steering my gf away from a G5! Help!

F

Freaky_Geek_fiend

n00b
Joined
Feb 20, 2004
Messages
8
My gf needs a new PC for college....

shes been considering a G5 before i stepped in, shes into graphic design

yes, G5's are great for graphics... but im sure she'd be happier with a P4 machine in the end... she dosnt need any overclocking or any of that stuff that we all love ;) just stock performance and good multimedia .... mainly i need feedback on vid card right now i think an ATI Radeon 9600XT 256 mb will do her good .... pls offer feedback on your ideas/comments/experience!!

gigabyte GA-8IK1100
P4 2.8E
512 mb whatever 3200
ATI 9600XT 256 mb
yadda yadda sata harddrive whatever else....
im tryin to save her money obviously. would an AMD machine be better for these purposes? (im an AMD man, but i have great respect for HT P4's nowadays)

I dont think she can afford to wait till the nvidia Nforce 3 250's go retail so that awesome chipset is out... :( thats one reason why im lookin at P4 .... also cause SHE is an Intel person .... (though if AMD 64 would do her better im sure i could sway her, i just dont wanna point her in the wrong way)

PLEASE!! offer experience/comments in this field :D
 
For graphics design and/or video editing, you picked a good processor to go with. Hyperthreading is a beautiful thing for such operations.

One thing though, the 9600XT is offered in 128 MB, as far as I know, not 256.

On RAM, I'd suggest picking up a gigabyte of Kingston HyperX PC3500 RAM, if you're looking to save a few bucks and obtain some good performance.

I'm sure she'd want quiet too, so I'd suggest the new Samsung hard drives, that are whisper quiet, from the reviews.

Honestly, I'd also suggest an Abit IC7 motherboard. So many fun features and it leaves plenty of room for customizability.

Just to reassure, the Pentium 4 late Northwoods are better than any other current processor for graphics design, at the moment.

Dark Assassin
 
Whats her budget? Macs are great for imaging..but I still am for PCs. I prefer to go with a P4 HyperThreading over an AMD.

Also bring it up to her how much stuff she can personalize with a PC, how much cheaper the parts are, how much tech support, and how much software is out thier. Also throw in how you can help her out w/ PC Help ;).

Hmm thats about it that I can think of..GL Bro. Let us know what goes down.
 
Originally posted by Freaky_Geek_fiend
My gf needs a new PC for college....

shes been considering a G5 before i stepped in, shes into graphic design [..] she dosnt need any overclocking or any of that stuff that we all love ;) just stock performance and good multimedia
Click to expand...
Sounds like a G5 would be a great choice for her.
 
Depending on what she does, of course, but a dual processor G5 when the new models come out this summer would kick any P4's arse around the world in 80 nanoseconds... so why you'd want to steer her away from them, I don't know. I mean, seriously, you're advising someone who's into graphical work to NOT get a Mac? Of course, the money's an issue, but if she can afford a better system, why not get it?

And the 9600XT 256meg version isn't all that good... very few games actually need 256 megs of video memory.
 
thanks for the input guys...

she cant wait till this summer for the bad ass dualie g5's ... its gonna be bought next week!!

so im goin for a P4 machine... cause i can fully support that for her, a mac she'd be shit out of luck....

so i shouldnt get 256 mb 9600xt... still need recommendations on a good card for her..


and to be more specific on her work, shes gonna be usin adobe photoshop a lot, macromedia fireworks, and maybe a few other web related graphic apps.... shes doin multimedia web design
 
Deffinately 1gb of nice very nice RAM. BE SURE ITS DUAL CHANNELED.

Mmm Northwood Care..Im running a Northwood, its amazing!
 
sorry bout the delay on this...

just found out her budget on this machine is plenty for goodies....

gotta keep it under $2k

think we can handle it? i bet we can!
 
If you have to keep it under $2000, a G5 might not be the best route after all... a dual 1.8 G5 costs $2,270 minus education discount, if you remove the Superdrive and the internal modem.

If you do convince her to get a Wintel, a Radeon 9600XT 128meg would be a better choice than the 256meg, since it's cheaper and has the same performance in just about everything. Or a 9800Pro, they're quite cheap nowadays.
 
humm 2000 bux

used xeons:D



i would get a 3.0C and some pc 3500 geil golden dragon gig 512x2 [and make sure you get the good shit @ 2#cas]

9800pro just so it will take the toll of time so she can use her pc far into the future.

also may be she would like a tv tuner or something because thats what i do when im working on stuff

maybe a dvd burner or something


also put vnc on her computer so if she breaks up with you you can screw around with her computer [just kidding]
:p


gl
 
seems to me like anythin over 3200 will be wasted on her machine cause it will always run at stock ddr 400 .... and you get better mem timings out of 3200 than 4000 for sure so i think better performance would come from kingston hyperx or corsair 3200 than anythin above 3200


as for VNC .... im not worried about screwing with her if we break up

if that happens ... fine... i enjoyed her company enough to not worry bout the rest
 
Originally posted by Freaky_Geek_fiend
thanks for the input guys...

she cant wait till this summer for the bad ass dualie g5's ... its gonna be bought next week!!
Click to expand...

So? The current dual 1.8GHz and dual 2.0GHz G5's would be overkill for her purposes. Contrary to what some would say, you don't actually need a huge amount of power for web design and web graphics generation. You only really start needing lots of processing power when you are working with large, high-res graphic files for photographic purposes (when you're working with files that are going to be printed at 40"x60" or larger, you need lots of RAM and lots of processing power....unless enjoy staring at progress bars for long periods of time :D ), graphic arts work for printed publications, etc. (Of course, there are other fields which do require a decently large amount of power such as high-end video editing, 3D modeling and rendering, 3D animation, etc. but those aren't what you're asking about.)

so im goin for a P4 machine... cause i can fully support that for her, a mac she'd be shit out of luck....
Click to expand...

Well, okay, from a price perspective, the P4 box should end up costing far less than a nice G5 while still yielding a very high level of performance...so, if you're worried about cost, then I don't see why you would be having such a hard time with this decision. :rolleyes: I also don't quite see how she would be SOL in terms of support for a Mac... You make it sound as if nobody on this planet uses 'em... There's plenty of community support for Mac users (hell, there's a Mac forum within the [H]ard|Forum even!), Apple Tech Support is okay for general issues (I mean, they aren't perfect or anything close but they are INFINITELY better than Dell Tech Support... talking with Dell "Tech Support" makes me want to kill myself. The fact that any company would use staff who can barely speak English and know less about computers than my 84 year old grandmother is very, very depressing), and, lets not forget, any lab monkey with half a brain, no legs, and one arm with one finger attached to it can use OS X. It's not like it would be hard to learn how to help her...

so i shouldnt get 256 mb 9600xt... still need recommendations on a good card for her..
Click to expand...

Why would she even need a 9600XT in the first place? If she isn't gaming (modern games), what's the point? I mean, it's not gonna make Photoshop go any faster :D I just used a Radeon 9200 for the Photoshop/Proshots rig that I built for a Photography studio. You are on the right track with getting an ATi card, though, because IIRC the 2D (and, obviously, 3D) IQ is quite a bit better than most (if not all) nVidia cards--the way the ATi cards handle color is also, generally, a bit better looking.

I suppose I'm really not helping much, either way, in terms of deciding between the G5 or a P4. They'll both get the job done...and rather well, might I add. I actually prefer having both Macs and PCs around because I've found that there are some things that each platform does better than the other and, thus, I tend to spread my workload out between the computers based on what works best for that particular portion of whatever project I'm working on.
 
LOL so many replys to my own post... i think whoever said she needs an IC7 is right.... ill nab and abit ic7 and a thermalright sp94/92mm tornado fan and shoot for 250 fsb on that 2.8e with a radeon 9800 pro.... that machine will be rockin her multimedia world!! :D



hahah so much for not overclocking!!! :p
 
Well this is the way I see it. I wouldn't make my mom buy a car with a stickshift if she is more comfortable with an automatic.

Let her get whatever she wants. If anything, like petra said, it's not like you wouldn't be able to learn how to troubleshoot it if you had to. Overall it sounds like a great opportunity to learn about macs to me.
 
I don't Mac's, but if she's doing graphic design she'll more than likely have to work with them in the work place, because there just easier to use. So I say go with the G5....

please flame below.. ;)

oh I have all the parts for your dream machine in my attic....
 
Originally posted by acra2
I don't Mac's, but if she's doing graphic design she'll more than likely have to work with them in the work place, because there just easier to use. So I say go with the G5....
Click to expand...

I agree. She wants to do graphic design, don't make her use a home PC. She wants a Mac, let her get a Mac. If she ever wants to work in graphic design, she'll have to use one anyway, might as well learn them now. :)
 
Dude, she's wants a Mac because they are the industry standard in graphic design. Let her get the Mac, theres nothing wrong with apple's stuff.
 
Lots of places use PCs for graphics design. My school does and even had to buy PCs for the design classes because of the demand.
 
It is a Windows world and P4s equal to Mac performance are much cheaper. The only use Mac really still has is at elementary level education. In several districts in upstate NY, grades 1-5 use Macs and then they are weaned on to PC after that. The kids learn typing skills and all that jazz on Macs and then learn to actually use a computer when they start using Windows XP.

Mac used to have several benefits, but now the only ones are ease of use (tailored for kiddies) and looking pretty. There is absolutely no reason not to go with a PC for this.
 
Originally posted by Freaky_Geek_fiend
thanks for the input guys...

she cant wait till this summer for the bad ass dualie g5's ... its gonna be bought next week!!

so im goin for a P4 machine... cause i can fully support that for her, a mac she'd be shit out of luck....

so i shouldnt get 256 mb 9600xt... still need recommendations on a good card for her..


and to be more specific on her work, shes gonna be usin adobe photoshop a lot, macromedia fireworks, and maybe a few other web related graphic apps.... shes doin multimedia web design
Click to expand...

She needs a BOXX. Dual Opterons are much faster.

http://www.boxxtech.com
 
Originally posted by pistola
Dude, she's wants a Mac because they are the industry standard in graphic design. Let her get the Mac, theres nothing wrong with apple's stuff.
Click to expand...

No, they are industry standard in print houses. Graphics design is a rather wide-ranging term.
 
For graphic design, blazing speed isn't necessary - we're talking about an industry that hasnt really evolved since the days of slowass Mac Quadras. However, its always nice to have more performance. Print and web design is not as demanding as motion graphics.

Above all, the most important component is memory - 1 gig minimum, 2 gigs preferable. A big unflattened high-res PSD file can take up more than 4 gigs of memory, though thats rare. So its nice to be prepared. Any processor above 2 ghz (on the Wintel side) should be more than enough, as will any G5 class Mac.

I prefer PC's for the faster speed and lower prices (plus, I like Windows XP more than OS X), however the industry standard is STILL the Mac. The only firms I've seen running PC workstations have been low-end budget houses. Most companies worth working for use Macs (many still running OS 9!) So it helps to get intimate with it. And while Adobe and Macromedia software is essentially the same across platforms, the most essential graphic design software - QuarkXpress - works very differently on Mac. And since most of her future job options will involve QuarkXpress on a Mac, it makes sense that she should focus on this (unless she only wants to do web design).

Fonts and color management are also skewed heavily in favor of Macs in this industry. PC users will have more struggling to maintain compatibility and predictability in output.


If you are building this machine on a budget..dont get the Radeon 9600..far too costly and unneccesary for a graphics machine. You're paying top dollar for 3D gaming performance which she won't need or use. The best 2D cards still come from Matrox, and many models are far cheaper than any Radeon or GeForce.

Instead, focus the money on the best monitor you can get. 21 inch minimum if you can. But an excellent quality 19 incher like a Nanao is still a better choice than a poor quality 21 inch like Viewsonic. A graphic designer designs visually - so having a great monitor to display these visuals is THE most important thing. Don't cut corners here and don't underestimate the importance of a good monitor. You save money in the long run spending more now, instead of upgrading again a few years later.
 
Originally posted by Benny Blanco
Well this is the way I see it. I wouldn't make my mom buy a car with a stickshift if she is more comfortable with an automatic.
Click to expand...
I would, she should learn:D
 
if she wants a mac b/c she wants to get used to MACs then thats her deal,

if she wants a mac b/c she thinks for the $ they are better, move her to a pc

she doesnt need speed asmuch as stability, Intel HT is a good way to go.... there are alot of variables involved to... you also have to find the software that she would need, is that in your budget or are you getting them threw other means?

either way hope thigns work out, good luck with all that
 
Originally posted by Mad_Pyro
Mac used to have several benefits, but now the only ones are ease of use (tailored for kiddies) and looking pretty.
Click to expand...

No modern uses except for kiddy stuff, eh? I'd just love to see a class of 5th graders try and take on Mac apps like Final Cut Pro (which, IMO, totally blows away Premiere... but I still use Premiere on my PC because I don't have the $$ for FCP and the Mac version of Premiere that I had was kinda screwy...), DVD studio Pro, Shake (was used for digital effects compositing for the LOtR movies), Logic, and Motion...and let's not forget that Virginia Tech. supercluster made of G5's which ranked as the third fastest supercomputer in the world, so chalk one up for scientific research. The list goes on but my point is that just because you aren't experienced with something doesn't mean that you should bash it--ignorance is, in fact, not bliss...it just makes you look stupid.

BTW, my point also applies to those who praise Windows as some sort of prefect, superior, godly OS AND to those who think the same about the Mac OS. Both OS's have their many strengths and weaknesses, so, in my eyes, the whole argument about which OS is better is totally moot because it really depends, specifically, on what you are trying to do with the computer.

Open-mindedness is a good thing... :D
 
Dual opteron > G5 > Pentium 4

hyperthreading is cool, but not like actually having 2 procs.
 
Originally posted by Petra
No modern uses except for kiddy stuff, eh? I'd just love to see a class of 5th graders try and take on Mac apps like Final Cut Pro (which, IMO, totally blows away Premiere... but I still use Premiere on my PC because I don't have the $$ for FCP and the Mac version of Premiere that I had was kinda screwy...), DVD studio Pro, Shake (was used for digital effects compositing for the LOtR movies), Logic, and Motion...and let's not forget that Virginia Tech. supercluster made of G5's which ranked as the third fastest supercomputer in the world, so chalk one up for scientific research. The list goes on but my point is that just because you aren't experienced with something doesn't mean that you should bash it--ignorance is, in fact, not bliss...it just makes you look stupid.

BTW, my point also applies to those who praise Windows as some sort of prefect, superior, godly OS AND to those who think the same about the Mac OS. Both OS's have their many strengths and weaknesses, so, in my eyes, the whole argument about which OS is better is totally moot because it really depends, specifically, on what you are trying to do with the computer.

Open-mindedness is a good thing... :D
Click to expand...

Premier Pro and Final Cut Pro are on equal footing, both have their strengths. Anyone who says otherwise is a fanboy. However, you're right about one thing, Mac's are much more than kiddie toys, but I must say:

HDBOXX with 2.5TB in RAID 5 + BlueFish444 HD|Fury > G5 + *, thank you very much. ;)

BTW, when you talk about what was used on what movie, remember that there are MANY houses that work on various movies, for instance, I just sold a compositing machine to a 2 man operation that did the outdoor design on Minority Report. Our machines also were used by effects houses working on movies like HellBoy, The Matrix, Spy Kids, Jimmy Neutron, LOTR, and many more.

We had at NAB a guy demo'ing Combustion on one of our machines, and he did all the special effects on a Sting video...so don't forget there's more than After Effects out there...
 
Originally posted by boshi
Dual opteron > G5 > Pentium 4

hyperthreading is cool, but not like actually having 2 procs.
Click to expand...

shes not going to be using dual anything at that price point
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top