I'm new to Macs really, I've had an iBook G4 for about 18mths.

I'm starting a uni course this year in photography, and I need something that will be able to handle photo manipulation (although my ibook does that ok so far) particularly Aperture, but that also has a lot more HDD space, and some ability to be upgraded if I need it to.

I had a look on the apple website, and a new PowerMac with student discount was somewhere around $3500, I'm wondering if perhaps a 2nd hand G4 would do the same job?

Thanks!

Aaron

Aperture will run like a donkey on a G4.

You really need something like a G5 or an intel mac (Aperture runs OK-ish on my MacBook Pro....but I prefer lightroom anyway which runs smooth as silk).
What kind of budget do you have?

Bartron

Keep in mind that you can actually DOWNGRADE the Mac Pro from the Apple store... saving a fair bit of cash in the process. A slow Mac Pro = better for Aperture than the quickest G5.

my budget isnt particularly huge.. if i could get something for under 1K that would be nice.. but i may have to seek some finance or something to get a powermac from apple.com.au

I'd look for a secondhand 17" Intel iMac. That may be possible to pick up at around $1000 - $1200.

Any dual G5 should be up to it, as well as any new Intel Mac. They'll all be a lot faster & better at photo manipulation than the iBook G4.

Have a look at some of these clearance sales:

http://www.nextbyte.com.au/nbbestbuys.html

http://www.compnow.com.au/

http://maccentre.com.au/runout-specials-c-78.html

You won't get much for under $1000. Under $2500 - and now you're talking.

Pick up an Intel iMac with the X1600 video card (not the Intel GMA 950 video) - Aperture works fine on it
Any machine you buy though, GET 2GB OF RAM - I cannot stress that enough.

Also check out Capture One if the price of Aperture has got you down.

If your budget is under $1K, then you'll either have to settle for a Mac mini or ebay.

pipsqeek

If you buy rom DJ's tyou can try applying for their 18 month interest free deal...on a 4K Mac Pro that works out to be about $225 a month (including the monthly fee of $2 or whatever it is these days).

Bartron

thanks guys.. looks like i'll need to increase my budget a little!

I had considered an intel imac, probably I could get one for a lot less than a new powermac.. my only concern is the storage capacity - but I suppose I could always connect an external firewire hdd or something like that yeah?

I actually work at DJ's I had considered finding what I wanted, and checking the staff discount on it, and we've got 5 yrs interest free at the moment, but I don't qualify for a DJ's card (! !)

Of course. Very easy and cheap to do.

Mac Pros are really only for very specialised use. An iMac will do the job 90% of the time and be much cheaper.