What Runs Faster Please

ntlrocks · 03-04-2004, 18:15

It has been confussing me for quite some time, why is a 800MHZ G4 Ibook mac, so expensive, for instance, for the same price you could have a Windows XP laptop , at about 2.6Ghz. So why are macs soo expensive.

If indeed the mac runs faster what would be the comparison?

Steve H · 03-04-2004, 18:19

That mac would perform about the same as a P3 1.3ghz.. Apple just decide there products are more special

Chris W · 03-04-2004, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

It has been confussing me for quite some time, why is a 800MHZ G4 Ibook mac, so expensive, for instance, for the same price you could have a Windows XP laptop , at about 2.6Ghz. So why are macs soo expensive.

If indeed the mac runs faster what would be the comparison?

did a bit of googling, and the first page that i found was here

It is a comparison between a Apple Power Mac G4 and Pentium III PC, but should answer you question, don't want to get into the technicalities of why apples are faster... but they are

ntlrocks · 03-04-2004, 18:22

Thanks, but that is like half the speed, so why the huge price?

Steve H · 03-04-2004, 18:23

Apple decide there products are more special, hence they charge more

ntlrocks · 03-04-2004, 18:36

What does the "G" stand for, is the G4 macs version of intels P4?

Chris W · 03-04-2004, 18:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

What does the "G" stand for, is the G4 macs version of intels P4?

G stands for Generation!

downquark1 · 03-04-2004, 19:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

It has been confussing me for quite some time, why is a 800MHZ G4 Ibook mac, so expensive, for instance, for the same price you could have a Windows XP laptop , at about 2.6Ghz. So why are macs soo expensive.

If indeed the mac runs faster what would be the comparison?

What is it's intended use? If you want the better performer surely that would depend on what software is availiable for it. And what you want to use.

ntlrocks · 03-04-2004, 19:46

i just mean in general terms why a laptop running windows xp at 2.6GHZ cost the same price as a mac running OSX at 800mhz.

peachey · 03-04-2004, 19:49

apple was the first to introduce the 'mouse' in 1984

but now the users are described as 'enthusiasts'

i used to have one

but give your parents one and see how it pans out
attatchments and stuff are a nightmare for the novice

03-04-2004, 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by ntlrocks

i just mean in general terms why a laptop running windows xp at 2.6GHZ cost the same price as a mac running OSX at 800mhz.

Cos Microsoft have had plenty of time to complicate XP?

Are both Pentium and Mac (68000?) both RISC or CISC processors?
Cisc (Complex Instruction Set Computers) do complicated calculations/operations per CPU clock cycle and have a slower speed.
Risc (Reduced Instruction Set Computers) have simple instructions but operate at a far higher clock speed.

The number of CPU's sold will also have a bearing, its cheaper to massively mass produce, than mass produce. Macs don't sell as many units.

Also how many manufacturers are competing to produce CPU's to run Mac software?

downquark1 · 03-04-2004, 20:11

Tell me if I've totally lost it, but is it better to have a jpg desktop picture or bmp? This is on windows xp with a large colorful pic.

SMHarman · 03-04-2004, 20:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by downquark1

Tell me if I've totally lost it, but is it better to have a jpg desktop picture or bmp? This is on windows xp with a large colorful pic.

I does'nt matter.

03-04-2004, 20:23

jpg has a lower size in terms of kBytes

ZrByte · 03-04-2004, 20:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proppinupthebar

jpg has a lower size in terms of kBytes

Though it takes longer for the cpu to decompress & read (Hence more CPU usage than a bmp) though both take milliseconds to load and once the laoding is done there is no further strain on your cpu (Though I wouldnt really call loading a picture strenuous for a modern PC anyway)