Customer Reviews

Apple Power Mac G5 Desktop M9393LL/A (Dual 1.8-GHz PowerPC G5, 512 MB RAM, 160 GB Hard Drive, DVD-R/CD-RW Drive)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

First of all, this is an excellent computer-fast, nice to look at, excellent OS, and enjoyable to work with. Definitely worth the price (and if you configure a SIMILAR PC on the Wintel side, you'll obtain an excellent price/performance ratio)

Secondly, the pure conjecture and shallowness of some of the statements made on these reviews, namely the performance of Adobe apps, the migration of users to the PC side as exhibited by the dropping Mac sales of certain apps, etc is not helpful and quite frankly false. Adobe quit producing some Mac apps, but also just put out one of the best suites on either platform- Adobe CS, which is optimized for the G4 and G5. You can search for "benchmarks" until your blue in the face, and you will find some in your favor. But even an exec at Adobe recently quipped that the G5 is the best and fastest platform for Adobe products (search macnn.com or one of those sites)

Also, don't forget that Apple has developed a market leading crop of professional software as well, including the award winning Final Cut Pro (which has probably accounted for some of the "drop in Adobe market share" that was spoken of earlier). Take a gander at their website for more info.

The only ding that I give the G5 is the wake from sleep issue. This is an issue that has affected both the Wintel side and the Mac side, and although I have not been hampered by this issue personally, it seems to be a significant blemish among the Mac community. The latest OS update (10.3.4) fixed the issue for many users though.

Keep an eye on other Apple technologies as well, including Firewire (now a wireless spec) and how that may influence your workflow and efficiency.

I'll tell you it has been well worth the money. For 5 years it has worked just as well as the day I got it - in fact, even better, because I replaced a bad RAM chip (very common in ALL computers, and for many Mac and PC users the cause of random, unexplained crashing), increased the RAM, and over time found more products that supported the dual processors. OS X 10.4 ("Tiger") worked awesomely.

It's quiet (the 9 fans run at a speed according to processor load, and most of the time it's quite slowly) and built like a tank (hard to damage that exterior).

The two issues I had with mine were a *slight* sticking of the Eject button on the keyboard and the fact that VirtualPC needed an upgrade to work with the G5 processor (Microsoft had just bought VirtualPC and took their sweet time on the new version). And VirtualPC ran like molasses compared to running Windows with Boot Camp on an Intel Mac.

But as I prepare to find a new owner for my dual 1.8 G5, I can say I will miss it, which is the opposite of what I have to say about my Dell.

Folks should be reading the technical specs--this is not the original machine that benchmarked out ahead of pentium machines. The buss speed and the front side cache are what was on the single processor-based machine. So the old Dual 1.8 machines are actually faster, since Apple bumped up the old 1.8's to 2.0 now. (I have one of each in my family.) I have not had crash problems, and both machines are very, very fast on very large photoshop files. These are both by far the most stable machines of any kind I have worked on, and the interface is a joy. But all you have to have is one old piece of equipment or really bad driver to mess your machine up. I'm curious about the people complaining that the G5 does not run Microsoft's windows emulation program and gave it a very low rating as a result. That 1) misses the point of getting an Apple and 2) blaims the Apple product for Microsoft deciding not to support Apple's product line.

This is the cream of the crop of personal computers. OS X (Unix based) is a phenomenal operating system. Your productivity will double vs using Windows XP.

Due to the newness of the lightning fast 64 bit processing, most developers will need to update their respective titles to take full advantage of the G5.

As to the Virtual PC support for the G5, leave it to Microsoft (who now owns VPC) to drop the ball!
Anyone who has used a computer at work knows exactly how unstable the Windows environment can be. I've lost hundreds of hours worth of work over the years due to things from the infamous "You have performed an illegal operation the program will now shutdown" to servers going offline to driver issues on network printers. Have you ever wondered why the IT people are always so busy...well now you know.

Jump in and get a Mac. You'll look forward to using your computer again!

The G5 is a great machine. The G5 dual processor with a 900 mhz FSB means that it runs faster than your typical Intel core duo machine with an 800 mhz FSB.

The Mac G5 really needs 4 gigs of memory to run optimally for tasks like Photoshop and video editing. For day to day office tasks like browsing the web or sending emails 1 to 2mb of memory is sufficient.

The stock 64 mb video card is sufficient.

The G5 is just smooth. It's the Mercedes/Lexus of the computer world.

There are a few minor drawbacks to the G5. First of all, the fan is loud. But after a while you get used to to the fan and appreciate that it's keeping the dual powerpc processors nice and cool.

The case is large. Yes, it's a gorgeous aluminum case with it's big "cheese grater" front panel - and it's pretty heavy.

Real drivers understand what a Mercedes is and what it excels at. The same can be said for the G5. If you understand what it is and what it can be used for, it's a great machine.

I bought mine used at a fraction of the new prices. If you can pick one up in decent shape used, you'll soon learn how great this machine really is.

I am using this computer for the first time: I write, use FCP and DVD Studio Pro, so I seek both serenity and silence (for writing) and power (much needed for compressing video). I find this the perfect combination. It is so silent as to be forgotten - try that with any other powerful computer - this is typing at night in a quiet room. And the power is just plain there without any fanfare. I love this thing. It is also beautiful and fits fine in the room. I find it an almost perfect device. I recommend it highly. I do not believe it will EVER crash, it seems compatible with all software.

Apple pricing is different than PCs. Apple keeps prices fixed around $2000 for entry level, $2500 for middle and $3000 for high end for the PowerMacs These are starting prices for the different models. Rather than reducing prices, apple increases the features. This current middle of the line is so close to the high end model. (only real difference is .2 GHz processor speed). This makes this current mid box the best bang for the buck. Also, stay away from the single processor (1.6 and 1.8 GHz) machines. OSX is designed for 2, this ones got them both.

This is my first Mac after owning PC's for almost 20 years. (my first PC was an AT&T 8088 processor). Although I choked on the price, I was very excited at what I beleived Mac had to offer -- primarily an integrated operating system that many said would never crash. I'm impressed with the design, styling and the ease and speed of the digital storage and editing (both still and video). I was pleasantly surprised at the ease at which I was able to convert my PC Quicken files as I had read this was a disaster. However, I am VERY disappointed in the stability of the OS (10.3.2). I routinely freeze the machine and when I put the G5 to sleep, it will "wake up" will all fans going at full speed. I have made four calls to apple customer service and although they have been pleasant and patient, the problem persists. (also, the support hours are a joke if you live on the west coast and have a job).
In summary, it is fun but over priced vs. a PC -- and I'm not convinced I made the right choice (although my teenage daughter loves the small G4 Powerbook). DEFINITELY purchase the extended producct support. (AppleCare Protection Plan)

I've been running the Adobe Creative Suite Premium, and this machine is truly amzing; fast, fun and stable. It lives up to all its advertising claims... .

Buy this computer! It's simply superb in so many ways that a Wintel box isn't. I use both, but the excellence of this product is of a different order. And Amazon.com's price is the best around, as far as I can tell.