From: mike_steiner@qm.claris.com (Mike Steiner)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc,comp.sys.mac.system
Subject: Re: Information on: The IIvi, IIvx, and Performa 600
Date: 17 Aug 92 21:02:30 GMT
Followup-To: comp.sys.mac.misc
Distribution: na

In article <1992Aug16.144158.24957@risky.ecs.umass.edu>, breck@kirk.ecs.umass.edu (Liam Breck) writes:
> 
> In article <1992Aug12.233545.28691@galileo.cc.rochester.edu> kellogg@prodigal.psych.rochester.edu (Lars Kellogg-Stedman) writes:
> >Beyond the short posting in c.s.m.a, I haven't seen any information on the
> >new Macs.  I'm about to purchase a IIsi - are any of the new Macs similar
> >in price/performance?
> 
> Wait!  Stop!  (Sorry about this, Apple, but...)  Reconsider buying
> that IIsi!  It has no significant advantage over the LCII, and some
> real disadvantages.  Aside from the better price the LCII has:
> dedicated, dual-ported VRAM and hence equal or better video
> performance than the IIsi, it can use a VGA monitor, which will save
> you a couple hundred bucks if you want to use a 13" color monitor (get
> the Sony CPD 1320 from J&R Musicworld -- $330) and it has the newest
> System 7 ROMs (the ROMs in earlier Macs were close to where System 7
> stablized, but not perfect) so the OS will use less RAM memory.

Er, unless I'm grossly mistaken, the LC II uses the same ROMs that the
original LC did.

> The IIsi's only advantages are slightly better CPU speed (not a big
> enough difference to notice in real time use, but you will notice the
> disappointing screen redraw speed) and the ability to plug in Nubus
> cards, again, not an issue because the LCII is a very popular machine,
> so there are a lot of cards for its PDS (processor direct slot).

The LC II is limited to 10 megs of RAM; the IIsi can use more than that
(17 megs, I believe).

You do have some good points there, but it is not as clear a choice as
you make it out to be.

> If you can, though, wait and see what Apple introduces this fall.  All
> the new machines are going to have the VRAM and VGA support (Apple's
> new monitor to replace the Hi Res RGB will be a $600-list VGA) RAM
> expandable to 68 Meg, the new ROMs, faster processors, etc.

Any time you can afford to wait, it is probably a good idea to wait.
New products are released, and/or the prices of older products drop.
At worst, you collect interest on your money and buy for the same price
later.  The key is whether or not you can afford to wait, or whether
you need something *now*.
 
> I'm buying a Mac soon, too.  I'm waiting to see the new machines, and
> further waiting for the price cut that's bound to fall, maybe middle
> to late winter.  I dunno about this, but this may be the last big
> round of technical improvements to the 68K desktop Macs.  Apple's
> gearing up to start design and production on the PowerPC RISC Macs, so
> the new ones may be the last and best 68K Macs made.

Last that I heard/read, the PowerPC won't be out until 1994 or very late
in 1993.  Also, I believe (no inside information to confirm or deny it
though) that Apple won't be stopping 68K development when the PowerPC
first comes out; there will be parallel development for a year or three.
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.misc