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ae25 · May 18, 2005, 11:32 PM

I can purchase a Powermac through the student dev program, and basically I've limited it to two options. Should I get a stock dual 2.7, or a stock dual 2.0 with a 20" apple display. If I got the 2.7 I would have to use it with a 19" CRT until I came up with the money for an apple display. I'm obviously going to upgrade the memory, planning on doing that from crucial, and also plan on installing an x800xt. I plan on keeping the machine for at least 4-5 years, and do a lot of video encoding. Just wonding if it would be worth it to go with the 2.7 over the 2.0 and wait a while for a monitor.

jamil5454 · May 18, 2005, 11:36 PM

If time is really important, go with the 2.7. Otherwise, the 2.0 should last you 4-5 years as long as your usages don't change too much.

powertrippin · May 18, 2005, 11:40 PM

20" display. Seriously. CRTs suck. I have a 20" cinema and it's GORGEOUS.

ae25 · May 18, 2005, 11:47 PM

Thanks for the quick replies. I just want to make sure the 2.0 will be able to handle everything a few years down the road. I would rather spend the extra money on the 2.7 if you think the 2.0 will start to show some age in a year or two. I will most likely only have to wait a month or two to get an apple display.

P.S. I saw the apple 20" at a local apple reseller and I can't get the image out of my head. :-)

ae25 · May 18, 2005, 11:49 PM

Also, will the 2.7 cut a lot of time off of encoding HD content cause I plan on doing a lot of this also, given that HD DVD and Blue Ray are comming out in the not so far future.

tooki · May 18, 2005, 11:54 PM

Or get the Dell 20" display for substantially less than half the cost of Apple's...

tooki

Mafia · May 19, 2005, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by tooki

Or get the Dell 20" display for substantially less than half the cost of Apple's...

tooki

thats what i did and haven't been disapointed once.

SSharon · May 19, 2005, 01:07 AM

You can get the 20" widescreen Dell for under $400 if you wait for it and look. I just got the 19" for $275 and its a nice looking screen.

hldan · May 19, 2005, 03:33 AM

Originally Posted by ae25

I can purchase a Powermac through the student dev program, and basically I've limited it to two options. Should I get a stock dual 2.7, or a stock dual 2.0 with a 20" apple display. If I got the 2.7 I would have to use it with a 19" CRT until I came up with the money for an apple display. I'm obviously going to upgrade the memory, planning on doing that from crucial, and also plan on installing an x800xt. I plan on keeping the machine for at least 4-5 years, and do a lot of video encoding. Just wonding if it would be worth it to go with the 2.7 over the 2.0 and wait a while for a monitor.

I had my heart set on the 2.0Ghz model too until the new models came out and Apple didn't include the PCI-X slots in the 2.0Ghz model so I went for the 2.3Ghz that had everything. Why not go for the 2.3Ghz model?

ae25 · May 19, 2005, 03:59 AM

Originally Posted by hldan

I had my heart set on the 2.0Ghz model too until the new models came out and Apple didn't include the PCI-X slots in the 2.0Ghz model so I went for the 2.3Ghz that had everything. Why not go for the 2.3Ghz model?

Actually hldan thats what I'm thinking I'm going to do now. I was kind of in the mind set of ballz out without a monitor, or get the 2.0 with a monitor. Now I'm thinking that if I got the 2.3 I would be able to get a monitor a few weeks later, and have the extra upgradeability that the 2.3 and 2.7 offers. Plus, I'm not 100% sure I'd trust the liquid cooling in the 2.7, although the WOW factor certinly would be there.

d.fine · May 19, 2005, 04:46 AM

I have a Dual 2.0, and got my 20" ACD 8 months after the G5, it's like getting a new machine!

I didn't mind the wait, so if you don't either, go with the 2.7 and get the ACD later, who knows by the time you have the savings they'll have dropped in price again. If you want everything at once, then getting a 2.0 or 2.3 + ACD would probably be the best option.
Good luck, and enjoy, be sure to post pictures when you get it

powertrippin · May 19, 2005, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by ae25

Thanks for the quick replies. I just want to make sure the 2.0 will be able to handle everything a few years down the road. I would rather spend the extra money on the 2.7 if you think the 2.0 will start to show some age in a year or two. I will most likely only have to wait a month or two to get an apple display.

P.S. I saw the apple 20" at a local apple reseller and I can't get the image out of my head. :-)

Keep in mind a dual 500mhz G4 runs OSX very nicely, and those are pretty old now. A dual 2.0 will be very fast for quite a long time.

Hanul · May 19, 2005, 09:19 AM

I ordered a Dual 2GHz a few days ago. The reason I didn't go for the 2.3GHz is, that I don't need PCI-X and I won't upgrade the RAM beyond 4GB. I think, that's true for most people. You can save your money for a nice iPod photo

What kind of card do you need, that requires PCI-X, but isn't available externally as FW400 or FW800? If it's for video or music production, isn't an external box more convient for its accessibility?

OldCodger73 · May 19, 2005, 05:10 PM

Originally Posted by ae25

Actually hldan thats what I'm thinking I'm going to do now. I was kind of in the mind set of ballz out without a monitor, or get the 2.0 with a monitor. Now I'm thinking that if I got the 2.3 I would be able to get a monitor a few weeks later, and have the extra upgradeability that the 2.3 and 2.7 offers. Plus, I'm not 100% sure I'd trust the liquid cooling in the 2.7, although the WOW factor certinly would be there.

Here's my 2¢. In your original post you mentioned only two choices, the 2.0 and Apple display or the 2.7. You can always upgrade your display but you can't the processor, so I'd go for the 2.7.

If on the other hand you can also order the 2.3 using your student developer discount that might be the way to go. The middle of the line dual often represents the best value of cost vs performance. If you have your heart set on getting the Apple 20" display and are planning to get AppleCare for the computer, see if you stretch your finances and buy them at the same time so the display is also covered. The Dell Ultrasharp 2005FPW is also a very viable choice, especially when it's on sale and there are coupons available.

ae25 · May 19, 2005, 06:21 PM

Thanks for all your replies. I decided to go with the dual 2.0 and the 20" ACD. I don't ever see myself using more than 4GB of memory, and very few of us can put the PCI-X slots to use. Time is not of that much importance to me, so I figure encoding a little bit faster with the 2.7 VS the 2.0 is not really a big deal. The dual 2.0 should have more than enough juice to run most everything else I figure, as encoding is about the most taxing thing you can do to a processor. I just hope the dual 2.0 can run H.264 flawlessly. Oh, and I'll be sure to post pics when it arrives. My 20" ACD should ship Today, and my dual 2.0 says sent to manufacturing. :-)

powertrippin · May 19, 2005, 06:26 PM

I'd gladly trade 500-700 mhz on a system over 2 ghz for a large ass LCD.