IBM's PowerPC 970FX... at 2.5GHz?

[MacRumors]

IBM's PowerPC 970FX won Microprocessor Report's 5th Annual Analysts' Choice Awards. The 970FX beat out the AMD Athlon 64 FX-51 and Intel Pentium 4.

Of more interest, however, is this abstract for an article entitled "IBM Takes the Lead" at the Microprocessor Report.

The author expects the 90nm PowerPC 970 to scale well:

The 970FX should yield well at 2.5GHz, up from the 2GHz speed of the 970 used in Apple’s Power Mac G5. This 25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD. Prescott is struggling to eke out minor clock-rate improvements, and AMD will need to wait for its own 90nm products—due in 2H04—to achieve substantial speedups for Athlon 64.

The article, however, appears to be entirely speculative based on what little information is presently available on the PowerPC 970FX. More details should emerge as IBM presents information on the 970FX at ISSCC 2004 next week. (Feb 14-19, 2004)

[Squire]

That's a nice little increase. I'll take one in a PowerBook, please.

Squire

[AirUncleP]

I feel the need for speed. Always.

[pb1212580]

I'll take a G5 2ghz in a powerbook...that's enought for me!



This is great news! Means, more room to grow... as always!

[army_guy]

Wont go into a powerbook too hot.

Athlon 64 is at officially at 2.4GHz at should be shipping by end of month. I dont understand the quote "25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD" look whose talking the G5 was released when ? and the 2.5Ghz will be released what? yes 25% but its hasnt been updated since its release. From a technical point of view the G5 should be at 2.6-3.0GHz now they just seem to be hanging around.

[virividox]

lets give these puppies more juice

[Sabenth]

The cycle that they seem to be using seems fairly normal to me. at least there at 2 ghz now instead of 1.4 or 1.6 ghz...

All i care abot is that the chip works and my machine will be portable

[Skiniftz]

What was the speed in that XServe glitch graphic? Was that 2.5 or 2.3Ghz?

[x86isslow]

the glitch made reference to 2.3 Ghz G5 xserves

[ITR 81]

Originally posted by army_guy
Wont go into a powerbook too hot.

Athlon 64 is at officially at 2.4GHz at should be shipping by end of month. I dont understand the quote "25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD" look whose talking the G5 was released when ? and the 2.5Ghz will be released what? yes 25% but its hasnt been updated since its release. From a technical point of view the G5 should be at 2.6-3.0GHz now they just seem to be hanging around.

If I remember right the Athlon 64 is still rated via it's PR not actual cycle rate.

The PB G5's will probably use a liquid cooling sys similar to the ones used in IBM Thinkpads.

[RHutch]

I know that were not seeing the fruits of the advancements yet in the way that people would like-G5 pbooks, G5 iMacs, or revised G5 desktops, but I am really happy about the progress that IBM seems to be making. I think that this will lead to a lot of good news and happiness for Mac users. And I know we would all like it now.

I will try to continue to be patient.

[Rincewind42]

Originally posted by army_guy
Wont go into a powerbook too hot.

Athlon 64 is at officially at 2.4GHz at should be shipping by end of month. I dont understand the quote "25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD" look whose talking the G5 was released when ? and the 2.5Ghz will be released what? yes 25% but its hasnt been updated since its release. From a technical point of view the G5 should be at 2.6-3.0GHz now they just seem to be hanging around.

Uh... I may be mistaken, but hasn't the Athlon FX/Opteron been out LONGER than the 970 and is either still at 2Ghz? 2.4Ghz in a month is still 2.4 in a month.

And the P4 has been stuck at 3.2Ghz for over a year and still won't hit 3.4 (a 6.25% increase) for another month.

I think IBM & the 970 are doing just fine.

[army_guy]

Originally posted by ITR 81
If I remember right the Athlon 64 is still rated via it's PR not actual cycle rate.

The PB G5's will probably use a liquid cooling sys similar to the ones used in IBM Thinkpads.

Yes you are correct the 3200/3400 are the 2.2GHz parts, there are 2.4GHz floating around 3600 model.

A very simple liquid cooling system that is dont expect low temps with a radiator 5mm thick if not less.

[army_guy]

Opteron started at 1.4/1.6Ghz as I remember then 1.8, 2.0, 2.2, and the 2.4 parts (release any time now) which Ive currently had for 2 months now. You also have to remember that the 800 series are also at 2.2GHz, these are harder to clock higher since they are more rigurously tested and bigger.

[nuckinfutz]

Originally posted by army_guy
Wont go into a powerbook too hot.

Athlon 64 is at officially at 2.4GHz at should be shipping by end of month. I dont understand the quote "25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD" look whose talking the G5 was released when ? and the 2.5Ghz will be released what? yes 25% but its hasnt been updated since its release. From a technical point of view the G5 should be at 2.6-3.0GHz now they just seem to be hanging around.

Ummm links please? The Athlon jumping from 2Ghz to 2.4Ghz this month would be momentus. Personally I don't think AMD can do it with good yields until They're at 90nm which isn't to 2H 2004 according to the article linked

I think those hoping for a G5 powerbook might want to set their sights on 1.8Ghz max. A 970FX probably consumes about 15-20 watts at 1.8Ghz I used to have a pdf with some prelim specs but I can't find it right now. I'm sure we'd all take that speed in a portable however.

Intel ....the proverbial Shiza is hitting the fan. Prescott will lose any speed advantage that they have. Their best hope for the near future is to ensure Tejas doesn't meet any delays. For IBM I see them topping out the 970FX at 3Ghz and then moving on to the POWER 5 variant so Mac users are in extremely good hands right now.

[army_guy]

It could be the Opteron thats getting updated, the 3600 maybe after.

[MacsRgr8]

This feels gr8!

What a difference IBM has made (eh.. will make?) to Apple's future!

[l008com]

I love that this web site reports "news" it sees on other sites, that is just speculation of rumors the authors read from this site in the first place. Which I'm sure is why we have no G5 20th Ann. iMacs, no bumped G5 towers yet. Everyone is too hyped up on rumors these days, rumors are now self-sustaining.

[army_guy]

Originally posted by l008com
I love that this web site reports "news" it sees on other sites, that is just speculation of rumors the authors read from this site in the first place. Which I'm sure is why we have no G5 20th Ann. iMacs, no bumped G5 towers yet. Everyone is too hyped up on rumors these days, rumors are now self-sustaining.

I agree

[g30ffr3y]

we still need to see these chips get into the product line... i hope the wait isnt going to be too much longer... though ill probably keep waiting til the dual 3's that were promised a big speed bump would definatly help apple keep momentum and give bragging rights over the winblows boxes...

[nuckinfutz]

Originally posted by army_guy
It could be the Opteron thats getting updated, the 3600 maybe after.

Yes I think you could be right since the High-End Athlon FX51 is a rebadged Opteron. Sun just announced Opteron processors. This is great! I like to see Intel in the hotseat and recent events have made me very happy.

Now let's announce those knew Powermacs!


Anyone think Apple will squeeze in some extra bays for Internal HDs? I'd be fine with two but 4 bays with RAID options would be nice.

My next PC (homebuilt of course) will be an AMD something. It'll probably be next year after I purchase a new Mac the latter half of this year. Some of the next PC chipsets are coming along nicely. I think Apple will be right there so I can see next year Powermacs having

PCI Express
Hypertransport 2.0
DDR II
Multichannel Hirez Audio I/O(FW Apple use it!)
PPC 9xx processors above 3Ghz
If we're lucky ondie memory controllers

Computing is getting fun again.

[blueBomber]

I love the line:
This 25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD

sounds like we mac folks may have bragging rights in the processor department soon

But as for the G5's adoption in the powerbook line... I recently saw a preview of the athlon64 mobile, so if Apple doesn't hurry up, they will lose the ability to claim "World's first 64-bit notebook computer"

[railthinner]

Originally posted by l008com
I love that this web site reports "news" it sees on other sites, that is just speculation of rumors the authors read from this site in the first place. Which I'm sure is why we have no G5 20th Ann. iMacs, no bumped G5 towers yet. Everyone is too hyped up on rumors these days, rumors are now self-sustaining.

What site are you at?

[NusuniAdmin]

Pretty soon rumors errr mainly facts have it that all apple comps will be ibm made. The 750gx, the ibm g3 processor with speeds up to 1.1 ghz (for now) with altivec in it. This would be a cool replacement for moto's g4. We just have to hope ibm does not go an screw off like moto did. I am hoping within a year from when the 3 ghz pmac get released G5's get into ibook's and emacs, most likely the ibook will be stuck with g4's or 750gx's for a while though. All apple needs now is a plain little computer, like the rumors beheaded imac. With no screen the imac would definitly be a lot cheaper (by at least 300). Just gotta hope it comes true. All i know is motorola sucks, i just got one of their cell phones and it broke in 2 days (faulty manufacturing) and got it replaced and this new one has terrible sound.....ya moto has issues...

[27407]

Originally posted by blueBomber
I love the line:
This 25% increase in clock rate will not soon be matched by Intel or AMD

sounds like we mac folks may have bragging rights in the processor department soon

But as for the G5's adoption in the powerbook line... I recently saw a preview of the athlon64 mobile, so if Apple doesn't hurry up, they will lose the ability to claim "World's first 64-bit notebook computer"

They already did.

http://news.com.com/2100-1003_3-5141786.html