The G4 processor itself is a newer faster better processor over the G3. Not by a whole lot, but it is. The Altivec technology is an additional technology added to the processor to make it even better.
You could be right though, I'm speaking from memory and I'm certainly not an expert here. Depending on how important this Altivec technology is, a G4 without it could be closer to a G3, or it could still be closer to a G4.
If someone wants to test this, I have an idea:
Take a program, such as photoshop, that has altivec enhancing plugins, and run tests on a G4 with the plugins enabled and disabled.
I belive MacWorld or one of them did that (when the first G4 was released the software wasn't optimized for Altivec) and there's something like a 5-15% increase in speed with just the G4 (over a G3) and a 15-35% increase (or more) with the Altivec technology enabled.
Jesse
On Dec 18, 2004, at 3:05 PM, Mike Tweedie wrote:
At the risk of sounding dumb, but isn't non-altivec enhanced processor just
a G3?
:S
Mike
On 12/18/04 4:22 PM, "Jesse Stanford" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
If I remember correctly, there were G4 processors WITHOUT Altivec
released, but Apple themselves would only use the ones that had Altivec
technology. Third party upgrades I suppose though may not have it. If
they say it's fully functional, it must contain it.
G4 simply refers to the 'fourth generation' of the PPC processor. The
604s were G2 and the original 601s were G1(if I remember correctly...)
Jesse
On Dec 18, 2004, at 1:12 PM, Len Gerstel wrote:
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