Trying to choose a gaming imac configuration--on a budget

Question

I'm looking to get a gaming imac, and I'm on a budget. I enjoy RTS games, as well as Diablo-esque games, etc., but not shooters, and was thinking about going the bootcamp route. Initially, I thought about the 20" intel double core with 2 gb and 256 mb ATI video card, but it was a little too pricey for me, all told.
So my question is this, which do you think has a bigger impact on gaming performance, 1 gb vs 2 gb memory, or a 128 vs 256 video card?
And is there a substantial difference between these three configurations: 17" 1 Gb and 128 ATI, 17" 2 Gb and 128 ATI, or 20" 1 Gb and 256 ATI?
Thanks!

Answer 1

I dont know if Apple is the way you want to go if you want to do intense gaming currently. EA and Blizzard are however, moving games into the Apple realm now with Starcraft 2, Starcraft, World of Warcraft, (Diablo maybe, I dont remember). I can tell you now, that when later games will be coming out (even within this year), theres going to be a HUGE jump in system requirements, especially for games like SC2. The 256 vid card will be noticably faster and capable of handling more compared to the 128. As for memory, I like ot think of it as ram in a car, the amount of load it is capable of pulling without slowing effects. So, it would depend on the game. Something like Diablo and Starcraft/Brood War aren't too ram hungry, but when you go into the full on 3D, hardcore physics games, you will feel the need for it. There are a few things you should consider though before buying one. First, there are rumours that the iMac will undergo updates following the MacBook Pro hardware updates. This means, faster, stronger, more up-to-date stuff like Vid Cards may become available soon enough, if i recall correctly, they assumed anywhere from this month to october for it to happen. The rumours also state that the 17 inch iMac will be given up and will only be left with the other 20inch and up models. This will reduce the cost of the 20 inch. Also, memory can definitly be bought aftermarket to save you a lot of money. Of course it may not be the same speed settings as the memory sold with macs, but it can definitly save you $$. I got two 1G sticks for a total of 130$ canadian. which is about 50% differant than Apple's. If I had total absolute power over your buying descision (which I obviously dont :P) I would either go PC or simply wait to see if the iMac updates will occur. Both methods theoretically should save money. ^^