Is my early 2006 iMac 32-bit or 64-bit?

I ask because Mactracker says that it's 32-bit, so does that mean that Snow Leopard would be a waste of time? I thought the whole point was that it's 64-bit, but if it runs in 32-bit mode only then I can't see the performance increase being anything to talk about.

MacBook Core 2 Duo 2GB RAM 2.4GHz and iMac 17inch 2GB RAM 1.83GHz, Mac OS X (10.5.8), iMac is on Tiger 10.4.11, MacBook is on Leopard 10.5.8

Posted on Oct 4, 2009 11:14 AM

56 replies

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Oct 5, 2009 11:51 AM in response to donv_the_ghost

With apologies to Jonathan Mortimer for posting this short reply here, an "nth post" reference won't work either because the order posts are seen depends on the view mode. How best to make post references clear to all is best discussed in the Apple - Support - Discussions - Feedback about Discussions forum.

Oct 5, 2009 12:10 PM in response to R C-R

someone answered earlier, that with an early iMac 2006 Intel Core Duo, it is a 32 bit processor, and you will not see any significant improvements.

here is my add on question

We have 3 Mac Book, Intel Core 2 Duo, and I have upgraded them all to SL, and they feel a little bit snappier, but I really appreciated the 11GB in storage increase.

Question, with my core duo iMac, I may not see any improvements, but (1) will I see an increase of storage? (2) is there anything detrimental in up grading (3) Are their any benefits of having all our Macs on the same network using the same OS

Oct 5, 2009 12:24 PM in response to R C-R

If you me to change my ways, then you are going to have to find something specific for me to read or to tell me yourself.

Oct 5, 2009 2:09 PM in response to HotinPlaya

HotinPlaya wrote:
Question, with my core duo iMac, I may not see any improvements, but (1) will I see an increase of storage? (2) is there anything detrimental in up grading (3) Are their any benefits of having all our Macs on the same network using the same OS

I think you may be better off starting a new thread with these questions, this one is getting a bit polluted.

In brief,
1) According to reports, threads here, and information available on the internet, Leopard (10.5.x) already enables larger amounts of RAM usage beyond the 3GB typically available to previous OS X editions, however I'm still a bit confused on that one.

2) Not much point for a 32-bit Core Duo 1.83GHz iMac IMO, the performance gains would be minimal, but if you got the Snow Leopard box set you would get the latest versions of iLife and iWork applications.

3) I wouldn't have said so, Mac OS X is quite happy to work with older versions, barring a few advanced networking features that most people probably never use. Basic file sharing should be fine. To be honest I am still quite happy with Tiger, I haven't outgrown it yet, and it talks quite happily to my Leopard MacBook.

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Oct 5, 2009 2:50 PM in response to Jonathan Mortimer

Jonathan Mortimer wrote:
I think you may be better off starting a new thread with these questions, this one is getting a bit polluted.

Pretty much any topic that starts off with as broad a topic as this one did is going to get highly polluted, entangled, & confused. The question you asked was basically if Snow Leopard would be a waste of time for users of Macs with 32 bit CPU's. Even without what was meant to be a very brief query about what page of what a reply referred to, the topic was already going several different directions at once, each with a context so mixed with the others that it was hard to tell what comment was meant for which of them.

The best answer was baltwo's first one: "it matters not, SL brings speed enhancements to both 32- and 64-bit machines." Beyond that, each of the several directions the other replies took would have better been addressed in new topics of their own, & some of them already were.

Such is life.

Oct 5, 2009 4:16 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

Alright, boys... Swords or pistols? Please choose one and lets get this settled...

Oct 5, 2009 5:53 PM in response to David DeCristoforo

!http://homepage.mac.com/donv1/.Pictures/AniGifs/oldcowboy.gif! 🙂

R C-R

Level 6

17,794 points

Oct 5, 2009 6:05 PM in response to David DeCristoforo

I tried reading a pistol once. I don't recommend it. 😉

Oct 5, 2009 6:46 PM in response to R C-R

Not from the front at least. 🙂 No detail, but, incidentally, I now have confirmed that the upgrade DVD can be used to erase and install Sno on a Leo volume. No ifs, ands, or buts. I do not know what would happen on a blank drive. Presumably it would install.

Barney-15E

Level 10

122,162 points

Oct 5, 2009 7:00 PM in response to donv_the_ghost

I do not know what would happen on a blank drive. Presumably it would install.

And that is the precise question we want answered absolutely, not presumably.

Oct 5, 2009 7:14 PM in response to Barney-15E

Not by me or OP. No more replies.

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Is my early 2006 iMac 32-bit or 64-bit?