[alligator]

I'm considering replacing my 1.8 GHz G5 with a new MacBook Pro. Is there somewhere I can see a comparison of the speeds of each? I don't want to buy a machine that runs slower. I'd rather this be an "upgrade" so I can convince myself that a MacBook Pro can do better video processing and has faster Photoshop speeds than my current G5.

[jhonizzle]

on certain programs your G5 will still be better, because Photoshop is still running under Rosetta, so your G5 is going to be days ahead in that. if i were you unless you need a Laptop i would wait for the Mac Pro, because by the time it comes out most things will be native on the intel chips, and you see better speeds.

[alligator]

I'm assuming everything is native - which is faster? 1.8 GHz G5 or a 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro? I can't compare the Intel to PowerPC chips since I don't know that much about the two.

[Jason]

Well, since you want to know how fast they will both be native v native, the only way to currently test that with photoshop speeds anyway is to look at how fast the MBP runs under XP, then compare it to your G5.

Anyway here are the OSX v XP stats:
http://www.barefeats.com/bootcamp.html

Here are stats showing you how the MBP will preform right now, until native CS3 and other native apps come out anyway (second quarter of 07 for CS3 if we're lucky):
http://www.barefeats.com/rosetta.html

And this shows stats between a MBP 2.0 MBP 2.16 and an iMac 2.0 using native apps, so you can get an idea of how the PPC 2.0 chips are compared to the MBPs:
http://www.barefeats.com/mbcd2.html


My advice, if you want a a portable machine, then sure why not, get a MBP, just be aware that you will see significant speed drops under rosetta apps. I didnt think photoshop would be that slow, but to tell the truth it is! Although it really depends on how demanding you are of rosetta apps, personally I'm jumping from illustrator to photoshop and then finally to a page layout in indesign, and being honest i feel like installing bootcamp and running everything on that! As for the moment though I havent brought myself to install bootcamp because i love OSX so much, I just wish adobe werent so far behing of apples release schedule!

[Cadaver]

Originally Posted by alligator

I'm assuming everything is native - which is faster? 1.8 GHz G5 or a 2.16 GHz MacBook Pro? I can't compare the Intel to PowerPC chips since I don't know that much about the two.

I replaced a dual 2.5GHz G5 with a 2.16GHz MacBook Pro w/ a 7200 rpm HD.

While I only have my subjective impressions to go by, Intel-native software like Keynote, Pages, Safari and iPhoto are definitely faster on the MacBook Pro than on the G5. Osirix (an open source DICOM/3D recon app) is also faster on the MBP than the G5, and it seems that not all the routines are multi-core aware, yet. Should really be faster when that is done.

I haven't done much with iDVD yet on my MBP, but its at least equal in speed. Aperture is a bit slower, but at least part of that I attribute to the slower hard drive in the laptop than I have in the G5. I haven't yet tried it running off an external 3.5" HD.

MS office - specifically PowerPoint - is pretty pokey, but eventually there'll be an Intel-optimized version. Photoshop Elements 3 wont win any speed contests, either, but then again eventually there will be a new version.

All in all, I've been very happy with the MBP. Easily equals the dual G5 in terms of overall average speed, and its a whole lot easier to carry in my laptop bag than the G5!

[mduell]

http://www.creativemac.com/articles/...e.jsp?id=38816