Many computer manufacturers publish statistics about how fast their machines are, and each finds a way to present their box as the most powerful. Informed consumers understand that these vendor-provided benchmarks are best taken with a grain of salt. In the case of the Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) G5 , however, the statistics reveal a true speed demon -- even allowing for vendor spin. According to results on industry standard benchmark tests (presented by Apple), the G5 is not only faster than comparable machines, but quite a bit faster. Could Apple, lagging Intel-based machines markedly with the G4 platform, actually have come from behind to produce the fastest desktop -- not just in advertising hype, but in reality?
Core Audience
As Apple product manager Todd Benjamin explains it, the G5"s advanced performance is due to its origins as a high-powered IBM (NYSE: IBM) server workstation chip. "IBM has been using the 64-bit designs in their Power4 [server] and other workstation processors, and we were able to bring this technology down to the desktop for the first time," Benjamin told NewsFactor. Apple offers software developers tools to optimize their products for the G5, or, as he put it, "get an incredible bang out of the processing capabilities in the G5 processor."