• System config (Laptop) : Intel Core solo 1.8 GHz, 1GB DDR2 RAM, Intel 945GM.
• Hackintosh: Leopard 10.5.2 iAtkos.
• Windows: XP Pro SP3 with all the drivers installed.
• Arch Linux: Kernel 2.6.25 Arch with Gnome 2.22.3

And here are the numbers:

Screenshots: at Flickr

Final thoughts

Memory uses of Arch is pretty impressive even with Compiz but the CPU uses is really odd. In idle mode it is using 10% and with compiz enabled, CPU uses jumped to 21%! This is not Arch specific. All the Linux distros I tried had similar CPU use pattern. Fresh installed XP is breezing fast but start up and shutdown time is pretty high. It can be attributed to the fact that it loads couple of extra services that came along with drivers such as bluetooth, synaptic touch pad, wireless, and Intel graphics. I should have disabled them before testing. Hackintosh’s performance can not be compared with an Apple Mac but still it turned out to be fastest in terms of start up and shutdown time. I can’t say anything about memory uses. Initially it was using 290MB RAM but as soon as I pressed screenshot shortcut buttons memory use jumped to 340MB. Only if I had a real Mac to test actual performance.

And btw, this post has been made from Arch.

My laptop is pretty old and configuration is not that great: Intel core solo 1.8GHz, 945GM, and 1GB RAM. Initially I thought Leopard won’t run on this config, but I thought of taking a chance. Previously I tried Tiger on this same laptop which worked as expected. So far Leopard is running great. It takes about 15 seconds to boot up and 5 seconds to shut down.. :O Speed is amazing. It takes less than 500MB RAM with all those eye candies and runs pretty smooth and very responsive. Applications open up in within a second. It is hard to believe considering the fact that its a non Apple computer. I have Arch Linux installed which takes about 300 MB RAM with default Gnome installation without any eye candy and windows XP which takes about 500MB RAM with many startup programs. Overall I’m very impressed with speed, simplicity and of course look!

Now the bad news. As usual, Intel 3945ABG wireless card is the culprit; my wireless is not working. Not a problem. I’m ordering a USB wireless card which is mac compatible. And headphone jack is not working. So I have to stick to boring laptop speakers till I get a USB sound card (not anytime soon).

I’m planning to transfer all my works from Windows to Leopard once I get that wireless card. Let me try out leopard for sometime. Specialy I want to see how web development goes on Mac. If I like it then a MBP is locked on my wishlist.