Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
What 21.5-inch iMac is a better buy? 3.33GHz GeForce 9400M or 3.06GHz Radeon 4670?
- Thread starter corbin_a2
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
It's been 4 years since I have bought a Mac.
So what is more important? A faster CPU or dedicated Video?
if you're willing to spend an extra $300 for a better graphics chip + 500gigs more space, then it's worth it.
^^ Seconded.
If the money is not an issue, then dedicated graphics card and bigger HD is definitely, well, better.You'll see much more difference than a ~270Mhz improvement.
Do not think it just as a 270Mhz improvement. The improvement is not analog and don't forget that 3,33 has 6mb second level cache and works on 1333mhz, while 3,03 has the only the half (3mb) and a FSB of 1066 (intel chips E8600 and E7600)
http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2duo/specifications.htm?iid=prod_core2duo+tab_spec
I've just had that dilemma and opted for the 3.06GHz with the Radeon 4670. It seems like quite a lot of extra money to pay, but I want my iMac to last at least 4 years. I couldn't see the 9400M model coping with the visual demands of the future. Plus you get a nicely useful 1TB HD. Cost me an extra £250 but I think on balance it's worth it, to me.
Ugh, that does make a difference. I had seen the cache difference, but I hadn't put 2+2 together and noticed that it was a completely different chip. Why doesn't Apple advertise this? This is a big deal! A $200 upgrade for ~270MHz ain't worth it - but a $200 upgrade for ~270MHz, 3MB of cache, and a 267MHz faster bus IS.
EDIT: If this is all correct (and it appears to be based on the link provided) then the OP may be better off with the 9400M and the upgraded processor, provided he/she doesn't play tons of heavy games (though the 9400M isn't terrible...).
I would agree, except on price. Some people don't need a dedicated graphics chip. That said, if its going to include it, the baseline should be $999, but that's just IMO.
But I don't think it's that kind of thing that kills a computer. If you're going to buy a new iMac with the intention of gaming via bootcamp, then you have the opportunity to choose an appropriate spec. In my experience it's the unknown, uncontrollable things, like OS upgrades that depend heavily on graphics power, websites, flash content, streaming video, etc., that are constantly developing and eat resources. BBC iPlayer is a prime example. Both my G4 Alu PowerBook and my wife's Dell laptop can no longer handle it.
Yes, your needs now may dictate the spec of your machine, but your future needs are imposed on you by content and software authors, which you have no control over.
Again, in my experience, your consumer Macs can take one major OS upgrade - two and they start to struggle. Pro Macs last a bit longer because they are higher specced to begin with. I'm typing this on a Dual 2.5Ghz G5 Power Mac, and it copes pretty well with almost everything. I believe this is due to the graphics card which is a Radeon 9800 Pro Special Edition 256, a good card in its day and no slouch now (not a patch on the new iMac tho!).