PowerPC 975 or Not?

[MacRumors]

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.

[JFreak]

we'll see at wwdc if it's real or not.

[arn]

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]

Originally Posted by arn

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

A classic piece of rumourmongering??

[gandalf55]

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]

Originally Posted by gandalf55

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...

I'll even take a Dual 2.2 GHz 970(FX) at the price of the current Dual 1.8

[Twonk]

I think it's real. I want one. Would be kinda funny if it was all hot air though

[Zaty]

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]

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]

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]

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...

[JFreak]

Originally Posted by qubex

Not to offend anybody, but the whole "Apple Rumours" phenomenon is ....

only free publicity/marketing for apple

[nate13]

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.

~Nate13

[wrldwzrd89]

Originally Posted by qubex

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.

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]

Originally Posted by qubex

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.

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.

[non fiction]

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.....

[crail]

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/eserv...lreport_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.

[manu chao]

Originally Posted by the future

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 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).

[denisg]

IBM has a pretty clear roadmap, it is Apple's planned implementation of these processors that is unclear (to its customers, that is).

[tny]

Originally Posted by crail

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/eserv...lreport_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.

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]

Originally Posted by tny

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.

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.

[~Shard~]

975s would be nice, but Dual 3 GHz 970s @ WWDC would be more than acceptable in my books.

[wrldwzrd89]

Originally Posted by ~Shard~

975s would be nice, but Dual 3 GHz 970s @ WWDC would be more than acceptable in my books.

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.

[PRØBE]

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]

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...