What if Apple decided to use AMD?

As most of you know, Apple made a big switch from the PowerPC G-Series processors to the Intel Core Duo. This seems to be okay, maybe I'm not Pro-Intel, but what their processors do for Apple (and for x86-based laptops with the Centrino technology) has proven worthy. However, imagine for a minute... Apple stabs Intel in the back, and goes to Intel's biggest rival, Advanced Micro Devices, and decides to make a Macintosh that's friendly to the gaming market. Do you think that Apple would have a chance to go for a better clientele doing that? I'm just curious, as this has been getting me thinking that there should be a version of the Mac that gamers and game programmers can get their hands on, and something that'll outperform a Dell XPS or an Alienware (sorry Microsoft).

Either that, or Apple may drop another bombshell, and release their Mac OS X for the x86 PC. That could happen, too...

Mac OS X is already available for normal PCs, it's just not legal to own it.

Admittedly I'm not that savvy on such matters, but I don't see what significant difference there would be to game players/programmers by using AMD units, over Intel's. What am I missing?

Hmm, you know, I hadn't even considered that possibility.

Of course, if you order Mac OS X right from Apple, they won't know that you are ordering from a Windows-based PC, it's the Internet for heaven sake! If Apple said that Mac OS X is now available on Intel, I'm quite sure that Intel's technology on the Apple isn't different from the Pentium-class, it's STILL Intel doing both forms of processors. There should be some leeway to that one.

I mean, if x86 PCs can run UNIX, they should be able to run Mac OS X Tiger rather easily, it's all based on the same engine, more or less, just like Red Hat Linux, same thing.

Actually, it is possible for a webpage to find out what browser you are using - and rediculously easily too.


Technically, yes. Mac OS X runs on standard home PCs perfectly. I'm not sure of the details, but I assume Intel Mac motherboards have some sort of security chip on them that the OS checks to make sure exists. This of course can be bypassed, however as big10p says, it isn't legal to do so.

Of course, since many people have more than one computer, or both a computer at home and at work, that information won't really tell you anything either.

Of course, it's also ridiculously easy to have your browser return a different identifier string, so it will look like another browser altogether. Like Opera used to do for years, it masquaraded as IE for compatibility reasons.