For years, Apple never really spent time and resources for improving performance levels and quality of its graphic card drivers, and with 3D application, when running benchmarks, we always obtain better results on Windows than on Mac OS X. This was the result of both the lack of interest from Apple and the high marketing need from graphic card manufacturers to optimize their drivers on Windows as performance is a key driver for sales. With many models available from AMD or NVidia, optimized drivers are required; such competition for Mac users, do not really exist (pending you do not flash your graphic card with some hacked ROM).
This gap is even bigger today as illustrated by a report from Phoronix.com. They compared 3D performance of the Intel HD 3000 found in a Mac mini running different version of Mac OS X and Linux, as Intel is now offering Open Source drivers for its integrated graphical chipset.
The first graph clearly shows that Mac OS X 10.7.2 brought a serious improvement for Open GL performance level; however, when running game benchmark, there is no change. More striking, drivers for Linux offer better results in usual resolution settings.
IT is about time for Apple to really improve its drivers, and simply work more with AMD, NVidia and Intel to make its drivers more competitive. The last Open GL3 drivers from Intel supports more functions than the one found in Mac OS X...
