[CUBE] 1.4GHz 7457 is here!

[john allan]

Well,

The different between a 1.2 GHz and 1.4 GHz is only 16 % which is *just*
enough to notice a little difference. *However*, the speed of the machine is
not entirely dependent on the speed on the processor. You've got bus, hard
drive and RAM speed in there making - or not making in this case - a
difference too.

So I'd expect a clean 10% increase which is about the minimum that might
notice a speed difference. General user experience, e.g. Windows and apps
opening would feel a little snappier, it would make an old 1.2 GHz feel like
brand new again. 

In my opinion, in real terms though this would not mean a lot of difference
though as many operations are more dependant on other parts of the machine.
A few seconds faster here and there unless you are rendering 10 hours of
video all at once [ ... in which case you have already bought a tower ].

10-15% is the average folk used to be able to overclock processor upgrades
to and I base my comments on having had experience of that under OS 9. X
interface I find syrupy slow at the best of times regardless of chip speed.
I think the graphics must actually be programmed to move that slow or
something.

I'd say the better value of this upgrade is the lower power consumption and,
I guess, therefore less heat and the effect that would have on your Cube. I
dare say Powerlogix or barefeats.com will have figures up soon.

It is the question of where do bigger numbers be better? In your Cube or in
your wallet? I'd say this fanless 1 GHz processor xlr8yourmac were looking
at is more interesting for a " domestic " user. Fast enough without noise.
You might ask which is the better experience; slightly slower but quieter
and cheaper or a bigger number to brag about.

One of the appeal of the Cube seems to be that you can actually have the
pleasure of maxing all the numbers out at a reasonable cost. 1.5 GB, 120 GB,
now 1.4 GHz.

Can the 1.4 be over-clocked?

Are there going to be any faster G4 chips in the future?

What are the economics of processor upgrades? Do the manufacturers look to
amortise all their R&D in the first three months and then make profits? Or
look to make all their profits in the first three months because there might
not be a second three months ...

I could never really work out why one chip upgrade could be that much more
expensive than the previous. Like why does a 2 litre car cost loads more
than a 1.6litre car when the only difference in the more expensive one is 4
bigger holes. Its all down to the equation between the number on the box and
the numbers in your pocket.

Johnnie 2c

> From: "Cube List" <Cube at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Date: Tue, 04 Nov 2003 05:05:40 -0800
> To: "Cube List" <Cube at lists.themacintoshguy.com>
> Subject: Cube Digest #1894
> 
> with this new 7457 chip set 1.4 costing nearly twice as much as the
> slightly older 1.2, is it worth it?  What would the performance
> difference be?
> 
> ethan