Could this be the heart of new Macs next year?

The common rumour is that it will be the new IBM PPC 970 (based on Power4) that will power future Macs. Remember that the Power line is for IBM's hi end line and it's doubtful that Apple could inexpensively deliver a machine using those processors. That's ok as long as the PPC continues to evolve, and it looks like IBM has the better opportunity to make it so (vs Motorola).
 
Power5 also has better error detection and correction than its predecessor. It will be able to run more operating systems simultaneously in separate "partitions." And unlike Power4, Power5 will be designed not only for high-end servers but also for lower-end systems.
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But what is a lower-end system ?
 
IBM pretends the Power5 is also made for home computers apparently.

Or what about Power5 in Xserve ?
 
Let me get that right. Apple has publicly denied having plans about using the PowerPC 970 and you guys are discussing a chip that might be about 2 years away from production? :p
 
No, Power5 is not for home computers. What they want is to be able to more effectively compete in the mid/lower end server markets. If you look at their offerings right now, they have machines based on everything from a PPC604! to Power3 and then Power4. It's too cost prohibative to use Power4 across the board and this is hurting them from a price/performance standpoint on the low/mid end, where it matters most. So with Power5, IBM wants to design it in such a way as to make it cheaper to produce, thereby allowing them to use it in their cheaper machines. I don't think you'll be seeing any home pc's with it in there. They could always come out with a PPC derivative, ala 970, but it looks like they are going to stick with distinct PPC/Power lines.
 
uh, is who saying Power5 is just G5? Certainly not me, I said at the end of my post that "they are going to sitck with distinct PPC/Power lines", meaning that they are going to keep them distinct (i.e. not merge them). If you're referring to someone else, then nevemind.
 
why not just use MIPS processors,
we then get all the more powerfull vector processing.

graphics load super fast!!

just imagine Quartz Extreme and MIPS!
 
Originally posted by wiz
why not just use MIPS processors,
we then get all the more powerfull vector processing.

graphics load super fast!!

just imagine Quartz Extreme and MIPS!
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Talk about having to push the mhz myth party line then! What are they up to 400mhz R12000's right now? I assume you are joking right?
 
Apple has publicly denied having plans about using the PowerPC 970
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:confused: Have they? Rumor sites, news sites and analists alike are all screaming this is going to be the next big thing for the Mac platform... I didn't ever come across information outright denying these rumors.
 
Originally posted by Cat
:confused: Have they? Rumor sites, news sites and analists alike are all screaming this is going to be the next big thing for the Mac platform... I didn't ever come across information outright denying these rumors.
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Yeah! Seriously, I havent either. Are you sure about that? Almost every rumor site is talking about PPC970 being the next one to go into Macs. Hey, what about AMD chips? I havent heard anything about AMD in a while...are rumors still living in that area?
 
Um, IBM's idea of a "lower-end system" is probably higher than anything Apple has ever offered, or is likely to anytime soon. By "low-end", they probably mean something with as few as sixteen processors, and costing as little as a few hundred thousand dollars each.

The POWER line of cpus are beasts. Five thousand pins, 680 million transistors, and 500 watts each.

There is a huge gap between workstations and the truly large systems hidden in the depths of huge corporations, and unseen by normal humans. They're talking about the latter here.
 
...here is another rumor of IBM's CPU based Macs:

"AMD's Athlon64 chip, coming in September, will function as a 32- or 64-bit chip, depending on the software loaded onto the machine. IBM's PowerPC 970 will do the same thing. The chip comes out later this year, and Apple is expected to adopt it."

Read the whole story here:
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1103-985432.html
 
Well let's put it this way. Unless Motorola has some secret G5/6 killer chip under wraps, Apple would have to be insane not to adopt the chip. Why _wouldn't_ they?
 
Hmm. Has anyone else heard a rumor about AMD ceasing production of desktop chips? A PC freak i know said it's on their website or something.. Im gonna go have a look..
 
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