At least in this video (warning, Windows Media file ahoy!) the boot time is smokin'. The videographer was kind enough to show OS X booting on both a Dell (am I the only one that shivers every time he thinks about OS X running on a Dell box?) and a Powerbook for a little unscientific benchmarking.First off, a desktop machine is generally going to be faster than a laptop no matter the type of processor inside (an over simplification I know, but in general this rule works) and the Powerbook is most likely not running a clean install of OS X as the Dell machine is. All that being said, I am looking forward to the Intel Macs now more than ever.
I want one now, Uncle Steve!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-24-2005 @ 2:21PM
Blue Balloon said...
Shouldn't compare between Apple laptop and PC desktop. Should get it own size. (PC desktop vs Mac desktop)
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8-24-2005 @ 2:30PM
ben said...
Yeah, I'd say compare a DP G5 to a HT P4 or something. Laptop versus desktop is like muffin versus cake. :P
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8-24-2005 @ 2:39PM
Thomas Van Zanen said...
http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/rbb.htm
Information on how Intel might be using Intel Rapid BIOS Boot to increase POST performance.
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8-24-2005 @ 2:50PM
John B. said...
The Dell probably has a full size 7200 rpm hard drive, while the PowerBook will likely have a 4200 or 5400 rpm 2.5" hard drive, which will definitely effect boot times.
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8-24-2005 @ 3:08PM
Jason Coleman said...
I'm sure whoever shot this video would be happy to compare a Mac desktop to a his/her PC desktop if you sent them one. Anybody got a free G5 they're not using for a while?
As far as what technology Intel is using to increase boot (post) times, anything is welcome in my mind. Of course, the idea of having OSX on a Dell is to reduce reboots, right?
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8-24-2005 @ 3:09PM
Dave B said...
Running OS X on a Dell is like putting pearls on a pig.
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8-24-2005 @ 3:14PM
Max said...
Tiger boots wicked fast on my 1.67 powerbook. so much faster than panther, and WAY faster than XP on my work 1.5Ghz centrino thinkpad.
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8-24-2005 @ 3:46PM
Dave said...
I think it's creepy to see that grey apple appear on that Dell's monitor.
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8-24-2005 @ 4:00PM
vasu said...
something is seriously wrong with that guy's powerbook, it took 23 seconds from power-on to the grey apple boot screen coming up. on my 3 and a half year old powerbook, the grey apple boot screen comes up within 5 seconds.
clearly his install is borked.
not making excuses, just pointing out that his powerbook boot time is atypical.
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8-24-2005 @ 4:51PM
ben said...
I'll agree with you, vasu. I have an original tiBook 500 and I would almost argue that it comes up faster than his. It definitely comes up faster to the grey apple / circle loading screen.
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8-24-2005 @ 5:24PM
Scott Gardner said...
Here's a cool trick on sort of the same subject. Run /usr/libexec/WaitingForLoginWindow from Terminal and the "Starting Mac OS X..." progress bar splash (which actually measures nothing) will pop up. Use ps to list processes, and then kill 'pid #' (no 's) to close it.
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8-24-2005 @ 5:50PM
Michael said...
I got tiger to boot in 18 seconds on my 1.8ghz imac G5
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8-24-2005 @ 5:54PM
Tom said...
That was the most unscientific piece of nonsense I have ever seen.
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8-24-2005 @ 6:46PM
Chad said...
Just because the progress bar runs even when you are not booting does not mean that it doesn't measure anything. On mine, it runs much faster during bootup than when you run it manually. Most likely, they have it update incrementally so that it doesn't just make large jumps during booting. After each stage of booting, they update the bar, but they want it to keep moving smoothly during each stage.
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8-24-2005 @ 6:54PM
Wheels said...
That test is pretty bogus, and it is definitely a new vs. older install; you can see that from the modified desktop on the PowerBook. Also, isn't the Dell closer to an "instant on" where as Apples have a sequence that they go through - first it's the dong, then power up the HDD, then the screen, and then the Apple logo. Isn't there a memory count in there, too?
I think, if you give a critical eye, and do a steady count on both machines from the time the spinning disc shows up until the hard drive(s) appears on the desktops, you'll find that the PowerBook isn't as drastically slow as the dell as it first appears - I counted to 23 for the Dell and 30 for the Powerbook. (All the is very unscientific, I know...)
Actually, for a 3.02ghz machine, you would think, nay hope, that it would smoke a 1.67ghz laptop (if that) that probably has other disadvantages going for it. I'm all for the Mactel's, but I'd thought that this would be a bigger trouncing. I'd love to see a G5 iMac substituted for the PowerBook.
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8-24-2005 @ 7:00PM
mini-d said...
LOL, but what kind of joke is that? My iBook 12" boots faster than both pb and dell desktop for sure... i've timed and i boot 15 seconds before the dell...
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8-24-2005 @ 10:22PM
fra said...
I wana be sick really.
Which makes it worse... the multi-boot menu which showed up on the DeLL says 'XP Home Edition'... and, as a Windows Power User (well... 7 years of Windows and 2 years of XP you do become one) I wouldn't be caught dead owning a computer running XP Home.
The Powerbook must be messed up, it took too long for the GrayApple to show up after the Bwaaaa sound.
I think I can say it for all the Mac world when I say that our ego has been dented.
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