Shortly After My iMac G5's Warranty Expires, My G5 Goes on the Fritz

I purchased my G5 in April of 2005 with the 3-year Apple Care warranty. It was my first Apple. I loved it. I proselytized it. I celebrated its elegance, its incompatibility with viruses, its high-grade materials. How was I rewarded? Two months after the warranty expired, the screen progressively got fuzzier and fuzzier, at times freezing up and at times prompting a warning sign instructing me to shut off the computer.

I called Apple Tech Support and was told the estimated repair of the screen would be $1,000. The cost of the new Intel iMac starts at $1,200. 

This is a huge bummer. I planned on keeping my G5 for 5 years before replacing it. But now that won't be possible. 

I ordered a new Apple today. I upgraded the RAM and hard-drive and got the Apple Care package. With tax and free shipping, the cost was $1,500. 

As a promotion I got a free (after I fill in the online rebate) $300 iPod Touch with 8 gigs. 

As I wait for the computer (latest arrival is July 2), I will attempt to post from my wife's computer and reply to comments. I imagine posts won't be as frequent or robust and comments will be signed "Carrie," even though it will be me. 

Call me crazy but I plan on keeping the new iMac for 5 years. Unlike the previous Mac, this one has an Intel chip and I have to assume the screen has fewer glitches than the old one. But I'm not betting my life on it. 

Comments

[Cyril]

Sorry to hear about your computer problems. Apple reliability is probably not the worst in the business, but certainly not up to what it is claimed to be.

For us it has been a mixed bag. Our family eMac is 5.5 year old, severely outdated performance-wise, but still our main computer. My 3 year old iPod mini is still going strong despite all the stories about weak batteries, etc. that one can read all around the internet. My main disappointment has been my work laptop, a 15" MacBook Pro which retails in the 2500$ (CDN) area. That machine spent about 10 weeks in the shop within the first year: power button sinking inside the case, HD failure, screen buzzing (well-known bug). I should actually send it back to the shop for various non-fatal glitches, but I just need to work from time to time.

I guess it goes with macs as with radios: They are just not made the way they used to !-)

What I am considering for our next machine is a Mac Mini, so that at least some components can be swapped in case of failure (contrary to the all-in-one eMac/iMacs). But the iMac form factor is definitely sweet.

[Jeff McMahon]

The Mac Mini would be a safer buy for sure but I decided on convenience so another iMac--this one with an Intel chip--will replace my 3-year-old G5. I hope the Intel version is more reliable.