Apple would talk about the "MHz-myth" a lot. While it's true that MHz doesn't equal performance, Intel was doubling the PowerPC's performance most of the time.

Apple would talk about the "MHz-myth" a lot. While it's true that MHz doesn't equal performance, Intel was doubling the PowerPC's performance most of the time. The G3 saw Apple do OK, but then Intel went back to dominating in short order. The PowerPC never matched Intel again. My memory is more like they leapfrogged each other from time to time. The first generation of PowerMacs such as the 6100 absolutely spanked contemporary PCs (100 Mhz 486s and 50 Mhz Pentiums if I remember correctly). It was by no means obvious at that time that Intel would catch up. What killed PPC was the interested parties (IBM, Motorola, Apple) squabbling over CHRP, and Motorola being unwilling to work on a part that would fit the thermal envelope Apple wanted for laptops. The fundamental architecture of PPC is sound, or at least, sounder than that of x86.