GPU in iMac 20" - 128 or 256?

[ThePhage]

I'm close to purchasing a 20" iMac with 500GB HDD. I intend to use it primarily for editing DV and some DVC Pro HD in Final Cut. I'll also be using DVD Studio, and perhaps eventually I'll delve into Motion.

Would it be worth the extra $75 to upgrade the ATI X1600 from the stock 128MB to 256MB of SDRAM?

How will the extra 128MB affect real time effects in Final Cut and Motion? Drastically or not so much?

How will the extra 128MB affect performance for dual monitoring at HD resolutions.

Like everyone else here, I'm trying to wait for the next iMac update, but i'm not sure how much longer I can wait. Certainly not September.

Thanks,
Jake

 

[Eidorian]

Get the extra video RAM.

 

[Demon Hunter]

Motion will definitely use the extra video RAM.

And if you're running two displays, graphics will be much smoother because each display is getting 128MB instead of 64MB.

 

[Ironduke]

I cant believe apple still use as a bargaining chip, crappy third party pc laptops come now with 512mb onboard, its so petty on apples part to tax people over 128MBytes of ram.

 

[ThePhage]

What's sad and funny at the same time is how my current mac has 32MB of VRAM. 128 will be great, 256 will be phenomenal, although I'm bummed I'll have to pay extra for it. Maybe I can hold out long enough for the update.

 

[Sdashiki]

I cant believe apple still use as a bargaining chip, crappy third party pc laptops come now with 512mb onboard, its so petty on apples part to tax people over 128MBytes of ram.

who the hell is using 512MB on a laptop?

certainly not the people who would buy an iMac.

 

[Ironduke]

who the hell is using 512MB on a laptop?

certainly not the people who would buy an iMac.

lots of company's are using 512MB, sure its overkill and advertising gimmick, but it proves its cheap too, I seriously doubt it costs apple anything to purchase a 256Mb card over a 128MB, its simply their way of trying to make the user look like they are getting more and they have to pay extra because it costs apple alot more.

Rubbish

also the people who buy iMacs are changing with the wind just like EA returning to apple, with the intel chipsets and windows compatability it opens up what an apple machine is good for.

 

[Eidorian]

who the hell is using 512MB on a laptop?

certainly not the people who would buy an iMac.

Tell that to ATi/nVidia dumping 512 MB DDR2 on the low end.

 

[Sdashiki]

Well, I dont know much....

but everything has to still be "you get what you pay for" when it comes to computing.

though apple cards of the same specs are of course more expensive anyway.

 

[Eidorian]

Well, I dont know much....

but everything has to still be "you get what you pay for" when it comes to computing.

though apple cards of the same specs are of course more expensive anyway.

Only if you want to run OS X. Almost any card should work under Windows.

 

[MacBass]

I've been debating whether to get an iMac or not, and then when I did decide on an iMac, I decided to just pay the extra and get 256 MB. This will be a smart choice, especially considering all the graphics involved in Leopard. Now I just have to wait and see if I can afford an iMac this summer...

 

[pcorajr]

I am also waiting to buy a mac and the main reason i am waiting is because the 20" mac does not have the nvidia GPU. I also have to agree that more Video Memory is better.

I am hoping that apple will end up doing an update on the Imac just like they did with the MBP and swuitch over to nvidia 8XXX cards. I Do not need no new look just to be able to get a 256MB nvidia card on the 20 inch so that i can upgrade diferrent things instead of having to go with the 24" and get the minimum

 

[astewart]

If your definitely set on getting the 20" iMac, then the extra $75 is worth it!