Hey,

This is my first post and I'm not sure if this is in the correct forums (though I assume so).

I am thinking about buying a PowerMac G5 (this will be my first Mac) and considering the 2.0GHz Dual Core model. I am wondering if it is worth upgrading from the standard 128mb 6600 to the one with 256mb of memory? I also currently use a 23" ACD and I'm guessing more ram will help with the resolution? I am more into graphic and web design than video editing.

On a Windows computer, a graphics card was brought depending on the amount of games someone would use, however, a Mac does not have all the latest games that require ultra powerful video cards. So what are the benefits of maybe buying a 7800 over a 6600?

I have read on the forums that ram is much more important in a Mac environment than Windows, is it better to buy 2gb than waste money on a 256mb 6600?

Thanks for reading

Edit: Grammar

Its only a $70 upgrade at purchase time.. and a no brainer! With TIGER onwards, Apple have been very clever and moved much of the processing for the GUI to execute on the graphics card, so yes, "gamer" cards now have a use!

In apples revolutionary application, Apperture, they seem to have offloaded RAW processing to the graphics card.. it doesn't take many 13 megapixel 16bit images to chew up 128meg of video ram.. so I'm thinking it will be important.

Daniel.

Also the 128mb 6600 is a down clocked light edidtion and the 6600 256mb model is a full clocked model

With more Apps taking advantage of cards these days the small upgrade cost makes the 256mb a minimum. Maybe not so critical for design/web...but iMaginator is heavily reliant on core image (graphics technology integral to OSX Tiger).

Have look through www.barefeats.com - great real world Mac performance benchmark resource, especially the Apple Motion benchmarks - again more a video App.

Thanks guys for advice