New A1200 - some questions

[Hardboy]

Here is my opinion:

If playing games is the overall goal, go for the a500.

If you want something (maybe just a little bit) more than just being able to play games, then go for the a1200.

You can connect a standard IDE harddisk to the a1200, but you´ll need a cable, as the a1200 has a 2.5" connector on the motherboard.

As a plus, an a1200 with a HD, could get games installed on the HD, which in many cases is nice. Also many old disk-only games have patches now,so that you can install them to HD. You would then need some extra memory though..

Anyway, you shouldn´t go out buying a brand new amiga. Get one used, try amibench

[Hardboy]

Not that i know of. You run into some probz, with games that wont start on your A1200, it might be because they need a Kickstarter 1.3, and if they do, there nothing to, unless you can get hold of a Kickstarter switch.

Not, what I know of. Most games that won´t work on non-a500 machines, do not work because of:

Being chip-memory only (but request any kind of memory), only uses 24bit adresses, or do not wait for the blitter.

Chip-memory only games can run when fastmem is disabled. Many games that doesn´t wait for the blitter( or lacks other kind of synchronization), work when the caches are disabled. Games that only uses 24bit adresses cannot be helped out without patches.

I can´t remember any game, which doesn´t work because of a wrong kickstart( though newer games might require newer kickstarts).