Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacManiac1224

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 21, 2001
227
0
NY
I know we talked about this before, but I am starting to think: Apple basically has G4's accross it's whole line, except iBooks, and iMac G3's. So, this leaves room for something new, not sure what's going to be, but we need something, at least something to keep the professionals happy. I mean, Intel and AMD are releasing some pretty good stuff that most likely will slaughter the G4 in the majority of tasks, I know we have good photoshop scores, but we need an overall performance boost. I think Apple has 2 choices here, they can go with the IBM Power 4 chip, or the Motorola "G5" chip. I know the Power 4 does not have Altivec, we need something. But maybe Apple can put out a G5 from Motorola, and then release the IBM Power 5 when it comes out, becasue it is supposed to kick ass. Now, that is my reasoning. I think Apple is going to hold off on the G5 as long as possible, but if it is not at least out by MWSF 2003, we have problems. I think the optimum release date would be MWNY 2002, with it coming out a few months later, like September / October. What do you guys think?
 

strider42

macrumors 65816
Feb 1, 2002
1,461
7
Re: G5? Is it really coming?

Originally posted by MacManiac1224
I think Apple has 2 choices here, they can go with the IBM Power 4 chip, or the Motorola "G5" chip.

The power4 stuff is pure speculation. It may be just too expensive to use in desktop computers, and there are no garauntees the architecture will work with OS X without causing a lot of problems (I don't know mcuh about chip design and compatiblity, but my impresion is that although its a powerpc chip, its rather different). Sicne we don't relaly know what the motorola G5 is even (and I don't think motorola calls them G4/5's, thats an apple branding), and we don't know what else IBM and moto might be working on, speculationis rather pointless. It will come out. I'm sure whatever the sucessor is to the G4, it will be out by MWSF.
 

TyleRomeo

macrumors 6502a
Mar 22, 2002
888
0
New York
i think we'll have a g4 g5 hybrid this summer. it will have a new motherboard with a 266+ bus along with DDR ram, ATA Ultra 133 drives, usb2, firewire 2, Nvidia 128 Ti cards, then in january we will have a true 64 bit mac.

i only think this becuase thats what happened when mac went to the g4 350 when it still had some g3 elements.
 

King Cobra

macrumors 603
Mar 2, 2002
5,403
0
I would think that some things Apple needs to do to improve in their line of products:

(1) Drop the G3. How will that help us in speed with OS X, dual processors (not possible with G3, according to someone), or Photoshop, the ultimate application for OS X.
(2) Get the G5 rolling soon.
(3) Get some unique features into some of the new computers, especially for the G5. This may include Firewire 2, USB 2, and DDR-RAM.

Then we should be set to take back the computer world.
__________________

Any time is a great time for iPod.
 

Mr. Anderson

Moderator emeritus
Nov 1, 2001
22,568
6
VA
Originally posted by TyleRomeo

i only think this becuase thats what happened when mac went to the g4 350 when it still had some g3 elements.

But they also had 2 true g4 models at the same time, the 400 and 450. So maybe if they do the same thing we'll actually have a very nice system. But a lot has happened since then, like the multiprocessors, so we'll more than likely get that as well.

We might see something in a couple days at WWDC, but most likely at MWNY.
 

Catfish_Man

macrumors 68030
Sep 13, 2001
2,579
2
Portland, OR
DDR? Unique?

Originally posted by King Cobra
I would think that some things Apple needs to do to improve in their line of products:

(1) Drop the G3. How will that help us in speed with OS X, dual processors (not possible with G3, according to someone), or Photoshop, the ultimate application for OS X.
(2) Get the G5 rolling soon.
(3) Get some unique features into some of the new computers, especially for the G5. This may include Firewire 2, USB 2, and DDR-RAM.

Then we should be set to take back the computer world.
__________________

Any time is a great time for iPod.

I don't know where you've been the past couple years, but PCs have been using DDR for a while now. Now DDR400, that would be unique (as well being amazingly cool). Also, in response to the post about the G4 350, the only reason why they released the Yikes motherboard (B&W G3 board with a G4 dropped in), is because Sawtooth (the real G4 mobo) wasn't done yet.
 

j763

macrumors 6502a
Nov 25, 2001
660
0
Champaign, IL, USA
I wish Apple would see the light

I wish Apple would see the light -- AMD!!! If they struck a deal with AMD, we wouldn't be complaining about performance at all... and macs would drop in price (i'm not sure, but I think AMD are cheaper than mot...)
 

King Cobra

macrumors 603
Mar 2, 2002
5,403
0
Re: DDR? Unique?

Originally posted by Catfish_Man

I don't know where you've been the past couple years, but PCs have been using DDR for a while now. Now DDR400, that would be unique (as well being amazingly cool). Also, in response to the post about the G4 350, the only reason why they released the Yikes motherboard (B&W G3 board with a G4 dropped in), is because Sawtooth (the real G4 mobo) wasn't done yet.

For the DDR, I meant that Apple is still using their SDRAM chips for memory, if I am not mistaken. And if Apple was going to catch up to the PC world Apple would have to replace their SDRAM with DDR-RAM.

As for the mobo with the G4, I have heard that before. My point was that it technically made the final product a supercomputer.
__________________

Any time is a great time for iPod.
 

alex_ant

macrumors 68020
Feb 5, 2002
2,473
0
All up in your bidness
I think Power4 is too much chip for Apple. The 1.2GHz version draws approx. 125 watts of power and is extremely expensive (I heard a $3000 per chip figure somewhere). (Can you imagine that in the PowerBook? 15 minutes of battery life, and don't get it near anything flammable...) What most people do not realize, though, is that Power4 is not just a chip - it is an architecture unto itself. Technology that could be built into a custom Mac CPU while retaining full PPC compatibility is there. So, in a way, PowerPC is much more than PowerPC. :)

Alex
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.