Silly Noob Question (download speed)

[ufguy73]

After some issues with the iMac, I am actually in the process of trying out a Mac Mini w/ 24" display.

I was downloading some simple 1080 HD movie trailers (very short, about 2.30 mins long) and it was taking quite a long time to download. I was wondering:

does the less powerful processor in the Mac Mini mean that it takes longer to download internet content, when compared to the iMac's? or is download speed a function of internet connection speed??

thanks!

 

[Matthew Yohe]

After some issues with the iMac, I am actually in the process of trying out a Mac Mini w/ 24" display.

I was downloading some simple 1080 HD movie trailers (very short, about 2.30 mins long) and it was taking quite a long time to download. I was wondering:

does the less powerful processor in the Mac Mini mean that it takes longer to download internet content, when compared to the iMac's? or is download speed a function of internet connection speed??

thanks!

Download speed is going to be based on your internet connection speed.

Depending on how you have things hooked up (wireless/wired connection) speed could vary, but any difference in download speed from the iMac and the mini as a result of their processing speeds should not be noticeable.

 

[TMRaven]

The server at which you're downloading the hd videos could also be very slow/bogged down as well.

 

[sjinsjca]

Yah, what the others said.

You are having a download-speed issue, not a processor issue. The bottleneck could be anywhere between you and the server you're accessing. My money would be on the server. You might try running something like http://myspeed.visualware.com/ to ensure that your connection is solid and that you're getting good service from your ISP. If so--and this is the way to bet--then the issue is probably at the server. Try again in the wee hours of the morning when its load will presumably be lighter, might be a different story.

 

[ufguy73]

hey thanks guys...

interestingly, i performed a rudimentary test. i downloaded the same HD trailer with my PC and then with the mac mini...

the PC took 5 mins to download, the mac 8 mins.

the downloads were done one right after the other.

it seems like a pretty big discrepancy - is it just the load that randomly would drive results like that (even if done within 2 mins of each other)?

thanks again

 

[Matthew Yohe]

Are they both wireless/wired? You never addressed that.

 

[ufguy73]

Are they both wireless/wired? You never addressed that.

they are both wireless

 

[MacHamster68]

first of all the how long it takes is absolute pointless ,as that relates direct to the server where that file is or to the server of your isp , and how busy they are at that moment , and when downloading from the same source at the same time you even create a bottleneck , because up to your router these files take the same way

even these speedtest programs online are only a rough indicator ,they can only give the speed you you get at about that very moment ,so if you do the test on different times again it will give you a different outcome


so to test the wireless speed of both you need to send a simple test file from your pc to your Mac via your router and vise versa and without a connection to the internet