Money Best Spent SSD vs. CPU/GPU

[roland.g]

I was considering a base 27" 2.7 and realized I really didn't need the i7 or even the i5 3.1. But I'm still not sure that even though I don't do any gaming or high end graphics or video production that I wouldn't want the 6970 vs. 6770. I am hoping that they include the better card with the base 27" by the time Lion ships.

However, I hadn't considered the SSD?

Is it worth the extra $500-600 to go with the base 27" and get the SSD or SSD+ vs. the higher end CPU and/or GPU. I am certainly a Power User in that I don't do highly intensive tasks but I ask for it to quite a bit at once and like quick responses. I keep all my media on externals, except for photos and docs. So I'm not sure that the SSD+ is necessary, but for the $100 it seems silly not to include the other drive.

OR would you just say wait for TB enclosures and put the SSD with OS in that down the line?

 

[Hellhammer]

600$ for SSD+HD is still a lot, especially when you most likely don't need 256GB. I would wait for TB enclosures and then grab a 120GB SSD. You can always add the SSD later on but upgrading the CPU and GPU isn't that simple.

 

[roland.g]

600$ for SSD+HD is still a lot, especially when you most likely don't need 256GB. I would wait for TB enclosures and then grab a 120GB SSD. You can always add the SSD later on but upgrading the CPU and GPU isn't that simple.

Thanks. Then I'll probably get the base 27" and see if they add a 6970 option by the time 10.7 ships. I don't think I need to spend the extra $300-500 on the 3.1 i5 or i7 and 6970 models.

 

[philipma1957]

buy the 27 inch lowest ram and lowest internal hdd. with best cpu/gpu. add aftermarket ram and aftermarket t-bolt external lacie and promise or what ever. use the internal hdd as a backup osx use the lcie raid as the boot drive. they have finally done what was really needed to do with imac making that ****** internal hdd a backup hdd.


I know there will be poelple that want an internal ssd with and internal hdd my opinion is if you are one of them go for it. If you value function use the t-b ports two not one. this may be the first mac that gives you a choice.!

 

[Hellhammer]

Thanks. Then I'll probably get the base 27" and see if they add a 6970 option by the time 10.7 ships. I don't think I need to spend the extra $300-500 on the 3.1 i5 or i7 and 6970 models.

I doubt they will add anything. The lineup is out and this is what it will be for the next 10 months or so. If Apple wanted to include option for 6970M in the low-end, they would have done it today. If you really want the 6970M, then 300$ more isn't that bad, especially when you get a faster CPU too.

 

[ndraves]

Depending on how comfortable you are with this you can always get a third party SSD and add it yourself. You can then put in something like a 120GB which is more than enough for OSX + Apps. A LOT cheaper than the Apple SSD!!

I'm sure we'll find out quickly from someone pulling one of these apart if the non SSD shipped versions have mounting points for a SSD. If not then you can pick something up from OWC or elsewhere.