Apple Benchmark

[techguy21801]

PC World has done some testing with Apple's latest G5 systems vs Opteron, Athlon64 FX-51, Athlon64 3200+ and Pentium 4 3.2C systems. I don't think that Apple can lay claims to "Fastest Desktop Computer" any longer. You can go straight to the benchmarks and skip all the technobabble:

64-bit desktop computing has taken a significant step toward becoming a pervasive reality: AMD's release of its Athlon 64 chips--and Apple's launch of its G5 CPUs--means 64-bit processors, once reserved for servers and high-end workstations, are now in PCs available on retail shelves.

In time, 64-bit PCs could change the face of desktop computing. A 64-bit chip can run longer, more complex instructions than a 32-bit one, improving performance of data-intensive tasks such as audio and video encoding, advanced engineering design apps, and, naturally, games.

Equally key is a 64-bit CPU's ability to recognize and use a lot more RAM. Today's 32-bit chips, such as AMD's Athlon XP and Intel's Pentium 4, can address up to 4GB of RAM split between the OS and applications. Few PCs have that much memory, and even fewer apps use it. But with ever-more-complex software, that limitation may become a bottleneck, making Athlon 64's ability to address a whopping terabyte (1000GB) of physical memory very attractive

Source: Anandtech