Intel based Mac way faster than dual G5 says one developer w/link

[thirdlegstump]

http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=1175

I have no opinion on this article.

 

[Greenman]

Didn't apple have a bunch of benchmarks showing how the ibm cpu's were far and away faster than anything intel had?

 

[sparkyclarky]

I wouldn't doubt it if it is unoptomized code for both platforms. Where the G5 shines is with heavily optimized code. From what I've read, Altivec is a very powerful tool when used correctly. Apple moved away from the IBM lineup for 2 reasons. The primary one was the future roadmap. IBM simply didn't have the roadmap apple needed in terms of ramping up speeds and turning down heat output. The secondary, much more minor issue was current speed. While a G5 may be an all around slower chip for general usage (although much of that might be due to OSXs design), it wasn't so dramatically slower as to be the main reason for a switch over to Intel. The future roadmap is the key to the switchover.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Apparently Mac OS X binaries aren't optimized for speed. They're optimized for size.

I don't think the IBM roadmap had anything to do with Apple's switch to the Intel chips, it was all what Intel could offer them.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Originally posted by: Greenman
Didn't apple have a bunch of benchmarks showing how the ibm cpu's were far and away faster than anything intel had?

They did. I even saved the web pages somewhere but I don't think they'll ever admit to it that that was the reason for the switchover.

 

[thirdlegstump]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Apparently Mac OS X binaries aren't optimized for speed. They're optimized for size.

I don't think the IBM roadmap had anything to do with Apple's switch to the Intel chips, it was all what Intel could offer them.

So Apple is playing the Dell game...heh

 

[The Pentium Guy]

Wait. Why don't they test these on AMD? Then they'll find even better results.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: The Pentium Guy
Wait. Why don't they test these on AMD? Then they'll find even better results.

AMD generally can't produce in high enough numbers.
AMD doesn't have GOOD solutions for as many processor markets as Intel has.
AMD doesn't have the name Intel has.
AMD can't provide the discounts Intel can.