tjhayko@THUNDER.LAKEHEADU.CA (04/20/91)
Here I am, wondering what I'll do with all the money I'll have once I start my
post graduate job, and I say "Hey! Why not upgrade your trusty old Amiga 2000?"
So, here are a few questions that I'd appreciate some answers to:
1. Which machine would be quicker at compiling short to medium sized
programs, an accelerated 2000 or a 3000? I know this is mainly a
factor of disk speed, so what I'm really asking is which has the
faster disk system in it.
2. Since I don't do that much graphic and video work, is there any
other advantage to having 2 MB of chip ram (available on the 3000,
but extra cost on a 2000 (Megachip board))?
3. What kind of monitor does one need to be able to display all the new
fancy resolution modes available with the new chip set? I'm getting
sick and tired of the awful display on this 1084, and if I buy a new
monitor, I don't want to have to buy another one when the new chips
are finally available. (I would also like to use it with either a
3000 or a 2000 with the A2320 display enhancer board).
Thanks in advance.
**********************************************************
* Tom Hayko * Call The Amiga Showroom *
* tjhayko@thunder.lakeheadu.ca * 807-344-7460 80MB online*
* tjhayko@LAKEHEAD.BITNET * NOTE: I'm not the sysop *
**********************************************************daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (04/24/91)
In article <9104192341.AA08340@thunder.LakeheadU.Ca> tjhayko@THUNDER.LAKEHEADU.CA writes: > 1. Which machine would be quicker at compiling short to medium sized > programs, an accelerated 2000 or a 3000? I know this is mainly a > factor of disk speed, so what I'm really asking is which has the > faster disk system in it. The A3000 most likely. The 3000's hard disk subsystem runs over 4x the speed of the best A2000 hard disk controllers. In reality, you don't notice that difference in terms of disk performance, since even the best drives around don't go anywhere near that fast (neither does SCSI itself). What you get is more CPU time during disk activity. While on a 2000, you get somewhere between 0% and 50% of the CPU time free during heavy disk activity, on a 3000 you get about 95% of the CPU time free, both with a typical SCSI hard disk. > 2. Since I don't do that much graphic and video work, is there any > other advantage to having 2 MB of chip ram (available on the 3000, > but extra cost on a 2000 (Megachip board))? You do get 32 bit wide Chip RAM on the A3000, which makes graphic stuff go faster. Other than a slight increase in Intuition "snappiness", you won't notice much difference if you're mainly interested in programming and other non-graphic stuff. > > 3. What kind of monitor does one need to be able to display all the new > fancy resolution modes available with the new chip set? I always recommend the best NTSC compatible multisync type you can get. The 1950 isn't bad, and there are even better ones from other companies for more money. Watch out, though, because high-end monitors of this type may have a lower limit of 31kHz horizontal rates. That works fine on an A3000 for most things, but you can't do real video work or use the titling mode (I think the software folks call it SuperHiRes, the 1280x400 NTSC display). >* Tom Hayko * Call The Amiga Showroom * -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Amiga 3000) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy "That's me in the corner, that's me in the spotlight" -R.E.M.