OS X Intel Boot speeds impressive
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!
![TUAW [Cafepress]](http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tuaw.com/media/tuaw-cafepress-promo.png)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Blue Balloon said 2:21PM on 8-24-2005
Shouldn't compare between Apple laptop and PC desktop. Should get it own size. (PC desktop vs Mac desktop)
Reply
ben said 2:30PM on 8-24-2005
Yeah, I'd say compare a DP G5 to a HT P4 or something. Laptop versus desktop is like muffin versus cake. :P
Reply
Thomas Van Zanen said 2:39PM on 8-24-2005
http://www.intel.com/design/motherbd/rbb.htm
Information on how Intel might be using Intel Rapid BIOS Boot to increase POST performance.
Reply
John B. said 2:50PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
Dave B said 3:09PM on 8-24-2005
Running OS X on a Dell is like putting pearls on a pig.
Reply
Jason Coleman said 3:08PM on 8-24-2005
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?
Reply
Max said 3:14PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
Dave said 3:46PM on 8-24-2005
I think it's creepy to see that grey apple appear on that Dell's monitor.
Reply
vasu said 4:00PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
ben said 4:51PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
Scott Gardner said 5:24PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
Michael said 5:50PM on 8-24-2005
I got tiger to boot in 18 seconds on my 1.8ghz imac G5
Reply
Tom said 5:54PM on 8-24-2005
That was the most unscientific piece of nonsense I have ever seen.
Reply
mini-d said 7:00PM on 8-24-2005
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...
Reply
Chad said 6:46PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
Wheels said 6:54PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply
fra said 10:22PM on 8-24-2005
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.
Reply