Bought a 1.8 GHz G5 yesterday! 1.8 G5 vs Dual 1 GHz G4 xBench results (interesting)

[thabridawg]

As soon as I started using the G5, I noticed that doing simple things like just having mail.app, iTunes, Safari and AIM open will constantly make the processor use at 80-95%.

On my dual 1 GHz G4, having the same programs open would use 20-40% of both processors... rarely would I ever see it go up to 80%, even with major apps like final cut pro active.

so I did some xBench tests...

Here's the raw data:

1.8 GHz G5
900 MHz bus
120 GB 7200 HD
512 MB DDR RAM

Dual 1 GHz G4 (Quicksilver)
167? MHz bus
80 GB 7200 HD
1 GB MB RAM

* admin means i did the test on my account, guest obviously means i did the test on the guest account
* auto and highest stand for what 'G5 slew' setting i used in the Energy Saver panel...

Graph of G4 vs the G5 in the setting I would use most (admin, highest):

What is the "thread test" and why does my G5 suck badly at it?

Here's a graph showing the differences in slew settings

Will buying 2 512 MB sticks, for a total of 1 GB extra RAM help my G5 significantly? Although I like my new computer, it doesn't seem as fast as I thought it would've been. I would've bought the 2.0 GHz G5, but that's just $500+ more (edu. discount) that I really can't afford to spend.

 

[lewdvig]

A really good trick to boost your XBench score is to run a RAID stripe. It got my upgraded Sawtooth (dual G4) to nearly 100 pts.

I would not put too much faith in XBench scores. Run some tests with apps you use (encoding a DVD, ripping songs).

 

[macpoweruser]

What baffles me is the fact that you can afford to spend ~$2500 to upgrade from an already good Dual 1 GHz G4 (relative to the 1.8 G5), but can't afford $500 that would make the upgrade really have a lasting value...

 

[thabridawg]

Well first of all, it's my dad who pays for my stuff... I'm an unemployed, full-time college student.

We bought the Dual G4 last August, when Steve announced the mirrored-drive G4s. Since then, it has had two seperate electricity-related problems. The first time was in January, the video card and RAM got fried somehow, it was still under warranty.

This August, about a week after my 1-year warranty expired... the whole logic board got fried, and we had to pay $600 to replace it. Earlier, when Apple called my dad to get AppleCare, he refused to get it.

So... my dad decided to just get a new computer, and sell the G4 for around $1500-1600 to my friend. Yeah... it seems scandalous... but I think the problems were mostly due to the fact that my house is old and the electrical system isn't grounded, so someone else with a newer house shouldn't have any problems with it. I only have it right now because I'm in the middle of transferring all my stuff to the G5.

I am now using a Belkin UPS w/ AVR along with the G5, and my dad's friend is offering to fix our house's electrical stuff.

 

[thabridawg]

I guess the real solution is for me to get a job