Amazon.com Product Description

As the most affordable products in the entire Apple roster of desktop computers, eMacs are not intended for sophisticated applications where power and versatility are paramount. They are, however, just fine for general day-to-day tasks such as word processing, personal finances, Internet surfing, e-mail and contact management. They’re also small enough to fit comfortably on virtually any desk or table, no matter how cluttered it might be. This model, the eMac Desktop 17-inch M9252LL/A, is the entry-level eMac and therefore the most basic desktop Apple manufactures.

Driven by a 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor and an ATI Radeon 7500 graphics chipset with 32 MB of dedicated DDR SDRAM memory, the eMac Desktop 17-inch M9252LL/A sports satisfactory front-end speed and enough 3-D drawing power to handle midlevel games and 3-D rendering applications. Its 128 MB allotment of RAM memory is considered the bare minimum in today’s desktop world and should be upgraded if you intend to multitask or run processor-intensive tasks. Fortunately, the unit will allow up to 1 GB of RAM.

Like all eMacs, the eMac Desktop 17-inch M9252LL/A sports a unique and conveniently space-efficient one-piece design. Inside, Apple has incorporated an adequate 40 GB hard disk, a DVD/CD-RW drive through which you can burn audio CDs and watch your favorite DVD movies, smallish stereo speakers, and a surprisingly generous 17-inch glass-tube CRT (not LCD) display.

Connectivity options include a 56K modem for dial-up communication, a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet chipset for high-speed network and Internet interaction, an expansion slot for wireless networking, two FireWire 400 ports (commonly used for transferring data to and from digital camcorders), and five USB 1.1 ports for external devices such as joysticks and scanners. Potential customers should note that the unit is not equipped with new high-speed USB 2.0 ports. Nor does it support DVD burning. An Apple keyboard and Apple mouse complete the hardware picture.

Bundled software includes Mac OS X, World Book 2003, Quicken 2004 Deluxe, and an impressive range of multimedia utilities and games. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Nice Machine, and the Price Is Right
I have setup and worked quite a bit with this Apple product, although this is not my everyday machine. In short, this is a nice computer, and non-geek users will love how easy it is to setup and use for most tasks.

I would especially recommend this computer for novice computer users or those who are simply fed up with the routine torture of working with older Windows machines.

However: I strongly recommend upgrading the amount of RAM and considering the model with CD-RW (in case you're considering purchasing a used eMac.)

I love the eMac!!!!!!
The eMac, by Apple,is astonishing!!! I love the screen resoution and is alot better than the regular desktop. The hardrive is actually in the monitor, which makes it a space saving machine! The superdirve(More expensive) is what I use. The amazing flat screen, makes it easy to veiw DVD and listen to CDs. iTunes and iLife are absolutly amazing. This group of thing makes the eMac a great computer of the future.

Easy to use and very capable
I written reviews for these eMacs before and most of what was said is still true. It is a great starter machine for those interested in trying out Apple's computers (and the nearly crashproof/ viris-free OS/X operating system). Don't buy this machine if you expect to upgrade it later. The processor is not swappable. You can expand the memory, add an Airport wireless network card (still the easiest and the standard the other networking companies can only aspire to), and put in a bigger hard drive. That's about it. However, there's not a whole lot you NEED to add.

Apple gives you a speedy G4 processor (don't be fooled by it's low by comparison to Intel MHZ rating), a large hard drive, built in 10/100 ethernet, built in 802.11b/g wireless networking capability, built in modem, built in good (not great but good) graphics card, built in stereo sound with internal front mounted speakers, an excellent 17" CRT monitor, industry standard FireWire/USB ports, a keyboard, and a mouse. Cheaper PCs are just that. You get what you pay for.

Software includes the unbelievably great OS/X operating system, the iLife suite of digital tools (iMovie 4, iDVD 4 (This machine does not have a DVD burner, so while you CREATE DVD projects, you can't do anything with them), iTunes 4, iPhoto 4, and my new favorite GarageBand) that all work together almost like a single software suite, AppleWorks (get MS Office if a discount is available, it's much better than AW), and a couple of games to get you started.

If you're worried about file compatibility with your Windows friends, don't be. With the exception of AutoCad (There are CAD programs that have file compatibility, but they typically are not as full-featured. And besides, you don't buy an eMac for CAD anymore than you would use a cheap Dell for CAD!), there are either the same or equivalent software available for everything except games. If you want to play games, buy a frigging PlayStation! OK, that's the good. Now the bad.

Apple doesn't give you enough memory to really use this machine to its potential. Get another 512 megs. If you get involved with digital video (which takes up LOADS of hard drive space), shop around for an external FireWire drive. If Apple's way of easy digital video is what you're looking for, you may want to pay a little more to get the SuperDrive (DVD burner). You may need an analog to digital converter as well for your older video unless your DV camcorder has a passthrough. The eMac also does not have any USB 2 (USB 1.1 only) ports. So you cannot use USB 2 external devices (They will only run at USB 1.1 speeds). Also, I recommend getting QuickTime Pro (30 bucks) from Apple. I recommend as well Erica Sadun's terrific iMovie book that helps you use iMovie to its fullest. Lastly, Apple has G5 processors that are starting to make their way through their lines (Towers already here, portables within the year, consumer machines probably within 2 years). The eMacs will still be great machines, but will lag behind whatever Apple has coming out soon. Unless you need something right now, you may want to wait until then unless they discount them heavily. They're still worth what you pay now however.

Behind the times
This system has spec way too low for today's software. Why buy something you will have to replace next year? Step up to something with more memory and a faster cpu (for example you need 128MB *just* to load office!). You will be sorry if you order this system.

A joy to use - a must for the budget concious switcher
After coming into a tidy amount of money, I decided that it was time to make the switch. Coming over from a Pentium II 233, that switch was quite a relief. The price of the eMac was what attracted me to it, and i didn't share some people's opinions that it was 'ugly' (especially given that i was used to a beige, yellowing windows tower).

Setup
I put out the order to Apple UK (I'm a Brit, folks) it took around two weeks to arrive. When it came, it arrived at my campus post room and i'm very glad that i had help in carrying it back to my room as it came in a huge box and was very heavy and bulky - a point to note if it's not going to arrive straight to your door. It came very well packaged with a nice new Mac smell to it, everything in its own cosy polystyrene compartment. Again, beacause of the weight, i would suggest getting a friend to help you set things up.
One thing i did notice, unpacking, was the lack of manuals (a very thin OSX manual and ditto the eMac manual, proper). Ignoring the manuals i set it up, heaving the monitor section onto my desk (it is heavy, but very comfortable / ergonomic to lift). Setup is very easy! Glancing at the manual, i was left with a setup that left very few wires dangling around the back. Because of this, i was able to free up a whole 4 - way multi-plug adapter that i had used to plug in my pc's speakers, monitor etc. It is also very usefully has all the USB, Firewire, connectors located at the side.
Once setup, installing the OS X was also very easy, and after filling in my name, basic preferences etc, the system was up and running. This was also when i enjoyed the CD drive - a button on the keyboard ejects and closes the CD draw, and it does so in a very satisfying motion.

Mouse & Keyboard
The keyboard has a great, light and springy action to it, even better than the Microsoft Office keyboard i had been using. The keyboard itself is remarkably compact and makes for a setup that is ideal for users with limited desk space. The mouse plugged into the keyboard is also impressive. The one button, clear plastic mouse is easy and comfortable to use, and you get used to not having a right=click button. However, it must be said that the surface of the mouse is a hot-spot for picking up grime, so you need to wipe it every now and again. The underneath of the mouse picks up grime too, and although it is an optical mouse (wheel-free) it can get a bit scratchy, when it glides across a smooth surface when it is grimy. If you're coming over from a PC, it may take you time to get used to the fact that the mouse only has one button and no scroll-wheel, but you could also buy a new mouse if you didn't get used to it. The keyboard, as well as controlling the cd drive, also controls volume, which is very handy.

Monitor
The 17" monitor is a true flat screen and provides as good an image as i have seen on any monitor. I have it set at 1152 x 864, which provides a nice screen size at a very comfortable 80-mhz refresh rate. The whole -monitor / computer section of the eMac , despite being 17" takes up very little space on a desktop, more like having a 15" monitor or something similar. I have not seen any reason the get the (overpriced) swivel and tilt stand that you may have seen, as on a normal desk, the setup of the monitor is fine at the level that it is at.

Speakers
This is perhaps the downside of the package. Whilst they are clear in terms of sound quality (though a little shy on bass) they do cause problems at high volumes. Certain MP3s cause the sound to distort, and when it does so, the screen gives off slight ripples (only slight) though these are not terrible noticeable and it only affects the area above the speakers (darker colours emphasize the effect). I am not going to get new speakers, happy with playing mp3s at a medium volume (more than enough), but if you plan on using the emac as your default music player, consider new speakers.

Performance
The 1ghz G4 is of ample speed. It sound low, but seems to run quicker than Pentium chips in the 2ghz range. OSX never slows down, even after playing demanding games (you would often have to restart your computer after playing games in Windows). I upgraded the 128mb of Ram (painfully low) to 640mb, as whilst the actual operating system ran ok with the stock memory, running multiple applications would slow it down (though it is surprising that OSX runs with so little RAM). With the extra RAM, the computer flies, and i have never experienced slowdown (though i only use the web, word processing and games) The graphics card (a 32mb ATI card) is ok with most games (Age of Mythology works very well) but newer games (Unreal Tournament 2004) don't really work , but we are talking about games that have barely been released. I was satisfied with this, as I don't play many games, but this is not a gamer's machine. Not being able to upgrade the graphics card may cause some concerns.

Software

I'm not going to go into this in too much detail, as this is a review of the hardware. What i will say is that, as a switcher, OSX is excellent. As well as being great looking, the layout of folders and processes such as uninstalling programs are so much better thought out on the Mac. All Macs come with all the software most users would want, offering great mail / internet / media programs as standard. The word processor is the only thing that annoys me. Appleworks is not in Microsoft Office's league, but is fine for most users. One thing i will say, however, is that the viewing size of the text is often too small, and the program fits awkwardly onto the desktop. It can do footnotes, justified text etc, so it is fine for essays, though. Using OSX is a pleasure, where as using windows always seemed like a chore. Put simply, the Mac makes computing seems friendly and easy to use, which it is. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Affordable, easy to use and surprisingly diminutive, Apple's new eMac series of desktop computers meshes well with situations where space is at a premium and the user is not necessarily a computing expert. It is therefore a particularly good fit in the elementary or high school classroom. In fact, Apple has designed the system with this function in mind. The mid-level model of the eMac roster is the eMac Desktop 17" M8950LL/A, a smartly priced yet capable unit that's ready for the unique conditions of a multi-user educational environment.

Driven by a 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processor and an ATI Radeon 7500 graphics chipset with 32 MB of dedicated DDR SDRAM memory, the eMac Desktop 17" M8950LL/A sports plenty of front-end speed and satisfactory 3D graphics capabilities. Its 128 MB allotment of RAM may be a bit light for some purposes but can be upgraded to one full GB. Surprisingly, Apple has managed to equip the system with a generous 17-inch flat CRT display screen while adhering to the space-efficient exterior dimensions of its popular 15-inch-CRT-based iMac.

The eMac Desktop 17" M8950LL/A features a variety of data handling options, including an ample 60 GB hard drive for file and data storage, a DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drive through which the user may burn audio and archival CDs and play DVD's (DVD writing is not supported), and a pair of high-speed FireWire 400 ports and five traditional USB 1.1 ports for interaction with peripheral devices such as scanners and digital cameras.

E-communication support includes a standard 56K modem, a 10/100BASE-T Ethernet port and an 802.11 wireless connection (with the addition of Apple's AirPort Extreme card). Prospective buyers should note that the eMac permits the operation of Mac OS 9 in Classic mode and integrates with most existing printers and scanners. Bundled software includes Mac OS X, World Book 2003, Quicken 2003 Deluxe, and a broad range of powerful multimedia utilities. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Switched and how!
My wife is a translator who works at home and I am a freelance writer, teacher, and programmer. We both have used PCs for a LONG time. Her Win 98SE machine was never great and between the lock-ups and random shutdowns never really let her work comfortably. She had even adapted a habit of saving after every line of translated text so as not to lose too much when it crashed. Anyway, her computer was getting on in age and we started thinking about a replacement. I had an XP Home machine but it wasn't too hot either with all it's nasty security bugs (I fought for 8 hours with some internet anonymous who was controlling my system with MS_Blast). I finally secretly settled on an eMac birthday gift. She didn't need the gaming power of some Wintel boxes and other than Word and the internet didn't need much at all. The eMac was nicely priced and once Office v.X was installed had everything she needed to go right on working. To be safe I also bought Virtual PC 6.1 and replicated her old Win 98SE system on her eMac right down to the installed software and quantity of RAM. It took me less than 4 hours to get everything setup (multi-OS network, digital camera, printer, ADSL line, etc.) and I didn't encounter a single problem through the entire process. I was stunned. After more than a decade of fighting with PCs to make them work it was shocking for a computer to just do what it was supposed to do when I wanted it to. Simply elegant. The eMac has worked perfectly with my PC and her old PC on the network and she has had no compatibility problems after having "switched". After 5 months of ownership she is delighted and I am converted. Regardless of the fact that my PC is only a year old I'm pitching it in the garbage where it belongs and buying a Mac. To be able to work with your computer instead of on it is a thing you can only expect from a Mac and so I'll never touch a PC again if I don't have too. If you're reading this you are probably considering "switching" and with the new Macs I'd highly recommend it. They work well with the Windows world but allow you to laugh at it's problems (which you'll never experience). Only caution is to be careful that your system is in good shape when you take it home. I had read that some of the early releases of the eMacs and PowerBooks had some glitches. They were fixed for free but it's still frustrating. We've had no such problems.

ditch your PC and get an emac
For the same standard features, you will pay a bit more for an Apple, but as any Mac user will tell you, you get what you pay for. Now you can get this great system for a budget price. Unless you need the absolute fastest processor, or have your heart set on a flat-panel display, this is the best deal around. You'll need to get a better mouse (true for any Mac), and it could use some extra RAM, but other than that, this has everything the average user needs.

Terrific user-friendly computer.
A recent user survey in PC magazine identified Apple computers as the most reliable and easiest to use computers currently available. Yes, most people use Windows-based PCs, but do you want to be another member of the PC herd -- with all of the problems and frustrations presented by Windows-based PCs -- or are you looking for a computer which is user friendly and seldom crashes? If ease of use and reliability are more important to you than being one of the crowd, please seriously consider buying an Apple. Since the eMac is Apple's least expensive computer, it's a terrific way to enter the user-friendly world of Apple computers at a very reasonable price. And don't be concerned about the processor speed, this is a very fast computer. The 1 GHz G4 processor is roughly equivalent to a 2 GHz Pentium processor. If you're willing to try something off the beaten path, you'll love this computer.

Perfect
The perfect computer for fresh PC converts, for computer beginners, for people on a budget. This computer has everything you'll need and will last you for years!

Amazing
I have been a fan of Apple my whole life and when this emac 1ghz came out I wanted one so bad.The emac 1ghz would roughly compare to a pentium 4 2.oghz.And they have also uped the graphics card and it's at a great price.So if you are looking for an inexpensive computer with great features and performance. Then the apple emac 1ghz is for you. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

The Apple Power Mac is the reigning king of multimedia desktops, and for good reason. High-speed FireWire connections, a SuperDrive that can read and write bothDVDs and CDs, great graphics--what more could you ask for? The Power Mac is alsoappealing as a high-end business computer or even a gaming desktop. Thetechnical specs are nothing short of mouthwatering: an 867 MHz PowerPC G4processor, 60 GB hard disk drive, and nVidia GeForce2 MX graphics card. It comeswith 128 MB of memory standard, but with support for up to 1.5 GB and itseasy-access case design, memory upgrades are easy. Like all Power Macs, thismodel includes blazing 1 Gbps Ethernet networking and a 56K modem. The systemcomes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slick new Mac OS X installed. A17-inch Apple TFT flat-panel studio display monitor is also part of thiscomprehensive bundle. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An Unbeatable System!
I have had an iMac for three years and just now needed to replace it because I've started doing graphic and web design. Nothing comes close to the power and elegance of the Mac platform. It's easy to use, has a ton of power for graphics programs and is THE platform of choice for design professionals. I can't recommend this system highly enough for people who are doing graphic design, web design, video editing or multimedia development. The SuperDrive lets you burn your work onto CDs or DVDs to show clients. You can easily upgrade the graphics card if you do video rendering. Installing extra RAM (which is a must) is easy to do yourself by just opening the side panel and popping the RAM into the DIMM slots.

The stability of the operating system and its intuitive user interface make this set up so far beyond anything the Wintel world has to offer that anybody who needs a great computer to do graphics, web design and/or video editing should definitely get this machine. ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

With a leap in processing power, next-generation 3-D graphics, and MacOS X pre-installed, the latest 800 MHz PowerPC G4-equipped Power Mac is designedto put your workflow into fast forward. Included in this package is Apple's17-inch TFT flat-panel monitor, making it an even more complete multimediapowerhouse.

The system's graphics performance is off the charts, with hot new graphicsprocessors and dual display support. The ATI Radeon 7500 delivers rivetingeffects, with fluid motion and photorealistic 3-D images. The GeForce4 MX, aphenomenal graphics processor with 64 MB of on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR)memory, pumps out 1.1 billion textured pixels per second to kick your projectsinto overdrive.

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large filesacross your LAN at previously unheard-of speeds, a 56K modem, an AirPort Cardslot, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports, and four USB ports (two on the computer, twoon the keyboard). Incidentally, FireWire, PCI expansion (four full-length,64-bit, 33 MHz PCI slots with 215 Mbps throughput), and Gigabit Ethernet areintegrated directly into the main system controller, reducing latencies andproviding superior I/O performance.

This Power Mac comes with a 40 GB, 7,200-rpm Ultra ATA hard disk drive and three3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for up to two internal ATAdrives, three internal SCSI drives, or a combination of two ATA drives and oneSCSI drive for a total of 232 GB of internal storage.

The 108-key Apple Pro keyboard features full-size cursor keys for those timeswhen you want to zip up, down, and sideways to race through image retouchingtasks, change direction in games, or jump from place to place in a document. Italso gives you 15 full-size programmable function keys, so you can assign asingle keystroke to quickly launch a favorite application, execute a command, oropen a particular project file. The Apple Pro keyboard also comes with full-sizekeys for Page Up and Down, Home and End, Insert and forward Delete, plus aconvenient Eject key for ejecting CDs or DVDs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

It just keeps getting better
From the moment this system arrived at my doorstep, there was something about it that said "quality." Apple must be working with some top-notch packaging designers, because every detail of this machine (right down to the box and protective styrofoam) has been given serious thought. As I was unpacking the machine, I found myself as excited as a child opening Christmas presents. The out of box experience was amazing.

Setup was easy and straightforward. I was surprised by how large the 17" display was, as it looked more like a 19" CRT display (the resolution is 1280x1024, so it is pretty much the same screen size). Turning on the computer was a joy...a welcoming animation and walk-through setup process ensured that I was up and running in no time.

One thing to note was that this system boots up in OS X. After registering and filling out the necessary information to go online, I then had to fill out a similar form after booting up in OS 9. This was slighty annoying and definitely repetitive, but until Apple gets enough product support for OS X, I suppose users will have to go through this.

The machine itself is stylish and suprising smooth-looking. I had an older Power Mac G4 at work that was more textured in appearance (vertical lines), so to me this looks almost plain. But to be honest, I think I prefer this newer design as it blends in better with the rest of my setup. The CPU sits nicely at the floor of my desk and because the LCD screen has two USB ports, I'm able to plug in the mouse and keyboard there.

This G4 is packed with software: iTunes, iMovie, iDVD, and iPhoto, as well as a collection of third-party titles. The machine is very snappy and feels fast in all the applications I've tried. It boots up in less than a minute (bye-bye coffee break) and I'm already using the built-in dual display feature. ...As a side note, I opted for the free super-saver shipping (which takes 5-9 business days) but suprisingly received the machine the next morning! Thanks Amazon! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

G4 Macs ROCK!
I find it very difficult to read the words of the PC "faithful" who just don't get the big picture. PC's are a lame excuse for Power and Usability. Windows is an antiquated spinoff of MacOS 7. That's just on the software side. This G4 dual processor has plenty of speed and power. Add a Virtual PC package and it runs 95% of all Windows software (depending on the version of windows you select). On top of that, I have all my former PC documents and they save rather nicely on the Mac.

The future, my PC friends, is OPEN SOURCE. No more monopoly for Microsoft, and watch the prices fall! If it weren't for Apple's existence, Do you really think the PC manufacturers would sell boxes at the margin levels that they are? Not a chance, they would rip you off. What keeps them at bay is the threat of an alternative platform. Think about that, before you focus your energy on the PC's low prices. Get inside and check out the corners they cut to put a PC in every home!!

Now, tell me again about all the integrated software that a box maker puts in your PC system? Tell me about the mysterious PC crashes, or windows crashes that have become a standard on the WINDOZE platform? If one of my apps crash, I don't have to reboot my system, just restart the app. Or, if an App freezes, I can Force Quit and restart the app. OS "X" rarely freezes. In fact, my machine has been running now for 8 months since I last shut it down.

Apple will continue to "change the world" one user at a time. Someday, you'll be thankful that they did.....

Wake up, smell the obsolete processor on your PC.
I. Hate. P.C. Users. Who. Put. Down. Apple. Because. It. . Has. A. THEORETICALLY Lower MHz. There's more to a CPU than the clockspeed: I mean, for one, who needs a 4.4 GHz Wintel With 30 USB 2.0 ports? Plus, the PC's processor (oooooh, it's a pentium 4 (i didn't capitalize "pentium" because it hardly deserves to be considered a proper name))may theoretically be better than, say, a veteran such as the omnipotent G4. The p4 (what sounds better: p4 or G4, think about it) may be a bigger water tower (metaphors!) but your letting it come out through a bendy straw (more metaphors!) A G4 may be a smaller water tower, but it's comiknbg out through a 3-foot pipe. Am I the only ne who recalls where Firewire came from? APPLE! iLink a) steals a lower case "i" from iPod and iBook. It's just another example of Microsift, Dell, IBM, and all their Wintel honchos being too lazy to figure out their own stuff and grifting it off Apple. And that hoopla about Apple's graphic's? It might not be the hardware, just the fact that your Mac doesn't want to play an inferior Wintel game. If your thinking "well, PC's are still cheaper", well, your right. But hey, in today's world, you get what you pay for!

AN ACTUAL OWNER REVIEW HERE IGNORE THOSE PC LAMOS
It's amazing to me that after all these years the anti-Mac (read windows users) establishment continues to be brainwashed. There are a couple of one star reviews here from PC owners, not owners of this Mac system or ANY Mac system for that matter. I can tell you this: I have used Macs since day one, AND I have used Windows machines for years. The Mac was a better computer 18 years ago and it is today and will continue to be. One reviewer mentions the various firewire ports, USB 2.0, video card, hard drive, yadda yadda ports etc...on the PC that for some reason he thinks are better (hello? who coined the term firewire and MADE it mainstream, not Microsoft or Dell) -- ask that same person how seemless it all is, how it really is NOT plug and play and how completely horrifying WindowsXP is because most of your old software will not be compatible! Ask any Windows user how easy it is to troubleshoot their machine and they'll tell you to ask their PC support guy who charges $95/hr. There is a bit of a premium for a Mac, yes. But always remember that you are buying the ONLY fully integrated hardware+software system in the world that's easy for a layman and pure sophistication for the UNIX geek. Go Man and you won't look back.

A work of art, but a lousy computer
Check out the benchmarks before you buy - this dual G4 can't beat a single CPU P4 (and you could buy 3-4 P4s at this price). Of course it doesn't help that it come with a GeForce4Mx (which is just a GF2 with a new name). Don't try and play the latest games on this thing, the frame rate is too low.

Of course if you just love the Mac and you have money to burn then buy, buy, buy.

The rest of us live in the real world and expect real numbers to add up. Of course Apple is afraid of the truth so they stopped submitting to Spec.org (the only platform independent benchmark, it is used by IBM, Intel, AMD, Mips, Hitachi, Toshiba, Alpha, etc... but Motorola or Apple stop submitting results years ago).

beautiful but frustrating
This is an aesthetically gorgeous system, hardware and software alike. I have the 22" Appple display, and it's an amazing thing to work on, as pretty as a picture. OSX is visually an improvement on the older OS, but it's even more condescending and authoritarian. If you're a Windows user you'll be contiually thwarted in your attempts to have things you're own way. But that's Apple, so you already know what you're in for.

My biggest concern is that current applications are very buggy. I've had more trouble in one week than in the 10 years previous. Software supposedly OS native runs on my G4 Powerbook but not the dual processor PowerMac; HP printer support is dodgy at best; even the stuff like Final Cut Pro and DVD Studio Pro--produced by Apple itself--needs fixes and/or immediate upgrades. The support pages of these manufacturers can barely keep up. Adobe has already mailed me a new cd for InDesign (which still didn't work) and now I'm waiting on a new fix they're just now trying out.

So there's frustration. However, eventually things will sort themselves out, and we'll be left with a powerful machine that can do just about anything you'd ask of it. ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

With a quantum leap in processing power, ultraefficient systemarchitecture, next-generation 3-D graphics, the revolutionaryDVD-R/CD-RW-burning SuperDrive, and Mac OS X, the dual 1 GHz Power Mac G4 isdesigned to put your workflow into fast forward. Included in this package isApple's 17-inch TFT flat-panel monitor, making it an even more completepowerhouse.

The dual 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processors--with a combined performance of 15 billionfloating point operations per second, or 15 gigaflops--put this fearsomely fastPower Mac squarely in the lead as the ultimate high-end graphics workstation.The first Power Mac to blast through the 1 GHz barrier, the new twin-engined G4runs professional applications like Adobe Photoshop up to 72 percent faster--andcrunches digital video over 300 percent faster--than a 2 GHz Pentium 4-basedPC.

The system's graphics performance is off the charts, with hot new graphicsprocessors and dual display support. The nVidia GeForce4 MX delivers rivetingeffects, with fluid motion and photorealistic 3-D images. The GeForce4 MX, aphenomenal graphics processor with 64 MB of on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR)memory, pumps out 1.1 billion textured pixels per second to kick your projectsinto overdrive.

Faster-than-light processor speed gets an additional boost with an advancedcache memory architecture that provides ultrafast, dedicated memory withmassively enhanced throughput. Accessing data from main memory is significantlyfaster than accessing data from the hard drive, and in these two models thesystem architecture takes this concept one step further with an even fasterlevel of memory called L3 cache. The L3 cache uses 2 MB of high-speed DDR SDRAMrunning at up to 500 MHz--boosting processor function by providing fast accessto data and application code at speeds of up to 4 gigabytes per second(GBps).

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large filesacross your LAN at previously unheard-of speeds, a 56K modem, an AirPort Cardslot, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports, and four USB ports (two on the computer, twoon the keyboard). Incidentally, FireWire, PCI expansion (four full-length,64-bit, 33 MHz PCI slots with 215 Mbps throughput), and Gigabit Ethernet areintegrated directly into the main system controller, reducing latencies andproviding superior I/O performance.

This Power Mac comes with an 80 GB, 7,200-rpm Ultra ATA hard disk drive andthree 3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for up to twointernal ATA drives, three internal SCSI drives, or a combination of two ATAdrives and one SCSI drive for a total of 232 GB of internal storage. And sincethe SuperDrive-equipped Power Mac comes with iDVD 2, you can burn data CDs andDVDs--with point-and-click ease--to archive your work minutes after you takeyour new system out of its box. With up to 4.7 GB of storage capacity on asingle optical disk, this Power Mac will never run out of space for yourideas.

The 108-key Apple Pro keyboard features full-size cursor keys for those timeswhen you want to zip up, down, and sideways to race through image retouchingtasks, change direction in games, or jump from place to place in a document. Italso gives you 15 full-size programmable function keys, so you can assign asingle keystroke to quickly launch a favorite application, execute a command, oropen a particular project file. The Apple Pro keyboard also comes with full-sizekeys for Page Up and Down, Home and End, Insert and forward Delete, plus aconvenient Eject key for ejecting CDs or DVDs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Most Reliable ans Effecient Computer Yet
Mac has by far out done themselves when it comes tomaking a desktop computer suitable for everyone. with millions of things to do, additionals, and amazing graphics, the quicksilver is superb. If youhave a pc, you might want to think about changing. Stop looking at these cheaop deals by dell, look at Apple for a computer that will last you forever. ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

Power Mac desktops are an expensive choice if you're looking for amainstream system--we'd recommend an iMac to most consumer buyers--but if youneed a graphics or multimedia powerhouse, they're hard to beat. This modeloffers a 733 MHz PowerPC G4 processor, 128 MB of memory (expandable to 1.5 GB),and a sizable 40 GB hard disk drive. The graphics card is a speedy nVidiaGeForce2 MX. The system's CD-RW drive can write at speeds up to 12x, and likeall Power Macs, this one comes with 1 GBps Ethernet, USB, and FireWire ports.There's a 56K modem, too. Both the classic Mac OS 9 and the newer Mac OS X areinstalled, so you can try both and choose the one that works best for you. Alsoincluded in this package is Apple's 17-inch TFT flat-panel studio displaymonitor. ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

With a quantum leap in processing power, ultraefficient systemarchitecture, next-generation 3-D graphics, the revolutionaryDVD-R/CD-RW-burning SuperDrive, and Mac OS X, the dual 1 GHz Power Mac G4 isdesigned to put your workflow into fast forward. Included in this package isApple's 15-inch TFT flat-panel monitor, making it an even more completepowerhouse.

The dual 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processors--with a combined performance of 15 billionfloating point operations per second, or 15 gigaflops--put this fearsomely fastPower Mac squarely in the lead as the ultimate high-end graphics workstation.The first Power Mac to blast through the 1 GHz barrier, the new twin-engined G4runs professional applications like Adobe Photoshop up to 72 percent faster--andcrunches digital video over 300 percent faster--than a 2 GHz Pentium 4-basedPC.

The system's graphics performance is off the charts, with hot new graphicsprocessors and dual display support. The nVidia GeForce4 MX delivers rivetingeffects, with fluid motion and photorealistic 3-D images. The GeForce4 MX, aphenomenal graphics processor with 64 MB of on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR)memory, pumps out 1.1 billion textured pixels per second to kick your projectsinto overdrive.

Faster-than-light processor speed gets an additional boost with an advancedcache memory architecture that provides ultrafast, dedicated memory withmassively enhanced throughput. Accessing data from main memory is significantlyfaster than accessing data from the hard drive, and in these two models thesystem architecture takes this concept one step further with an even fasterlevel of memory called L3 cache. The L3 cache uses 2 MB of high-speed DDR SDRAMrunning at up to 500 MHz--boosting processor function by providing fast accessto data and application code at speeds of up to 4 gigabytes per second(GBps).

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large filesacross your LAN at previously unheard-of speeds, a 56K modem, an AirPort Cardslot, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports, and four USB ports (two on the computer, twoon the keyboard). Incidentally, FireWire, PCI expansion (four full-length,64-bit, 33 MHz PCI slots with 215 Mbps throughput), and Gigabit Ethernet areintegrated directly into the main system controller, reducing latencies andproviding superior I/O performance.

This Power Mac comes with an 80 GB, 7,200-rpm Ultra ATA hard disk drive andthree 3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for up to twointernal ATA drives, three internal SCSI drives, or a combination of two ATAdrives and one SCSI drive for a total of 232 GB of internal storage. And sincethe SuperDrive-equipped Power Mac comes with iDVD 2, you can burn data CDs andDVDs--with point-and-click ease--to archive your work minutes after you takeyour new system out of its box. With up to 4.7 GB of storage capacity on asingle optical disk, this Power Mac will never run out of space for yourideas.

The 108-key Apple Pro keyboard features full-size cursor keys for those timeswhen you want to zip up, down, and sideways to race through image retouchingtasks, change direction in games, or jump from place to place in a document. Italso gives you 15 full-size programmable function keys, so you can assign asingle keystroke to quickly launch a favorite application, execute a command, oropen a particular project file. The Apple Pro keyboard also comes with full-sizekeys for Page Up and Down, Home and End, Insert and forward Delete, plus aconvenient Eject key for ejecting CDs or DVDs. ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

When it comes to multimedia desktop systems, there is just no beating the Apple PowerMac. High-speed FireWire connections, a SuperDrive that can read and write bothDVDs and CDs, great graphics--what more could you ask for? The Power Mac is alsoappealing as a high-end business computer or even a gaming desktop. Thetechnical specs are nothing short of mouthwatering: an 867 MHz PowerPC G4processor, 60 GB hard disk drive, and nVidia GeForce2 MX graphics card. It comeswith 128 MB of memory standard, but with support for up to 1.5 GB and itseasy-access case design, memory upgrades are easy. Like all Power Macs, thismodel includes blazing 1 Gbps Ethernet networking and a 56K modem. The systemcomes with both the classic Mac OS 9 and the slick new Mac OS X installed. A15-inch Apple TFT flat-panel studio display monitor is also part of thiscomprehensive bundle. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Absolutely a MUST for the mac lover
Extremely clean cut look with its powerful performance really made become the mac believer. A must have for everyone ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Won me over .... again
I use a windows machine at my office but I've always had a Mac around at the house. It was time to buy a new machine and I thought it might be time to "go Windows" but then I saw the G4 at an Apple store. WOW. The easy of use of iMovie and iPhoto made me do a double take. You won't know how easy and powerful this machine is until you use it. The tools like iDVD, iPhoto, and iMovie are amazing. The kids all want Macs now (oldest son has a 1.2Ghz PC) so they too can do all the cool stuff. Pair this up with iTools....WOW. I look forward to coming home to use my Mac having used my windows XP machine all day.
My rebate came back quickly and I've had NO trouble with the machine what so ever.

The best digital hub on the market
...The primary reason I purchased this computer is because I was never really happy with what I was able to do with my DV Camcorder. It shot pretty good video, but short of plugging it into my TV there was little I could do to share what I shot. I've had an iBook (2001 dual USB, 500mhz G3) for a year now, and have always been very impressed with its digital video editing capabilities (iMovie is awesome), but after editing the video, all I could really do was burn the video on a CD as a Quick Time movie. While the QT movies worked well and looked good on the computer, they really did not offer the quality look I was looking for at full screen, and required a computer with Quick Time for play back. The Power Mac G4 933 seemed like the perfect solution. With its DVD Superdrive (writes DVD, CD-R, and CD-RW, reads DVD and all CD media) and additional iDVD software it seemed like the perfect solution. I really have to say that thus far it has really lived up to what I expected. When I purchased my G4 it had a faulty Superdrive (would not read DVD's). After speaking with Apple's tech support, and taking it to my local Apple Retail store (in ten years, this was the first Apple computer I ever had to take in for servicing), I had it back in two days with a new Superdrive and it has worked perfectly. The quality of the video once converted to MPEG-2 (the standard used for commercial DVD players and movies) is beyond what I expected, and playback has been without a hitch on home DVD players. A word to the wise: the DVD's may not be recognized by old cheap DVD players (a cheap 4 year old GE DVD player would not recognize the disc). Over all, this is the answer to anyone's dream that never thought they would be able to edit quality video for play back on home DVD players on their computer.

This is also one very fast machine. Most PC users will scoff at a 933Mhz processor, but while Mhz does matter more then Steve Jobs wants the world to think, you really cannot compare a G4 to a Pentium 4. The system architecture and operating systems are very different. Suffice to say, it you're running OSX this computer will fly. I've been running OSX on my iBook ever since version 10.1 came out (about 7-8 months now) and can honestly say that it (the OS) has NEVER crashed on me. Very, very stable.

As far as games go,it runs very well (although many hardcore PC gamers may not be happy with the average frame rates I get in Quake 3-about 90FPS with the stock GeForce4MX and 512MB of ram, 32bit color and textures, and all quality setting at the highest setting, and 1024x768 resolution). Return to Castle Wolfenstein runs smooth as silk and looks gorgeous. Unlike many of today's PC's, all desktop Macs (excluding iMacs ofcourse)have 4xAGP slots so you can always upgrade your graphics cards.

Despite the faulty DVD superdrive (and especially since it only took Apple two days to replace it) I can recommend this computer with a clear conscience. For those interested in photo editing there is a down side. As anyone that uses OSX knows, the printer drivers need allot of improvement, however, switching back and forth between OSX and Classic is painless, so when you need to print photos just do it in Classic.

To hell with Microsoft, get a Mac
When I first told my wife that we should dump our WINtel machines for an Apple, she thought I finally went off the deep end. She had become very trained by Microsoft and remembered what Apple was like about in the mid 80s. And then I took her to the Apple Store at the West Farms mall in Hartford.

What caught my eye about Apple this time around was the fact that Mac OS X in FreeBSD UNIX with some eye candy on top. You can BURN CDs and DVDs, make MP3s, hook up your digital camera or video camera, and edit photos right out of the box. If you're familiar with Linux, you know what a challenege this can be.

The Mac OS X comes with its own firewall and is pre-hardened. The average homer may not care too much about security, but this really _nice_ feature caught my attention.

Warning - GeekSpeek: If you're a hardcore UNIX person, like myself, you will appreciate that FreeBSD is part of Mac OS X. NFS, NIS, Samba -- all UNIX commands and features are right here at your fingertips. You have 8 shells to pick from. Shell scripts, perl, and python will run with no modifications. And, even though Apple doesn't mention it, that SuperDrive does DVD-RW also.

Remember when you were first introduced to Windows. You had quite a learning curve to go through. With Apple, you also have a learning curve, but not as bad as you think. Actually, it was quite fun and easier.

People are under the impression that Apple is incompatible with everything. NOT TRUE. In the past, Apple use to be proprietary but they have managed to do a 360, and now Microsoft is incompatible with the world.

If you need MS Office, the Office version for Mac OS X will blow you away. Redesigned from the ground up, Office for Mac OS X does things you will never see in Windows. The WINtel platform can't support these features.

Overall, I've been extremely happy with this machine. The speed will blow you away. I haven't had a single driver issue -- none. I haven't had to worry about security patches or service packs. And graphics, it makes HDTV boring!

My wife lives in front it nowadays. I have to schedule time to use the machine. We've started buying CDs in bulk because she's constantly burning music CDs to take on trips, for when she goes walking, or exercises. She can hook up the digital camera, Apple automatically downs the pictures, allows immediate editing, and she can drop them in an email in 10 minutes. She burned her first DVD yesterday. She hooked up the video camera, Apple automatically downed the pictures, presented them for editing (with NO ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE NEEDED), and in 1 hour she had a really cool DVD to distribute to family and friends.

To me, the nicest thing about Apple is that I don't get phone calls at work from my wife complaining about Blue Screens of Death, or having to reboot the machine because it locked up.

If you still have doubts after reading this review, do yourself a favor and go to an Apple Store. They'll let you play with the machines, surf the Net, play with the iPod, digital cameras, etc. If you want to see a demonstration, they'll do it. When we visited, we interrogated the poor salesperson for 1 hour with an intense round of Q&A. I was impressed that Apple sales people weren't condescending towards my wife. I can't tell you how many times I've seen PC people do that, and in front of me.

Once you go Apple, you'll wonder why you didn't make the transition sooner.

I'm a PC Convert! Mac Forever!
I have used and tinkered with PCs all my life, but have hardly touched (let alone owned) a Macintosh. When the new iMac was announced I was greatly excited to get a Mac with a Superdrive and flat panel system for such low cost! Then I found out the waiting list was over a month and I was hungry for a new computer now.

So, I purchased the G4 933 with a 17 inch Flat Panel display so with rebate the price isnt bad at all for what you get, which is alot! G4 933 GHz processor, Superdrive, lots of RAM, big 60 GB hard drive, tons of expandibility.

First of all, the speed and power of this system blew my mind! Although you cant directly compare PCs to Macs, I can just tell you Applications open in a snap with Mac OS X running at 933 MHz, when they would still be churning away with the hourglass on XP with 1.5GHz Pentium. The computer is soooo easy to use, I plugged in my digital camera and my Sharp DV camcorder, and boom! I can do anything with them with no hassle of drivers or learning complicated software. iMovie and iDVD are two of the best applications I have ever used, combine this with a Superdrive and you'll be putting out low budget movies in your spare time! This computer was enough to convert me from my PC to using this Mac almost exclusively, and it will do the same for you I guarantee! ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

With a leap in processing power, ultraefficient system architecture,next-generation 3-D graphics, the revolutionary DVD-R/CD-RW-burning SuperDrive,and Mac OS X pre-installed, the latest 933 MHz PowerPC G4-equipped Power Mac isdesigned to put your workflow into fast forward. Included in this package isApple's 22-inch TFT flat-panel monitor, making it an even more completepowerhouse.

The system's graphics performance is off the charts, with hot new graphicsprocessors and dual display support. The nVidia GeForce4 MX delivers rivetingeffects, with fluid motion and photorealistic 3-D images. The GeForce4 MX, aphenomenal graphics processor with 64 MB of on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR)memory, pumps out 1.1 billion textured pixels per second to kick your projectsinto overdrive.

Faster-than-light processor speed gets an additional boost with an advancedcache memory architecture that provides ultrafast, dedicated memory withmassively enhanced throughput. Accessing data from main memory is significantlyfaster than accessing data from the hard drive, and in these two models thesystem architecture takes this concept one step further with an even fasterlevel of memory called L3 cache. The L3 cache uses 2 MB of high-speed DDR SDRAMrunning at up to 500 MHz--boosting processor function by providing fast accessto data and application code at speeds of up to 4 gigabytes per second(GBps).

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large filesacross your LAN at previously unheard-of speeds, a 56K modem, an AirPort Cardslot, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports, and four USB ports (two on the computer, twoon the keyboard). Incidentally, FireWire, PCI expansion (four full-length,64-bit, 33 MHz PCI slots with 215 Mbps throughput), and Gigabit Ethernet areintegrated directly into the main system controller, reducing latencies andproviding superior I/O performance.

This Power Mac comes with a 60 GB, 7,200-rpm Ultra ATA hard disk drive and three3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for up to two internal ATAdrives, three internal SCSI drives, or a combination of two ATA drives and oneSCSI drive for a total of 232 GB of internal storage. And since theSuperDrive-equipped Power Mac comes with iDVD 2, you can burn data CDs andDVDs--with point-and-click ease--to archive your work minutes after you takeyour new system out of its box. With up to 4.7 GB of storage capacity on asingle optical disk, this Power Mac will never run out of space for yourideas.

The 108-key Apple Pro keyboard features full-size cursor keys for those timeswhen you want to zip up, down, and sideways to race through image retouchingtasks, change direction in games, or jump from place to place in a document. Italso gives you 15 full-size programmable function keys, so you can assign asingle keystroke to quickly launch a favorite application, execute a command, oropen a particular project file. The Apple Pro keyboard also comes with full-sizekeys for Page Up and Down, Home and End, Insert and forward Delete, plus aconvenient Eject key for ejecting CDs or DVDs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Dream Digital Audio/Video/Photo System!
I never seem to stop being amazed at the Apple user experience. I have this system, with the addition of another 512 Megs RAM and an external 40 Gig Firewire drive (scratch disk for video), as well as other peripherals. It is a sheer joy to use this machine. People used to PCs just need to get to a local Apple store and see what I'm talking about to understand. You can accomplish most things with a minimum of keystrokes. To import photos into the elegant iPhoto album, I connect the camera and press one button. To order prints, I can do it within the same program! To rip music from CDs, I press one button in iTunes, and using the same program synchronize over 2000 songs onto my iPod MP3 player just by plugging it in!! Making digital video movies is a cinch with iMovie/iDVD, and there is just something cool about putting your movie on a DVD disc to give to your family to view on a regular DVD player.

As far as the hardware is concerned, what really sets this machine apart is the degree of expandability, and its ease. Sure, go look at that high-end Sony desktop. When you look at the way they're set up, you'll see that most of the PCI slots are actually filled with modems and network cards. The sweet thing here is that Gigabit ethernet, a modem, Firewire, USB are all built into the MOTHERBOARD. That means that you actually have 4 FREE PCI slots, and obviously the AGP slot. PLENTY of room to expand. 3 internal hard drives! And actually opening the case requires ZERO tools; just lift the latch and the side of the machine folds down, revealing all the insides, even while the machine is still on! Talk about slick!!

As far as the monitor is concerned, it is TOP-NOTCH. Super-bright screen, and my eyes can look at it for hours without strain. Great visibility from all angles.

This system may cost a lot, but you really do get what you pay for, and more!... ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're looking for the ultimate graphics, multimedia, or publishing system, this dual-processor Power Mac could be the ticket. Its two 800 MHz PowerPC G4 processors put an astounding amount of computing power at your fingertips, and its standard 256 MB of RAM is expandable to a generous 1.5 GB. An 80 GB hard disk drive offers plenty of room for space-gobbling graphics and multimedia, and the built-in SuperDrive lets you read and write both CDs and DVDs. The graphics card is an nVidia GeForce2 MX that can simultaneously support both a Mac and PC (VGA) monitor. USB, FireWire, gigabit Ethernet, and modem ports are all standard. The system includes both Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X, plus Apple software like iDVD that lets you edit your own movies and burn them to a recordable DVD disc. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Got OS 10.1 & above? Look no further for your perfect Mac!
I've had the Dual 800 since early September, and it's amazing how quick it is under 10.1 -- forget just wondering about programs optimized for dual processors, the OS itself will take great advantage of this model's dual PowerPC system. Everything executes quickly, from program opening (most at a single "bounce") to printing (I hardly tap the "enter" key and my printer is reacting).

Cram it with RAM (dirt cheap these days) and pair it with an Apple Cinema Display, and you've got the ultimate modern Macintosh. There is no Mac available (as of October 30, 2001) that is better than the Dual 800.

The lost star is in the very minor details...
I have been a Mac user for 14 years. My first experience on a Mac was with an SE that was doctored up to have two floppy drives AND a 20 megabyte hard drive. It was sweet.

Save one brief stint at a crappy post-college temp job, I've been lucky to be able to work on Macs my entire computing life. Sure, I now run Windows in a window on my desktop, but given the alternatives (full fledged Dell+XP misery), I'm pretty fortunate.

Now, this here machine is a fine, fine computer. As Apple's mid-range professional desktop, it can handle pretty much anything you can throw at it with ease. To take full advantage of the potential of the G4, you really need to be able to work natively in OS X. As the applications I rely on to do my job (Photoshop, QuarkXPress, Illustrator) are released for OS X, I look forward to being able to eliminate the Classic (OS 9.2) environment from my computing life.

This is a machine that is designed for graceful using. It is easy to upgrade and maintain (much better than that old SE I once loved), easy on the eyes, and (of course) easy to use.

All of that said, this is not the computer to buy and put in your home so that your kids can do their homework and you can watch your stocks. Most people would have more computer than they required with even the entry-level iMac or iBook. This is a computer for serious users (or people who like fancy things on their desks at home) who require/desire the power that's available in this box.

Up the RAM (it's cheap and if you need this machine than you need it with more RAM) and go for the at least the 17" Apple Studio Display.

It's a shame that the drive writes only at 8x. I know, I know, the cost of producing a Superdrive that burns CD-R at 24x is likely too high to warrant. I still want it...

Works great
We have 3 of these that we use for our college newspaper. They work great because each one has zip drives in them and we don't have to worry about the format of the disk. We can just take the disk from computer to computer, which makes sharing and transferring graphics much easier.

One problem that I seem to have is, being used to my HP Pavilion, I will click on the X on the left, but I forget to close the program. After crashing the computer a few times, I learn my lesson.

Bad Computers
Mac user for 6 years bought 2 dual 800 end of Sept. and within in a month both machines had processors replaced. Started to work on them again and the logic board went out. Apples respones to this was give me 2 more 800, NO THANK YOU! After a couple of weeks delay were not going to chance it and Apple says to bad. Guess the attorney is going to make some money.

Schwing!
I've had this baby for about 4 months now... what a delight. Adjacent to my G4 is a Dell 1.3ghz Pentium III. The clock speed means nada. I fire them up at the same time each morning and about a full minute after the Mac is busy opening applications for me, the Pentium is just starting to show the icons on the desktp. As chip architecture gets improved, you're going to see the Win-Tel crowd also saying that "clock speed doesn't matter" because newer Intel chips will be rated at 300mhz, but be faster than the 1.3gig P3 chips.

To compare a Mac and a Wintel machine is like comparing a pick axe to a chainsaw. Each have their uses, levels of complexity and levels of simplicity.

The dual processor won't do you a heck of a lot of good if you never use OS X. Only a couple of OS 9 apps utilize the dual processors.... OS X is all over that bad boy.

For now, I still work 90% of the time in Classic mode, but this machine still sings. I haven't had one lock-up or crash since I bought this computer. The standard keyboard has been improved and fits normal human adult hands. The power key on the keyboard has been replaced by an eject key, and next to that are "volume up," "volume down," and "mute" buttons for quick volume access.

The CPU is beautiful, stylish and easy to carry. The built-in speaker is classy and delivers decent sound for an internal speaker.

If you're a grahic artist, designer or web developer, this is the machine for you. Using programs like Photoshop and Illustrator in a Windows environment is just clumsy and awkward... graphics programs are meant to run on a Mac.

This is also the best choice for those wanting to create their own movies, CDs, mp3 collections and DVDs. No extra hardware or software to buy... just plug in your camcorder, CD or mp3 player and go! Easy, trouble free, and Koko the Gorilla could add RAM to this machine... no screwdrivers... just open up the latch and snap in your memory. This is the best computer I've ever used. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Pricey...But You Definately Get What You Pay For!
If you've got to have the very top of the line, then you have to get this bundle. With it's dual processors, huge hard drive, and one of the best displays that you can get for Mac or PC, this is the ultimate bundle.

One of the greatest features of this bundle is the included DVD burner. Along with the iDVD software (which comes with this,) it's the perfect way for both ametuer and professional video makers to create DVDs with ease.

And this bundle also includes Apple's popular iMovie and iTunes software, along with the new OS X.1.

There are only two things that keep this bundle from being have a five star rating. One, it's a little pricey. Two, the 17" display is beautiful, but it can't hold a candle to the 22" widescreen display that Apple has.

Still, if you are home video maker, or editing video professionally, you can't get much better than this set. ... Read more

From the Manufacturer

With a quantum leap in processing power, ultraefficient systemarchitecture, next-generation 3-D graphics, the revolutionaryDVD-R/CD-RW-burning SuperDrive, and Mac OS X, the dual 1 GHz Power Mac G4 isdesigned to put your workflow into fast forward. Included in this package isApple's 22-inch TFT flat-panel monitor, making it an even more completepowerhouse.

The dual 1 GHz PowerPC G4 processors--with a combined performance of 15 billionfloating point operations per second, or 15 gigaflops--put this fearsomely fastPower Mac squarely in the lead as the ultimate high-end graphics workstation.The first Power Mac to blast through the 1 GHz barrier, the new twin-engined G4runs professional applications like Adobe Photoshop up to 72 percent faster--andcrunches digital video over 300 percent faster--than a 2 GHz Pentium 4-basedPC.

The system's graphics performance is off the charts, with hot new graphicsprocessors and dual display support. The nVidia GeForce4 MX delivers rivetingeffects, with fluid motion and photorealistic 3-D images. The GeForce4 MX, aphenomenal graphics processor with 64 MB of on-chip Double Data Rate (DDR)memory, pumps out 1.1 billion textured pixels per second to kick your projectsinto overdrive.

Faster-than-light processor speed gets an additional boost with an advancedcache memory architecture that provides ultrafast, dedicated memory withmassively enhanced throughput. Accessing data from main memory is significantlyfaster than accessing data from the hard drive, and in these two models thesystem architecture takes this concept one step further with an even fasterlevel of memory called L3 cache. The L3 cache uses 2 MB of high-speed DDR SDRAMrunning at up to 500 MHz--boosting processor function by providing fast accessto data and application code at speeds of up to 4 gigabytes per second(GBps).

You also get the benefit of built-in Gigabit Ethernet for shooting large filesacross your LAN at previously unheard-of speeds, a 56K modem, an AirPort Cardslot, two 400 Mbps FireWire ports, and four USB ports (two on the computer, twoon the keyboard). Incidentally, FireWire, PCI expansion (four full-length,64-bit, 33 MHz PCI slots with 215 Mbps throughput), and Gigabit Ethernet areintegrated directly into the main system controller, reducing latencies andproviding superior I/O performance.

This Power Mac comes with an 80 GB, 7,200-rpm Ultra ATA hard disk drive andthree 3.5-inch hard disk drive expansion bays--with support for up to twointernal ATA drives, three internal SCSI drives, or a combination of two ATAdrives and one SCSI drive for a total of 232 GB of internal storage. And sincethe SuperDrive-equipped Power Mac comes with iDVD 2, you can burn data CDs andDVDs--with point-and-click ease--to archive your work minutes after you takeyour new system out of its box. With up to 4.7 GB of storage capacity on asingle optical disk, this Power Mac will never run out of space for yourideas.

The 108-key Apple Pro keyboard features full-size cursor keys for those timeswhen you want to zip up, down, and sideways to race through image retouchingtasks, change direction in games, or jump from place to place in a document. Italso gives you 15 full-size programmable function keys, so you can assign asingle keystroke to quickly launch a favorite application, execute a command, oropen a particular project file. The Apple Pro keyboard also comes with full-sizekeys for Page Up and Down, Home and End, Insert and forward Delete, plus aconvenient Eject key for ejecting CDs or DVDs. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Way overpriced
Wow,

For this much money you could buy two better quality Sony flat panels and two dual P4 or Athlon systems and have change left over for software. And they would be faster! Give me a break, Apple needs to join the real world. This is why I gave up on Macs - Apple just wants to rake in the cash. They are as bad a monopoly as Microsoft - no competiton so they charge a bundle and deliver poor performance.

Simply.......Amazing
Wow, what is better than this; Mac OS X (built-in), the best operating system ever made (even better than windows XP), a great monitor (22 inches), with gorgeous resulution, and the protection of AppleCare, the best way to get help for your Mac. This is definitly one of the best computers ever made by America's most well run computer company. Choose this great package over any PC or Dell, plus for what you get the price rocks!!!!

A wonderful system.
- The 22 Cinema Display is great. Large working space, easy on the eyes, and awesome look.
- The Dual 1Ghz G4, used with Mac OS X, is the ultimate system. OS X is super stable, combining the power of UNIX (and its large amount of software available), and the class and ease of use of the Mac GUI.
Try this config and you will never go back to Windows (or Linux).

Do not get any macs!
If you want preformance, speed, programs and most importantly money, look no further than a PC. Macs are costlier, and this particular Mac, a 1 GHz processor (There are PCs running at 2.2 GHz) is one of the slowest computers out there, when I went over to my friend's house, I started running some tests, speed and such, and found that my 950 MHz was faster in the porformance tests I submited it to. I also found I could not play my games because it would not support a Mac, the games that are only for Macs had no storyline, bad graphics (integrated) and were boring. Pretty plainly, if you want to get something for your money, get a compaq, an HP, a Vaio or a Gateway, all very good companies (and better technical support) and get it with Windows XP home or prefessional.

PowerMac G4 Dual 1GH w/22 Cinema Display
Words can't adequately describe the phenomenal user experience when you combine the Apple Powermac G4 Dual 1GH with the Apple 22" Cinema Display.

The PowerMac G4 Dual 1GH offers a quantum leap in processing power, an ultra-modern system architecture, high performance 3D graphics, and the abiltiy to burn your own DVDs with the DVD-R/CD-RW-burning SuperDrive.

If you're looking to make a statement that you are flat serious about being as productive as you can with your computer, then look no further than this sytem. The dual 1GHz PowerPC G4 processors - with a combined performance of 15 billion floating point operations per second, or 15 gigaflops - put this blazingly-fast Power Mac G4 squarely in the lead as the ultimate high-end graphics workstation. No Windows PC comes close to offering this level of pure computing power.

The 22-inch (diagonal) Apple Cinema Display offers you a near - panoramic view - wide enough to see two full A4-size pages of text, with ample space left over for your menus, video clips, tool bars and palettes. Absolutely untouchable quality.

If you are considering upgrading your existing Mac or switching from a PC platform, then look no further. You will be absolutely stunned with the performance and capabilities of this combination. ... Read more