Future PowerPC beyond 3.2 ghz?

[Chazam]

Originally Posted by MacFreak

IBM and Apple own PowerPC. They approved to let Micro$hit to use PowerPC processor for XBoX only.

Isn't Nintendo's next console supposed to be PPC also?

The Chinese website Unika.com have what they claim are the Spec's for Nintendo's next-gen Revolution! Here's a quick translation by Google.

# CPU: IBM G5 Custom x 4 2.5GHz cores, level 1 cache 128KB, a level 2 cache 512KB share

# GPU: RN520 x 2core 16MB eDRAM, PC R520 AMR technology supports 720p and 1080i.

Source

Looks like IBM is going to be busy......

[Mikuro]

IBM is delivering the PS3's CPU, too (although it's not strictly a PPC, IIRC). Also, the GameCube uses a variant of the G3. IBM's busy, indeed.

It's kind of ironic that the state of Mac gaming is so sad when so many consoles use the same processor family. Even the SNES used Apple-like processors (a variant of the processor used in the Apple II, with some added graphics routines).

There was actually a rumor going around that IBM was giving MS and Sony the exact same processors. But that turned out to be just a rumor. Would've been funny, though.

[HomunQlus]

If the specs on CNET are right, it is most probably one of the most powerful gaming consoles ever done. But I wonder when they put 3.2 GHz G5's into those consoles, then why aren't there any PowerMacs with these speeds? I find it a kind of strange.

[Oscar Castillo]

Well, several sites report saying it's not exactly the same G5 we're using, so then you might have to wonder if it's pin compatible with the Apple motherboard.
If not then there's probably firmware and chipset support to take into consideration. Cooling the chip doesn't seem to be a problem as the heatsink I've seen from leaked pics looks small.

[Zammy-Sam]

Originally Posted by HomunQlus

If the specs on CNET are right, it is most probably one of the most powerful gaming consoles ever done.

Um, isn't that the reason they come up with new consoles? How much sense would it make to take a performance step back?

[Convert]

Originally Posted by Oscar Castillo

I wouldn't sound so sure about that. Where there's a CPU, there always seems a way to get Linux onto there. XBox, PS2, Gamecube all have implementations of Linux running on them. I'm sure there will be hacks to get the new XBox to do things it wasn't intended to do.

Yes, you can get Linux on there (like I have on my Xbox), but it's not there in the first place. By linux I mean An actual desktop, etc.

You'd have to either hack it and install it, or hack it to release it.

[Oscar Castillo]

Originally Posted by Convert

Yes, you can get Linux on there (like I have on my Xbox), but it's not there in the first place. By linux I mean An actual desktop, etc.

You'd have to either hack it and install it, or hack it to release it.

In the words of the words of the Donald Rumsfeld, "It'll be a long hard slog", but I think anyone here would understand that if they were to try.

[Satcomer]

I feel maybe the 3 GHz hold up from IBM may have been the development of the chip for the XBOX. I just hope IBM will translate the knowledge to the Mac G5 version chip.