Will there be any more G5 Power Mac revisions?

M

Marty Graw

Registered
Just watched Steve Jobs on CNBC discussing the iPod Nano and the iTunes phone. The Apple stockholder in me is quite happy, but the computer guy in me is disappointed. Not so much in what was announced, but what wasn't: an upgrade to the Power Mac desktop line.

Since last April's modest speed bump to 2.7ghz, it's like the desktop line has fallen off Apple's radar screen.

My DP G4/500 is putting along fine, but I would like to get a new machine (increased speed, a DVD burner, and better compatibility with modern apps.

My first inclination was to wait for the Macintels. But on reflection, I decided that being on the bleeding edge as an early adopter might not prove wise. Plus, it might be 2007 before the professional desktop line is using the Intel processor. So, I decided that I would buy the last, best G5 Power Mac that Apple produces.

So that's the question I toss out to you all: are we already looking at it? Is the DP 2.7gzh G5 the last in the line? Or will they be one more rev, maybe based on the 970MP?

Any thoughts you might like to share on this would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.


MG
 
Well: If Apple really wants to let us down, they'll tell us that one dual core processor is better than two single core, and will try to persuade us to buy a PowerMac with one dual core 2.6 GHz processor instead of a dual proc. 2.7 GHz... And I'm not laughing.
 
That sounds possible. It's hard to say. I think Apple will update their Power Macs one or two more times (if the Intels come 2007).
 
From what I understood, this was a specially-scheduled announcement that was widely known to have something to do with the iPod/iTunes, and the iPod/iTunes alone... expecting a PowerMac today wasn't even on my mind! ;)

At any rate, I think we'll see another G5 revision. There are a lot of PowerPC products still in the pipeline, and I think we'll see at least one more refresh of the systems that haven't been recently updated before they go intel.
 
dual, dual-core 2.6ghz - the first powermac to actually deliver in a while. it would be silly not to jump on this much potential power, and even if it is more expensive than a dual 2.7 ghz single core machine, it'll still be a lot, lot cheaper than a full AVID rig.
 
I guess that's what we all _hope_, Lt. ... I was talking about what I _fear_ from the experience of the past few years of lackluster PowerMac updates...
 
Anything's possible. I'm confident we'll see a dual-core update — possibly even two — before the high-end line turns Intel.

The dual-core G5 processors are ready. The main question is when IBM can deliver them in large enough quantities to satisfy Apple's needs. I have no clue about that.

I will be very surprised if we don't get dual-dualies by the end of the year. But It's not like I haven't been disappointed before....
 
Conspiracy theory: There will be no more new Apple hardware. "Going Intel" means letting all the PC guys supply the hardware for OS-X, and essentially leaving the traditional home and business computer hardware business.

Scary thought, no? But then again we have been wondiring what would be the next unthinkable thing Apple could do. Getting entirely out of the hardware business would indeed be unthinkable :D
 
Talk about thinking outside the box, but yep: This is just a conspiracy theory... While not entirely impossible in the far future, certainly not the plan for this transition.
 
fryke said:
Talk about thinking outside the box
Click to expand...

:D :D :D

Nasty pun there, even if it was unintentional (?) :D

Anyway, I hope they do not drop their own HW business. My PM is probably the best computer in terms of reliability and operation efficiency I've ever had in my 20-something years as a programmer and all-round geek. It has made this computer scientist very happy, and given me my joy in computing back again.
 
Even if we see dual, dual-core PPC PowerMacs, it's hard to believe that a company would dedicate the time and resources to an EOL product when most are concentrating on revamping their code for the x86 transition and beyond. Perhaps companies are looking at dual, dual-core x86 support, but these dual-core PPC chips although great are just coming too late in the game now.
 
The easiest would be to start with an Intel based server. This avoids to support too many software.
 
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