Amiga Club - compare the performance of Amigo and PC. As far as Amiga relevant in today's games?

       Koe what about AMIGA.

music by DNK
(C) Yu Kovalevsky
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  By writing this article, I actually have pushed in the first 
place are numerous and, I would say, rather one-sided 
publication on the Amiga theme (ZX-Format, AMIGA Guide), and 
secondly questions which periodically ask me personally about 
the acquisition of new computer (or replace Spectruma 
grandfather, or, more generally, for the first time in my 
life). That As for Amigo Publications, here I was,

in fact, a few touches some
lopsidedness in the discussion of the Amiga as a gaming 
machine. Everywhere the same, "no better gaming platform than 
the Amiga, and as example, there also is or SuperFrog

or even some kind of "flat" toy
(I am not offended, I mean technical description). My God, 
nobody does not detract from the merits of these fine

stuff, but in the yard in 1996 and half
interest in dynamic games are
different pseudo (or pseudo) three-dimensional
hodilki-shooter-lupilki. That's just on the
this theme and would like to talk a little bit.


  Here's a primer for a small plate, made from various sources
and assess the performance of Amigo and
the two most popular in our country,
PC configurations at compile code
(And through the dash, vnutriprotsessornuyu performance in the 
cache). Touch with reality, all this is very relative, then, of 
course, should be evaluated by many parameters, but approximate

idea of the processing capability of machines you can afford 
to do: 


      CPU f so. RAM MIPSMIPS / coeff. (See below)

A600 68000 8 MHz 1M 0.6
A600 68000 8 MHz 1M +4 M fast 0.85
A1200 68020 14 MHz 2M 1.9-3
A1200 68020 14 MHz 2M +16 M fast 2.3-3
A1200 68030 50 MHz 2M +16 M fast 9.6-18
A4000 68040 25 MHz 2M +4 M fast in 1920
AMD 5x86 133MHz 8M 33-70 (13.2-28)
A1200 68060 50 MHz 2M +16 M fast 39-100
Cyrix 6x86 120MHz 8M 75-210 (30.0-84)



  Data on performance CPU 6x86
120 + (similar to Pentium 150) received no
The testing, as All available test results were given in a 
completely indigestible units, while using the coefficients of 
modernization firm Elika (increase in productivity when

Change the configuration of the computer base is taken 
486DX4-100). Data on the Amiga were taken from the description 
of the program AmiTest, the data of the program SisInfo (config 
AMIGA-1200) and data unpretentious test, Mr. Mad Max-a (oh, and 
rebelled it is about this article :-)). Follows

noted that experts for hardware is advised when doing such 
comparisons (since the model's software CPU Motorola and Intel 
are different and not in favor of the latter) to use for Intel 
correction factor of 0.5-0.33 (we will reimburse 0.4).  Because 
I myself am in this business do not know much, then leave such 
statements to Conscience of professionals, and received in

result for the PC-clone performance give in parentheses.

  Note there is a further attempt to assess the situation from 
the perspective of human who buys a computer in hopes of 
getting something for their money, excellent in all respects 
(modest wish buying all kinds of goods). Often

often it is not going to perform on it
any work (at least the first
time), and used for recreation: to play, to mess with any 
picture (for example pririsovat someone mustache in the 
picture! Rather, know-whether intellectual pursuits), climb in 
the InterNet (Do not you dare laugh at me, it's not my

words, say so ordinary people to
that expression: "the file structure
Directory "and" Hyperspace
zero-crossing "are one and the same and are confident that 
E-Mail and WWW is something like that). 


  As an example of such an "extraordinary"
the individual is currently rather go up
I, and therefore will continue my personal reflections on the 
theme AMIGA. Especially over the past four months, I had to try 
several of its configurations (for those interested: 
"AMIGA-1200, "AMIGA1200 + Blizzard 1260", "AMIGA-1200

+ Blizzard 1260 + 16 Mb fastRAM "and, finally," AMIGA-1200 + 
Blizzard 1260 + 16 Mb fastRAM + HDD "'&" AMIGA-1200 + HDD "/ at

off the accelerator.) And since it
occurred over a relatively short period of time -
I have the audacity to believe that I can objectively compare 
different configurations (with objectivity of the novice user 
'& gamer, of course!). At the moment, requisitioned from MAXa 
Blizzard 1230, I estimate version of "AMIGA-1200 + Blizard 1230 
/ free 

  FPU / + 16 Mb fastRAM + HDD ".


  For a start I would like to share some experience gained in 
the course of my acquisition of the Amiga. I think this may be 
enough cautionary tale, although I also really hope that does 
not norm. To do this, go back a little back

By that time, when I have not yet been
Amiga.

  That means I was sitting at Spectrum-om thirty years and 
three years (until 10.06.1996), wrote occasionally applets (not 
bad, not good, as well - is average) and once I saw that 
finally saved up enough money, to qualify for this already, 
"Adult" computer. Naturally, as the true and genuine 
sinklerovets I the first thing he thought about the Amiga. What 
else I have thought, prepared the public opinion in the face of 
editorial ZX-Format-a and Spectrum-other publications. At that 
moment I was fully convinced that the PC is good-except that on 
the stand under the flowers. In general, calling a few happy

holders of a miracle on behalf of the AMIGA, and finally 
decided to go out and buy it (oh, I was naive then - go and 
buy!) So, the saga began. 

  Having made a few calls, I learned
that there are only three ways to fuck
currently AMIGA, namely: firstly, to buy from
someone to 'second hand' (ours, of St. Petersburg or specially 
brought from Europe / where it is obviously someone was not /). 
Then once there is an interesting question. When scolded PC, 
then we say that this second-hand-shny trash, which become 
someone does not want there, for a cordon and Now it brought us 
here. Why do then buying someone became unnecessary

Amiga appears as an event in the life
it has bought. I do not know, I do not know .. So
porazdumyvav little on this subject I
proudly rejected this path. If you have already taken
computer, I thought, at least
new and recently harvested. There was also
second way to appeal to the firm trading,
respectively, amigo. Apart from those who sell second-hand 
machines, such a city was an AMIGA-Service. Turning to her, I 
received a very The original response: "Your order is not 
expensive, so we execute it, Only if you happen to be some 
surprise and neogovarivaemy term. Or take the fact

that we now have (A600/A1200).
Here, I think, need a little explanation. The fact that I needed
AMIGA 1200 in the housing tower, since I believed (and still 
think, despite the everything that has happened) that a machine 
without a local bus, ie without the possibility of expansion 
and modernization at the expense of added cards, it's, well, 
not quite convenient. I still do not inspire,

when I see the Amiga just hung with the same
on provodochkah power supply, the second
floppy drive, CDROM-ohm, modem, and if God
knows what else. In general, realizing that the firm does not
wants to see in me a client, I
over there did not return.

  Thus there is only one way
- Acquisition of machines in Moscow (not enough that she's 
cheaper than AMIGA-Service, both to the same-there were several 
firms selling the Amiga, and the competition - each buyer). 
But! Frankly, Firstly I am a lazy, and secondly

Still do not understand how it is: go to
another town to buy a computer. A
If that does not work, does it mean again
go there? (Actually, "first" here
plays a much bigger role) But I know that you can try to use 
the services of an intermediary (such as - go What amizhnik to 
Moscow on his amizhnikovskim affairs, so catch him and ask buy 
it there is a miracle). Because these amizhniki most people 
have a surprisingly kind, sympathetic and even markups are 
devoid of any defects so characteristic of this RiSishnikam 
bloodthirsty monsters. So I in fact, tried to do. To my

profound surprise and disappointment
The affair with the participation of different people lasted 
more than three months! It most consistently attended by three 
people and to the same tower-a desirable and I never got! Total 
four months after the purchase decision, I zaimel

normal AMIGA-1200 (albeit with the accelerator to the processor 
.. 60) for the vast Thanks MAXu that is not enough that took 
the most active and direct participation in this case, so also 
has the patience to still listen to all the nonsense with which 
I constantly refer to it. 

  I, however, comforted by the fact that if would-
this was not summer, it all went, would certainly be faster, 
well and tower can be purchased and then, separately and 
independently to throw in his bowels a1200.


  So SD-R-RA! In my hands is the most
comfortable and friendly car. First a little disappointed: his 
friendliness to AMIGA showed me in English

(I mean, of course, no design
programs - what else to expect from a foreign computer, and 
extensive help-s and proper description of the vehicle).

It should be noted with the English in me, softly
speaking, the same problems as in Winnie the Pooh with 
spelling, too, and nothing happened can not be helped. It 
should also be noted that in this mountain I'm not alone among 
the inhabitants of Russia, and the desire to have a good 
computer always coincide with the knowledge in.yazykov. A

what some would argue that to learn
control of the car can be a purely intuitive, so it is perhaps 
not quite all the same so. While it is intuitively explore 
possible SUCH mangled wood! Of course, in the process of 
developing such a clever machine periodically waved in front of 
the nose of the user flags with slogans, but they are able to 
read necessary. And the Amiga periodically issues such

words, which even my dictionary to
500,000 words does not know! A vivid example: not
As recently as today, I spent six o'clock trying to feed the 
program prepared I text while Russification "intuitively"

I found out that although the comments in the hold
allowed, but some lines
still prohibited. And I think that
somewhere about it for sure it is written, but
-I did not know!

  The second little disappointed - not
very much was easy to work with
computer whose only is that
drive. This is not the Spectrum and then not
help even the small size of the Amiga
programs, CDs had to change quite often (of course this does 
not apply to users who have to work

maximum of one two programs per session. Y
They, indeed, for 1-3 minutes to download and
You can have a whole evening in the drive just a data disc). In 
general, I can not do that, and I urgently needed a hard drive. 

  The third little disappointed - HDD 3.5 'in the Amiga did not 
climb, too high (or thick, who knows how).

Native Amiga 2.5 "hard drives in the first road, and secondly 
small ob'emu, third are sold in Moscow. Damn! Damn!

Damn! Have to buy a 3.5 ', take
tool and make the "upgrade" their miserable machine: after 
removing the screen fees and housing improvements HDD 
installed. Also - breaking both lomatsrazu did jack for an 
external IDE-devices (how quickly it became clear over th not 
found). 

  Четвертоемаленькоеразочарование
(Something they have a lot) - the software the machine, as it 
turns out has a capacity mainly on the standard Home-machine (14

MHz, CPU 680EC20) and despite the installation of
related to my processor libraries fully earned only that
these libraries drew some attention - the system software. More 
than fifty percent of the toys and demonstrashek in the form of

my sixtieth processor scared
to faint, which caused the system or restart the machine at 
all, even the effect of freezing. Since I myself do not know 
how, had to ask the one who is able, to climb in

toys and attach them to the machine (something
that to me resembles the problem
PC, however it all seriously - you have to
Toys not fit into the car, and change
configuration of the machine itself). Well,
the problem is gradually resolved, but now I
I know that the ease of transfer programs
machine to machine in the Amiga provided
only horizontally, between identical
on the CPU machines. In any other case
requires a fairly high qualifications.

  The fifth problem - the native power supply
My Amiga was not targeted at such
expanded as my car and had to be replaced. Negative result
all this was that I lost my warranty, and positive that I am now
I know - and in the "real" computer is
to poke a soldering iron (not that it
scary, and frankly better than becoming).

  Of course some people will be outraged - it
is not yet able to fully operate the machine, and already 
climbing to criticize. Well, that it can be argued? CERTAINLY 
do not know how! Why? All the rest, borrowed the Amiga, right

started easily and naturally to her work? Maybe in a year I 
will also assume that there is no easier and more software,

than the Amiga (in fact, I almost began to think so), but I 
have not yet fresh in memory, as I began. It's

as the army: in the course of action - "a rare
mess, a couple of years - it was fun, but with age even begin 
to tell you how about the best years of his life. 

  Now please do not shoot the pianist in, he plays like he can. 
We compare Still Amiga and PC, as gaming platforms (such as 
their system and so compare all who are not lazy). For a start 
I would like to draw attention to the issue until now, for some 
reason, modestly traversed in Russian Amigo literature: the 
price. Dlyapolzovatelya ZX-Spectrum (who else is reading this

article?), this issue is quite urgent
especially since we are talking about fairly
large as the initial and subsequent
cost.

  So, let's see what we have.

  Not everybody knows that the price of the RS
understated due to zatovarennostyu market.
Well, philosophically, we note that from the point
of the buyer computer, it can be
welcome. But here's the price of
Amiga, we have the opposite - too high (and
I do not need about brandname, see
many Amiga components are among them, for
cordon and how many of us. That they have it,
in a price competitive with respect to
MS, and here I am discussing a purely local situation! And then 
some more remembered: as a cool it was when there was a 
1200-webs. More would in 1993 cost the A1200 in Germany

1099 marks a "mom" 486DX33 without the "brains"
999 marks. When assembled, the same cost as 486
3298 marks while not standing next to
AMIGA-1200, as a gaming machine and a few
faster than thought (the data directory CONRAD
Electronic). Then think of nothing better. But alas, in our 
yard in 1996). 

So, let's assume:
0 Prices Moscow St Petersburg
AMIGA-1200 520 $ 565 $
/ Accelerator Blizzard-1230 FPU 310 $ 460 $
fast-RAM 8 Mb $ 45 $ 45
840 Mb hard drive $ 150 $ 150
Monitor AMIGA 1438S 480 $ 445 $

TOTAL: $ 1500 $ 1665!

Price: Moscow - Journal AMIGA Guide N 1,
St. Petersburg - AMIGAService (price as of July
months).


  This, I believe the minimum necessary set to complete the 
work (especially with graphics) and games (meaning not 2D toys, 
under which Amiga "sharpened" and modern 3D-toys (or rather, Of 
course, not true 3D, and the so-called 'DOOMovidnye' because 
I'm afraid the real Amiga 3D does not pull without proper 
hardware), where Amiga chip-set is no longer play a decisive 
role and becomes important performance

CPU!).


[LOST]: (

Prominent toy, more or less smoothly
move only in 320 * 256 in the box the size of a pack of 
cigarettes. I, personally, it seems that in this case has the 
right on life and such a statement from the world

sinkleristov: "You can fully operate
Spectrum 48k on a car with the drive at
taped "(of course, we believe that this is said in the circle 
sinkleristov, you can not really compare Amiga, even if, and 
only with the flop, and Spectrum, though and with the hard 
drive). AND You can really only work that

it will be for work? No fun. The only exception here
an article in the AMIGA-Guide N 1: 'Action 3D' (p.47), where 
modestly mentions that only by me above configuration of the 
Amiga can be considered normal for Games of this type.


  By the way, practice shows that
person, who set the machine hard drive already
a week without it life can not conceive. Then
The same applies to the installation of the accelerator
with the fast-memory. Already on that, I do goof as
Amiga user, and like anything serious until the start, but then 
at the moment I am suffering, temporarily replacing 'Blizzard 
1260' to 'Blizzard in 1230. " What should just wait for 15-25 
seconds until 'PersonalPaint 6.4' conduct image processing, 
when I used to have it took 2-5 sec. ?


  And what kind of statement that Amiga
do not need a monitor? That can run on
TV? Not "can work", and Amiga
supports a TV scan mode. On the TV you can play, and the notion 
of 'Work' means: to read shaped as letters

on the screen, and from this lesson on your TV (unless it is 
connected via RGB) eyes start to hurt and tears. Oh, and in 
most cases and RGB does not work, the television and the pixels 
on the screen not much and information, to put it mildly, 
leaves much to be desired (I personally saw the Amiga DECENT 
picture only on Samsung World Best, to whom she was connected 
via scart on RGB). Normally work only on a monitor, but RSshnye 
not suitable because do not support the TV-mode (How, then, to 
play? "There will have to use ScanDoubler, but the corporate 
road, not a homemade ochento), and the Amiga monitors in our 
country are so expensive (see above). If you are not a fig to 
the money, but sight all the same like keep, then buy for the 
PC monitor, and play Begaj to the TV as 95% of the toys do not 
understand what "do not scan TV." Incidentally, in this 
context, I recall the old adage that every plus has two 
disadvantages and Amiga here are no exception: a very good thing

there are so many different developments, but inflexible on 
this issue in the game software may lead to some 
disappointment. For example, I'm just afraid to carry to the TV 
machine with the hard disk. What if someone on naively pushes 
it, is not it possible and files on the "dope" were missing!



  On the other hand. Spending the same money they can buy 
Packard Bell Hillary CDS (Pentium 75 / 8 Mb EDO RAM / 1 Gb HDD /

4x CDROM / S3-1964 / 16bit SB / 14 'monitor) - this, in my 
opinion is quite suitable for definition of 'brandname'. (This 
remark for those who argue that the brandname PC

more Amiga. And during the discussion of this
topics of practical value has not, all
well these machines almost no one buys. And the sound of it, of 
course, not Amiga). 

  If, however, use the services of local companies are going to 
computers (I mean DECENT office dealing with this is not the 
first year and learn to do it fairly reliable) it is has to be: 
(Cyrix P150 + / 16 Mb EDO RAM / 1 Gb HDD / 6x CDROM Aser / 
S3-T64 / 32bit AWE32 (though not very fancy))

I assure you that this monster will be chasing
3D-toys faster than the above configuration, the Amiga (Quace 
graphical PATCNerom just flies on it in the mode of 640 * 480 * 
256 colors and full screen / only The frame on the screen '). 
The truth here is WORK on it, as they say, not as an example 
duller Despite all of this performance.


  And one more thought (no doubt
- Intelligent) on the soft-e in general. After working a bit 
with the Amiga, I, in principle, willing to believe that its 
software is very convenient to use. Is also ready to believe 
that RSshny soft less convenient, although personally I

modest experience of pressing the buttons on the keyboard, the 
PC will not let me have your opinion on the matter. Still,

amizhniki gentlemen! I would like to those of
you who are foaming at the mouth reads the entire lecture on 
the above topic, soft-as had would be private and in-depth 
knowledge directly with both cars and not 2-3 (Or more) years 
ago and the current moment. And what happens to people only RS

in the shop saw, and wake him up in the middle
night, and there also raskazhet how bad a
its software. Lets say only that
have seen, and preferably also touched
hands. And yet, it seems
that some users do not know Amiga
on what actually works. Anyway
If a friend of mine, Paul, told the
me that he, in his words, "almost broke" when he was careless in
presence amizhnikov say that AMIGA1200 address bus is trimmed 
from 32 to 24 bits. Here is one of two things: either people do 
not know (???) and will not tolerate even constructive 
criticism (and this is a clinical case). 


  By the way, I think, the problem of speed Amiga 3D toys lies 
in the approach to games on Amiga in general (this is to the 
question of plus and minus). Due to the fact that home-Amiga 
has a CPU 680EC20 (no FPU, low productivity - 2 MIPS

high / for comparison with PlayStation -
30 MIPS only the CPU, and the overall performance of its 
chip-set for parallel processing of information exceeds the 
limit of 300 MIPS (500 MIPS according 
'PK_alex.belpak.vitebsk.by') / Amiga toys try to "sharpen" 
under this minimum configuration that was at least some 
"dynamics telodvizheny for all users. As a result, the Amiga

"Dumovidki" even on my 68 060 does not fall short of the best 
examples on the PC (I mean just speed perekadrovki). But 
if-they "understood" it shestidesyatku was, would simply fly 
away. Funny right, in the court in 1996, not one of the 
encountered my toys do not understand what the FPU and

bringing with him all they do. And, incidentally.
Strange things: that the same "GLOOM De Luxe"
i-Glasses Hat understands, and no FPU! But
because the game is so much helmet, if
no more expensive than an accelerator for 68060.
Strange ...

  In light of the foregoing, at the risk
incur the wrath of the apologists of inexpensive
Amigo, I think, still, for the AMIGA
should be considered truly complete, the configuration of 40mi 
and even 60-mi processors. Especially for working with 
graphics, even static. Another thing that's worth it so much 
that I feel like saying that all this is for the rich perverts.



  And therefore, at the moment, if you
decided to upgrade its machinery, the
first of all firmly think that going to do with their new
computer. If you have tried, like
me to write to the files of Spectruma and hope to manifest 
itself in this field and continue, but now on a different 
platform, then turn your attention to the Amiga. Only on it, 
you can create something really needed is not the fruit of 
monstrous the size of the monsters (in fairness,

I note that on the PC may be too small
homemade, if you know and use the procedures of Windows 95. The 
question of the quality of the procedures will not discuss). In 
this case be prepared for the material costs, but hopefully 
ease communication with the machine will pay for it all. If you 
do not have a lot of money, and the computer is needed, mainly 
for games, but game console abhorrent because of its 
impenetrable stupidity must still take MS. By the same for

He produced a huge amount of literature in Russian, which may 
be a bit (if you have enough patience to all this read and 
separate the wheat from the chaff in these "texts") to assist 
in the development of the machine. 

  True for those who "want but can not"
Amiga dawned sunny ray. Judging by
latest price list from Moscow, the prices of some components to 
the Amiga Do you want to little to fall on something, even at 
30%. So it is quite possible that the configuration Declared 
above, cheaper and more accessible, which is good. 

P.S. As I understand it, now for my poor
his head will fall the wrath of fans of the Amiga, which, as I 
noticed, do not tolerate even the slightest criticism of their 
favorite cars. It is possible that he will be completely 
righteous, because over the past 4 months I have hardly if so 
well studied machine to not do in this essay what ever 
technical errors. Quite possibly. I, actually, I will be very 
even happy if I manage to convince that

Amiga is a game, understand and use the resources of any 
machine configuration. (Evidence of "the fool" is not 
accepted!) And again, please do not forget that the game 
quality machine with a user's perspective in 1996. In fact, 
it's a great machine work, no, actually, no doubt. She would 
still like to be "become Russianized" ... And then something 
hard to understand the move. 

  Among other things. All of the above quite
not unfounded. For some time it was
as follows: up to me friend (often not
having no computer at all) and
Requests to advise that he would get, so to speak, in the light 
of recent rulings. I certainly like a man honest and say that 
here is a PC, is sold everywhere, even grocery stores, by 
weight, but it conflicts with the configuration, with 
experience, of course, be solved. A Here is a handy AMIGA car, 
home and play and work can be. Naturally

- The following question: How much? 520
I say, but it's no hard drive, or 700
200 MB hard drive. And if necessary (and it is
will necessarily have to) HDD larger then
buy, do the cord and hang out. Then, if we do not talk with 
tempered sinklerovtsem should be small dumb (as usual, normal 
people can not take head like a hard drive outside!) after

What conversation usually goes on the PC.
Sometimes, people get really stubborn
and continue to dig further into the former
direction. These typically ask: "and
that it is already possible to play? ". The answer is that yes
possible, but only in old toys, not
imposed on the machine increased requirements, but generally it 
would be good accelerator, and his memory to the game is not 
DOOMovidnye feel cramped. Some

ask a question about what the monitor in the Amiga. Have to 
give a lecture on the concept of home-computer and its lack of

his monitor, but it usually does not help
as Any sane person understands that bezkonfliktno use the TV it 
will probably only at night, and the monitor will still have to 
buy (and it is twice as expensive RSshnogo). 

  In general, this kind of talk, I usually end with a story 
about the processor Cyrix and he is better than Intel-well. But 
now I can see firsthand what the Windows AS '95, and look at 
toys Cyrix P200 + (The latter, in fact, look just

slaughter and to compete here can only
'PlayStation', or 'SEGA Saturn' but, unfortunately, not Amiga 
games in which Though clever, but still a little bit the 
brakes). 

Produced with the assistance of a text editor: 'MicroEditor V 
3.30'. 

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