10th Nov 2004
Review Apple Power Mac G4
The Apple Power Mac G4 offers a blend of style and power, but for a price. The Power Mac G4 comes with dual 1.25 GHz processors and 512 MB of RAM, upgradeable to 2 GB. It also features the Apple SuperDrive, which combines a DVD-R and a CD-RW drive. A 120 GB Hard Drive should be sufficient for all but the most extreme needs, and the included ATI Radeon 9000 Pro graphics card provides excellent graphics and gameplay.
The dual 1.25 GHz PowerPC processors provide more than sufficient power for video editing and 3D gameplay. In fact, Apple claims the G4 can run professional applications such as Photoshop up to 90 percent faster than a 2.53 GHz Pentium 4 based PC. The 2 MB of L3 cache provide fast data access and application speed. The included iMovie video editing software is easy to use, but not powerful enough for professional use.
The G4’s built in graphics card offers dual display support and superior gameplay. The 2 FireWire ports and 4 USB ports (including those on the keyboard) are sufficient for most needs, but the lack of a Zip drive can be an inconvenience when transferring files. The inside of the computer is easy to access for upgrading.
The Power Mac G4 is a very fast and elegant computer, and is ideal for people with high-end computer needs. However, the $3,300 price tag (monitor not included) will put this computer beyond many people, so there are also lower-priced models (867 MHz $1.699 and 1 GHz $2,499). The Apple iMac is also a good choice for Mac users looking for a less pricey option.