600 watt digital or 1000 watt magnetic ballast?

I was looking at lights today and was wondering whether I should get a 600 watt digital ballast or a 1000 watt magnetic. I have read the 600 watt digitals produce only 5% less than 1000 watt magnetics. Price wise the 600 watt is 30 dollars more than the 1000 watt. A 1000 watt digital ballast was 120 dollars more than the magnetic. I have a 4x4 grow tent, which would be best while working on a budget? Does anyone have an opinion?

I would love to see an answer to this...

Great question. I was just about to ask the same!

I'd go for the 600 digi!! I run 2 4x4 tents, 1000 watter and a 600 watt Nextgens. You will have less heat w/ the 600. Makes a big difference in a tent!

First question is Ventaltion, If you can handle the heat from a 1000w HPS in there? If so i would go with that, if not go with the 600w

I have both 1000HPS and 600HPS in digital and coil ballast. I was very skeptical of the 600HPS in a digital vs coil guess what, the development is to damn close to even expect a difference. The surface coverage is the same, the lumen output is the same (light meter). The only difference I can pin is that the ballast runs very cool and very clean.
For your situation web107 said it the best! If you have good ventilation you will be happier with a 1000HPS. Maybe buy the 1000HPS and upgrade your vent with a good vortex six in exhaust?
A 1000HPS covers a 4x4 area the best. A 600 Is good too but if you are not using multiple bulbs to help use the complexity of light to help increase yield than stick with a 1000HPS. Example) It would be better to run 2 600HPS dig than 1 1000HPS. But since you are relying on one bulb and your power supply does not have to change, go that way! Best luck,
How come your 1000HPS mag is more than a 600dig?
Where I live a new system with out shade and bulb is 150 for 1000 coil ballast and the 600 dig on sale price was 229 with no bulb and no lamp wire. U get to choose 15 feet or 29 feet. lol. But u do get your bulb 20 bucks off so it's 49 instead of 69 bucks for a 600 plantastar dig bulb; still not a real dig bulb!!!!

The tent is in the garage so it remains somewhat cold but I don't know if it will remain cold as summer comes. Would a 4" vortex be enough to vent the tent for a 1000 watt? I am thinking of going digital for the quiet running ability.

Good questions about the vortex, Not sure because I dont run in tent's but I would bet that would DEF keep it sustainable. And I would pull cold air from your garage floor and pump it to the TOP of the tent. Believe me, COLD air pumped up were the heat is does help equalize the room and keep it much cooler, and btw cold air drops much like CO2 Def a personal call that I really have no call to say for yea! Its just that you are only running one light!!! So thats why I guess 1000HPS.