30" ACD versus 23" ACD - Which one would you buy?

[amcliz]

To whom it may concern..
I'm about to purchase a new MacPro Quad Core 3GHz system with 8GB of RAM. I'm a graphic designer who uses photoshop extensively and I'm also getting more and more into video and dvd presentation using imovie & idvd and Final Cut Pro & Motion. I currently have a Dual 2.0GHz with a 20" Formac Gallery Monitor (which is excellent). Can you advise me if the additional RAM I'm going for will benefit the type of work I do... but more importantly is my choice of screen... I was just going to go for the 23" ACD as it would be bigger than my existing and the reviews are excellent, but then I thought why not go the whole hog and get the 30". can anyone let me know what they have bought and would everyone go for the 30". I have the desk space... but I'm wondering is the 30" and extravagance or will it pay dividends.

Also....please advise... on the issue of third party RAM. I was going to purchase my 8GB's from http://www.datamem.com/AMM22.asp. Has anyone dealt with them before... any feedback and will their memory be easy to install in the new MacPro? I have never done this... but I don't want to fork out €2,500 for the same equivalent from Apple through their BTO system.

Thanking you in advance...

Anthony
Irish MacUser and MacAddict

[MisterMe]

If your needs are satisfied by your 20" monitor, the 23" ACD will handle your needs for years to come. The money you save by not getting the 30" ACD can be put to better purposes. Also is the issue of RAM. You are not running MacOS 8. Neither are you running Windows 95 in RAM disk. There is little to be gained by installing more than 2 GB RAM. It is much more important to give MacOS X's virtual memory system ample free hard drive space.

How better to spend your money? Get the software that you need to make the most of your system. Get a quality PostScript 3 color printer. I would also recommend a quality monochrome printer because color prints don't photocopy well. Do you have a page scanner? Get one. How about your computer furniture. What about your sound system? I love my Logitech 5.1 system. Do you get the general idea?

[amcliz]

Hi Mister Me..
And thank you for your comments.... my original idea was to get the 23' and that was it... but then I read reviews about the 30" and they seemed to be incredible... more screen real estate... much more productivity... plus the wow factor... I have nearly all the things I need and my system is very much up to date sound wise too Harman Kardon Sound Sticks... I have all registered software so no need for more there.... would you ever be seduced into purchasing the 30". I lease my computers over a three year period... so my current system is now paid in full.... I want my next system to be incredible plus keep my excited to get my hands on it every morning before I start work.. as my G5 Dual 2.0Ghz plus Formac 20" Display with Soundsticks has done over the past three years... what would you go with..????? Still the 23" of say.. screw it ang get the 30"

Yours sincerely,
Anthony
MacUser & MacAddict

[Qion]

You really don't seem to be worried about money. 8GB RAM? I just can't imagine using that much. I don't think OS X really could either; like MisterMe said, it's more important to free up hard disk space for virtual memory. I was into the idea of saving well over a thousand dollars by getting less RAM and going with the 23", but you just don't seem savvy with that. If you have the money, get the 30". You're not going to be much more productive, however; that's mostly coming from people who upgraded from much smaller workspaces.

How I (personally) would do this:

Mac Pro 3Ghz, 3 GB RAM
23" ACD
Refurbished MacBook Pro (with the money saved)

[sinclair_tm]

well, i'm not the pratical type, but i do have an opinion on the matter. as far as ram, if you can get 8gig ram, i would think that os x would use it before going to vm on the hard drive, so the more ram, the less you have to worry about vm file size on the hard drive, and the fast the mac will run. but the truth is, there is no real need for more than 4gig, which is what i'd get. as far as the lcd, get the 30. they are awsome, and i am always running out of desktop space, even when i had dual 17" monitors. if you are one that has lots of windows open, and find that they are at times in the background when you need them, then get a bigger monitor. but the best thing is to goto an apple retailer, and play with a mac with a 23, and one with a 30. open alot of windows like you would have, and see which one would best suit your need.