What processor architecture are you using now?

[leandermx]

I just bought an iMac several days ago, I wanna know what you are using now, iMac or PowerPC?
:confused:

[mooty]

FYI an iMac can be Intel or Power PC... You might want to rephrase the answers

[rasmits]

What about people with PowerPC iMacs? :p

Do you mean 'Intel' or 'PowerPC'?

[chucker]

What about people with PowerPC iMacs? :p

Or MacBooks or MacBook Pros :D

[jondaapplegeek]

And, of course, a Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBookPro or even a Mac mini?

edit: grrr chucker!

[BuonRotto]

PowerBook G4 (PowerPC) here. I used to have a G4 (powerPC) iMac, the desk lamp version.

[thegeriatric]

Mac mini power PC G4. Does that clear it up for you? :lol:

[World Leader Pretend]

iMac (PowerPC) G5, 1.8 GHz.

[Luca]

Poll changed.

[beardedmacuser]

Right now? In that case I'm using a ZOMG 3.2 GHz PENTEEEEEEUM 4!!!1!!

[kieran]

G4 iMac, G4 iBook

[Is it 1981?]

iMac G4. Been toying with the idea of purchasing a new iMac for the past couple of months - seeing and reading about the new iteration has somewhat dampened that idea for the time being, sadly.

[Engine Joe]

Both - Intel (MBP) and PowerPC (Power Mac G5). Since I didn't have an option to cover both, I voted 'Intel' since I use the MBP far more often.

[thegeriatric]

Pssssssssst.......................I also use a PC (Vista) don't tell anyone, they can be a funny lot around here sometimes, whew *Wipes sweat from brow* good job i didn't post that......did I? I didn't did I? OMFG I might have posted it.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I'm doomed I tell you. Doomed............................:eek: :err: :no: :grumble: :( :confused: :\ :|

[drewprops]

I'm using BOTH!!! :lol:
(the poll won't let me pick both)

[BuonRotto]

Pssssssssst.......................I also use a PC (Vista) don't tell anyone, they can be a funny lot around here sometimes, whew *Wipes sweat from brow* good job i didn't post that......did I? I didn't did I? OMFG I might have posted it.
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
I'm doomed I tell you. Doomed............................:eek: :err: :no: :grumble: :( :confused: :\ :|

ZOMG! yUO Tr0ll34ZZz!

[torifile]

I've got 3 Macs, but all of them are Intel.

[InactionMan]

PPC 4 Life Bitches!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:p

[Luca]

Added a "both" option.

Also, polls are rather useless. I can't remember the last time we had one that didn't need to be edited after people had already voted.

[drewprops]

I demand a RECOUNT!!!!!!:mad: :lol:

[Perfecting_Zero]

Added a "both" option.

Also, polls are rather useless. I can't remember the last time we had one that didn't need to be edited after people had already voted.

Yah, it takes a bit of thought and skill to craft a meaningful and revealing question (or poll). Anyway, I think I had the distinction of being first to vote the newly minted "both!" :D

[bassplayinMacFiend]

Use both, actually the PPC iMac G5 gets much more use than my 1.83GHz MacBook. I did upgrade the RAM in my MacBook to 2GB last weekend so now I can try some tests on both to see which computer is faster.

[Robo]

Luca, I demand a "Beer" option. :p

My iMac will use an Intel Core 2 Duo (Santa Rosa) - no ZOMG X-TREME!!1 for me, sadly. And my Eee will use a 900MHz Dotham something-or-other.

[Majost]

Brad has Google Analytics on here... and they actually track the processor breakdown within Mac OS computers. It'd make for an interesting study of self-selected voters. :p

Let's see the real numbers! :)

[PB PM]

I use both, simply because I have a PPC G4, Power Mac (my secondary machine for data storage) and Intel MBP as my primary on the go machine.

[beardedmacuser]

Oh, now I'm home, right now I'm using my G4 PowerBook...

[Kraetos]

All Intel, all the time baby. Got my 2.4 GHz MBP and my 2.4GHz Conroe in my beastly PC next to me.

I <3 my computers.

[pscates2.0]

Blazing along on this 1.25GHz PowerBook G4, and, barring any weirdness or bad luck, I will be for about one more year... :)

[Brad]

Let's see the real numbers! :)
I don't have the exact numbers with me now (posting from my BB), but last I recall, the Intel numbers were *slightly* higher than the PPC numbers.

[turtle]

I'm using both Intel and PPC. G4 Mac Mini and CD MacBook.

Never mind the two G3 Clamshells and Athlon 64 Linux Server and other P4 XP and Vista systems.

I have too many computers. :|

[neiltc13]

I'm using AMD + Intel, where do I click?

[World Leader Pretend]

Does IBM still develop PPC branded chips? Or did they stop after the G5?

It would be sweet to see a G6. :D

[rasmits]

Yes. The POWER6 is currently in development.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/POWER6

(Looks like a helluva server ship)

[Brad]

Does IBM still develop PPC branded chips? Or did they stop after the G5?

IBM was developing chips in the POWER architecture long before the G5 and still continues today. POWER is similar to PowerPC in many ways; PowerPC was derived from POWER and the PowerPC instruction set is actually fully implemented in current iterations of POWER processors.

What are some current uses besides the "big iron" of IBM servers? Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, and Sony Playstation 3 all use PowerPC-derived processors. Cisco uses PowerPC chips in much of its networking hardware.

[World Leader Pretend]

So is the POWER6 a server chip or could you build a PC around its architecture?

[ghoti]

"Server Chip" is pure marketing, like "X-TREEEEEME!!!11!1" or "Ultimate". You can build a personal computer around any architecture, there's nothing that prevents you from doing that. They don't do it with POWER6 (AFAIK), but you can buy Xeon PCs (they're called Mac Pro ...), for example.

[chucker]

So is the POWER6 a server chip or could you build a PC around its architecture?

Lil' history: the original CPU in this whole line-up was POWER. After its successor, POWER II, a derivative was created in collaboration with Motorola, named PowerPC (as in "POWER for PCs", since POWER itself was pretty much exclusively high-end servers). PowerPC ended up a so much nicer architecture that IBM decided to derive POWER III from it, rather than making it a direct POWER II successor. So all CPUs in that series since then have actually been PowerPCs, except "scaled up", if you will.

That said, POWER anything is still intended only for big irons.

The PowerPC 970 (a fifth-generation PowerPC, hence called G5 by Apple*) is a simplified POWER4. Equivalent PowerPCs 980 and 990 for the POWER5 and POWER6 were rumored, but I think much of that was just wishful thinking.

Aside from designing a chipset that would make it interact with PC-like buses, the big showstopper with using a POWER CPU in a regular PC would probably be energy draw.

*) Contrary to common perception, the "Gx" designation does not originate from Apple, but from Motorola/Freescale. In fact, you can easily find roadmaps of theirs where they use it.

[chucker]

"Server Chip" is pure marketing, like "X-TREEEEEME!!!11!1" or "Ultimate".

I wouldn't go that far. It's marketing, yes, but it's a simplification rather than an exaggeration or made up. There are no more clearly-defined barriers, but energy use, for one, is an important factor that does differentiate them. Embedded < Mobile < Desktop < Server in terms of power draw. Sure, you can get a laptop with a desktop CPU (unfortunately, some people are even retarded enough to buy that), and you can also get servers with mobile CPUs, but in general, the distinction gives an easy guideline of understanding the primary intended platform.

[ghoti]

Energy use is becoming a problem for server rooms too, and both AMD and Intel are cutting down on power consumption and marketing more efficient "server" CPUs and chipsets. And apart from portables, the distinction is simply non-existent. There are millions of servers that are run-of-the-mill (Dell) PCs and just sit in a server room somewhere doing server stuff. And as the Mac Pro shows, there's nothing to keep server CPUs from being used on a "PC". Incidentally, the Xeon is used in both a personal computer (Mac Pro) and a server (Xserve) by the same company! :p

[curiousuburb]

No option for the old school?

'040 ?
'030 ?

Motooooo.... (I was sure we've had members post here from an LC-era machine).

1.25 G4 Mini still ticking here... maybe a new MBP from Fake Santa Jobs.

And I know a few folks here have SUN or SGI RISC CPUs hanging around.

What about the ARM in Newton or the iPhone?

Using now... sure... but if we wanted, we could bring all kinds of architecture to the party.

[chucker]

Energy use is becoming a problem for server rooms too, and both AMD and Intel are cutting down on power consumption and marketing more efficient "server" CPUs and chipsets. And apart from portables, the distinction is simply non-existent. There are millions of servers that are run-of-the-mill (Dell) PCs and just sit in a server room somewhere doing server stuff. And as the Mac Pro shows, there's nothing to keep server CPUs from being used on a "PC". Incidentally, the Xeon is used in both a personal computer (Mac Pro) and a server (Xserve) by the same company! :p

I'm not sure what you're arguing, though. Intel's marketing has always stated that all three tiers are from the "Intel Core Microarchitecture", and thus effectively quite similar. Nobody pretends a mobile CPU has magical gnomes that allow it to be carried around, or something.

[Xaqtly]

I have a 12" PB G4, a dual 1 Ghz MDD G4 tower, a dual 2.7 Ghz G5 at home, and a dual 2 Ghz G5 at work.

I'm waiting on the next revision/speedbump on Mac Pros, I'll buy one then.

[curiousuburb]

Nobody pretends a mobile CPU has magical gnomes that allow it to be carried around, or something.

<Tangent>

Gnomes are for gardens.
For a mobile CPU, you'd want Faeries or Elves or Sprites.

For a firewall you'd want Orcs, maybe or a Balrog.
But no Trolls or Goblins or Gremlins. Bad mojo.

</tangent>

[kretara]

I picked 'BOTH' since I am using my PPC PowerBook and a Intel Core2Duo Compaq nc6400 (my work gave me this POS) right NOW (and the question is what are you using NOW).

I also have 2 (clamshell iBook, TiBook 500 for the kid and wife) PPC laptops for the family, 3 PPC laptops that I am getting ready to put on ebay (500 Pismo, 500 iBook and 400 Lombard) and a G4 1.25 17" iMac at home.

[Unch]

No option for the old school?

'040 ?
'030 ?


680x0 FTW!

Still got my 040/28Mhz A1200 right here. Got my first taste of the Mac on it through running System 7.5.5 under the Fusion emulator.

Ah the days when computing was still fun. :-)
</nostalgic old git>

[ghoti]

I'm not sure what you're arguing, though. Intel's marketing has always stated that all three tiers are from the "Intel Core Microarchitecture", and thus effectively quite similar. Nobody pretends a mobile CPU has magical gnomes that allow it to be carried around, or something.
Exactly, that's what I'm talking about. And the gnomes in the server chips aren't the ones with the long beards and the big tattoos, but the same ones that you carry around all day in your laptop. ;)

[PB PM]

Although it isn't used much we still have our 8Mhz Macintosh SE with a 68000 CPU. To be honest though, those older CPUs aren't really within the realm of this poll.

[turbulentfurball]

In our household we have:
1 G4 Mac Mini (my family's general computer, but was mine until a month or so ago)
1 Intel Mac Mini (mine)
1 MacBook (mine)

[Dorian Gray]

Haven't you got rather more than your fair share of processing power there, turbulentfurball?

I run PowerPC exclusively. And not just any PowerPC either. A 1.33 GHz G4, darling. Its virtues are elegance, low absolute power consumption (performance per watt is for bean-counters), and elegance. It is also supremely elegant. While posting on AppleNova I imagine the electrons (all three of 'em, judging by the unbridled powah I have available at my fingertips) are smoothly running around the elegant pathways of the tiny chip: tiny because size doesn't matter when you've got this kind of elegance.

Elegance is a state of mind, and my chip is the reduction of that state to a piece of silicon the size of my little fingernail. Nothing is so elegant and at once so elegant.

[turbulentfurball]

Haven't you got rather more than your fair share of processing power there, turbulentfurball?

The MacBook is my actual computer, the Mac Mini will be my DVD player and media server in my living room when I move into my new place. Any more than that, then yes, I'd certainly agree with you :lol:

[iDaver]

Use both, actually the PPC iMac G5 gets much more use than my 1.83GHz MacBook. I did upgrade the RAM in my MacBook to 2GB last weekend so now I can try some tests on both to see which computer is faster.
Guaranteed, your MacBook is faster for most tasks. :)

I have a dual core G5 Power Mac and the MacBook blows it away. Er, well, it's faster anyway. :D

[scratt]

PBG417", DualG5, MBP17" - Me.
MacBook - My wife.
Mac Mini (PPC) - Homemade Apple TV.

I also still have a PB 540c, and my wife has an old iBook 14".

[Windowsrookie]

C2D iMac 2GHZ
iMac G3 233MHZ
PowerMac G3 333MHZ
Hp pavilion dv6000t Core Duo 2GHZ

:)

[Banana]

What processor architecture are you using now?

Wow... That's tough one.

I'm not quite sure what model I'm using here. Can you genius tell me what this is?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2005/01/050111165229.jpg

[Windowsrookie]

Walnut @ 2MHZ?

[sirnick4]

15.4'' 2.33 Ghz MBP Intel Core 2 Duo

I absolutely love it! It's my baby :) <-- albeit, a big one ;)

[PKIDelirium]

14" iBook G4 1.42 Ghz.

It's my baby. I'm looking to get a new iMac this fall, though.

[Chinney]

I don't have the exact numbers with me now (posting from my BB), but last I recall, the Intel numbers were *slightly* higher than the PPC numbers.

If true, this shows the relatively high new technology adoption rate for the Apple geeks on this forum. Surely this could not be true, yet, of the Apple community at large, given the years of PowerPC sales and the relative novelty of Apple Intel computers.

[chucker]

Surely this could not be true, yet, of the Apple community at large, given the years of PowerPC sales and the relative novelty of Apple Intel computers.

Correct, but it's getting to the point. (http://marketshare.hitslink.com/report.aspx?qprid=2) Keep in mind that Mac sales have increased a lot in the recent quarters.

[kieran]

It's funny how they have Macs separated by "Mac OS" and "Macintel" rather than "Mac PPC" and MacIntel"

Also, Nintendo Wii shows up on that list. Go Wii!! Increase that marketshare.

[PB PM]

Wow... That's tough one.

I'm not quite sure what model I'm using here. Can you genius tell me what this is?
http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2005/01/050111165229.jpg

That would be the B.R.I.A.N (Binary, Relational, International, Arm & Nickel) Processor, running at 10,000Ghz. The hard drive appears to be the flesh based Flash memory from Crucial, which can store data in excess of 10,000 exabytes. There is a high chance of data corruption though due to aging of the flash memory.

[Kraetos]

That would be the B.R.I.A.N (Binary, Relational, International, Arm & Nickel) Processor, running at 10,000Ghz. The hard drive appears to be the flesh based Flash memory from Crucial, which can store data in access of 10,000 Gigaflops.

Err, excess?

;) :p :D

Also, gigaflops is speed. I think you should put something like exabytes. You should also mention that while it can store many exabytes, the speed and accuracy with which it can access them varies from model to model quite drastically.

[PB PM]

Yes, well it was late after a long day at work, memory lapses do happen. ;)

[Kraetos]

Yes, well it was late after a long day at work, memory lapses do happen. ;)

Heh no worries, thats just me being a supernerd.

[Banana]

Ok, but what's my model? Is it a PPC BRIAN or x86 BRIAN or what?

[PB PM]

The BRIAN is a x720 based CPU. It was developed by Arm & Nickel, which was purchased by IBM when they were creating the POWER chip in the early 90's.

[Bryson]

How did you know he was called Brian?

Because Brain ain't spelled that way....

[PB PM]

Thats because its not a BRAIN... its a BRIAN. Gosh. :p

[Windowsrookie]

:confused:

[PB PM]

Its okay WR, some day you'll be old enough to understand.

[Banana]

The BRIAN is a x720 based CPU. It was developed by Arm & Nickel, which was purchased by IBM when they were creating the POWER chip in the early 90's.

That's impossible. I got my model in early 80s....

[PB PM]

No, no, it was bought out by IBM in the 90's, the actual production started in 2901BC.

[Banana]

Oh!

[Windowsrookie]

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!!!!

[PB PM]

Still trying to get the highest post count are we WR? Its okay we understand.

[Windowsrookie]

Still trying to get the highest post count are we WR? Its okay we understand.

Dancing Banana!!!!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBIOpFwBgNM&mode=related&search=)