromedia. My new Powermac runs all these perfectly and in most cases what I do with this software today I will easily be able to do many years from now. There's tons of expansion options that are available and will remain so for many years. I really don't care what the intel macs will do as I have no need for them right now. I think that most buyers of the new intel macs are not professionals as why would you want to run heavy apps through an emulator (rosetta) when you already have them running at 100%. I do think that the intel macs will be the future but I deal with the present. Just because there's a new product available does not mean previous ones are obsolete. I still have a powerbook Titanium g4. I still does almost everything I have to do almost 5 years later. If you don't use any real software and buy computers just beacue they are cool or newest and fastest then you should have no problem making a decision.

Powermac dual 2.7, Powerbook Titanium 550 Mac OS X (10.4.4) 1GB mem, 60GB 72k HD,2 scanners, 3 printers, 4 ext. HD, 21" ext. monitor

Okay...here is a stupid question. With the advent of
the new intel systems, do you think the G5 PowerMacs
are on their way to becoming dinosaurs? Will Mac
continue to support these buggers or dump their
support system and stop writing software for the old
processor? Was I wrong to buy my G5 for video
editing, as I am wondering if I should have gotten a
MacBook given that it has the new processor? Any
thoughts?

The Intel is a step up from the G4. But show me an x86 Intel Processor today that is multi-core, 64bit and RISC? Even if the RISC vs. CISC debate may be over as far as Apple goes there are still other features that the x86 platform can't touch.... yet. But yes, one day the G5 will be obsolete. That day isn't here yet.

Pictorguy,
Personally I don't think you made the wrong decision with your G5. There's plenty of these machines out there and tons of upgrades and I'm confident that support for G5's will remain available until you really need to buy a new computer. When I bought my new G5 I was aware of the Intel change with Apple but decided to get a G5. I think you have to look at what your machine does for you now and if you're happy with it then you've answered your question. You have so many things available to tweak your G5 which already is one of the best.
I've seen every evolution of Mac's since 1984 and I can't think of a time I bought any Mac that became obsolete within a reasonable life span. You can work yourself into a frenzy second guessing what you have as I've never really seen any new issue Mac make the previous model a dinosaur.
I remember when the G4 powerbook was released just after I got a new Pismo (Powerbook G3 firewire). Everybody was frothing at the mouth over the new "titanium G4's". It turned out that my G3 held it's own against the new G4's and support remained for years.
Everything is relative... I have PC friends that drool over my Dual G5 as do many Mac users. They watch me edit video in Final Cut Pro in amazement. Don't get caught up in that " gotta always have the newest thing" unless you have unlimited resources. Your quad is a fantastic machine and I'm sure you already know that. In the meantime, you can utilize all the native apps for G5's, get all the upgrades you want, which are readily available and reasonably priced, and allow at least 2 to 3 years for the Intel native apps to appear. Remember the transition from OS9 to OSX? It took more than a couple of years before all the native OSX apps became available.
-Pete

Pictorguy,
Personally I don't think you made the wrong decision
with your G5.

I never said I did. I'm happy with my Quad and when it's no longer useful as a OSX workstation It will make a very nice Linux workstation with four cores and 8GB of RAM and two GigE interfaces. I see a long life for this computer.

Was I wrong to buy my G5 for video

editing, as I am wondering if I should have gotten a
MacBook given that it has the new processor?

Pictorguy, I thought you were questioning buying your quad, hence my reply. My apologies if I misunderstood.

Pete

Was I wrong to buy my G5 for video

editing, as I am wondering if I should have gotten

a

MacBook given that it has the new processor?

Pictorguy, I thought you were questioning buying your
quad, hence my reply. My apologies if I
misunderstood.

Pete

That's okay... that was a quote from another poster. 🙂