G5 vs G4?

What if any advantages would there be for me to wait for the new G5 to come out. I mostly need a computer that will run HD, I am not too big on soft synths but even a fast G4 can run a few nice big softsynths or samplers correct? Can any of you suggest reasons as to why I should wait or if I should just get a G4 and make the move? For instance, how noisy are the dual 1.25s?

patience young jedi... I would wait until pt jumps to the g5 with ver. 6.2 HD then you'll probably have the system that will be the fastest and most stable and most importantly, it will last for a few years. just my 2cents

The G4's are end of the line technology (hot running chips pushed to the brink, requiring lots of cooling). The G5's are the beginning of a whole new line, with serious new engineering on practically every level. If you've gotta have something today, then go with a G4. If you can afford to wait, by all means, hold out for a G5. Certainly, don't snap up a G4 because it's a good deal. Lee Blaske

The MDD series is the biggest pile of SH#+ apple has ever produced. It blows me away that after paying top dollar for one of these I have to invest additional 300 bucks in third party solutions to get this mac to a reasonable noise level. In addition the noise in the audio outputs is just a bloody joke. How can companies get away with such bull.....This product is DEFECT yet they have no solution for the motherboard grounding problem. They are trying to hurry over to the new generation (wonderful I might add) and hope that the complete failure of the MDD series will be forgotten quickly. I have never been so disappointed with an apple product as I have been with my MDD Dual gig. For that matter I have never felt so screwed by a company PERIOD after having bought their product as I have with this mac. If you get a G4 find one before the MDD series to tie you over until you can make the jump to G5. Peter

FWIW, If stability is one of your main concerns, and you need a system to work now, not in 4-6 months, see if you can find a 1.42GHz Dual G4. The current G4 is the last one in the G4 production cycle, as free from first-run production problems and compatibility problems as it gets. OK, some has noisy fans (not the 1.42 by the way), but so what. You wouldn't want to place any computer or other equipment with fans near your mixing station anyway. Same things with cars, really...the last one in a model production cycle will most likely be more dependable than the first batch of new models. Ford Mondeo, anyone....? I think the G5 will be a tremendous improvment, but I also think it might take a little while to sort out bugs and incompatibilites. If you need a working machine now; buy a G4. If you can afford to wait and don't mind having some downtime due to bugs or incompatability (I'm not saying there will be any!!!); wait for the G5 (or maybe he next batch of G5's). Stein Tore

Very good points, I'd buy a G4 now and hangout until they've been building the G5 a while. I'm running HD in a dual 1.25 G4 FW800 and It's working just great. I've never found any limitations. Mine lives behind glass doors next to the power supply for the Neve so noise isn't an issue. The final generation of G4s is very quiet though.

One other thing to consider is the G5's loss of a PCI slot. I'm currently running a mix-3, need SCSI and don't feel like buying an expensive PCI expansion chassis (which may not be compatible with the G5's anyway) so I'll be sticking with a 4 slot G4.

Performance in OS X on Firewire and IDE with Protools kicks SCSI. There are serious driver problems with OSX and Atto. Now with Firewire 800 that kicks SCSI out the door even more. With the new Protools PCI-X cards (double HD card DSP) coming out and G5 performance 3 slots will be more than enough. Sell you SCSI stuff now while you still can! G5 all the way.