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PowerPC 975 or Not?

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,489
30,728
Over the past few months, various whispers have repeated rumors of a PowerPC 975 processor which is meant to be a successor to the PowerPC 970 (G5).

Unfortunately, these rumors have come from consistently unreliable sources. As a result, the existence of a "PowerPC 975" remains in question.

Due to the nature of rumors, the information has also been repeated on numerous websites and message boards.

At this time, however, there appears to be no reliable information that the PowerPC 975 is an actual planned product. Instead, it should be regarded as a possible invention of the rumor world until further confirmation is provided.
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2004/05/26/powerpc-975-or-not/
arn

arn

macrumors god
Staff member
Apr 9, 2001
16,363
5,795
if anyone has/digs up any official IBM docuemntation that the 975 exists... let me know.

This thing keeps getting mentioned as if it's fact. I think it may just be entirely made up.

arn
 
Shagrat

Shagrat

macrumors 6502a
Mar 3, 2004
517
0
London
arn said:
if anyone has/digs up any official IBM docuemntation that the 975 exists... let me know.

This thing keeps getting mentioned as if it's fact. I think it may just be entirely made up.

arn
Click to expand...

A classic piece of rumourmongering??
 
G

gandalf55

macrumors 6502
Apr 13, 2001
343
0
boston
... ugh ...

My wife is gonna let me get a G5 of my choosing along with a 23" flat panel. But I smell something coming down the road and I need to hold off until after WWDC. 975 would be nice, but I'll take a dual 3Ghz 970 too...
 
gekko513

gekko513

macrumors 603
Oct 16, 2003
6,301
1
gandalf55 said:
My wife is gonna let me get a G5 of my choosing along with a 23" flat panel. But I smell something coming down the road and I need to hold off until after WWDC. 975 would be nice, but I'll take a dual 3Ghz 970 too...
Click to expand...
I'll even take a Dual 2.2 GHz 970(FX) at the price of the current Dual 1.8 :)
 
Z

Zaty

macrumors 65816
Mar 14, 2004
1,215
2
Switzerland
I have been skeptical about the existence of the 975 since the first rumours came up. IBM should solve the yield issue with the 970FX before developing an entirely new processor. But of the course the question remains which cpu will be put in the new PM revision.
 
the future

the future

macrumors 68040
Jul 17, 2002
3,435
5,513
Well, since the PPC 970 is a derivative of IBM's Power4 proc, it seems pretty obvious/logical that there will be a derivative PPC of the Power5, which is being introduced right now, as well... called 975 or called something else. I really think/hope the non-availability of any info is just due to Apple's infamous secrecy (in this case extended to IBM).
 
qubex

qubex

macrumors 6502
May 12, 2004
373
17
045°042'21.99"N, 009°005'056.57"E
It is quite offputting.

Whereas Intel and AMD are very adroit in releasing detailed roadmaps indicating exactly what they're researching, what strategies they are adopting, and what performances they expect to attain (how, and when!) IBM, Motorola and Apple enjoy keeping their own consumers in the dark and indulging in all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.

Do they consider us consumers (and especially, "prosumers") so stupid that we can't be trusted with a clear view of the future? As if the fact that next year computers will be faster and cheaper than now is some sort of secret!

I'm sure Steve is kicking himself morally for "announcing" 3GHz machines by Summer 2004 - and consequentially looking at sales of only 60,000 PowerMacs. It's not the issue of imminent new machines - it's the inherent uncertainty about what is going on.

The PowerPC really needs to issue clear roadmaps because at the moment their collective behaviour is really pathetic. In order to make informed purchasing decisions I demand clear information.

Not to offend anybody, but the whole "Apple Rumours" phenomenon is merely an indication of how confused, unclear, and downright paranoid Apple is about letting anybody understand what they're up to. That is not becoming of a mature company. It reminds me of school-kids playing their CIA games with code-wheels and secret salutes.
 
johnnyjibbs

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
Surely it doesn't matter what it's called? Maybe the 975 is just the 970fx (the 90nm one). I have no doubt that that they will deliver and the new line-up will include a dual 3GHz model. I think the delay in new PowerMacs is down to yield problems on the new chips at IBM. It seems almost as if all chip manufacturers have run into the speed buffers.

I've also noticed how the Moto slagging matches have gone quiet...
 
nate13

nate13

macrumors 6502
Feb 16, 2004
329
225
Fargo, ND
knowing computers...

Knowing computer companies, i wouldn't doubt if they had a 975, and have already tested it, but have found insufficient ways of producing it. And plus, the mac community can hope for a kick @$$ processor to blow the frigin pants off Wintel boxes.:D

~Nate13
 
wrldwzrd89

wrldwzrd89

macrumors G5
Jun 6, 2003
12,110
77
Solon, OH
qubex said:
It is quite offputting.

Whereas Intel and AMD are very adroit in releasing detailed roadmaps indicating exactly what they're researching, what strategies they are adopting, and what performances they expect to attain (how, and when!) IBM, Motorola and Apple enjoy keeping their own consumers in the dark and indulging in all this cloak-and-dagger stuff.

Do they consider us consumers (and especially, "prosumers") so stupid that we can't be trusted with a clear view of the future? As if the fact that next year computers will be faster and cheaper than now is some sort of secret!

I'm sure Steve is kicking himself morally for "announcing" 3GHz machines by Summer 2004 - and consequentially looking at sales of only 60,000 PowerMacs. It's not the issue of imminent new machines - it's the inherent uncertainty about what is going on.

The PowerPC really needs to issue clear roadmaps because at the moment their collective behaviour is really pathetic. In order to make informed purchasing decisions I demand clear information.

Not to offend anybody, but the whole "Apple Rumours" phenomenon is merely an indication of how confused, unclear, and downright paranoid Apple is about letting anybody understand what they're up to. That is not becoming of a mature company. It reminds me of school-kids playing their CIA games with code-wheels and secret salutes.
Click to expand...
I agree with your points - but do keep in mind that MacRumors probably wouldn't exist without Apple's secrecy, and you couldn't have posted (or, for that matter, I couldn't have posted this either). The biggest surprise to me is that IBM is being secretive regarding the PowerPC platform, just like Apple. I wouldn't have expected IBM to do that, unless Apple specifically asked them to. I certainly think Apple and IBM would stand to gain customers (especially in the business world) by being less secretive.
 
johnnyjibbs

johnnyjibbs

macrumors 68030
Sep 18, 2003
2,964
122
London, UK
qubex said:
The PowerPC really needs to issue clear roadmaps because at the moment their collective behaviour is really pathetic. In order to make informed purchasing decisions I demand clear information.

Not to offend anybody, but the whole "Apple Rumours" phenomenon is merely an indication of how confused, unclear, and downright paranoid Apple is about letting anybody understand what they're up to. That is not becoming of a mature company. It reminds me of school-kids playing their CIA games with code-wheels and secret salutes.
Click to expand...
Like it or not, this is Apple's way of doing business. They keep people in ignorance until they release a new product or else no-one would buy the old product. If Apple has lots of 2GHz models to sell, they would rather unsuspecting individuals paid full price for these models a few weeks before new 3GHz models come out at a lower price. No-one would buy if they knew for certain something better was around the corner. That's why sites like MacRumors exist - to give us some guidance on our purchasing decisions in addition to a discussion forum for Apple in general.
 
N

non fiction

macrumors newbie
Jul 11, 2002
28
0
Sydney
Arn is Steve !!

I think Arn (aka Steve) has realised that the 3Ghz promise within a year has been thwarted - despite IBM's great advances.... and he is now spreading a quiet rumour of the non existence of the 975 to prevent mass dissapointment when the next revision of the G5 peaks at only 2.6Ghz.....
 
C

crail

macrumors newbie
May 26, 2004
1
0
The following ibm.com URL mentions the 975. Sorry about the poor translation below, it is the best babelfish could do from Chinese. The translation is from a section about 3/4 the way down the page.

http://www-901.ibm.com/servers/eserver/pseries/tw/specialreport_1.html

IBM indicated that, Power5 is situated between 1.6GHz to 2GHz, next year will promote 90nm regulation according to the Power4+ pattern Power5+, might arrive 3GHz. IBM estimates 1.6GHz Power5 to be allowed to become 1.3GHz Power4 time of potency. Moreover, IBM constructs larger-scale many principles by the Power5 base is , PowerPC 975 also directly continues to use the Power5 core. , with at the beginning of the Power4 strategy is not opposite, a Power5 beginning by the low server host, only then gradually will extend in the future to the high server. behind represents strategy booklet, worth noting.
 
M

manu chao

macrumors 604
Jul 30, 2003
7,219
3,031
the future said:
Well, since the PPC 970 is a derivative of IBM's Power4 proc, it seems pretty obvious/logical that there will be a derivative PPC of the Power5, which is being introduced right now, as well... called 975 or called something else.
Click to expand...

I completely agree, there will, in all likelyhood, be a successor to the 970(fx), which will most likely be based on the Power5. The only question is whether it will come out this year or next year.

I agree, this rumor (i.e. the release date & specs) could be entirely based on speculation, but it could nevertheless be true (on the stock exchange people make a living out of speculation).
 
D

denisg

macrumors newbie
May 26, 2004
10
3
Newton, MA
apple secrecy

IBM has a pretty clear roadmap, it is Apple's planned implementation of these processors that is unclear (to its customers, that is).
 
T

tny

macrumors 6502
Jun 3, 2003
436
81
Washington, DC
crail said:
The following ibm.com URL mentions the 975. Sorry about the poor translation below, it is the best babelfish could do from Chinese. The translation is from a section about 3/4 the way down the page.

http://www-901.ibm.com/servers/eserver/pseries/tw/specialreport_1.html

IBM indicated that, Power5 is situated between 1.6GHz to 2GHz, next year will promote 90nm regulation according to the Power4+ pattern Power5+, might arrive 3GHz. IBM estimates 1.6GHz Power5 to be allowed to become 1.3GHz Power4 time of potency. Moreover, IBM constructs larger-scale many principles by the Power5 base is , PowerPC 975 also directly continues to use the Power5 core. , with at the beginning of the Power4 strategy is not opposite, a Power5 beginning by the low server host, only then gradually will extend in the future to the high server. behind represents strategy booklet, worth noting.
Click to expand...

Because English product numbers and the like are usually given in Roman characters in Chinese texts, Macrumors readers can check this out for themselves: PowerPC 975 appears right on the page. A sequence of google searchs for "powerpc 975" with site: equal to ibm.com, apple.com, motorola.com, and freescale.com comes up with only this page that crail has brought our attention to. It may not be a clincher, but it's the best evidence in print anyone has shown.
 
CmdrLaForge

CmdrLaForge

macrumors 601
Feb 26, 2003
4,633
3,112
around the world
tny said:
Because English product numbers and the like are usually given in Roman characters in Chinese texts, Macrumors readers can check this out for themselves: PowerPC 975 appears right on the page. A sequence of google searchs for "powerpc 975" with site: equal to ibm.com, apple.com, motorola.com, and freescale.com comes up with only this page that crail has brought our attention to. It may not be a clincher, but it's the best evidence in print anyone has shown.
Click to expand...

At least its a real IBM page. Therefore I consider that the 975 exists or existed on a roadmap at least. Maybe even as a real proto.
 
wrldwzrd89

wrldwzrd89

macrumors G5
Jun 6, 2003
12,110
77
Solon, OH
~Shard~ said:
975s would be nice, but Dual 3 GHz 970s @ WWDC would be more than acceptable in my books. :cool:
Click to expand...
I'm not very confident that the PowerPC 970 or its FX revision are capable of reaching 3 GHz - I would NOT be surprised if a 970-based product debuts at less that 3 GHz. However, if the debut is of a PowerPC 975-based product, I'd EXPECT a 3 GHz model to be available.
 
P

PRØBE

macrumors member
Jan 11, 2004
98
0
but do keep in mind that MacRumors probably wouldn't exist without Apple's secrecy, and you couldn't have posted (or, for that matter, I couldn't have posted this either).





I think that was the point he was making.
 
mgargan1

mgargan1

macrumors 65816
Feb 22, 2003
1,218
0
Reston, VA
i really do think that whatever the update is going to be, that we wont me disappointed. I mean, if they do have a dual layer DVD burner... that would be sooo kick ass. Maybe, this whole time the waiting is on Nvidia/ATI to ship their new graphics cards. Who knows... But we will find out in about a month...
 
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