RFC: What Mac to buy ?
I am pondering what Mac to buy. Basically I want a 20" display and a machine that compiles fast. The previous only option was a G5. I already own a Dual 2 GHz. Now I got a big Mac project in my company, and I need a new machine for that.
I don't see the point of the new single CPU G5, so the options are (monitor included in price):
| iMac 20" | G5 Dual 2.5 GHz | G5 Dual 2.0 GHz | G5 Dual 1.8 GHz |
| 1.8 GHz | 5 GHz | 4 GHz | 3.6 GHz |
| 600MHz frontside bus | 1.25GHz frontside bus/processor | 1GHz frontside bus/processor | 900MHz frontside bus/processor |
| NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 Ultra | ATI Radeon 9800 XT | ATI Radeon 9800 XT | ATI Radeon 9800 XT |
| $1,899.00 | $4,598.00 | $4,148.00 | $3,648.00 |
The iMac 20" is comparatively really cheap. I could buy about two iMacs or more for the price of any of the Dual G5s. For the G5s the increase from 3.6 GHz to 4 GHz is 11% in Hz and 14% in $. The increase from 4 GHz to 5 GHz is 25% in Hz and 17% in money. The 1.8 GHz machines are a little more crippled AFAIK, still I think it should be either the 2x1.8 or the 2x2.5.
But does it make sense as a development machine ? It would be painful, if the iMac 20" would compile only a little slower than the Dual G5.
Any experiences or advice out there ? Is the iMac 20" LCD panel as good as the Cinema Display ?
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