Universal binary-why is it faster on Intel?

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
Okay probably a dumb question but if Universal binary is written to run on both PPC and Intel platforms, shouldn't they run equally fast?



Unless it's really optimized for Intel but as an aside, can also run on PPC.

Just wondering how my iMac G5 will perform three years from now running UB apps.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 3
    Intel macs can run PPC code, in an emulated environment. So, it the application was written in x86 code, it does not have to run in an emulated environment and hence faster. Universal Binaries have both codes embedded. Depending on which platform it is running on, the relevant codes get executed.
  • Reply 2 of 3
    Quote:

    Originally posted by satchmo

    Okay probably a dumb question but if Universal binary is written to run on both PPC and Intel platforms, shouldn't they run equally fast?



    Unless it's really optimized for Intel but as an aside, can also run on PPC.

    Just wondering how my iMac G5 will perform three years from now running UB apps.




    A Universal Binary application will run just as fast on a PowerPC Mac as a plain vanilla PowerPC binary application, because the PowerPC Mac is just referencing the PowerPC-native version of the program inside the Universal Binary file.



    A Universal Binary application will run faster than a PowerPC binary application on an Intel Macintosh because it won't be running in emulation, as a PowerPC application would be.



    A Universal Binary application will likely run faster on an Intel Macintosh than on a PowerPC Macintosh because the Intel chips are faster than PowerPC chips.
  • Reply 3 of 3
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Fireball1244

    A Universal Binary application will likely run faster on an Intel Macintosh than on a PowerPC Macintosh because the Intel chips are faster than PowerPC chips.



    Take that with a pinch of salt. "Faster" is difficult to define. One may better the other in one area, but not another. Eventually, of course x86 will be faster than PPC in all aspects as PPC development is essentially halted while x86 moves on. But for now, "faster" is context dependent, though generally is in x86's favor.
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