Daniel Kerr wrote:
Two dual-core 2.5GHz PowerPC G5 processors 512MB memory (533MHz DDR2 SDRAM) NVIDIA GeForce 6600 with 256MB of GDDR SDRAM $5299
I've never quite understood why Apple do this. They build a machine with fairly droolworthy CPU power, then give it less RAM than Dell ships with some of their bottom-of-the-range PCs these days. And Mac OS X undeniably wants a LOT more RAM than WinXP for good performance.
The video card at least makes more sense. It's a lower middle-of-the-range card, but if you assume that most users won't need 3D and that that card's sufficient for maximum GUI performance in Mac OS X that's alright.
The RAM, however, I just can't understand. Going to 1GB RAM as standard couldn't cost Apple more than $70 per machine (a _single_ stick of quality 1GB DDR2 is ~AU$150 retail; two 512MB modules come out much the same), and I'd be amazed if it didn't add 1/2 again to performance in lots of common uses.
-- Craig Ringer
