on 10-12-04 12:02 PM, Bonnie at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > Right now I have a G3/266 MT with a Sonnet G4/500 upgrade. A friend has > a G4/500 she is getting rid of. Will this run OS 10.2.8 any faster than > what I already have? If not, what machine will I need to get that will > make a difference in speed? I still need to be able to run classic apps > at times. Is there a site that has a run down on models?
Check out: http://lowendmac.com/ppc/g4saw.shtml for an overview of your friend's machine. This page also has MacBench ratings that will give you a very rough idea of the performance differences. Offhand, I would say that your friend's machine will indeed be faster, if only because of the native bus speed (100MHz versus 66MHz on your present machine). I understand that you upgraded to a 500MHz processor, but the slower native bus speed offsets the speed increase somewhat. Perhaps someone more knowledgeable from the list can break down for us exactly how a slower native bus speed affects an upgrade to a faster processor? Your friend's machine also comes with native USB and firewire, which the g3/266 does not. How big of a deal this is for you is something only you would know. I think the kicker here is: how much of a "difference" in speed are you looking for to make it worth your while? An example: I was looking at Powerlogix upgrades for my B&W G3. The 1GHz model is 259.95, while the 1.1GHz model is $349. I ask myself: is it worth roughly $100 to squeeze another 100MHz out of the box? For some users, the answer is "yes." Is your friend getting rid of the machine at a giveaway price that would justify even a marginal speed increase? The other consideration is: what, exactly, are you doing with the box? It's been explained that the major difference between a B&W G3 and a G4 box is, essentially, the Alti-Vec FPU processor. If the tasks you're trying to run do not take adantage of that special processor, then there might not be any advantage for your owning a G4 vs. a G3. Is there any way you could borrow the machine for a weekend and take it for a test drive? Say, back up the box, load OSX on it along with two or three of your favorite apps, and try it out? I'm not saying that this is something that you can casually do, but it would be hard for me, personally, to pass up a chance to take a machine for a test drive. Seeing performance ratings on a page is one thing, seeing the difference first-hand is another. Best, James Fraser -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> Using a Mac? Free email & more at Applelinks! http://www.applelinks.com
