Nov 6 2004
iMac G5
It’s here! The iMac finally has a G5 processor! Where have I been the last two months? Using one, of course.
Right out of the box, the looks are great. I was expecting a dud based off of the aluminum G5s and PowerBooks, but this is impressive. They mostly kept the white plastic look and added a tinge of aluminum, but I’m sure that most of you have seen it all ready. The optical drive, slot-loading near the top-right, is conveniently located for very easy access, as are the ports.
A major disappointment is that fact that Apple offers every stock model with only 256MB of RAM. Sure, this is good for some people, but I’d rather have at least 512MB. Once you add some extra RAM, the iMac G5′s performance is clearly the best out of any small desktop computer on the market. Not to mention that the 20″ display is more than enough for multimedia development, gaming, and everyday activities.
Possibly one of the best features of the iMac G5 is that it’s almost entirely user-serviceable. This means that if something goes wrong, and you and an AppleCare tech can get to the bottom of exactly what needs to be replaced, AppleCare will send you the part, and it’s fairly easy to install it yourself. Yes, you can even replace the display with relative ease. This eliminates the time that you would be without a computer, if you had sent it in to AppleCare to be repaired.
The iMac G5 is another great product from Apple and makes an excellent home or light production computer.
Pros: “It’s all part and parcel of the whole genie gig: phenomenal cosmic powers, itty bitty living space.” ~ Genie (Disney’s Aladdin, 1992). The iMac G5 is almost entirely user-serviceable, so you don’t have to get “bent out of shape” when something needs replacing.
Cons: The fan noise takes a while to get used to if you’re coming from an iMac G4, but it’s very tolerable. The fan noise is slightly louder than the iMac G4′s, but quieter than the G5 and G4 towers. The stock models only come with 256MB of RAM.