Apple Introduces New PowerMac G5 Systems

[Kent Pribbernow]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.apple.com/powermac/' target='_blank'>http://www.apple.com/powermac/</a><br /><br /></div>Apple today announced new PowerMac G5 workstations which offer faster clock speeds, though not the long promised 3GHZ and beyond range. The new G5's come in three configurations; 1.8GHz, 2GHz and 2.5GHz. Priced at $1,999, $2,499, and $2,999 respectively. The machines come pretty well speced, with 900mzh-1.25GHZ frontside bus, 512K L2 Cache, expandable memory up to 8GB, 8x SuperDrives, and nVidia GeForce FX 5200 Ultra video cards as standard features. No one can accuse these bad boys of coming up short on the performance curve, that much is certain.<br /><br />However, I am somewhat troubled by the new price scheme. Is Apple pricing its desktops for the zealot market? PowerMac's keep increasing in price with every product refresh. Prior to this release you could purchase a G5 starting at $1,799. Before that, a G4 system cost under $1,499. Now you have to drop down two grand to walk away with one these computers. Why are prices constantly going up? Apple is the only vendor in the PC industry that doesn't lower prices to stay competitive. No wonder Mac desktop sales are in decline. <br /><br />The same situation is happening with the iMac line as well, with an entry level model starting at $1,300...but the next step up from that unit is an $1,800 machine? What happened to the $1,400-1,500 price bracket? It seems Apple is using the dependancy Mac users have on their products to inflate revenues, which is perfectly sound business strategy..in the short term...but could have potentially devastating long term effects as businesses that use PowerMac systems may eventually be foreced to move over to the PC side in order to save money in hardware costs.<br /><br />Time for Apple to become aggressive with its product pricing. Macintosh marketshare is continuing to decline, and if we don't start seeing some real growth, the Mac platform will fade into irrelevance. <br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/g5.jpg" />

[foldedspace]

It's like the Alienware segment of the Mac market. Face it, the 'Switch' campaign didn't work. The target market for new machines are only the pros who use them for video editing or whatnot, and the non-PC consumer. Actually the only 'switch' that's going on, is a move in education from Macs to much cheaper PC's in the classrooms. That doesn't bode well at all for Apple.

[James Fee]

Hmm, I guess the 3mhz model isn't ready. I was hoping that they would release it, since I'm in need of a new Mac. :(

[Kent Pribbernow]

Hmm, I guess the 3mhz model isn't ready. I was hoping that they would release it, since I'm in need of a new Mac. :(

Wait until June 28. Rumor has it Apple will introduce a G5 powered iMac. And I'm betting that's why there is blank spot in the $1,500 price bracket in Apple's product matrix. I may upgrade from my lowly old 15" 700MHZ G4 iMac.

[Suhit Gupta]

Hmm, I guess the 3mhz model isn't ready. I was hoping that they would release it, since I'm in need of a new Mac. :(
:) I am guessing you meant 3GHz there? :)

Yeah, pretty much everybody is ranting about the fact that neither the 3GHz, nor any new laptops were announced.

Suhit

[Mojo Jojo]

... a move in education from Macs to much cheaper PC's in the classrooms...

I think that point is actually a misconception. While the initial price point is cheaper the cost of supporting the PC labs is much higher then Macs. Over a period of time the tech support to fight viruses, maintain equipment, current and new licenses costs, etc...

There have been some interesting stories written by schools that have switched over to PCs and regret making the decision.

Your milegae in these studies may vary but for opposing view points here is a good link with multiple cross references to other schools and teachers experiences;

http://www.macvspc.info/

[James Fee]

Hmm, I guess the 3mhz model isn't ready. I was hoping that they would release it, since I'm in need of a new Mac. :(
:) I am guessing you meant 3GHz there? :)
LOL, yea. I'm sure my watch runs faster that that! :lol:

[Kent Pribbernow]

With all due respect, I give little credibility to these thinly veiled Mac fan sites that pretend to be legitimate ROI analysis between Mac and PC in education. Take anything they say with a grain of salt and a shot of Whiskey.

[foldedspace]

I work in the IT Department at a rather large school district (over 90 schools and admin buildings) and we have very few Mac schools left. Initial cost is the only thing that public schools care about, as any support will be handled by the vendor under contract and failing that (which often happens), our IT department, which is already 'paid' for. Administrators are most interested in moving up the ladder and they get a gold star if they go with the lowest bid on equipment. Nobody gets a raise or performance bonus for lowering support costs over a 5 year period.

[Mojo Jojo]

With all due respect, I give little credibility to these thinly veiled Mac fan sites that pretend to be legitimate ROI analysis between Mac and PC in education. Take anything they say with a grain of salt and a shot of Whiskey.

Then I guess Gartner Research (http://www.macobserver.com/article/2002/06/13.9.shtml), Gistics Studies (http://web.archive.org/web/19990127142718/macweek.zdnet.com/mw_1127/op_decade.html), IDC (http://www.hubster.com/apple/whymac/idc-tco-white-paper.pdf), IBM research (http://web.archive.org/web/20010701024113/http://www.ecomstation.com.au/execgde.htm), PC World (http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/os/windows/story/0,10801,71690,00.html) are all Mac Zealots.

Or straight from the respective companies...
A single NT server Microsoft service call costs $195. A year of Apple support for their high-end X-Serve server only costs $255 (This includes 30 minute response, 24/7 by senior technical support staff via telephone and email, as well as four-hour onsite response during business hours...)

All the news stories of fortune 500 companies increasing IT support budgets, spending millions of dollars to fight just one or two major viruses... some how PC schools don't have this cost? They do, and these 'Zealot' sites, a.k.a. professors and teachers from the schools speaking about their schools and costs must not know what is happening in their own school.

I don't want to turn this into a Total Ownership Cost debate, the thread is about the G5 release. Yes I am disappointed, I would have liked to see a 3 ghz mself and lower costs.

[Kent Pribbernow]

Then I guess Gartner Research (http://www.macobserver.com/article/2002/06/13.9.shtml), Gistics Studies (http://web.archive.org/web/19990127142718/macweek.zdnet.com/mw_1127/op_decade.html), IDC (http://www.hubster.com/apple/whymac/idc-tco-white-paper.pdf), IBM research (http://web.archive.org/web/20010701024113/http://www.ecomstation.com.au/execgde.htm), PC World (http://www.computerworld.com/softwaretopics/os/windows/story/0,10801,71690,00.html) are all Mac Zealots.


Is this research material current? Because many such studies quoted by Man fanboys often date back to 1996.

[Mojo Jojo]

Just how many times and how much money do you purpose people spend on a 5 year study? Some of the links I posted are from 2002. Yes some are from further back. And to answer the next question, yes some are sponsored by Apple (What you though Microsoft/Dell/HP/etc would spend money AND publish a report saying their competition was better?)

Look, I am not going to change your minds. Posting reports from other people and research firms will not change your mind. I am also not a research firm so I can only go off work from other people. If no one posts any materials supporting the other side of the discussion this is all for nothing. I am debating and discussing against opinion, a losing battle.

[Mojo Jojo]

Here is my last post... take it for what you will.

Go to any internet search engine. Your choice, mine is MSN.

Type 'Cost of Windows' and preform the search. Read the results.

China, India, South America, third world countires who have little invested in Windows all say the same thing. Professors, business, the US, the European Commission. Cost of windows is too high. Maintance is too high. Other operating systems are cheaper to maintain. All Zealots.

Beautiful day out... think I am going for a walk. Good day folks.

[klinux]

MSN is your search engine? Man, you just lost all your credibility here! :)

I am just kidding....

Getting back on topic. I am very disappointed with this update. I have a 2002 G3 iBook. I prefer to buy a G5 because of personal opinion against G4 (performance/price ratio, narrow bus, etc). However, what is up with the $2000 low-end G5 that ships with only 256MB RAM and 80GB HD and a 64MB video card? No BT, no wireless?

In addition, calling the heatpie on the dual 2.5ghz "liquid cooling" is a slight exaggeration. Sure, there is liquid involved but when I hear liquid cooling, I think of active liquid cooling and not the passive heatpipe.