# Client wants to run windoze on a g5 PowerMac. Emulation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 22, 2008, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972 "2008-11-22T08:02:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/1 "2008-11-22T08:02:10Z")
Title says it all. He thought he could run boot camp, but has a powermac g5. Is there any emulation software he might use? ---
**Author:** ![ChrisBooth12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@ChrisBooth12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChrisBooth12)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/2 "2008-11-22T08:15:48Z")
VMWare Fusion ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/3 "2008-11-22T08:20:12Z")
> [@ChrisBooth12](#): > > VMWare Fusion Yeah, but it is a G5. Fusion needs Intel, afaik. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/4 "2008-11-22T10:47:23Z")
Virtual PC for MAC. I saw a couple used copies on Amazon. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Doubt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@Stan\_Doubt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Doubt)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/5 "2008-11-22T16:44:54Z")
The factual answer has been given by **caligulatheGod**. As far as what the best course of action is for your client, what is the machine being used for? Running Windows on Virtual PC will be painfully slow, whereas running Windows on an Intel Mac is fast. G5 PowerMacs (and Macs in general) hold their value pretty well. Your client may be better served selling the G5 and buying a new/used/refurbished Intel Mac. But if the G5 is being used for pro audio, video or another application where a workstation-style machine is needed, that’s probably not an option. This goes double if your client has invested in lots of expensive PPC software. It will generally run on an Intel machine under Rosetta, but maybe not even as fast as on the G5, depending on the specs. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2008, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/client-wants-to-run-windoze-on-a-g5-powermac-emulation/473972/6 "2008-11-22T21:58:08Z")
It has to be VirtualPC version 7 to work on a G5; VPC 6 and earlier are not compatible with that specific chip (work fine on G4s but not on the G5). Expect CPU performance like you’d get from a 300-400 MHz Pentium. Expect _graphics_ performance more like you’d get from a 40 MHz 486. In other words, if this is for running a couple of Access databases and a Lotus 123 spreadsheet, or Internet Explorer for some Mac-incompatbile web sites, it’s a feasible solution. If this person expects to run AutoCAD or play some PC 1st person shooter games now & then, it’s _not_.