Jun 05
My newest toys
2005 at 07.05 am posted by Veerle
Since today I’m working on a brand new Apple G5. It took me a while to get things organized and ready to do the production work on it. All those apps to install! But hey, it works like a charm. My new machine is a Dual G5 2,7 GHz with 2,5 GB of RAM. My first impression: this thing flies! There is a big difference with a PowerBook G4 1,5 GHz (with 1 GB of RAM). Things I need to wait a little are now gone.
From starting up applications or saving heavy Illustrator files with lots of layers etc. I saved an illustration that I know takes a minute or more on my PowerBook and expected a progress bar, but didn’t saw one. So my mind went from ‘hey, did he save that?’. Still, I love my PowerBook for when I’m on the road.
I also needed a new screen since I was still using an original Apple 22 inch Cinema Display from years ago. So I went for an Apple 23 inch. Unfortunately that turned out to be a mistake since the screen had a blue-ish halo band on the left part of the screen. After doing some research it seems that those displays are troublesome, ranging from yellow-pink halo to blue etc. By looking at the Apple forum, these symptoms are already going on for months now and I can’t figure out why this isn’t fixed yet. After returning it to my Apple dealer, Apple did the right thing and declared it DOA.
Still this is something that shouldn’t have happened. After receiving word from my dealer that the whole batch suffered from similar issues, I didn’t feel like getting trapped in a endless loop of checking out, sending back etc. The research learned me that the 30 inch has no trouble. So I ended up doubting between the 24 inch Dell screen (which is cheap compared to Apple’s prices), but it wasn’t available yet in Belgium and I didn’t really like its design, and an Apple 30 inch HD Cinema Display. Thing is, I really really love the design of the Apple displays and this was just too important for me. Now that I have this display I’m certain I made the right choice, I don’t regret the extra investment for a minute. It is fabulous! Such a luxury.
36served
1
Congrats! You can have your geek-badge back now :)
But.. w o w. 2.5 gigs of ram.
I can’t even begin to imagine how f a s t that actually is!
2
Congrats on this new working experience!
3
very jealous! :)
4
2.5 gig of ram!!!!!!! the wonders of 64bit, beautiful machine you’ve got, congrats.
5
Congrats on your new purchase, I bought a Dual G5 myself last week and it’s been amazing so far. These really are incredible machines, I upgraded from a dual G4 450 running OS9 so I’m loving the speed and stability.
I’m doing some tests with Cinema 4D and posting the results in my blog, if you’d like to take a look.
http://dalismoustache.blogspot.com/
6
i want that toooo!!! lol, at least send me your old g4 :P
congrats!
7
That’s so awesome! I wish I had a powerbook. But then again, seeing someone with a G5 just makes me more jealous!
8
*grabs crowbar and SWAG bag*
What was your address again ... ?
;^)
9
Wow, amazing! Congratulations..!
10
Aya caramba?! How many kidneys did you need to steal / sell for that?! :P
11
I agree with gray’s post ;p
bye.
12
That’s cool! I just got one of these today but not the 30” monitor. I’ll have to make do with the 20” or so that I have. Anyway, how did you set up the 2.5gigs of ram? I thought that I would have to take out the 2-256chips to install the 2-1gigs that I bought. Sounds like you kept in the original and added 2 gigs. Thanks and enjoy your new toys.
13
This is the kick-#ss machine a real designer/developer needs ! And what a joy that 30” screen must be. I hope it gives you as much pleasure as my “aging” G5DP2.0/Apple 20” lcd combo has been giving me over the last 1.5 years. I still enjoy it just as much as the first day I turned on the power.
Carole, the G5 has 8 (that’s eight) memory slots, so room enough for expanding ;-)
Now let’s see what Steve will announce today and his reply to the “Intel switch” rumors ?
14
Thanks everyone :-)
@carole, I just added the 2 GB, 1 in each slot (in par, one in the left slot and one on the right slot) starting from the inside out. Hope I’m making sense :-)
15
@Raven, about the rumors of the “Intel switch” ... I have totally no idea what will be announced, but like many people I am very curious. I’m sure some form will be true (since the Wallstreet Journal is such a respected newspaper), we just don’’t know the whole story yet.
16
hum… I’m so jealous… lol ;-)
17
Damn, that’s the real deal man! Mean dual processing power!
18
Veerle,
How about a pic of you and the 30"/G5?
Anyway… although I’m not a Mac user there a serious amount of envy at the other side of the screen! :-)
Karel
19
Being a PC person born and bred, and generally use Flash, Photoshop etc at work, if i got a top spec mac and a top spec pc, is a mac better for these apps?
20
@Karel: I would look ugly compared to the beauty of the G5 ;-)
@Simon Davies: Being a PC person born and bred, and generally use Flash, Photoshop etc at work, if i got a top spec mac and a top spec pc, is a mac better for these apps?
Apps are the same. For me personally it is the total package that does it. The design of the machines/screen, the look of the OS and not having to reconsider every click that I make since it could spell trouble. That’s why I use Mac, speed is a bonus but certainly not the tipping point. So if you find that important then you’ll need a Mac. A machine shouldn’t be hassle but a friend.
21
I’ve purchased the same machine 2 weeks ago (and lookin at your pics, same programs); same Ram..and yes..it flies really high..
Workin’ in AfterEffects I have at least 30 seconds of realtime preview effect...amazing! :)
22
Thanks, Veerle. It makes sense, I think, about how you added the ram. If you understand, you didn’t remove the original chips, you just added the 2new chips, one in each area of slots. Yes? If so, I will then have 2.5 once I do the same to mine. And as we know, the more the better! Hope yours is working as nicely as mine.....
23
Me so jealous… Maybe one day, once they come out with a G10 I’ll be able to afford one :o(
24
@Karel: I would look ugly compared to the beauty of the G5 ;-)
We all do Veerle, we all do :P
25
Congrats on the machine! Me = Jealous. :-) Thanks for posting about your troubles with the monitors… I was just about to head out and buy a 20” Cinema Display but after reading this (even though yours was a 23") I feel more investigation is necessary.
26
@Carole: Yes I didn’t remove the orginal ram chips. If you receive your ram look in the manual, it is clearly explained there.
@David: As far as I know there isn’t any trouble with the 20 inch versions.
27
@Veerle : @David: As far as I know there isn’t any trouble with the 20 inch versions.
Glad to hear that. I have a 20 inch in the pipeline and I was beginning to feel really bad when you posted the 23inch screens have certain flaws.
You are also right about the “mac experience”. It is the whole package. The design, the user experience, the apps, .... If you want speed go for the best pc and you will probably be cheaper off. If you want to look forward to every time you can sit behind your computer, buy a mac. I’ve switched to Apple products (powerbook, ipod) september 2004 and I absolutely have no regrets whatsoever until this date.
28
Congratulations on your new gear! It must be dreamy. :)
29
Excelent Setup you got there! have you asked the mac with a dual dvi graphics card?
I was just looking at the pictures on the gallery and was wondering… do you work alone? if you do work alone and love music, consider getting a set of logitech Z2200 speakers . I own a pair an tought it would look nice on your desk :=) .
BTW: whats the hard disks apple ships with the dual g5 ??
30
De. Lic. Ious.
I have been coveting one of these for quite some time. “Soon,” i keep telling myself. “Soon.”
31
In need of a new system myself and this set-up shure has given me some inspiration :-)
32
That’s SO awesome! I’ve played with a Power Mac two weeks ago for the first time in real, so I was pretty amazed. The double 30” Cinema setup was also damn cool. Great choice, great toy, great tool.
(Long time reader, first time poster...)
33
Holy Mana !
34
Hi Veerle, still happy with the 30”?
I have a 20” and 23”, no problem at all.
35
@joep Broos, oh yes! Best bought ever! :-) Apart from some heavy mouse exercise and not finding my pointer on the screen from time to time I’m a very happy camper. I can always enlarge the mouse pointer in the Universal Access prefs. ;-)
36
i just picked a random article for this message (altho’ this one was pretty special):
i just found myself reading your blog for 6 hours straight. dunno what was going on, but it feels like a personal record; never remained THAT long on one url :)
happy xmas and all that shit,
manuel from frisia :)