I think my decision on my first mac is down to firewire as I will be using it for audio recording at uni, do you guys think firewire is essential for this or is it generally interchangable with usb but just a bit slower as transfering data? thanks
firewire
- Thread starter Josimojo
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Unless you already have a device that requires Firewire (older camcorder) or will use some device that can only be connected via Firewire, I wouldn't be too concerned about it. Firewire transfer speeds are more consistent than that of USB (Firewire 400 vs USB 2.0) even though the USB 2.0 speed is rated a bit higher than Firewire 400.
Just my opinion: You probably won't notice the difference. My MacBook has a built in Firewire 400 port which never gets used. And most every new device on the market nowadays is primarily designed for USB connection.
Regards.
Just my opinion: You probably won't notice the difference. My MacBook has a built in Firewire 400 port which never gets used. And most every new device on the market nowadays is primarily designed for USB connection.
Regards.
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My MacBook Pro has the 400 and 800 FireWire. The 400 is comparable to USB in speed, but the 800 is definitely faster(by 2X or more). I recommend getting an external drive that uses both 800 and USB. You'll definitely notice a quicker transfer rate with the FireWire 800. Not so much with the 400.
If you get a Mac that only has 800, rest assured there are backward compatible cables available to connect it to a 400 device.
If you get a Mac that only has 800, rest assured there are backward compatible cables available to connect it to a 400 device.
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