When is it gonna get here?

[lnp]

This might just be calling for pure speculation, but my mac desktop is aging. I've realized this more and more as I've started editing larger and larger video projects with it and its five years of age is starting to show. My question (and you've probably already guessed it) is...do we have any idea when the new intel desktops are going to come out? I've got some serious video to crunch this summer and I don't know if I can wait a few months to get a new machine.

I've got my eye on a refurbished G5 quad, but I've got a lot of reservations in buying what is already obsolete technology. And that's not obsolete in that its not the fastest zippiest thing anymore, but rather its literally being retired by the company that makes it.

Thoughts?

[dcv]

The Conroe/Core 2 Duo processor is set to ship in July from Intel, so I'm placing my guess on Core 2 PowerMacs before the end of the summer, if not the end of July. Like the Core Duo, I'd think Apple wants to be one of the first to offer the Core 2 Duo processor.

I'd seriously wait - we all know Apple's just waiting on those chips, and the PowerMac is the last PPC computer left in Apple's line. It'll be really, really soon.

[lnp]

Yeah. My only problem is that for me it'd be longer than July. First, I need to get some compositing work done like now and neither the U of R nor Rochester in general has the resources like the MLL. Second, I make it a policy to only buy the second or third hardware revision, so that'd put the purchase back to maybe September or October. I've got some extra student loan money available to me on top of my summer job funds, so I think I'll look closer at the quad G5. That machine should be able to last for the next four years that I'll be in med school and I can pick up an intel later on, once they start phasing out software for the PPC platform.

I'll let everyone know how it goes.

[fischerm]

This always comes back to: do you need it now? If you need it now, then get it now. If you can get by waiting until after WWDC and seeing what Apple's new lineup/timeline looks like then cool. I have one of the Dual 2.5s on my desk and I fully expect to get at least another 2 years out of it (its 2 years old now). While four years is a ways off, I don't think anyone is itching to provide Intel-Only versions of software anytime soon, even in 4 years there will still be a lot of PPC macs in circulation.

It is a strange time, I would say if you can figure out any way to hold off until WWDC I would, otherwise, grab the Quad.

On a side note, we got a first rev Intel iMac, and the thing is just a tank. It works like a charm.

[picch]

I'd say hold off until WWDC in July, if there is no desktop replacement by then chances are you won't see one this year

[lnp]

I actually needed the upgrade now, so I went ahead and got the quad. Here's to another four (hopefully) productive years!