Subject: Re: SparcStation ipx versus Sparc Classic
To: None <port-sparc@netbsd.org>
From: der Mouse <mouse@Rodents.Montreal.QC.CA>
List: port-sparc
Date: 05/01/2002 10:33:12
> I have the posiblity of obtaing a SparcStation ipx (hopefully for a
> song) can any one give me a quick comparison on this machine
> compaired to a SparcClasic.

I've used both the IPX and the Classic.  The biggest difference between
them I've found is that the IPX has a cg6 and the Classic has a cg3.
(The cg6 has tons more hardware smarts.)  The Classic is faster in some
respect; the Classic onboard cg3 is visibly faster than an IPX with
SBus cg3, but I don't know whether that's CPU speed or I/O bandwidth or
a better interface to framebuffer RAM or what.  The general feel is
close enough that I doubt it's just raw CPU speed.

If your workload is like mine, you probably won't see that much
difference.  (Except you won't be able to run my cg6-based games on the
Classic. :-)

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