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devmage · Jul 30, 2003, 12:42 PM

Greetings,

I've been looking around comparing the Dual 1.25 to the Dual 1.42 power macs. For reason see my previous post:

http://forums.macnn.com/showthread.p...hreadid=170383

One thing I noticed is that I havn't really seen any new 1.42s. Did apple abandon them? All the ones on apples site are 1.25. Maczone.com is only selling 1.25 machines as well. I've seen a few refurbs advertised but thats it. Is there something wrong with them or did the G5 coming out cause apple to drop them.

Also on the 1.25 issue I've been reading they had heat issues, and I've heard they had noise issues too. Is that the case with the current 1.25s?

Thanks,

Devmage

devmage · Jul 30, 2003, 01:30 PM

I noticed one thing on apples site.

"Dual 1.25GHz PowerPC G4
2MB L3 cache/processor"

This is on the highest in G4. The 1.42 was the only machine I saw mentioned with the 2MB cache. Did they start under clocking the 1.42s to 1.25? Just a thought.

Devmage

Drakino · Jul 30, 2003, 02:30 PM

The 1.25 machines are OS 9 compatible, something the 1.42's wern't. Basicially Apple got ris of the PowerMacs with Firewire 800 and such when the G5 was announced, and kept the generation before PowerMacs as the OS 9 machine.

In theory Apple could probably put the 1.42 into the old motherboards, but they probably didn't want to deal with a supply issue on a machine that is on it's way out anyhow.

AssassyN · Jul 30, 2003, 05:48 PM

Yep, the "new" Dual 1.25Ghz machines have 2MB of L3 cache...the weird part is a SINGLE 1.25Ghz machine has only 1MB of L3 cache...how does one 1.25Ghz chip have 1MB while another 1.25Ghz chip have 2MB of L3 cache...strange indeed.

And BTW, the new single & dual 1.25Ghz machines are both OS 9 and OS X bootable.

Eug · Jul 30, 2003, 06:20 PM

Originally posted by AssassyN:
Yep, the "new" Dual 1.25Ghz machines have 2MB of L3 cache...the weird part is a SINGLE 1.25Ghz machine has only 1MB of L3 cache...how does one 1.25Ghz chip have 1MB while another 1.25Ghz chip have 2MB of L3 cache...strange indeed.

L3 cache isn't on the chip.

AssassyN · Jul 30, 2003, 06:36 PM

Ahhh, thanks for clarifying...I could've sworn I heard somewhere "on-die L3 cache"...ah well, I do still wonder why Apple didn't offer 1.42Ghz chips in their remaining G4s rather than 1.25Ghz ones...maybe the heat problems they ran into was too much for them to worry over.

CheesePuff · Jul 30, 2003, 06:45 PM

L2 cache is on-chip.

Leonis · Jul 30, 2003, 06:52 PM

The 1.42GHz is basically just an overclocked 1.2GHz chip

BrunoBruin · Jul 30, 2003, 06:53 PM

Since the 1.42GHz chip is the fastest part Moto is shipping at the moment, it probably commands a premium price. I suspect that Apple wanted to keep the prices of the G4 towers as low as they could. There's no technical reason they couldn't have dropped 1.42GHz chips onto the motherboards.

From what I remember of the benchmarks, I don't think there was a huge performance difference between the dual-1.25 and dual-1.42 anyway. The 167MHz bus means there's a diminishing return on processor speed increases. Given the price of the 1.42 in the last G4 lineup, I always thought the dual-1.25 was the best value.

Eriamjh · Jul 30, 2003, 07:57 PM

If you want a 1.42 dual you'd have to get new-old stock if you can find some or buy refurbed.

chrisutley · Jul 30, 2003, 09:33 PM

SmallDog.com still has some I think, might be refurbs but who the hell cares.

I'd go 1.42 at this point, if you are going to go G4 you might as well pimp it to the max since even the pimped 1.42 is CHEAP!

Kenneth · Jul 30, 2003, 10:31 PM

I agree! Smalldog got some refurbished and open-box DP 1.42s.. better get it quick.

It will be an amazing upgrade from your iBook

awcopus · Jul 31, 2003, 10:46 AM

I can vouch for SmallDog's refurbed 1.42 G4 units. Got one, "pimped" it out (2GBRAM, 800GB HDs), crazy fast CD burner to come....

...it arrived a day earlier than Small Dog promised it, packed good as new, everything went very smoothly. Great place to do business with.

A week later and I'm still so thrilled with this machine, ebullient, effervescent, PSYCHED. Performance improvement from single processor 933 is terrific. More than enough to keep me happy until late 2004/early 2005, when I buy my first G5 duallie (can you imagine what that machine will be like?). LOL!

Have the CPU monitor open all of the time.

devmage · Jul 31, 2003, 11:33 AM

Thanks for all info guys. Eventually after much discussion with myself and others hehe I decided to get a G5, the 1.8 version. Couldn't justify the extra $600+ dollars for the Dual when I probably won't need that kinda power anyways I'm not a rocket scientist hehe Not to mention I need to buy a LCD display for it too.

I'm sure I'll be happy though, so its ordered. Though I have a creepy shipdate. On or before 9/11.

Devmage

SalBaker · Aug 2, 2003, 02:41 PM

I'm not buying a new Mac this year or next year. Why waste my money. I'm going for the top of the line tower in 2006. It will be a much better computer than anything you can buy in the next couple of years. Although I have heard rumors that Apple will release an even faster machine in '07. But then again, '08 may be the big year for Macs! But...if I have already waited that long...

Leonis · Aug 2, 2003, 03:56 PM

Originally posted by awcopus:
I can vouch for SmallDog's refurbed 1.42 G4 units. Got one, "pimped" it out (2GBRAM, 800GB HDs), crazy fast CD burner to come....

...it arrived a day earlier than Small Dog promised it, packed good as new, everything went very smoothly. Great place to do business with.

A week later and I'm still so thrilled with this machine, ebullient, effervescent, PSYCHED. Performance improvement from single processor 933 is terrific. More than enough to keep me happy until late 2004/early 2005, when I buy my first G5 duallie (can you imagine what that machine will be like?). LOL!

Have the CPU monitor open all of the time.

Oh boy. You are so easy to satisfy

It can be good though.

Look at me....I am very hard to please....that's putting me into depression all the time

awcopus · Aug 2, 2003, 04:14 PM

Leonis, you must have missed all of my G5 threads where I go off on its expandability problems. I am NOT easy to please. But I am thrilled with my new machine, and concede that it's a machine that many people dismiss as a POS.

Nonetheless, depite a little permissions issue that arose earlier today (OSX weirdness), it's definitely making me smile a lot these days.

I am also very excited about seeing how the G5 compares to this machine. I'm sure that the performance tests will include my machine, and I'm eager to learn about just how much faster the G5 performs.

AMAZINGLY great year to be a Mac guy. First iPod, first dual processor, first online music purchases, first video conferencing... wonder what else is coming?

Kenneth · Aug 2, 2003, 05:18 PM

The DP 1.42Ghz G4 was the "high-end" model. It is still a kick-ass machine IF you take good care of it. If you think it is a good deal, go for it while supply last.

Of course the G5-era just getting started in its introduction stage.

Once again.. last model vs. first revision. History tells me that Rev. A Mac is sometimes buggy and need to wait for delivery.