awessels@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (Allen Wessels) (10/18/90)
In article <3725@media-lab.MEDIA.MIT.EDU> das@media-lab.media.mit.edu (David Sheppard) writes: >I'm trying to decide whether to buy an SE/30 or Mac IIsi. >From what I've read, they are basically similar: > cpu speed max memory slots pmmu fpa floppy >SE/30 030 16MHz 8MB(8 slots) 1 PDS (030) 68882 1.44MB >IIsi 030 20MHz 17MB(4 slots) si-slot (030) optional 1.44MB The SE/30 will take 4 meg SIMMs, sot can be upgraded to 32 meg. The si has 1 meg on the motherboard and 4 SIMM slots. > >With a PDS or NuBus adaptor, the si seems to be a 20% faster, As I understand it, the si video is like the ci. It shares RAM. Apparently the video can access the 1 meg onboard while the cpu is accessing the SIMM memory. I'm not a tech, but this is supposed to slow the machine down in some cases. I think the SE/30 is a better option. If I outgrow a particular video card, I can sell it and replace it. Expansion capacity to 32 meg (128 in theory if the SIMMs are designed right - according to myanual) is nice and roomy. I Portability is handy - I can unplug it, put keyboard/mouse in one hand and the box in the other and I'm off. If necessary, I can buy a Nubus expansion box running out of the PDS.
ml27192@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (10/20/90)
/* Written 10:51 pm Oct 17, 1990 by awessels@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu in uxa.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.mac.system */ As I understand it, the si video is like the ci. It shares RAM. Apparently the video can access the 1 meg onboard while the cpu is accessing the SIMM memory. I'm not a tech, but this is supposed to slow the machine down in some cases. /* End of text from uxa.cso.uiuc.edu:comp.sys.mac.system */ Just a note: I went for a job with Wolfram not too long ago. Didn't get it but found out at one point that they can't stand the ci video. They say that in 8 bits they get a 25% _decrease_ in performance, down to mac II, so they just put NuBus video cards in. It's only an advantage in 1 or 2 bit mode, no difference in 4. Mark Lanett