Powermac G5 vs 2009 Mac Mini

[Samw1se]

Hello all

I have been scanning these forums for a while, and I have just registered as I have a dilemma!
The time has come to upgrade my 1.66GHz Core Duo Mini (going on eBay), and I am stuck between two options:

Buy a brand new 2.26GHz 2009 Mac Mini from Apple for £499.

or

Buy a dual core G5 Powermac off eBay (I could get a dual 2.7GHz G5 with 4GB RAM for the same price as the 2009 Mini).

I'd be really grateful if you could give me any advice!

Thanks in advance, Sam.

[MacDSmith2]

The IBM PowerPC G5 CPU used in the Power Mac G5 introduced originally in 2003, and released with this chip in October 2005 is a 90 nm process using 50 million transistors. Apple discontinued the line in August 2006 when it shifted to Intel processors. In contrast the Intel Core 2 Duo is a 45 nm process using 400 million transistors introduced in July 2006. The current Penryn family used in the Mac Mini were just introduced in 2008 and for the 2.66 GHz model, second quarter of this year.

If it were up to me, I would go with the latest technology, which is the Mac Mini Penryn processors, especially since Apple has dropped all support for Power PC computers in the current version of Snow Leopard.

[Samw1se]

The only thing that puts me off about the new Mac Mini is that I can't really afford the higher specification 2.53GHz model at £649 (being a student), and £500 seems lot of money for the most basic Mac available.

Do you think that the newer Mini would outperform the older Powermac?

[MacDSmith2]

[Samw1se]

Just found an interesting thread on Mac Rumors:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=300723

[MacDSmith2]

Most of those posts were made six months ago. A lot of computing power has been released since then. I would take a lot of those with a grain of salt as interesting historical perspective.

[MalzyWheels]

I'd say go with the Mini. From my educated guess - just migrating from a Powermac Dual G4 - it'll do everything that the dual G5 can do and probably do it better. But above that, it'll do it using a hellva lot less electricity, creating a lot less heat, and taking up less space. Plus, you'll have a warranty and a computer that has a future.
_________________
"You can't have a light without a dark to stick it in." - Arlo Guthrie
Mac Mini 2009 - 500GB, 5400RPM HDD - 4gig RAM
Airport Express (1st Gen) using Air Tunes
1961 HH Scott 299C integrated Amplifier (7591 Output Tubes)
B&W DM302 speakers

[macmanmacman]

Can i ask ask a honest question!!!

What are you going to do with the mac.

1. if video editing i would recommend the mac mini

2. if music both the g5 and the mac mini would do.

3. internet only the g5 and mac mini are not bad machines

4. photo editing the g5 because you can add four internal hard drives that are cheaper then the external choices for the mini.

it all depends.

just remember the g5 is limited to mac os x leopard

where the mac mini run's snow leopard.