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_bnkr612

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Mar 8, 2004
619
0
Can anyone explain to me why I read so much about how slow the 1.6 G5 is. I am student who uses Macromedia and Adobe apps as well as OS X apps. I have yet to have any feeling of slow. I did add 512mb of RAM.

Why would a dual be better for what I do? Based off of comments I have read in other posts concerning G5 1.6's.

Cheers,
_bnkr
 
_bnkr612 said:
Can anyone explain to me why I read so much about how slow the 1.6 G5 is. I am student who uses Macromedia and Adobe apps as well as OS X apps. I have yet to have any feeling of slow. I did add 512mb of RAM.

Why would a dual be better for what I do? Based off of comments I have read in other posts concerning G5 1.6's.

Cheers,
_bnkr

Basically, it works like this... A processor handles tasks that the OS tells it needs to be done, queing them up so that they're executed in a certain order. With a single processor system, there's the one unit to do all the worrk, but in multiple-processor systems, it can work on more things at once.

This is partially alleviated in modern computers by a process called multithreading, where 'threads' of processing tasks are worked on in part, rotating through a slightly different queue so that all active processes are in flight at once. When you have a machine with more than one processor, it does this even more efficiently, because it can kick the threads to whichever processor is under the lowest load.

This is most useful in program that are MP-aware, and those are usual professional applications like Photoshop, Macromedia's apps, and so on. Also, the 1.6 uses lower-frequency RAM than the two higher models (PC2700 instead of PC3200), and has a lower bus speed. Overall, it is slower than the other towers, but it still screams compared to what i'm using, so don't worry too much. If you're a student and have a G5, you've got a lot of us beat. :D
 
can it be done to add a 3rd cpu to a dual processor computer already so u have 3 processors , and or do they sell more than dual processor computers?
 
Espnetboy3 said:
can it be done to add a 3rd cpu to a dual processor computer already so u have 3 processors , and or do they sell more than dual processor computers?

No, you can't add a third processor, or even a second to a machine that isn't already a dualie. There's the simple matter of processor sockets and interconnects, not to mention the individual RAM banks... Also, Apple does sell computers with more than two processors, but they tend to gget nicknames like BigMac and break the LinPack Top Five. I don't think you've got the $5.5 million to make such a purchase, though, so the point is moot.
 
The 1.6 G5 is a fast Mac! I wish I had one. Maybe in July after the new models come out I can pick one up at an awesome price.
 
Espnetboy3 said:
can it be done to add a 3rd cpu to a dual processor computer already so u have 3 processors , and or do they sell more than dual processor computers?

Whilst this can't currently be done with a Mac many supercomputers work by taking processors available in the commercial market and running them in parrallel. The third most powerfull supercomp runs on G5's, check it out: http://www.top500.org/lists/2003/11/3/
 
you can be sure its faster than the fastest imac or powerbook. based on xbench scores its the 3rd fastest mac right now. it averages around 150 I would say. the dual 2ghz gets up over 200.
 
Danrose1977 said:
Whilst this can't currently be done with a Mac many supercomputers work by taking processors available in the commercial market and running them in parrallel. The third most powerfull supercomp runs on G5's, check it out: http://www.top500.org/lists/2003/11/3/

I was trying not to confuse him by bringing in more detail than necessary, you know. However, any reference to Big Mac is welcome. :D
 
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