I recently bought one of the new dual core PowerMacs. Having used the machine for a couple of weeks, I thought I would share some of my observations and feelings about it. First, let me get my biases out in the open. I have, for about four years, very happily used Linux on my desktop. Doing so has made me very comfortable with the UNIX environment in general, and with GNOME specifically. During that time, I have used OS X machines on a regular basis, so I am quite comfortable in that environment as well. Since I switched to Linux, I have not used Windows for anything more than the occasional bit of software testing or lab work, and generally feel quite uncomfortable with it. Thus, this article is very much written from the perspective of someone who finds OS X and Linux pleasing on principle. I implore the reader to make his own value judgments based on my comments.
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Member since:2005-07-06
Member since:2005-08-10
Member since:Criticism is ok and accepted, but:
1) He paid too much for the computer, I paid almost $500 less for the similar configuration. (2 GB RAM, all Apple RAM)
2) I too have been a hard drive "bigot" preferring Seagate drives but the only drives that have failed for me in the past two years have been Seagates. My Western Digitals oddly enough have all been running fine.
3) My dual core G5's (2.0's and 2.3) are all very quiet, not sure what the beef is there.
4) The G5's are too big, too much metal.
Member since:2005-11-23
I also liked the review a lot. Count me in as one of the majority Mac fans that DO like criticism.
There once was a time that Apple did use the highest quality parts or so I read. Now, it's all about the margin and possibly what supply they can get (while still making things ubercool). I cannot recall which drive came in my dual chip 2.3 from May, but I think it was/is a Seagate. Not knowing better, I added a WD.
I'm disappointed to find that the engineering to combat sound is still not the best. I guess I can barely live with the cheap bearings in the hard drive but cannot fathom why they didn't put sound isolation into the mountings as that seems the most basic. That probably explains why some people can hear the CPU make noise when it goes into NAP mode. I also found it interesting to know about the airflow & cheap fans.
This begs the question: will the Intel based PowerMac have a case redesign?
Member since:
2005-09-10
I haven't read such a professional review (comparison of two systems) in a very long time! Congratulations - this is how reviews/tests should be written!
It is also brave - in my experience, (I can accept that it is a small but vocal minority of the userbase) mac users don't like criticism too much, even if it is supported by hard evidence.