PC vs Mac conversion

[Ender]

Could anyone tell me what the ratio from PC hrz is to Mac hrz?

We just got some new macs in photoshop, supposedly 5 grand each, with 2.4 gighrz, while, can't you get a PC with 3.3 gighrz, cheaper?????


I think I recal hearing there were some differences in how they calculate the hrz, Could anyone clarify?

[Duality]

Macs use what's called RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture, as opposed to the CISC (Complex Instruction Set Computer) architecture.

All computer processors include written instructions to understand the machine code (the binary 1s and 0s that computers speak). Everything from a simple pocket calculator, to an MP3 player, to your consoles and any computer has a certain set of instructions to read this machine code.

As the name implies, RISC includes a reduced instruction set compared to that of the x86 CISC (the type of processor in your PC -- once known as an IBM PC Compatible). Because of that reduced instruction set, the calculation for clock speed* are wildly different. This is why software has to be rewritten in places (or "ported") over to the Mac from PC platform or vice versa.

Simply put: They're vastly different processors and vastly different speeds and are in no way indicative of superiority to each other.


Also, Apple likes to markup their products because they are the only ones selling them (new). Price is not very indicative, either.

*MHz -- the frequency at which a processor performs an operation. Its measured in cycles per second. 1 MHz is 1 million cycles per second.

[Ender]

Jon, I appreciate the response, But I knew the basics of what you tried to explain (IE, I know the definition of a megahert, and that PC and Mac processors are different)

But now, Is there a ratio, That I could plug in to say, this such and such speed mac is equal to this such and such speed PC????

(such as each mac hrz is = 2/3 pc hrz)

[Duality]

I saw some people that will, but in my opinion, it doesn't work like that.

The processors are so fundamentally different that comparing the processor speed of a PowerPC and an x86 is essentially meaningless. PPC's RISC architecture allows for some powerful floating-point calculations -- which is why you often find video/audio/graphics designers using a Mac.

Let me ask. What do you hope to gain by making such a comparison? Perhaps there is some other way to make your comparison rather than raw CPU power.

[Ender]

I saw some people that will, but in my opinion, it doesn't work like that.

The processors are so fundamentally different that comparing the processor speed of a PowerPC and an x86 is essentially meaningless. PPC's RISC architecture allows for some powerful floating-point calculations -- which is why you often find video/audio/graphics designers using a Mac.

Let me ask. What do you hope to gain by making such a comparison? Perhaps there is some other way to make your comparison rather than raw CPU power.


I was just attempting to compare raw speed of my home pc vs my school's photoshop classroom mac's.

I know there are other factors, such as the cards, ram, etc... but I was just kinda curious about the raw speed.

[Duality]

Yeah, IMO, its impossible to measure raw speed, since the processors are so different.

It would be like comparing the processor in an Xbox to that of a TI-91 calculator.