HMM... 1.25 GHz w/ 4200 RPM HD) vs. 1.33 w/ 5400 RPM HD?

[joseph_68]

So I have a chance to go from my 1.25 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 4200 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9600 to the newer 1.33 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 5400 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9700 model. Opinions wanted! Anyone think this will offer a noticeable performance boost in everyday "Photoshoping" and Web Design tasks? Just gotta asses whether it's worth the switch for a couple hundred bucks.

[atari1356]

So I have a chance to go from my 1.25 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 4200 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9600 to the newer 1.33 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 5400 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9700 model. Opinions wanted! Anyone think this will offer a noticeable performance boost in everyday "Photoshoping" and Web Design tasks? Just gotta asses whether it's worth the switch for a couple hundred bucks.

You probably wouldn't notice much of an improvement in most things... but if you can do it for only $200, then go for it. The 5400rpm drive would help a bit with Photoshop, since it accesses the hard drive a lot (scratch disk & history).

None of the improvements alone would be worth $200, but if you consider: faster processor, faster hard drive, faster video card... I'd say that's worth the cost.

EDIT: As others have posted, if you're going to lose a backlit keyboard and superdrive in the process... then it's probably not worth it. I didn't think of that. :o

[Funkatation]

you're losing the backlit keyboard though....

[thehuncamunca]

personally i'd just go get a 7200rpm drive for your laptop if you really need the extra performance rather than selling it and buying the newer one

So I have a chance to go from my 1.25 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 4200 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9600 to the newer 1.33 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 5400 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9700 model. Opinions wanted! Anyone think this will offer a noticeable performance boost in everyday "Photoshoping" and Web Design tasks? Just gotta asses whether it's worth the switch for a couple hundred bucks.

[BrianKonarsMac]

like the previous poster said, either purchase an internal 7200 rpm, or get a fw800 external drive (at 7200+ rpm). The performance boost from 1.25 to 1.33 isn't worth the loss of that sexy backlit keyboard :D.

although if you can find the extra cash for the backlit keyboard as well as the 128 meg 9700, you would increase your resale value in the long term, as well as having the "mines bigger" advantage ;).

[Bhennies]

So I have a chance to go from my 1.25 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 4200 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9600 to the newer 1.33 GHz PB w/ an 80 Gig 5400 RPM Hard Drive (512 RAM), 64 MB Radeon 9700 model. Opinions wanted! Anyone think this will offer a noticeable performance boost in everyday "Photoshoping" and Web Design tasks? Just gotta asses whether it's worth the switch for a couple hundred bucks.Save your money and get an OWC firewire 800 drive as a boot disk. Keep your laptop for another year or so until the g5's come out.

[tekno_geek911]

I wouldnt do it....You'll lose your Superdrive and backlit keyboard.