The PowerBook 540 and 540C use a 33 MHz 68LC040 CPU, so
performance should be roughly comparable to the Quadra 650, except for
math performance - since the 68LC040 lacks the FPU built into the full
68040 processor. Drives are the stock 160 and 320 MB Apple drives.
Remember that benchmarks are arbitrary. They measure certain types
of performance that may or may not reflect the way you work.
Speedometer 4.02
The 540 was tested on 10 October 2000 under System 7.5.5 with a
normal complement of extensions and control panels. Video was set to
the 6-bit default. The 540C was tested on 12 October 2000 under System
7.5.5 with extensions off. Video was set to 8-bits. Results are
relative to a Quadra 605, which rates 1.0. Numbers rounded off to two
decimal places.
PowerBook 540
cache CPU graphics disk math
32KB 1.17 0.64 0.84 5.60
64KB 1.17 0.64 0.84 5.60
128KB 1.17 0.64 0.80 5.60
256KB 1.17 0.64 0.79 5.59
PowerBook 540C
cache CPU graphics disk math
32KB 1.18 0.74 0.92 6.25
64KB 1.18 0.75 0.92 6.25
128KB 1.18 0.75 0.91 6.25
256KB 1.18 0.74 0.91 6.25
The cache setting should have little influence on non-disk tests,
which these numbers bear out. As above, with this particular setup,
cache size makes no appreciable difference. However, the 320 MB drive
is faster than the 160 MB drive.
I'm guessing the 6-bit video requires more overhead than the more
traditional 8-bit video (4-bit video usually has the same problem vs.
8-bit video), giving the 540C a small but noticable advantage over the
grayscale 540.
I'm at a loss to explain the improved math scores of the 540C, since
both PowerBooks run the same CPU at the same speed.
By way of comparison, the Quadra 650 scores
1.19 on the CPU benchmark and 20.01 on the math benchmark. That
floating point unit can make a real difference!
Go to the PowerBook
540 or 540C>
