Shaft Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Okay... I currently own a mac mini 1.25Ghz/512MB/40GB. I need to get a laptop for recording, and I'm thinking a souped up iBook might be okay for this. I also need a setup that will run Logic comfortably - so a low end powermac G5 might be good for this too. But would it be better just to buy a top end powerbook G4 instead of the combined iBook/PowerMac? No Windows freaks here please. I want to run mac computers, so shut up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj mylo Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Okay... I currently own a mac mini 1.25Ghz/512MB/40GB. I need to get a laptop for recording, and I'm thinking a souped up iBook might be okay for this. I also need a setup that will run Logic comfortably - so a low end powermac G5 might be good for this too. But would it be better just to buy a top end powerbook G4 instead of the combined iBook/PowerMac? No Windows freaks here please. I want to run mac computers, so shut up! 288551[/snapback] gut feel tells me that you should go for the G5. More headroom. And you could always upgrade components going forward. I also know that some of the G4 powerbooks were bad quality - screens fucked out etc., and they learned from their mistakes, so G5 will be more reliable hardware. I am faced with the same decision right now. My plan is to go for the 15" G5 Powerbook ( 2000 euro ) put down a fat deposit ( 1000 euro ), and pay the rest off each month. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slyman604 Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 i didnt think they made g5 powerbooks? Personally i would wait and see what goes on with the apple/intel deal, you might be kicking yourself in a year and a half having spent all this dough. gut feel tells me that you should go for the G5. More headroom. And you could always upgrade components going forward. I also know that some of the G4 powerbooks were bad quality - screens fucked out etc., and they learned from their mistakes, so G5 will be more reliable hardware. I am faced with the same decision right now. My plan is to go for the 15" G5 Powerbook ( 2000 euro ) put down a fat deposit ( 1000 euro ), and pay the rest off each month. 288605[/snapback] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 I didn't think they made G5 powerbooks either... Researching... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj mylo Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 I didn't think they made G5 powerbooks either... Researching... 288728[/snapback] you're right. It'll be some time till it comes out. My Mac support guy here at work is confusing me But he's Polish and can't really speak English so I suppose he reckons the latest G4 is the one. Like the latest batch. So don't go second hand! Or rather get a tower G5, for the processor. So I guess I'm looking at getting the G4 then at 2000 euros G5 would be nicer C'mon Apple, stop smoking and get building you stinky hippies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 Waiting is the issue really here. I want to be mobile by the beginning of August (where we will take our summer holiday and I will need a laptop of some description). I'm just wondering whether a souped up powerbook g4 would be a good option in terms of music production. This means with the full 2GB RAM whack. Else I could settle for a G5, but that's a load of money considering I would have to buy an iBook for my mobile recording stuff... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj mylo Posted June 30, 2005 Share Posted June 30, 2005 Else I could settle for a G5, but that's a load of money considering I would have to buy an iBook for my mobile recording stuff... 288882[/snapback] second-hand dat recorder perhaps? I get a loan G4 laptop this weekend. I'll let ya know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted June 30, 2005 Author Share Posted June 30, 2005 second-hand dat recorder perhaps? I get a loan G4 laptop this weekend. I'll let ya know. 288891[/snapback] Mac only! And thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paroxysm Posted July 1, 2005 Share Posted July 1, 2005 Hi, As a powerbook G4 17inch user I would HIGHLY recommend waiting for mac to support intel chipsets. You will get more bang for your buck. If you need to buy something now I would look at it like this: If you are planing on using your puter for audio processing and editing/mixing/mastering an Ibook or mac mini will more than likely be just fine. If you are going to be using logic with lots of softsynths, Units and plugins and of course automation more proc will be necassary. Not to mention you will need at LEAST a gig of memory. Mac'a ram is particularly expensive so keep that in mind. I have a gig of ram logic 6 + 1.3Mhz proc and can run 15-16 instances of emagics ES2s' and full automation without much latency. I dont think it would run much more smoothly though. If your using lots of soft samplers plan for more memory still. I plan on buying a PC in the future for extra proc, just to run VST and soft synths and run it all into my mac just like an external piece of hardware. Cheap way to amp up a mac based station. that way you get the best of both worlds, cheap power for hardware intensive software, then put your songs together on the sexier smoother mac. anyway thats my two cents hope it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted July 1, 2005 Author Share Posted July 1, 2005 Well, IF I was getting a powerbook, it would be a 15"/1.67 Ghz/2GB RAM/80GB HD. Would you consider this enough to run Logic and lots of synth instances? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amygdala Posted July 11, 2005 Share Posted July 11, 2005 I use an old G4 667 MHz powerbook (512 Megs'o'ram). It is very reliable in OS 9.2, and it feels like I have headroom enough - but I rarely use software synths. Since it is so old, it has a venerable chipset, and not enough cache, so I think the difference from my beast to a new iBook or powerBook (which are only G5 by the way - there's a reason Apple is going intel ) is rather huge. I don't think there will be any problems with only a 'book of some sort...? But if you could wait a little, the future seems quite promising -A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pahana Posted July 18, 2005 Share Posted July 18, 2005 well, i have powerbook g4 1,5ghz and have logic 7.1 pro (for sale if anyone is interested) but i stopped working with it after two days. I consider myself as mac fan, i like to have both platforms working together. But i had to return back to PC to sequence. For me, logic 7 on powerbook g4-1,5 is crazy slow!! i hate those slow window redraws, it doesn't give me also much processing power (yeah, i prefer software). Overall i have feeling like working on my old pc computer i had 4 years ago. I was very surprised by this!! I have awaited something very different from macs. Anyway i've worked for a while on a PowerMac G5 2x2.0ghz with Logic 7, which was much much more powerfull, i agree, but anyway the interface was very slow for me (i hate slow redraws) It's not that much stable also as i would await. But i think this troubles are logic problems not macs. Anyway maybe that's only my bad luck that it worked like this, i was quite sad after seeing how it works in reality.. paroxysm: i'm having similiar setup just the mac is doing the rack, both connected thru rme adats and midi, works just nice after some first synchronization troubles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amygdala Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I'm guessing you use OS X? I don't know if Logic 7 runs on OS 9, but if it does, you definetly need to go there... It doesn't look as spiffy as OS X apps, but it is sooo much faster. My old powerbook can't even play an "empty" MIDI-sequence on OS X without complaining and lagging, but on OS 9, I have a gazillion of plugin-effects crunching away at 40 audiotracks. That's quite a difference - Remember to assign plenty of memory to Logic in OS 9 though... I don't think Logic is to blame for the slowness... OS X is the culprit. I really can't say for sure about Logic 7, since I use version 4.7 on OS 9.2 - but it just works for me. I don't use many softsynths mind you, but plenty of heavy reverbs and spectrum-manipulating effects... - Oh BTW, what version of OS X do you use? They are getting faster and faster, and the difference between the first X and panther is enormous -A Okay, just found out, that Logic 7 is only OS X 10.3 or later... That sucks so bad... The requirements are twice as high as they would be in OS 9.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 there will never be g5 powerbooks. they're too power hungry and there are a lot of heat issues. just wait for the first intel mac laptops. and hope it'll ship with some even semi decent 3d card. 2000€ is too much for g4 and a crappy as hell 3d card. g4 = a low end celeron cpu in tasking power. plus the incoming intel macs you can probably dual boot with windows a friend of mine has the 17" powerbook.. like the most expensive model or whatever and I tell you, it's fucking slow! sure it looks nice and mac os x is beautiful.. but it's like using a computer from the mid/late nineties.. that's how slow it is.. by the way the macs are going at ridiculous prices.. if i want a mac computer equivalent in power to mine with about the same amount of ram/hdd space/gpu power/cpu power/as big display/etc it'll cost me around 3500$.. which is almost 2000 $ more than what this pc setup costed.. ridiculous to only pay for the brand this would be a killer setup thou.. but with a price tag of $12,470.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted July 20, 2005 Author Share Posted July 20, 2005 Oh BTW, what version of OS X do you use? They are getting faster and faster, and the difference between the first X and panther is enormous 300696[/snapback] I am using 10.3 on my mini. But obviously if I am buying a new mac, 10.4 will come with it as standard. by the way the macs are going at ridiculous prices.. if i want a mac computer equivalent in power to mine with about the same amount of ram/hdd space/gpu power/cpu power/as big display/etc it'll cost me around 3500$.. which is almost 2000 $ more than what this pc setup costed.. ridiculous to only pay for the brand 300699[/snapback] So you advise not to buy a powerbook? Okay, fair. And I'd rather buy from Apple, the OS, the workflow just appeals to my creative side so much - I can get on, no fuss. And yeah, I wouldn't bother buying Apple Cinema Displays (starting from about £500), I can buy two 19" TFT monitors for under that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amygdala Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 g4 = a low end celeron cpu in tasking power. I hate to be so blunt as this, but that is an absurd statement. I know this probably sounds like a torn-and-worn nursery rhyme by now, but: The instruction set in the G4 and the Celeron chips are fundamentally different, so they can NOT be compared! As far as I know (which is not very far in the PC world) a celeron chip is the cheapest processing unit, with as many shortcuts as possible taken. No strong points to find, save perhaps power-usage. The G4 has heap advantages over a celeron, especially when it comes to the very complex arithmetic needed to compute, say, grpahics and sound. It is hard to program to, though, which is why so many programs seem slow (including my own ) Bring an Intel celeron processor to run any version of Logic as fast as my 667 MHz G4 runs Logic 4.7 on OS 9.2, and I'll buy you a case of beer, or you favoured drug-of-choice... Yes, OS X is slow - no point in denying that, but using this as an argument, is like saying, that a car's airconditioning system is bad, so the car won't drive faster than 80 km/h... You're right about one thing though - they are waaay to expensive... It'll be interesting to see what happens with the MacMini, when the cooperation with Intel kicks in for real... -A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I hate to be so blunt as this, but that is an absurd statement. I know this probably sounds like a torn-and-worn nursery rhyme by now, but: The instruction set in the G4 and the Celeron chips are fundamentally different, so they can NOT be compared! As far as I know (which is not very far in the PC world) a celeron chip is the cheapest processing unit, with as many shortcuts as possible taken. No strong points to find, save perhaps power-usage. The G4 has heap advantages over a celeron, especially when it comes to the very complex arithmetic needed to compute, say, grpahics and sound. It is hard to program to, though, which is why so many programs seem slow (including my own ) Bring an Intel celeron processor to run any version of Logic as fast as my 667 MHz G4 runs Logic 4.7 on OS 9.2, and I'll buy you a case of beer, or you favoured drug-of-choice... Yes, OS X is slow - no point in denying that, but using this as an argument, is like saying, that a car's airconditioning system is bad, so the car won't drive faster than 80 km/h... You're right about one thing though - they are waaay to expensive... It'll be interesting to see what happens with the MacMini, when the cooperation with Intel kicks in for real... -A 300726[/snapback] g4 or motorola 74xx as its proper name is is just simply very old! technology, equivalent to amd k7.. that's how old it's. g5 on the other hand seems like a decent purchase.. too bad you can't get a powerbook with one of those.. then it would make a lot of sense to pick powerbook instead of some pc laptop.. but only if it came with a decent 3d card Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 I am using 10.3 on my mini. But obviously if I am buying a new mac, 10.4 will come with it as standard. So you advise not to buy a powerbook? Okay, fair. And I'd rather buy from Apple, the OS, the workflow just appeals to my creative side so much - I can get on, no fuss. And yeah, I wouldn't bother buying Apple Cinema Displays (starting from about £500), I can buy two 19" TFT monitors for under that price. 300725[/snapback] i was talking about desktops. buying a powerbook 50/50 If you want to pay for overpriced merchandise sure. Just get the fastest possible model cos the slow ones are crap and the fastest is only mediocre at general lap top level.. but sure they look neat.. feel too.. if it would only be a little faster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaft Posted July 20, 2005 Author Share Posted July 20, 2005 I know you were talking about desktops. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amygdala Posted July 20, 2005 Share Posted July 20, 2005 g4 or motorola 74xx as its proper name is is just simply very old! technology, equivalent to amd k7.. that's how old it's. 300747[/snapback] Well, I don't think age has anything to do with it... The instruction set of a G4 is *much* better suited for graphics and sound processing, so there. My challenge stands The word "equivalent" scratches my cornea - the processors and the architecture they are settled in, are completely different. Right, the G5's are cool, but unfortunately too hot for laptops :| - anyway, I'm not too sad. My ooold G4 (measely 667 MHz!!) does the job, and plenty more -A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traveller Posted July 21, 2005 Share Posted July 21, 2005 apparently apple will update ibook series any day now.. and also low power consuming g5 seems to exist.. but will it ever make it to powerbooks before mactels? who knows.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj mylo Posted August 2, 2005 Share Posted August 2, 2005 Shaft.... check this out. It's an article about Powerbooks from Computer Music. Old, but good - they still talk about the G3 powerbook, but there is some cool insight into the laptop and Powerbook world. They did a test! They ran Logic on a G3 powerbook with 24 tracks of audio, plus 16 virtual instruments and it coped... not bad eh?! But they did say it was bad for direct recording... CLICKY I still want one. mmmmmmmm..... EDIT: just found this too: CLICKY2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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