[X4U] PowerMac recommendations

[Stroller]

On 19 Feb 2008, at 18:24, Matt Gregory wrote:
> ...
> Do you think I should be concerned with graphics card upgradability  
> with the iMac?  Given that gaming is a non-factor as I've never  
> gravitated toward the games that require any serious graphics  
> muscle.  But I know Aperture uses the GPU significantly so I  
> suspect other apps to as well, or to be in future versions...

The graphics card is your big consideration in this purchase, because  
the only program that will be pushing the performance of your machine  
will be Aperture.

However, I wouldn't worry about the _upgradability_ of the graphics  
card, because replacement graphics cards for PowerMacs (and Mac Pros,  
presumably) are so expensive.

I have a dual-processor G5 with an ATi 9800 in it, and it is not  
powerful for Aperture. It's usable, but I would love something more  
powerful - when Aperture & Lightroom first came out it was then that  
spurred me to upgrade from 1.25gig to 3gig of RAM. If I were using  
Aperture now as much as I was doing photo stuff back then I would  
probably have been gnashing my teeth at the graphics card long ago  
(and perhaps have upgraded to a MacPro).

Others have suggested that an iMac may have as much ooomph! as a G5,  
and they could well be right. The annual increases in graphics cards  
performance are quite considerable. Last year's high-end Mac does not  
compare favourably with this years, yet a premium graphics card may  
hold its value ridiculously well on the secondhand market.  
Personally, I would be unlikely to upgrade my PowerMac's graphics  
card, because I'd expect to get a better ROI putting the cost of that  
towards a new machine. On the other hand, eBay is all about bargains,  
so shopping around you may get one, but do undertake your homework  
first, and know what your money buys in graphics card terms.

Stroller.