Mac G3 or G4?

[Tom41]

I seem to be accumulating Mac computers in my house - first the server, then a couple of laptops, and now two different PowerPC Macs!

Here's the thing - I can only keep one of the PowerPC Macs, so I'd like to know what's better. A G3 500MHz processor, or a G4 450MHz processor.

Oddly, the G4 Mac (a Mac Cube) seems to take about a minute after pressing the power button for the screen to light up with the Apple logo. It then takes a further minute or so while OS X starts up before I can log in.
The G3 Mac (iMac CRT) lights up the screen within 15 seconds of pressing the Power button, and loads OS X in about 5 seconds!

Still, once logged in, the G4 seems a little faster, but I'd like to get from people who really know processors

[Nitwig]

Re: Mac G3 or G4?

I'm not sure which processor is better but I may have some insight into the video issue. Someone may have upgraded the video card in the g4. Some video cards might not be recognized right away and the video card might make the g4 a better choice depending on what it is.

[toastygoodness]

Re: Mac G3 or G4?

I always thought G4 was better. With the cube, go get an open firmware or software update from Apple. I remember reading an article on Apple's Technical Support site about that.

[starfury1]

Re: Mac G3 or G4?

there is from memory some advantage to the G4 CPU over the G3
I was under the impression that G4 is better then G3

I have a G3 Imac, CRT job and the big problem with them is CRT section its self or heat issues as they are not actively cooled (fan)
I like them thought.

Part of the problem is that there are changes with in the range of some lines so you have to be careful.

I take it its this one you are talking about, I dot know much about them, the cubes

https://cdn.badcaps-static.com/pdfs/...7be7548b1f.pdf

here a bit on the G4 sawtooth
(as I said it gets a bit involved with what comes with what etc so you have to look at exactly what you got)

http://lowendmac.com/ppc/g4saw.shtml

you will find a bit of a run down on the G3 imacs (coloured bubbles) here, there are a few variations

http://lowendmac.com/imacs/index.shtml

cube here

http://lowendmac.com/ppc/cube.html

Anyway I think the G4 is a better option
but having an all in one luggable is a bad option either

G3 will run Panther 10.3 fairly ok (not sure on tiger how well it works)
(with firmware upgrade and you need to do it or check its at the right version or you will screw the video badly 4.17 version I think it needs to be at)

well I guess you will have to weigh up which is most use to you.

HTH Cheers

Oh yeah as Toasty nitwig said, id do some research into the cube.

[pentium]

Re: Mac G3 or G4?

I would recommend you stick with the G4.
One because it's in an adorable cube case and secondly because the the G4 is a little more supported these days.
What exactly is the G3 running inside?

[starfury1]

Re: Mac G3 or G4?

G3 imac (Slot loaders) I think had 2 video options depending on when they were made
Hdd was like 10GB (5400) and memory was like 64MB 128MB (depending)

you can take them to a 1GB (SDRAM) not sure how far you can push the memory and probably depends on what they went up to when sticks where made..also they can be picky about ram so you need to get something that will work
and a much bigger HDD say 120GB
(just don't use a WD there was some issue with them)
it does increase heat
(the original HDD had an aluminum casted frame)

So the only real options you have is memory and a bigger HDD really
(there was at one point an option (not from apple) to retro fit G4 cpu...but expensive and you would probably be better off buying a G4 based box anyway)

So the upgrade for imac is not much and you possibly may create heat issues.

So as pentium, said what in the G3 out of curiosity

G4 is probably really the best option.

HTH

Cheers