Intel vs. PPC macs

[wedgewedge]

what is everyones opinion about this? are the intel macs superior to the power pcs? i know not every little thing is compatible just yet. im just curious.

i am going to have to pick up a new computer sometime in the next little while. my dual 1ghz was just fine until every soft synth/plug-in/virtual instrument, etc... that came out had a minimum requirement of 1.3 ghz or more!

im talking just music applications too. i would love to read what everyone has to say!

thanks.

[hangman]

most music applications are universal by now.

the intel laptops are vastly superior to the PPC G4 laptops that came before them.
I don't know why anyone would even consider a ppc laptop for music anymore.


the desktops are a to a lesser extent still a big improvement. if it helps. I have a dual 1.8ghz G5 tower, and a MBP 2.16ghz core2duo. the Macbook walks all over my old tower. higher track counts, way more plug ins,

[goldenlotus]

Yep Intel is better. I've got a Mac Pro which has cpu power for days. I love it!

[keybdwizrd]

I've got a 24" 2.4 GHz Intel core 2 duo iMac. It rocks. All of the software I've been using is now Intel Mac compatible - Digital Performer, Mach Five 2, MOTU Ethno, Absynth 4, Morphine, NI Pro-53, ARP 2600V, etc.

Highly recommended.

[Dysanfel]

I would go Intel unless you compose everything in Spectrasonic's Atmospheres, which will never be Intel compatible.

[soapdodger]

I find it really amusing that for years I had to listen to how the ppc processor was better and faster that a equivalent intel cpu. Despite what i encountered when using them.

Now macs are just a intel PC with osx installed. In fact you can build a pc and put osx on it and it will thrash a mac and cost half the price.

"but they look better" LFAO!!!!!!!

[s.d.finley]

Originally Posted by soapdodger

I find it really amusing that for years I had to listen to how the ppc processor was better and faster that a equivalent intel cpu. Despite what i encountered when using them.

Now macs are just a intel PC with osx installed. In fact you can build a pc and put osx on it and it will thrash a mac and cost half the price.

"but they look better" LFAO!!!!!!!

Back under the bridge ...TROLL!!!

[whereisbkp]

i love my Intel mac...only thing that kinda sucks is having update or buy new Universal Binary software as soon as you go Intel.

[preben]

From what I'eve heard the firewire controller on the internal FW bus is superior on the PPC to that of the Intel Mac.

Having said that - I've just replaced my Dual 2gig G5 with a mac pro Dual 2.66 and not had any problems. And it's FAAAST.

The fact that iLife08 is Intel only probably is a sign of things to come.

[keybdwizrd]

Originally Posted by soapdodger

In fact you can build a pc and put osx on it and it will thrash a mac and cost half the price.

Not if you want to have any time left to create music, assuming you even manage to get the box working (not to mention all of your music software and external hardware).

[illynoise]

without a doubt they are at least twice as fast. A mac mini is faster than my G5, now.

[Dor]

Originally Posted by preben

The fact that iLife08 is Intel only probably is a sign of things to come.

It's not a fact, iLife08 runs fine on my Dual G5.

[Dor]

I was tinkering with Logic 8 on a new iMac at the apple store & it was way snappier than my dual 2.5ghz G5. Anyone wanna buy a G5?

D

[quincyg]

Originally Posted by soapdodger

I find it really amusing that for years I had to listen to how the ppc processor was better and faster that a equivalent intel cpu. Despite what i encountered when using them.

Now macs are just a intel PC with osx installed. In fact you can build a pc and put osx on it and it will thrash a mac and cost half the price.

"but they look better" LFAO!!!!!!!

care to elaborate on this?

[6strings]

Originally Posted by Dor

I was tinkering with Logic 8 on a new iMac at the apple store & it was way snappier than my dual 2.5ghz G5. Anyone wanna buy a G5?

D

Aren't there issues with Logic on PPC though? I'd wait for the first L8 maintenance update before jumping to any conclusions...

[Dor]

No issues with Logic 8 on my Dual 2.5ghz G5. Works fine for me.

D

[elpezpr]

Hi. In my opinion performance on the Intel Macs is way better. But the machines have issues. I bought a Mac Pro and out of the box it had issues. The fans would not stop. They were stuck in the fastest setting. They gave me a new one. Two months later I had to take it back because the computer did not recognize the RAM. My Macbook works great though.

[octatonic]

Originally Posted by Dor

No issues with Logic 8 on my Dual 2.5ghz G5. Works fine for me.

D

Me too.

[macleodgrant]

i love my mac pro, incredible machine with lots of power and i've had zero issues

i skipped the G5 generation and went straight from G4 to Macbook and Mac Pro

[entropy]

Originally Posted by soapdodger

"but they look better" LFAO!!!!!!!

yep. and Vista/XP is clunky in comparison to OSX (imo) so your computer's not only slow but looks crap as well.



To the original question, yes, the intels are quicker than PPC and it's only going to get better with Leopard (again, just my opinion), true 64 bit processing and with everyone finally moving across to Universal apps.

My MBP is rocking (having jumped from a dual G5). I also have a G4 Powerbook and the MBP smokes that. (running Logic, Ableton, Peak, Traktor Scratch).

Whatever flavour you're going for (Macbook Pro, iMac, Mac Pro etc), I'd highly recommend going intel. Stabilty will only get better (not that it's bad now) and the future development will be geared around intel for the foreseeable future with PPC going the way of OS9/Nubus etc etc.

jus' my 5cents