Hi,

Following on from my previous post in the Random Sh*t Thread, this is a test to see which OS is faster. This will be spread across three posts, with this one being the intro/how I'll test post, the next being the Mac performance results, and the one after Windows test. Then I'll write a conclusion on all this, summing up which OS is better at what, and if one is faster than the other.

Ok, so I will be using the Windows and Universal Mac version of Halo: Combat Evolved to benchmark Games performance. I know it's an old game, but if I turn the frame limiter off, it should show a difference between the framerates. Also, CineBench will be used, and Geekbench. CineBench is usually used as a benchmark for rendering monsters, but as it works on both OS X and Windows, I'll be using it. And GeekBench simply allows you to show your e-peen size off, as it rates your CPU at things like image resizing, etc.

The computer that will be used:

3.4ghz Intel Pentium D 950
4GB DDR2 PC2-6400 RAM
nVidia GeForce 9600GT overclocked to 850mhz core / 2250mhz Shaders / 1250mhz RAM
80gb Seagate HDD for Windows 7
80gb Hitachi HDD for Mac OS X
Windows 7 Professional, fully patched up using latest nVidia drivers.
Mac OS X Leopard 10.5.8 using NVDarwin drivers
Sony 22" CRT @ 1600x1200 for everything.

I hope you'll find this thread interesting, and factual at the same time.

(Also BTW, if anyone has a "real" Intel Mac with decent specs, or a late model PPC PowerMac G5, get in touch with me.)

Thanks!

Mac Benchmarks

Halo: Combat Evolved

1600x1200, 8x AntiAliasing, Everything on highest

Date / Time: 3/11/09 6:24:1 (0ms)
3500MHz, 4096MB
C:\Applications\Halo.app psn_0_348245 Frames=4700
Total Time=66.18s
Average frame rate=71.02fps

GeekBench

Processor Integer Performance : 2168
Floating Point Performance : 3217
Memory Performance : 2140
Memory Bandwidth: 1761
Overall: 2488

CineBench

Rendering (Single CPU) :1851 CB-CPU
Rendering (Multiple CPU) :3433 CB-CPU
Multiprocessor Speedup : 1.85
Shading (OpenGL Standard) : 3214 CB-GFX



That's the last of the Mac results.

Windows Benchmarks


Halo: Combat Evolved

1600x1200, 8xAA, Everything on highest.

Date / Time: 03/11/2009 17:07:03 (72972593ms)
3400MHz, 2048MB, 512M nVidia (DeviceID=0x0622) Driver=8.16.11.9107 Shader=3.0
(Version=1.0.3.606)
Frames=4700
Total Time=55.78s
Average frame rate=79.26fps

GeekBench

Processor Integer Performance: 2773
Floating Point Performance : 2201
Memory Performance : 1826
Memory Bandwidth : 2065
Overall: 2312

Cinebench

Rendering (Single CPU): 1833 CB-CPU
Rendering (Multiple CPU): 3426 CB-CPU
Multiprocessor Speedup: 1.87
Shading (OpenGL Standard) : 2863 CB-GFX

That's the Windows Benchmarks.

So you're using a non Apple supported computer to test an operating system that wasn't designed for the hardware you are testing it on?
I can almost predict the outcome …

Mark

So from these set of benchmarks, we can see that Mac OS X is about the same speed as Windows. Everything is almost the same! The only big difference I can see is the difference in OpenGL rendering in Cinebench. But this may be caused by Cinebench, as it's known to have some problems with OSX.

But even then, it's hard to tell what's faster.

My money is on OS X. It feels so much snappier than Windows. For example, it takes a while for Firefox to load on Windows. However, you click Safari in the dock, and it's just there instantly. No messing around, it's just there!

And Halo under OS X is a masterpiece! It looks so much better, with nice lighting effects, and no jaggies. They've even got rid of the terrible view distance, and even looking from one side of a multiplayer map to another, you can still see the little individual blades of grass. In Windows, you get a jagged old mess (even with Anti Aliasing turned on), which has no lighting effects whatsoever, and the textures are dull and boring.

So, I rate OS X as the better OS out of it and Windows 7. The interface is cleaner, it makes more sense and it's a helluva much easier to use. I like how you install stuff by dragging it to the Apps folder, and that everything is integrated seamlessly with the OS. The only thing I would like though, is more software support. You can't deny the fact that Windows has much more software support than OS X, although then again this is understandable due to Windows being much more popular.

I'm not in any way advocating pirating OS X onto your PC, but you should try it some time. I think you'll get on well with it. I'm not by any means going to suddenly drop using Windows and become a Mac convert, but I will use it a lot more than I have done before.

I like it!

Thanks for reading.

Yes, I am. I've commented before just how much faster this is than any other Mac I've used (including my friend's Intel Mac Book), and I think it should be a fair test as it will be the OSes influence more than the hardwares. It's keeping stuff level.

Also would a mod mind if they move Mark's post below mine? I'd just like to keep stuff in order.

Geekbench is biased towards OSX. Basically you get a higher Geekbench (much higher) figure on the same hardware using OSX than Windows, whereas other universal benchmarks would be more similar. For example Geekbench reckons my brother in laws 2ghz iMac with 2gb of ram and a 160gb drive is about as fast as his PC which is Quad Core Q6600 job with 8GB of ram and a Raptor.

How about bias towards XP? It's faster than Vista and 7.

I have a Quad G5 PowerMac, which is the last PowerMac version made by Apple.

Mark

Wot? No Snow Leopard?

If you use 10.5.8 you should be using the most recent version of Vista. Windows 7 vs 10.6.
I'm guessing there isn't a cracked/Hackintosh version of 10.6 to be used?

What graphics card does it have? Would it be good enough to play Halo and get a decent framerate?

You could run Geekbench and Cinebench on it, and we could compare Intel vs PPC if you like.

I'm installing Halo on the Mac now. I should have the first set of results up in about 15 minutes.

This is what I am thinking too.

Unfortunately it has whatever the standard was at the time.
The upgrade has always been out of my price range. I have absolutely no idea at all about that. Sorry.

Mark

There is a version of 10.6 for Hackintosh, but it will kinda break my video drivers. And Windows 7 is actually a little bit slower in games than Vista, so it shouldn't matter too much.

Hm yes, OS X with dodgy third-party drivers, this could be interesting.