XBench figures for Fall 2009 Macbook lineup

Here's just the results for the laptops, making the comparison more interesting. I may add Macbook data, once I get it. I think the faster MB Pro with an SSD would really kick butt.

green = best score for category, red = worst.

	MacBook 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Pro 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Pro 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Air 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, SSD
RAM, gig	2	2	4	2
Overall Score	114.16	116.60	128.33	131.29
CPU	160.81	160.58	181.45	151.83
Thread	250.11	244.86	309.72	218.52
Memory	184.56	183.66	190.57	177.25
Quartz Graphics	169.17	177.97	197.14	157.63
OpenGL Graphics	77.98	82.69	90.44	70.70
User Interface	201.94	241.03	278.42	217.89
Disk, Overall	45.46	44.61	47.99	87.94
Disk, Sequential	87.52	83.58	95.06	76.62
Disk, Random	30.71	30.42	32.09	103.17

update: added the results from the gf's MacBook. the first time I ran XBench on her machine, it scored in the low 120's (overall score). This time it was lower. Just goes to show the variance of XBench results from run-to-run.

the MacBook and the low-end MBPro are really on par with one another, speed-wise. The $200 extra for the MBPro get you a firewire port, a better case, a backlit keyboard, and a smaller hard drive. hm.

XBench figures for Fall 2009 Mac lineup

I'm shopping for a new mac, not sure what I want. The other day I went to the Apple Store and ran XBench on a number of models. Figures are below. Note that I ran these one time only, so some results may be an outlier.

With the exception of the Air, all the laptop drives were 5400 RPM. The Air had an SSD drive. Also, I'm pretty sure the tower was the Quad core, not the 8-core, but I'm not certain. Finally, I didn't run benchmarks on the Macbook or the mini. Sorry!

I didn't reproduce all the results here, just the category ones (I did break down the Disk Test to its two sub-categories). I still have the full results and can provide additional numbers for the curious.

For XBench, the higher number is better. I have no idea how they're weighted for the total score, but here we are:

	MacPro 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon	iMac 3.06GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Pro 2.26GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Pro 2.53GHz Intel Core 2 Duo	MacBook Air 2.13GHz Intel Core 2 Duo, SSD
RAM, gig	3	4	2	4	2
Overall Score	196.45	123.33	116.60	128.33	131.29
CPU	197.83	217.22	160.58	181.45	151.83
Thread	875.92	367.74	244.86	309.72	218.52
Memory	399.97	210.98	183.66	190.57	177.25
Quartz Graphics	254.35	243.05	177.97	197.14	157.63
OpenGL Graphics	126.66	173.48	82.69	90.44	70.70
User Interface	367.85	51.245	241.03	278.42	217.89
Disk, Overall	80.70	65.08	44.61	47.99	87.94
Disk, Sequential	159.01	170.75	83.58	95.06	76.62
Disk, Random	54.07	40.20	30.42	32.09	103.17

XBench version: 1.3

not icing the kicker

the Titans just beat the Texans as the Texan kicker missed a FG wide left that would have tied the game with time expiring. clearly, Jeff Fisher would call a timeout to ice the kicker.

but no! he didn't, and I honestly think that affected the kicker.

i have no particular stake in the game, but huzzah!

in rather bad taste

Verizon just started running a new Droid commercial with stealth fighters. here is a link, though i'm not certain for how long it will be good.

i must say, in this post-bush era, the image of US stealth fighters dropping payloads onto american soil is a little disturbing to me. and maybe it's simply my cold-war era sensitivities, but seeing missile streak through the skies while people watch from the ground, confused and concerned, does put me off.

but to do this just a couple days after the Fort Hood shootings? that seems to be in pretty bad taste. i don't know if there are a lot of people making such associations, but i doubt that's what Verizon wants in our heads.

another "wtf is wrong with healthcare" data point

on her last doctor's visit, i had the gf request some additional bloodwork, including 25(OH)D, TSH, T4, T3 and HbA1c. (if i'm dosing her with fish oil, vit D, kelp et. al., i want to make sure i'm not off base). she called today to get the results and, basically, was told by the nurse to f*** off.

initially, the nurse was unwilling to say more than "your cholesterol is good," and the gf had to pry out of her the separate HDL, LDL and tri levels. once she started requesting the 25(OH)D, the nurse said she was too busy to tell her all those numbers and she should come in and talk to the doctor.

she refused to fax them, mail them, or provide them at a later date.

what. the. f***.

the death of the service industry

from the other day, on the phone:

me: i'd like to order a pizza for carryout.
her: pickup or delivery?
me: carryout.
her (very uncertain): uhhhh.... delivery?
me: okayyyy, pickup.
her (back to normal): okay!

maybe i'm being naive, but i'm rather under the impression that a pizza phone answering job 1) isn't terribly complex, and 2) has a rather limited jargon set. there are really only four terms for describing three options for accessing the pizza: dine in, carryout, pickup, delivery. MAYBE takeout, for those used to ordering Chinese.

this isn't even a training issue! and i will cite not-a-language-barrior, as the order-taker was a white teenager from the chicago suburbs.

these are the people who will be running the country when i'm retired. egads.

winter-friendly accessory

i just had installed a TDI FrostHeater -- a 1000w electric heater/pump that circulates the coolant. this morning was my first start after a cold-ish (mid-30's) night. instant heat! no blue engine temp light!

the coolant was already 175 degrees F, the oil about 125. i'm very curious to see how well it does when it's 20 below.