Speed difference between new single 1ghz & dual 1.25 towers?

Rhino_G3

Rhino_G3

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I'm finaly looking to replace the B&W G3 that I've been running for 4 years with a new machine. The only thing keeping me from getting the dual 1.25 tower is the significant price jump from the 1ghz tower. Obviously for a College student, price is a serious consideration. Truthfully, would the dual 1.25 tower be worth the added cost. I do work a great deal with photoshop and I've recently started to delve into the wonders of 3d animation via Maya. I had used bryce previously and was happy with the performance of my machine. Using maya, my machine definately shows it's age.
I've also gotten into video editing recently. Compressing video on my machine is a pretty extended process.

I feel that I would do quite a bit more editing if I had the faster machine but I still have a hard time justifying the added cost.

How do you feel that the singe 1Ghz tower stacks up against the 2x1.25 monster? Given that I'm currently on my B&W G3 I feel that I would be happy with either.
 
You can check the SpeedRun database.
www.danicsoft.com
It's sometimes difficult to know exactly which configuration is tested, but at least you can compare with your own machine. Based on these tests, 10.1.5 graphics is 50% faster than 10.2.3 on any machine, but processor and RAM access are much better on 10.2 !
 
It's important that the programs you want to use can actually UTILIZE the dual processors. They must do so in order for you to see a marked increase in performance. The dual processors don't do you as much good if the program doesn't use them. Photoshop does, and I am pretty sure a program like Maya should too.

Cheers.
 
Yes, that is definately something that you would want to keep in mind. Durring everyday activites I wouldn't feel that there should be too large of a difference between the two. Truthfully, since I've been fairly happy with my G3 over the years I believe that I'm Probably going for the 1 ghz machine. $300 for an extra processor doesn't seem worth it for what I'm doing. (this has already taken into account the 80 GB and the Radeon)

The processor intensive apps that I use are multithreaded, I just don't feel that I use them enough to justify the added cost.
 
it's not about speed, it's about availability.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you're looking for benchmarks to justify your computer you'll end up buying a PC. Or at the very least you wouldn't spring for the dual. But I'm going to tell you that the big difference I feel, and I feel it all the time, is that my dually is snappy for me. When I say jump it jumps. I send one program of to render something, say QT-pro doing an mpeg to DV-stream, then you go off to Bryce and tell it to do stuff, and it feels like your machine is still idle. It's amazing. You will truly change the level at which you abuse your computer because it will take more before abusing you.

It's not going to show up in benchmarks mecause they test how fast computers are at a single task when the processor is maxed on that single task. But what they when you click and the machine responds, that's just sweet. I'm still living large on a dual 450 and will ikely get a phlat panel and a new video card instead of a new computer. Go dually man, dually dually dually.
 
Originally posted by theed
it's not about speed, it's about availability.

I've said it before and I'll say it again. If you're looking for benchmarks to justify your computer you'll end up buying a PC. Or at the very least you wouldn't spring for the dual. But I'm going to tell you that the big difference I feel, and I feel it all the time, is that my dually is snappy for me. When I say jump it jumps. I send one program of to render something, say QT-pro doing an mpeg to DV-stream, then you go off to Bryce and tell it to do stuff, and it feels like your machine is still idle. It's amazing. You will truly change the level at which you abuse your computer because it will take more before abusing you.

It's not going to show up in benchmarks mecause they test how fast computers are at a single task when the processor is maxed on that single task. But what they when you click and the machine responds, that's just sweet. I'm still living large on a dual 450 and will ikely get a phlat panel and a new video card instead of a new computer. Go dually man, dually dually dually.
Click to expand...

That is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks. ;) I really had never heard experiences of, or personaly used, a dual machine. Only hopes of what I think it would run like. I was leaning really hard toward the single 1ghz although I'm going to have to use both before I decide. Too bad the nearest Mac retailer is 1.5 hours away.

I plan on abusing the computer from time to time, and your post just solidified everything that I was thinking. Thanks again!
 
Remember that Osx is made for dual processors.
The whole Os benefits from it as will the apps.
In OS9 it's not that evident.
 
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