Unleash Mac OS X with Dual Processors
Dan Knight - 2005.09.29 - Tip Jar
Low End Mac Reader Specials
Memory To Go Special: MacPro 8 Core Memory 4GB kit $154 / 2GB kit $94, New 2008 iMac 2GB $46. MacBook Pro / MacMini / iMac Intel Core2 DUO 2GB $44 / 1GB $23--Free shipping available.
Download Typestyler, still the Ultimate Styling Tool for Internet, Print and Video Graphics. Works great in Classic with a Native OS X Version on the way. Free Tryout: www.typestyler.com
LA Computer Company: Specials on AppleCare, iMac's, Apple Batteries and Apple A/C Adapters. Also Great prices on Used Apple Computers. Call 1-800-941-7654 Click Here.
OWC: Upgrade to a Larger Hard Drive, Add Additional Drives SATA for Mac Pro and G5s, up to 1.0TB in each Bay. 500GB from $90!
Mac users can finally play Party Poker for Mac. Not only that, they can also learn how to play PokerStars for Mac.
Laptop Hardware Provided by TechRestore - Overnight Mac & iPod Repairs.
Compare products like desktop computers, laptops, and LCD TVs side by side! All the information and reviews to make the best purchasing decision for a new cell phone GPS products or MP3 players. The Ciao network makes searching products easy for you.
New MacPro Memory 800Mhz With Apple Spec Heat Sink 2GB $88 / 4GB $138 / 8GB $274 - Click to Maximize your Macs...
I just "downgraded" from my 2004 1.25 GHz eMac with 1 GB of RAM to a 2002 1 GHz Power Mac G4 with 768 MB of RAM - and boy is it fast!
I also have a Dell on my desk - and I love it!
Have I gone crazy?
Yes, I've gone crazy for dual processors. Ever since Apple released the first dual-processor Power Mac G4s back in July 2000, we've been extolling the virtues of dual processors under Mac OS X.
Yes, we were ahead of our time. Mac OS X wasn't even shipping yet, but we knew it would support multiple processors. And based on our research on dual processor systems, we knew that could make some things run up to twice as fast.

At the very least, dual processors won't make things any slower. Except for a few specialized programs designed for multiple processors, dual processors didn't do squat under OS 9. But at their best, dual processors can double performance, and under OS X we'd estimate you average 70-80% more power than a single CPU at the same speed.
That's part of the reason I love this newly acquired Power Mac. It's about the same as having a 1.75 GHz computer.
But there's a lot more to it than that.
The G4 CPUs in this model only have a 256 KB level 2 cache, half as big as the one the eMac uses. They also have 1 MB of level 3 cache running at 250 MHz dedicated to each CPU, something the eMac doesn't have.
There are some architectural difference between the eMac and the Power Mac. Both use a 167 MHz memory bus, but running Xbench on both shows the Power Mac is 20-25% more efficient. Whether this is because of the type memory used, a smarter memory handling scheme, or the size of the level 3 caches, it's noticeable.
Add that to a 70-80% gain from dual CPUs, and we're talking the equivalent of a 2.0-2.5 GHz eMac.
How It Works
A dual processor system is nothing without an operating system that supports multiple processors, and that's OS X in spades. The operating system handles distributing the load evenly among the processors, and even if there are tasks that can't be shared, it lets the one processor handle more threads while the other one is tied up by a more demanding task.
That's called load balancing, and it works. Most OS X applications can take advantage of multiple processors. For instance, Photoshop Elements 3.0 loads into memory and displays much more quickly. And iTunes rips faster than ever. And I can have my usual dozen or so programs open and not feel any slowdown at all.
You Can't Slow It Down
I've had this Power Mac for a week, and I've been playing with it using the stock 80 GB TravelStar hard drive and an older 17" Samsung monitor that wasn't happy working beyond 1024 x 768. I spent some time investigating monitors, seriously flirted with the idea of a 20" display, and finally decided that a 1280 x 1024 17" flat panel display would be good enough - and far more affordable.
When that came on Wednesday, I deauthorized the iTunes collection on my eMac, shut it down, pulled the 250 GB drive I'd put in several weeks ago, and transplanted it into the Power Mac. (It took some doing figuring out how to remove the hard drive cage, but I managed to find the instructions online.)
I've done everything I can to try to bog down this computer. Watch a DVD while running a QuickTime trailer with the Classic environment running and three browsers - you get the idea. It doesn't seem to faze this baby. I haven't had CPU usage pass the 80% mark, but I used to peg the 100% mark frequently with me eMac.
My biggest test was opening the master site file for Low End Mac in Claris HomePage. Everything I'd ever read said that Classic doesn't benefit from dual processors. True or not, I'd estimate this Mac is four times faster at sorting through the files that make up LEM. What usually takes 4-5 minutes was done in about a minute.
Dell No
With my Power Mac on the floor, looking at my desk you'd think I had a Windows PC. Separate speakers. A non-Apple keyboard. And a Dell monitor.
No, I haven't sold out to the dark side. I do have an Acer laptop - but I needed that to test the site so it worked with Windows XP and IE 6 (one-third of our visitors). I use a Logitech mouse and keyboard, complete with Windows keys, but they have good Mac drivers.
And now I have a Dell 1704FPV monitor connected to my Power Mac. I did my research, and this is one of the best rated and best value choices out there. Between a Dell special and an online coupon, I picked up this 17" 1280 x 1024 display for US$270 plus shipping.
It's a gorgeous display. Crisp. Colorful. And it has some really neat extra features you don't find on too many displays - a 4-port USB 2.0 hub and pivoting. I can turn the display 90° - I just need to remember to change the Displays system preference first. Otherwise it's very hard to mouse around with everything sideways.
The only drawback to the 4-port USB 2.0 hub is that this Mac has USB 1.1. This model comes from the "bad old days" when Apple refused to acknowledge the existence of USB 2.0, seeing at as a competitor to FireWire. Interesting that Apple now has some USB-only, FireWire-free iPods.
Noise
The first generation mirrored drive door models are perhaps the noisiest Macs ever made. They earned the "wind tunnel" moniker shortly after release, and this one lives up to that reputation. My research indicates that most of the noise comes from the two fans inside the power supply, so I'll be looking into replacing them. (Apple had a power supply replacement program for this model, but it expired years ago.)
Once everything is configured to my liking, this screamer of a computer is going behind a door in my computer desk. That should help muffle things a bit.
Value
I got the computer at a great price. The monitor, too. This setup cost less than a new SuperDrive eMac and runs circles around it. (Before anyone asks, I have a buyer lined up.)
Productivity
It's all about productivity, and my eMac had become a bottleneck. I often have a dozen apps running, including Classic. I have file sharing on, since it was the home network file server. And I may have 2 or 3 other people logged in (the boys love using the most powerful Mac in the house for World of Warcraft, and they like "Dooley" as much as I do - maybe more).
Even with just me, the eMac seemed sluggish much of the time. Uploading site updates, as I mentioned earlier, was a great excuse to make a pot of coffee, toast an English muffin, check the mail, etc. This dual CPU Power Mac has changed that.
I stand by my advice of five years ago. If you're a heavy
computer user and want a Mac that gets out of the way and lets you
be more productive, look at the dual processor models. You won't be
sorry.
- Link:
Dell
Dan Knight has been using Macs since 1986, sold Macs for several years, supported them for many more years, and has been publishing Low End Mac since April 1997. If you find Dan's articles helpful, please consider making a donation to his tip jar.
Recent Mac Musings
- Looking for a Content Management System That's as Easy as Mac, 08.29. Low End Mac needs to move to a content management system, but the few we've tried just don't cut it for people used to the simple elegance of the Mac.
- MacDrought: 4 Months with No New Macs, 08.27. The most recent Mac update was over four months ago, and the Mac mini has been unchanged for over a year.
- The iMac Legacy: After the G3, 08.15. The G3 iMac influenced the whole industry, but Apple continued to move forward with innovative designs using G4, G5, and Intel processors.
- The iMac Legacy: The G3 Era, 08.15. 10 years ago today, the original iMac went on sale. One of the most popular lines of computers ever, the G3 iMac would be Apple staples for nearly five years.
- More in the Mac Musings index.
Links for the Day
- Mac of the Day: PowerBook 170, Oct. 1991 - At 25 MHz, the PB 170 was at the top of the original PowerBook line.
- List of the Day: The iPhone List Low End Mac's forum for discussing and supporting Apple's iPhone.
- August 30 in LEM history: 99: The truth about USB speed - 00: Could Eazel kill the Mac? - Mac OS 8.1 on a IIci and LC III - 01: Beyond MHz and GHz - Getting a handle on email - Thanks for the IBM PC, Dad - Apple's anniversaries - 02: Mac OS X v10.2 - iBook video out - 04: Things that freak out my students - 06: Nvu and SeaMonkey can't replace Home Page - 07: DVD-RAM support
Recent Content on Low End Mac
- First 3 Million Mac Quarter, Skinny on Mac mini Pricing, Mac-like gOS, and More, Mac News Review, 08.29. More plan to buy Apple products than ever before, complete reset can fix MobileMac synch problems, Apple boosting computer and smartphone share, and more.
- New 'Books Likely in September, 17" PowerBook Display Fault Site, SSD Security, and More, The 'Book Review, 08.29. Also 6 ways to speed up your MacBook, next generation MacBook Air CPU, MacBook Air Update, LapStrap carrying solution, rise and fall of ultraportables, bargains from $220 to $2,699, and more.
- iPhone 3G Reception 'Completely Normal', AT&T International Data Plans for iPhone, and More, iNews Review, 08.29. Also longer life for iPod earbuds, an alternative to MobileMe, new cases and apps for iPhone, AppStoreGems website launched, and more.
- Best Power Mac G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 450 MHz AGP, $75; 500, $99; 800 QS, $199; 1.25 GHz MDD, $375; 450 MHz dual, $179; 867 dual, $300; 1 GHz dual, $395; 1.42 dual, $575.
- Best iBook G3 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 300 MHz clamshell, $150; 500 CD, $150; 800, $200; 600 CD-RW, $240; 900 Combo, $300; 14" 600, $360; 900, $400.
- Best iPod nano Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.29. Used 2 GB iPod nano, $89; refurb 3G 4 GB, $99; new, $140; refurb 8 GB, $149; new, $179.
- 10 Mac Browsers Compared, Simon Royal, Mac Spectrum, 08.28. A look at Internet Explorer, Radon, Opera, Safari, Shiira, iCab, Firefox, Netscape Navigator, Flock, and Camino running in Leopard.
- Clone and Boot: Another Advantage of the Mac OS, Kev Kitchens, Kitchens Sync, 08.28. Unlike Windows, Apple makes it possible to clone a bootable drive (Classic Mac OS or OS X) and use it with another supported Mac.
- Best MacBook Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. Used 1.83 GHz, $799; 2.0 black, $875; refurb 2.1 GHz, $899; 2.4, $1,099; black, $1,299; new 2.1, $1,019 after rebate; 22, $1,094; 2.4, $1,219 a/r; black, $1,394 a/r.
- Best iMac G5 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. Used 17" 1.6 GHz Combo, $499; 1.8 SuperDrive, $530; 2.0, $600; 1.9 iSight, $625; 20" 1.8 GHz, $580; 2.0, $650; 2.1 iSight, $700.
- Best classic Mac OS Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.28. System 6, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5.1, $4; Mac OS 7.6, $13; 8.0, $13; 8.1, $48; 8.5, $25; 8.6, $20; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $20; more.
- CrossOver Strikes Out, Frank Fox, Stop the Noiz, 08.27. Running Windows apps on a Mac without paying for Windows is great in theory, but actually getting Windows software working is another story.
- Resurrecting a Dead Pismo, Spotlight Search Tip, and EasyFind a Good File Finder, Charles W. Moore, Miscellaneous Ramblings, 08.27. Lots of tips on bringing a comatose Pismo back to life, a Spotlight file name search tip, and EasyFind as an alternative to Spotlight.
- Best Intel iMac Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. Used 17" 1.83 GHz, $625; 20", $599; 2.16, $749; 24", $950; refurb 20" 2.4, $999; 2.66, $1,299; 24" 2.4, $1,299; 2.8, $1,549; new 3.06, $2,094 after rebate; more.
- Best 15" PowerBook G4 Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. Used 1.25 GHz Combo, $600; SuperDrive, $650; 1.33 Combo, $640; 1.5, $680; SD, $725; 1.67, $730; hi-res, $800.
- Best Time Capsule and AirPort Deals, Low End Mac Deals, 08.27. 500 GB Time Capsule, $294; 1 TB, $468; AirPort Extreme Card, $39; 802.11n Base Station, $166; 802.11g AirPort Express, $60; 802.11n, $98.
- More links in our archive.
About LEM | Support | Usage | Privacy | Contacts
