Author Topic: 3000 vs 4000? (Read 7963 times)

runequester · « **on:** April 11, 2011, 08:19:47 PM »

Seems the forum ate my post

Anyways, in 2 months or so, we're looking at moving to anew apartment, which opens up the potential for a big box amiga, since I'll have the space and a dedicated computer room.

So the question is.. 3000 or 4000? (2000 is out, due to 16 bit zorro)

As far as I know:
4000 gets AGA, and comes with an 040 already (generally)

3000 gets a scan doubler included already.

I know the 3000 is SCSI and the 4000 is IDE. What I don't know if what practical difference that makes. I dont think I've ever used a machine with SCSI anything. Anyone care to enlighten me here?

Other things to consider?

Stuff that will go into the machine is: 040 or 060 card, scan doubler, RTG, RAM expansion (like zorRAM or something else), USB and some sort of networking solution (whether through USB or otherwise)

THat also brings me to... what are the best networking solutions for these machines?

Jope · « **Reply #1 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:22:41 PM »

Since you're looking to expand it with a turbo, get the A4000, where the turbo card fits more readily.

If you were to keep the machines more or less stock, the A3000 is not a bad choice at all, unless you require AGA support.

Karlos · « **Reply #2 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:34:52 PM »

Quote from: runequester;630981

Seems the forum ate my post

D'Oh! I just moved your other thread from the news section where you must have accidentally dropped it

For reference, any posts dropped into the news section are subject to moderation before release, which is why it seemed to disappear.

runequester · « **Reply #3 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:44:19 PM »

Quote from: Karlos;630987

D'Oh! I just moved your other thread from the news section where you must have accidentally dropped it

For reference, any posts dropped into the news section are subject to moderation before release, which is why it seemed to disappear.

ah, nevermind. Im an idiot

Can you nuke the other one?

commodorejohn · « **Reply #4 on:** April 11, 2011, 08:49:16 PM »

I just got myself a 3000 recently, and I'm pretty happy with it. The one factor that the 3000 definitely has over the 4000 is price - I got mine for a song, compared to the half-grand figures that even unexpanded 4000s command.

VingtTrois · « **Reply #5 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:05:23 PM »

A3000: no caps to change (unless the amiga did not work for 8 / 10 years)

save2600 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:05:25 PM »

A3000 if you want my $.02. I'll take SCSI and the sexy A3000 look over an A4000 with its IDE any day of the week. No busted simm sockets to worry about either! :lol:

+1 VingtTrois!

Damion · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:30:59 PM »

If you find one in good condition with no/minimal battery leakage, I wouldn't pass on either.

Both stock, I'd prefer an A3000. Expanded, A4000 might be a better choice. Much more room in the case, AGA. A good accelerator will have faster SCSI than the A3000 onboard. (Or, use a DENEB, 4091, or Fastlane. The latter two are often problematic in an A3000.)

Potential problems with battery leakage aside, keep in mind the 4000 will almost certainly require (at minimum) repair in the form of all SMD capacitors replaced.

Sandman · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:38:55 PM »

Quote from: save2600;630999

No busted simm sockets to worry about either! :lol:

Yeah, but a full 16mb of zips ain't easy to come by either.... glad I stockpiled 32mb of zips for my machines.

CSixx · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2011, 09:49:45 PM »

I have both and use the a4k while the 3k sits in the closet.
The 040 is nice to have, AGA is good for some games, and the fact that you can put a cd drive in no problem is nice.

External scsi cdroms are a pain.

save2600 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:17:29 PM »

Quote from: CSixx;631014

External scsi cdroms are a pain.

Let your A3000 out of the closet, I'll give her a good home

...and external CD-ROM? Who uses CD-ROMS anymore? People without Deneb, that's who. lmao

magnetic · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:49:41 PM »

Umm the A4000 blows the 3k away in so many ways its not even funny. Ever try to work on an A3000? It sux. The way its designed its way to small, so to change even minor chips you have to take apart the whole thing it sucks.. not only that but zorris very cramped area so if you are heavily expanding it will get hot.. No AGA, no 5.25 drive bay... its BEIGE not nice white like A4k etc etc etc

Darrin · « **Reply #12 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:52:43 PM »

I have an A2000, A3000 and A4000. The A2000 and A4000 are both hooked up while the A3000 sits on a shelf. I think that says it all.

Yes, the A4000 has a built in SDFF, but the A4000 has AGA.
Both have Zorro 3.
The A4000 mobo will take a 16MB SIMM, while good luck trying to find a bucket-load of ZIPs for the A3000.
There's bugger all space in the A3000 for a CD ROM drive.
SCSI devices will be a pain to track down on eBay while you can rip lots of cheap IDE devices off old, broken PCs.
If you do add a CPU card (for faster speed and extra RAM) then the chances are that it will have SCSI on it.

Do remember that the A4000 has a single IDE header (2 devices). I terminated mine and put a FastATA4000 into one of the Zorro slots. If you're saving money then a Buddha card would be an option too.

save2600 · « **Reply #13 on:** April 11, 2011, 10:54:08 PM »

What the frack is Zorris? 5-1/4" Drive bay today is useless and white vs. beige vs. brown? lol Service wise, the A4000 is a surface-mounted budgeted POS compared to the A3000. I am disappointed the '030 and '882 aren't socketed on the A3000 - but I think you are way, way off here comparing the two machines from a serviceman's standpoint. Besides all that, when your accelerator card goes out in an A4000, what are you left with? The processor isn't even a part of the mainboard! lol

The A1200/A600/A4000/CD32 are all piles of rubbish from a service techs pov. They're all as disposable as the company that designed them. How convenient and non-forward looking they were.

magnetic · « **Reply #14 on:** April 11, 2011, 11:05:01 PM »

save2600

Service tech? Lol every amiga user is this by now... I an assure you the A3k is the WORST Amiga to Repair/Fix due to case design and small space. PERIOD there is no argument there you can mount. As far as socketed vs SMD i do agree, but to be honest no a4k i 've ever had had an smd component failure (except CIA from user error)

so A3k vs a4k isnt even a challenge. THE ONLY thing good is the VGA ff output (but guess what VERY prone to failure)

I've probably built/upgraded/ fixed more A3000s than you have ever even seen in person!

Author Topic: 3000 vs 4000? (Read 7963 times)

runequester

3000 vs 4000?

Jope

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

Karlos

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

runequester

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

commodorejohn

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

VingtTrois

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

save2600

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

Damion

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

Sandman

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

CSixx

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

save2600

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

magnetic

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

Darrin

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

save2600

Re: 3000 vs 4000?

magnetic

Re: 3000 vs 4000?