Is it worth the extra $300?

edinla43

I was looking at the new G4s and the difference in price between the $2000 1.25GHz machine and the $2700 1.42GHz machine. If you bring the 1.25GHz machine up to the same level as the 1.42GHz machine in memory, HD size, Superdrive, etc, the price difference is about $300. Is it worth the extra $300 for 1MB more of L3 cache and .17 GHz worth of processor speed?

powerdoc

[quote]Originally posted by EdinLA43:

<strong>I was looking at the new G4s and the difference in price between the $2000 1.25GHz machine and the $2700 1.42GHz machine. If you bring the 1.25GHz machine up to the same level as the 1.42GHz machine in memory, HD size, Superdrive, etc, the price difference is about $300. Is it worth the extra $300 for 1MB more of L3 cache and .17 GHz worth of processor speed?</strong><hr></blockquote>

for me yes. 1 mb more of L3 cache can make a difference at equivalent clock speed up to 5%. The difference of processor speed is 11 % the whole can make a difference of 17 % compared to a prize only 15% more. Even if you said that L3 cache is only 2 % more than a one MB L3, it will scal lineary.



Now go to the PC world, in the high end product, it does not scale lineary, but exponentially.

frostymmb

if I was faced with the choice and had the money, I'd spend the extra $300 for better performance. No, wait a minute, actually I would keep the money in the bank and wait for the 970 to make it into PowerMacs.

wrong robot

I don't think its that worth it...but if you had the money, I don't see why not get the 1.42.



personally the 1.25 is the tastiest model they have right now.

nshirkey

[quote]Originally posted by FrostyMMB:

<strong>if I was faced with the choice and had the money, I'd spend the extra $300 for better performance. No, wait a minute, actually I would keep the money in the bank and wait for the 970 to make it into PowerMacs.</strong><hr></blockquote>If you want to wait for the 970 you should probably make sure you have a Mac that will last another year and a half or so. The first generation 970 Macs will have a premium price, and if history holds true, have initial design flaws and minimum features compared to machines that will follow a few months later.



I have bought first generation Mac hardware twice, and felt burned both times (particularly the B&W G3.) It's bad enough that your new computer will always become the "old model" within months. But it is worse when you spend big bucks on a brand new design and then have to endure your machine always being listed as a one-time model ("this upgrade is not compatible with the original 2004 970 PowerMacs.")



From now on I will only buy the second generation of a new design. I am buying a new DP 1.42ghz Mac to tide me over the next 1.5 to 2 years. Of course I am going to wait until there are some credible reviews on the new 1.42 G4 (noise, hidden flaws or incompatibilities, actual performance etc.)