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Originally Posted by ntlrocks
You'll never guess............what ever since i started this thread, on apple.com/uk, an 800mhz G4 12inch iBook cost £849, now they have changed prices....
now it is , a 1Ghz G4 12inch iBook costs £799 .... coincidence?, or do they read these threads
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Unlikely - a lot of Mac addicts accuse them of not even bothering to read their own support forums, let alone anyone else's ...
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Originally Posted by Steve H
That mac would perform about the same as a P3 1.3ghz.. Apple just decide there products are more special  |
I do hope this is meant to be a joke Steve. I think the thread starter had a serious question, there's no need to drag it down to a pointless Mac v PC slanging match.
I think ntlrocks' question has prolly been answered actually. Macs and PCs use different kinds of processor. The Mac's PowerPC processor uses fewer instructions as it gets the job done, so works faster. So, the clock speed doesn't need to be as fast as an equivalent Pentium chip in order to process information at the same rate.
As others have said, the 'G' refers to which Generation of PowerPC chip you are using. Original iMacs came with a third-generation PowerPC chip (G3), current iMacs and mid-range systems have a G4, and the top of the range system is the G5. The G5 is the world's first desktop 64-bit processor.
As for the cost - yes, I think cost of designing and building your own system does push the cost up, as does lower sales volume. Market positioning has something to do with it as well - they are marketed as quality products to be compared with big-name PC manufacturers, so the cost will not compare with the cheapest PC on the high street, or one you build yourself.