90nm 970's?

[MacRumors]

MacBidouille posts an English translation of their latest rumor posting, hinting at PowerBook processors coming from Apple:

IBM engineers are going to work hard in order to have the PPC 970 at 90nm ready for the end of this year in East Fishkill's laboratories. These processors will eventually replace PowerBooks' G4s.

MacBidouille has been particularly vocal about upcoming PowerPC 970 rumors with shipment of 970 enabled machines expected as early as WWDC. Their history of rumor accuracy has been variable, with both significant hits (Leaked PowerMac Pics) and misses (4-6 Processor Macs, AMD and Apple Rumors Part II).

[Snowy_River]

So is this suggesting that we aren't going to see any updates to the PowerBooks until the end of the year? Or are they going to somehow manage to get an impossibly hot speed bumped G4 into the PowerBooks?

[MacFan25]

If new processors are in Powerbooks by the end of the year, then this really will be the "year of the notebook".

[Freg3000]

MacBidouille (is) either:
1) Smoking crack.
2) Knows something that will make us all really really happy.

How can they being spewing all of this all the time unless they knew something? It seems to me like a really big risk to blow your reputation over this.

[Mr.Hey]

970 PB would be amazing and the second Apple Computer that I would purchase. Apple has the software position covered and all it needs now is the hardware. COME ON PPC 970.

[MrMacMan]

Sweet!

Bring the 970's on!

[GigaWire]

oh c'mon.

[Veldek]

Let's start into another round...

Well, assuming processors will be here in late 2003, then the machines won't be available before Q1 2004 (and I'd rather bet on Q2). That's still a long time to go...

[pyrotoaster]

It's obvious that the G4 can't get much faster, at least without turning your Powerbook into hot plate

Low power 970's would be better processors, and would have faster clock speeds (and with any luck they won't give you second degree burns). Win-Win.

BTW, my 300th Post! Just 200 more until I can get an Avatar!

[nuckinfutz]

The 1.1volt 1.2Ghz PPC 970 can be used now in a Powerbook. Would Apple wait this long?

[Grimace]

970s for Powermacs at WWDC.
970s for Powerbooks at Christmas...

which makes WWDC like Christmas in...June

[pyrotoaster]

Unless Apple updates the Powerbook sometime soon, I wouldn't be surprised to see a 970 model at least announced at WWDC.

[Rower_CPU]

"First posts" are pointless and are not condoned on this forum. Please refrain from posting them, and report those who do.

[iJon]

i have two questions, i havent read all the specifics on the 970. if they made a laptop version, would it be cooler, and would it consumer less power to make better battery life.

iJon

[MacManiac1224]

This sounds about right. MacBidouille said that they 970's are coming out at WWDC, or maybe even late this month, and now they are saying that IBM is readying 970's for Powerbook use at the end of the year. All this sounds right on target, I think MacBidouille has a mole, and most of this info should come out right. It sounds right to me

Also, iJon, the IBM 970 for Powerbooks would be the same used in Powermacs, but using a 90nm process would then mean that the new chips wopuld give off less heat. Heat is a big issue in powerbooks. Otherwise they are the same chips.

[rice_web]

Why the recent commotion of the 970 in a PowerBook, with the 970 not even necessarily a "lock" for the PowerMacs (we could just as easily see upgraded G4s).

I'll take this rumor with the understanding that the 970 could still be a long way off.

[JesseJames]

Aye lad. I'll believe it when I see it.

[Jeff Harrell]

Originally posted by pyrotoaster
It's obvious that the G4 can't get much faster, at least without turning your Powerbook into hot plate

As I understand it, the main source of heat inside a Mac laptop is the hard drive, not the CPU.

My old iBook, with a modest 500 MHz G3, still got scorching hot after a period of continuous use thanks to the hard drive.

[evoluzione]

sounds great to me

and the timing makes sense, new powermacs at wwdc followed by powerbooks 6 months later. why not?

and the g4 has been around for waaaay too long now, whatever chip ends up in the next gen mac, it better be here soon, or it'll be a quark type situation before long...speaking of which, will quark need to be rewritten in 64bit? oh boy

[evoluzione]

Originally posted by Jeff Harrell
As I understand it, the main source of heat inside a Mac laptop is the hard drive, not the CPU.

My old iBook, with a modest 500 MHz G3, still got scorching hot after a period of continuous use thanks to the hard drive.

yeah i'd go with that, my old 300mhz wallstreet used to get really hot after a while, too hot to touch underneath anyways.

[hvfsl]

I just have to remind people that Apple has made a few silly desisions over its history and Apple may still not be going with the PPC970. Or even if it using the PPC970, it could just be for the PRO computers and the G4 might be the new comsumer chip.

[iSmell]

Originally posted by evoluzione
yeah i'd go with that, my old 300mhz wallstreet used to get really hot after a while, too hot to touch underneath anyways.

Yeah, but when the Wallstreet came out, 300MHz was still fast. At any given point, the fastest chips available run hot. If they didn't, they would crank up the power and speed until they did.

That said, it is still true that HDs generate heat. However, there are laptops in existance that have hard drives and also do not get scorchingly hot. So logically, it must be more than just the hard drives that make laptops hot. There are a lot of factors, but the CPU is defintely a big one.






Not first post.

[Fender2112]

I got a hunch that the next thing we see will be the 15" Power Book with the 970.

I think other folks have made the same suggestion. Here are the things that point to this:

1) Steve says this is the year or the notebooks.
1.5) Steve also mentioned something about note books replacing the desktop Mac in the home.
2) We all feel confident that the 970 will be introduced at WWDC. Maybe before.
3) The systems shipping from Taiwan (or whereever it is) are reported to be single processor.
4) The 15" Power Book is overdue for an upgrade.

Summary: The mid level Power Book is due for an upgrade and the 970 is so close we can smell it. If the heat and power issues are resolved, why not introduce the 970 in a Power Book?

I will also suggest that the 15" PB, the mid level PB, will sport a 16:10 screen. This would give Apple's entire Power line, except the 12" PB, a 16:10 screen.

The catch is that once the 970 is released, regardless of the model, Apple will have to quickly upgrade all their products. The G3's and G4's will not sell well once the 970 comes out.

That's all there is and there is no more.

[BaghdadBob]

Originally posted by Jeff Harrell
As I understand it, the main source of heat inside a Mac laptop is the hard drive, not the CPU.

My old iBook, with a modest 500 MHz G3, still got scorching hot after a period of continuous use thanks to the hard drive.

Given that may be true, but (and I seem to be saying this alot lately) correct me if I'm wrong, but heat is more of an issue with the processor than with the HD, isn't it? I don't believe the issue at play here is with the overall heat of the machine (even if it does get plenty hot), but with trying not to release the magic smoke from the processor while including as much power as possible.

BTW, you seem to have the same name as my Jr. High computer teacher. Weird. [Edit: It was Steve, not Jeff]

Originally posted by hvfsl
I just have to remind people that Apple has made a few silly desisions over its history and Apple may still not be going with the PPC970. Or even if it using the PPC970, it could just be for the PRO computers and the G4 might be the new comsumer chip.

Oh, please god, no...besides, I think it's pretty clear Apple is going to sever their relationship with Motorola ASAP, so depending on the G4 in the new product line would delay that. That law suit we've heard rumor may just be a way to sue their way out of contract for purchase of G4s, not necessarily for money.

[Grimace]

The introduction of the 970s doesn't necessarily mean that all other processors will tank. The Dual 1.42 G4s haven't stopped people from buying iMacs and eMacs - depending on your need and $$$ situation, a G4 may be the "inexpensive alternative" (projecting 6 months into 970 arrivals.)