HA HA yeah I forgot the ATI 4870 is only 512MB. That's a bit naughty of Apple to be their "highest end" offering. For the ATI 4850 you can get by with 512MB but the 4870 needs 1GB for really pushing pixels at 1920x1200 and of course 2560x1600...
My point. Apple is raping our wallets with the latest desktop 'updates' and then penny pinch on vram on their 'flagship' 'workstation'.
Not a games machine. *Shrugs. Semantics. Something that costs that much should be able to have a. the option to buy workstation graphics and b. push games around for fun.
*Shakes head in disgust. They aint walking the talk.
Lemon... your Sig... "You know, for a company that specializes in the video-graphics market, you'd think that they would offer top-of-the-line GPUs..."
It's weird huh, it applies as you used it in the years before these Mac Pro updates and will continue to apply in the next year (or more)...!
Lemon... your Sig... "You know, for a company that specializes in the video-graphics market, you'd think that they would offer top-of-the-line GPUs..."
It's weird huh, it applies as you used it in the years before these Mac Pro updates and will continue to apply in the next year (or more)...!
Yeah. I know it's a broken record. But so are Apple...wit their vram tightness. It's tiresome how a top company can get something like that 'wrong'.
It's disappointing. Even their 24 inch (and overpriced...) LED display has a 1900x1200 display. And that NEEDs the extra vram folks. A week ago I was inconsolable. Now? I'm resigned to it. After 10 years, I can wait no longer. I'm buying. But I'll do so with the 'taste of vommit in my mouth.' It's looking like the 2.66 quad for me...with the tactless 4870 512megger.
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
Yeah. I know it's a broken record. But so are Apple...wit their vram tightness. It's tiresome how a top company can get something like that 'wrong'.
It's disappointing. Even their 24 inch (and overpriced...) LED display has a 1900x1200 display. And that NEEDs the extra vram folks. A week ago I was inconsolable. Now? I'm resigned to it. After 10 years, I can wait no longer. I'm buying. But I'll do so with the 'taste of vommit in my mouth.' It's looking like the 2.66 quad for me...with the tactless 4870 512megger.
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
Lemon Bon Bon.
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
When the new 24 inch LED replaced the 23 inch ACD, there wasn't a price increase was there? So what makes you think the 30 inch LED will be any more expensive?
When the new 24 inch LED replaced the 23 inch ACD, there wasn't a price increase was there? So what makes you think the 30 inch LED will be any more expensive?
Just a guess. But it will no doubt be positioned as the perfect display for the new Mac pro, and we know Apple kept the line on costs there.
Only need for Windows is to play latest FPS like Crysis and Far Cry 2 -like to run 25x16 on 30" Cinema Display with settings as high as possible for visual realism...
Anandtech did a good benchmark on what it *REALLY* takes to run Crysis 2560x1600 at highest settings. Absolutely bloody ridiculous. You need at least 3 GPUs of the top, top-end GPUs before you get anything above 40 frames per second. But hey, that's 2K resolution we're talking about, beyond 1080p.
Maybe instead of getting a Mac Pro get a PC and spend that price differential to a SLI/Crossfire motherboard and a few GPUs thrown in for good measure.
For reference Quad SLI doesn't mean four GPUs, it's 2 dual-GPU cards. Two GTX295's = Quad SLI = Sweeeet.
"The problem is that many consumers will pick up a GTX 280M or GTX 260M thinking that it is the same or similar to the GTX 280, when it is actually just a 9800 GTX+."
Like I said, the GTX280 and GTX260 is just too hot and big to be any sort of mobile solution. So what they are calling the GTX280M and GTX260M are actually, <drum roll> G92 ie. Nvidia 9800 55nm's.
Nvidia's flagship great technology, that is, the GTX280 and GTX260, cannot go mobile and are jammed at 55nm... ATI will probably beat them to the punch with 40nm shipping in volume.
So. The 2nd half of 2009, it could be ATI's best ever chance of gaining dominance.
Nvidia2008. ATI2009... I am considering changing my username... \
Crysis. It's just ridiculous. Quad sli and the like.
Shrugs. A lack of 280 or x2 radeon is one thing. But to pay through the nose for a sli set up that still struggles. I still think of SLI as Niche tech.
Crysis was too forward thinking in my book. Nvidia were sandbagging with the 8xxx series for what seemed like ages. And then had the audacity to rebadge them as 9xxx just before the release of the 280 etc. Blooming cheeky company.
But not as cheeky as Apple offering crappy 120 Nvidias instead of 4850s as standard when they're dirt cheap. And don't get me started on the Vram thing when PCs for a grand get GPUs with 1 gig of vram on them.
Moan. Moan. Moan.
As for what you said...re
Quote:
Originally Posted by NShirkey
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
That may be a point. I'm willing to bet if Apple are charging £600 plus for a 24 incher...then the 30 inch LED will be in excess of £1170. The old 30 incher should be selling for less than that.
Still. I think I maybe able to get a discount... Maybe I should go for the old display..? I'm not sure. 24 inch black border? Or the old 30 incher? I've had a dream of getting the 30 incher when I got my rig.
Hmm. About a week to make up my mind. I can bet Apple will launch the new 30 incher the moment I buy the old one.
...Hmm. About a week to make up my mind. I can bet Apple will launch the new 30 incher the moment I buy the old one.
Lemon Bon Bon.
Don't worry. The moment the new 30-inch comes out there will be endless bitching on the forums about how "the old 30-inch was better", "Apple is raping us", "Apple abandoned the Pro market for good", that guy (username hiimamac will come on with his posts all in CAPS), etc. etc. etc. ...So even if you buy the "old" 30-inch right now, There will be continuing claims it is still "the best" and so on...
I don't know if that makes your decision any easier though. Maybe.
I ordered a MP octo 2.26 w/12GB RAM and the upgraded graphics board (and the wireless, and iWorks for work stuff, and Apple Care--Jeese) But I'm a happy camper!
I gave Steve a few extra bucks for the RAM, but couldn't go there for additional HD storage. I want to buy 2 1TB drives.
Any recommendations for which drives I should buy? Anyone know what Apple puts in?
Thanks!
Good news for others--I also ordered a 30" ACD, so new ones are on the way!!
I ordered a MP octo 2.26 w/12GB RAM and the upgraded graphics board (and the wireless, and iWorks for work stuff, and Apple Care--Jeese) But I'm a happy camper!
I gave Steve a few extra bucks for the RAM, but couldn't go there for additional HD storage. I want to buy 2 1TB drives.
Any recommendations for which drives I should buy? Anyone know what Apple puts in?
Thanks!
Good news for others--I also ordered a 30" ACD, so new ones are on the way!!
Congratulations!
My dual 2.66 came with a WD Caviar 640 drive. I happen to like WD.
I have two 1 TB Black Caviar drives. They cost $140 at OWC, and just about everywhere else that sells that model. The regular Caviar drives are cheaper, but not as fast.
I also have a Seagate 1TB drive that I've not used as yet because of the firmware problem, and I'm waiting for a firmware update installable from the Intel Macs to appear. Several are working on it.
Until this firmware problem is gone from the drives being sold—for sure, I won't buy another Seagate.
The Samsung F1's are very fast, but seem to be having reliability problems.
I have a bunch of older, and smaller, drives that I'm phasing out.
There are a lot of drive manufacturers out there. If you want to know about the others, ask me about any particular one, and that line. It's too much to put into one post.
That WD Caviar Blue 640 drive is great. A nearly perfect blend of speed, capacity, and price. Quiet, too.
Yes.
But you know what? The DVD drive seems noisier than it should be. Maybe the new inside design doesn't give as much damping. My dual 2 GHz G5's drive is quieter, of course, it's not the original drive.
My dual 2.66 came with a WD Caviar 640 drive. I happen to like WD.
I have two 1 TB Black Caviar drives. They cost $140 at OWC, and just about everywhere else that sells that model. The regular Caviar drives are cheaper, but not as fast.
I also have a Seagate 1TB drive that I've not used as yet because of the firmware problem, and I'm waiting for a firmware update installable from the Intel Macs to appear. Several are working on it.
Until this firmware problem is gone from the drives being sold?for sure, I won't buy another Seagate.
The Samsung F1's are very fast, but seem to be having reliability problems.
I have a bunch of older, and smaller, drives that I'm phasing out.
There are a lot of drive manufacturers out there. If you want to know about the others, ask me about any particular one, and that line. It's too much to put into one post.
New ACD's on the way? More info please!
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
Usually the WD "Blue" series drives have 16MB of cache, and the "Black" drives have 32MB. It makes very little difference, but some people want that difference.
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
The cache difference that FuturePastNow said is correct. But the Black versions have better throughput.
The cache matters on some things. There are predictive algorithms that look ahead to see what you would be wanting next, based on what you have just done. Often they are correct. The same basic idea that cpu makers use in their caching schemes.
Depending on file size, the cache can be very helpful, or a hinderance. If the files are small enough to fit within the cache, and its "guesses" are mostly right, it can speed up the performance by a considerable bit. If they are wrong, or the file is a cache "buster" (too big to fit), then it will slow things down.
When drives were considerably smaller, the 65%, or so, rule was pretty good. Two reasons. One was to use the outside of the drive where throughput is greatest (normally, the outside is used first, for this reason, automatically), and two, because as the drive gets filled up too far, files get fragmented, which means the drive heads have to bounce around getting all of the pieces.
Today, drives are much bigger, and faster. If ypu have a big library, but the individual files are relatively small, drive speed isn't too much of an issue. A fast drive today can deliver 50 to 100 MB/s. Your milage will vary, but even half of that is pretty fast for files that aren't that size.
Fragmentation isn't nearly as much as an issue either, as the drives are so large. I keep 20% free on all drives that aren't being used for large video files in editing. Photoshop scratch disks are kept open after the work is done.
Comments
HA HA yeah I forgot the ATI 4870 is only 512MB. That's a bit naughty of Apple to be their "highest end" offering. For the ATI 4850 you can get by with 512MB but the 4870 needs 1GB for really pushing pixels at 1920x1200 and of course 2560x1600...
My point. Apple is raping our wallets with the latest desktop 'updates' and then penny pinch on vram on their 'flagship' 'workstation'.
Not a games machine. *Shrugs. Semantics. Something that costs that much should be able to have a. the option to buy workstation graphics and b. push games around for fun.
*Shakes head in disgust. They aint walking the talk.
Lemon Bon Bon.
It's weird huh, it applies as you used it in the years before these Mac Pro updates and will continue to apply in the next year (or more)...!
Lemon... your Sig... "You know, for a company that specializes in the video-graphics market, you'd think that they would offer top-of-the-line GPUs..."
It's weird huh, it applies as you used it in the years before these Mac Pro updates and will continue to apply in the next year (or more)...!
Yeah. I know it's a broken record. But so are Apple...wit their vram tightness. It's tiresome how a top company can get something like that 'wrong'.
It's disappointing. Even their 24 inch (and overpriced...) LED display has a 1900x1200 display. And that NEEDs the extra vram folks. A week ago I was inconsolable. Now? I'm resigned to it. After 10 years, I can wait no longer. I'm buying. But I'll do so with the 'taste of vommit in my mouth.' It's looking like the 2.66 quad for me...with the tactless 4870 512megger.
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
Lemon Bon Bon.
Yeah. I know it's a broken record. But so are Apple...wit their vram tightness. It's tiresome how a top company can get something like that 'wrong'.
It's disappointing. Even their 24 inch (and overpriced...) LED display has a 1900x1200 display. And that NEEDs the extra vram folks. A week ago I was inconsolable. Now? I'm resigned to it. After 10 years, I can wait no longer. I'm buying. But I'll do so with the 'taste of vommit in my mouth.' It's looking like the 2.66 quad for me...with the tactless 4870 512megger.
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
Lemon Bon Bon.
Still: Apple Cinema HD Display (30" flat panel)
Lemon Bon Bon
On an aside point. Does anyone know if the 30 inch display got updated to LED as well? Or are we STILL waiting for it to be updated? I only see the 24 inch LED. I was going to treat myself to the 30 incher. But I'd like the new styling...
Lemon Bon Bon.
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
When the new 24 inch LED replaced the 23 inch ACD, there wasn't a price increase was there? So what makes you think the 30 inch LED will be any more expensive?
When the new 24 inch LED replaced the 23 inch ACD, there wasn't a price increase was there? So what makes you think the 30 inch LED will be any more expensive?
Just a guess. But it will no doubt be positioned as the perfect display for the new Mac pro, and we know Apple kept the line on costs there.
Only need for Windows is to play latest FPS like Crysis and Far Cry 2 -like to run 25x16 on 30" Cinema Display with settings as high as possible for visual realism...
Anandtech did a good benchmark on what it *REALLY* takes to run Crysis 2560x1600 at highest settings. Absolutely bloody ridiculous. You need at least 3 GPUs of the top, top-end GPUs before you get anything above 40 frames per second. But hey, that's 2K resolution we're talking about, beyond 1080p.
Maybe instead of getting a Mac Pro get a PC and spend that price differential to a SLI/Crossfire motherboard and a few GPUs thrown in for good measure.
For reference Quad SLI doesn't mean four GPUs, it's 2 dual-GPU cards. Two GTX295's = Quad SLI = Sweeeet.
http://www.dailytech.com/NVIDIAs+GTX...ticle14480.htm
"The problem is that many consumers will pick up a GTX 280M or GTX 260M thinking that it is the same or similar to the GTX 280, when it is actually just a 9800 GTX+."
Like I said, the GTX280 and GTX260 is just too hot and big to be any sort of mobile solution. So what they are calling the GTX280M and GTX260M are actually, <drum roll> G92 ie. Nvidia 9800 55nm's.
Nvidia's flagship great technology, that is, the GTX280 and GTX260, cannot go mobile and are jammed at 55nm... ATI will probably beat them to the punch with 40nm shipping in volume.
So. The 2nd half of 2009, it could be ATI's best ever chance of gaining dominance.
Nvidia2008. ATI2009... I am considering changing my username...
Shrugs. A lack of 280 or x2 radeon is one thing. But to pay through the nose for a sli set up that still struggles. I still think of SLI as Niche tech.
Crysis was too forward thinking in my book. Nvidia were sandbagging with the 8xxx series for what seemed like ages. And then had the audacity to rebadge them as 9xxx just before the release of the 280 etc. Blooming cheeky company.
But not as cheeky as Apple offering crappy 120 Nvidias instead of 4850s as standard when they're dirt cheap. And don't get me started on the Vram thing when PCs for a grand get GPUs with 1 gig of vram on them.
Moan. Moan. Moan.
As for what you said...re
Originally Posted by NShirkey
I've been watching for over a year for a new 30 inch ACD. I'm finally bitting the bullet and getting the current 30-incher with my new Mac Pro (free 3-year warranty due to Apple Care with the MP). We have some at work and it's just a bitchen good display. For photo work it's pretty accurate out of the box, but calibrating brings out the beauty. The display itself is incredibly great looking--not that there's anything wrong with that!
The new one, whenever it finally gets released, will be LED and most likely glossy. As with the new MPs, it will probably cost a lot more and will include more connections and faster refresh rates. But for photoshop print-makers and midi music makers the current one lacks nothing unless you want to play the wide gamut game. And I can get a new 30-incher for $1,600 with company discount!
That may be a point. I'm willing to bet if Apple are charging £600 plus for a 24 incher...then the 30 inch LED will be in excess of £1170. The old 30 incher should be selling for less than that.
Still. I think I maybe able to get a discount... Maybe I should go for the old display..? I'm not sure. 24 inch black border? Or the old 30 incher? I've had a dream of getting the 30 incher when I got my rig.
Hmm. About a week to make up my mind. I can bet Apple will launch the new 30 incher the moment I buy the old one.
Lemon Bon Bon.
...Hmm. About a week to make up my mind. I can bet Apple will launch the new 30 incher the moment I buy the old one.
Lemon Bon Bon.
Don't worry. The moment the new 30-inch comes out there will be endless bitching on the forums about how "the old 30-inch was better", "Apple is raping us", "Apple abandoned the Pro market for good", that guy (username hiimamac will come on with his posts all in CAPS), etc. etc. etc.
I don't know if that makes your decision any easier though.
At one point I considered buying a new mac pro.
Now I am not sure anymore. I will wait a litte bit more to replace my quad G5.
I ordered a MP octo 2.26 w/12GB RAM and the upgraded graphics board (and the wireless, and iWorks for work stuff, and Apple Care--Jeese) But I'm a happy camper!
I gave Steve a few extra bucks for the RAM, but couldn't go there for additional HD storage. I want to buy 2 1TB drives.
Any recommendations for which drives I should buy? Anyone know what Apple puts in?
Thanks!
Good news for others--I also ordered a 30" ACD, so new ones are on the way!!
Just to cheer things up!
I ordered a MP octo 2.26 w/12GB RAM and the upgraded graphics board (and the wireless, and iWorks for work stuff, and Apple Care--Jeese) But I'm a happy camper!
I gave Steve a few extra bucks for the RAM, but couldn't go there for additional HD storage. I want to buy 2 1TB drives.
Any recommendations for which drives I should buy? Anyone know what Apple puts in?
Thanks!
Good news for others--I also ordered a 30" ACD, so new ones are on the way!!
Congratulations!
My dual 2.66 came with a WD Caviar 640 drive. I happen to like WD.
I have two 1 TB Black Caviar drives. They cost $140 at OWC, and just about everywhere else that sells that model. The regular Caviar drives are cheaper, but not as fast.
I also have a Seagate 1TB drive that I've not used as yet because of the firmware problem, and I'm waiting for a firmware update installable from the Intel Macs to appear. Several are working on it.
Until this firmware problem is gone from the drives being sold—for sure, I won't buy another Seagate.
The Samsung F1's are very fast, but seem to be having reliability problems.
I have a bunch of older, and smaller, drives that I'm phasing out.
There are a lot of drive manufacturers out there. If you want to know about the others, ask me about any particular one, and that line. It's too much to put into one post.
New ACD's on the way? More info please!
Congratulations!
My dual 2.66 came with a WD Caviar 640 drive. I happen to like WD.
That WD Caviar Blue 640 drive is great. A nearly perfect blend of speed, capacity, and price. Quiet, too.
That WD Caviar Blue 640 drive is great. A nearly perfect blend of speed, capacity, and price. Quiet, too.
Yes.
But you know what? The DVD drive seems noisier than it should be. Maybe the new inside design doesn't give as much damping. My dual 2 GHz G5's drive is quieter, of course, it's not the original drive.
Congratulations!
My dual 2.66 came with a WD Caviar 640 drive. I happen to like WD.
I have two 1 TB Black Caviar drives. They cost $140 at OWC, and just about everywhere else that sells that model. The regular Caviar drives are cheaper, but not as fast.
I also have a Seagate 1TB drive that I've not used as yet because of the firmware problem, and I'm waiting for a firmware update installable from the Intel Macs to appear. Several are working on it.
Until this firmware problem is gone from the drives being sold?for sure, I won't buy another Seagate.
The Samsung F1's are very fast, but seem to be having reliability problems.
I have a bunch of older, and smaller, drives that I'm phasing out.
There are a lot of drive manufacturers out there. If you want to know about the others, ask me about any particular one, and that line. It's too much to put into one post.
New ACD's on the way? More info please!
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
Usually the WD "Blue" series drives have 16MB of cache, and the "Black" drives have 32MB. It makes very little difference, but some people want that difference.
Thanks for the info. What's the difference between the Black Caviar and Blue Caviar drives? I will use the drive mostly for huge sample libraries, and I've read that it's better to have a large drive that no more than 65% full so maximum speed is maintained. So 1TB seems about right. The other 1TB drive I'll buy will be for back-up.
I don't know when a new 30" ACD will be announced, I was only guessing it would be soon because I finally bought the old one.
The cache difference that FuturePastNow said is correct. But the Black versions have better throughput.
The cache matters on some things. There are predictive algorithms that look ahead to see what you would be wanting next, based on what you have just done. Often they are correct. The same basic idea that cpu makers use in their caching schemes.
Depending on file size, the cache can be very helpful, or a hinderance. If the files are small enough to fit within the cache, and its "guesses" are mostly right, it can speed up the performance by a considerable bit. If they are wrong, or the file is a cache "buster" (too big to fit), then it will slow things down.
When drives were considerably smaller, the 65%, or so, rule was pretty good. Two reasons. One was to use the outside of the drive where throughput is greatest (normally, the outside is used first, for this reason, automatically), and two, because as the drive gets filled up too far, files get fragmented, which means the drive heads have to bounce around getting all of the pieces.
Today, drives are much bigger, and faster. If ypu have a big library, but the individual files are relatively small, drive speed isn't too much of an issue. A fast drive today can deliver 50 to 100 MB/s. Your milage will vary, but even half of that is pretty fast for files that aren't that size.
Fragmentation isn't nearly as much as an issue either, as the drives are so large. I keep 20% free on all drives that aren't being used for large video files in editing. Photoshop scratch disks are kept open after the work is done.