G5 SPECulation

[MacAztec]

My 3 Cents...

The iBook will go G4.....when the Powerbook goes G5. Apple is not dumb enough to have 2 laptops of different kinds with the same chip. We should see a G5 pretty soon, so the iMac can stop taking the PoweMac sales. By MacWorld 2003, Apple will have dropped the G3, and release new TiBooks (G5) and iBooks (G4). Wait and you shall see....

 

[Ouroboros]

People - the G4 will NOT be abandoned if they go to a G5 in the PowerMacs. Also, I don't think that people will get confused with three processors. Hell, its easy enough, the higher the number, the faster it goes, look at the PC world...

Motorola's investment in the Apollo will get A LOT of use, because the damn chip is the future for the iMac and the majority of the product line. For the Powerbook for at LEAST a year, and eventually the ibook. It will be the new familiar workhorse.

But what do I know!? I'm just speculating. BUT, the chip is the jack of all trades it seems. It is faster, a nifty L3 cache, runs cooler at lower wattages - it is perfect for the whole product line.

I agree with GIR, say MWNY comes, and they offer a 200mhz upgrade, then what the hell is going to sustain them? By the end of the year, what will the rest of the world be at in realworld performance? Didn't one of the Apple Execs say that this year is the "year of the desktop" for them? If that is so, it obviously doesn't mean that we're just getting new iMacs and two speedbumps on PowerMacs.

And to those who look at the bumps Apple historically makes, and think that a G5 is too big of a leap, well look at the iMac!!! The damn thing went from a 700mhz G3 (i think) to an 800mhz G4 with superdrive! I remember around Christmas looking at a PowerMac around this speed with a flat screen. That was $3000. Now you can get all that for $1800. That's quite a leap.

The whole thing is, isn't it obvious that Apple knows this? And sure, Motorola is the one whose schedule we are all tied too. But again, there are many sources that are saying that these test beige boxes are out there, and have been returned. So here are my predictions:

Seybold/February -- nothing, except blabbing about sales and stuff. Maybe a small increase with 10.1.3. I can't see any speedbumps anywhere in the product line here. The ipod may get some sort of "upgrade" in the Summer.

March - MW Tokyo bumped Powerbooks. October to March isn't that short at this point. Also, LOOK at the Powerbook! How the hell can they have a "professional" anything be slower than the SLOWEST iMac?! I think we MAY see speeds up to 867 mhz (800 likely). I hope they update the graphics system so that you can plug an external Apple LCD into them, and add more VRAM.... We won't see a Superdrive, but probably larger hard drives. That's it.

July - MWNY - The G5, maybe a combination of a high end G4 in the low end, and the G5 at the top, with all the bells and whistles we've been creaming over. Maybe we'll have to wait until "September" until they ship. But then again, why not then? And with this, MAYBE a speedbump to the iBook and the iMac.

Who knows. But I think this all is feasable from my perspective, knowing nothing about what Apple/Motorola are doing with their schedules.....

 

[Catfish_Man]

I think the G5 will have...

...

Processor: Either 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6GHz Motorola 8500s (64 bit) OR 1.2, 1.4, and 1.6GHz IBM chips (don't know what IBMs next PPC is called, but it's dual core)

System Bus: 400MHz

RAM: 256-1024MB (probably 512 tops) DDR SDRAM (probably DDR 266, but maybe 333)

Graphics: GeForce4

Ports: USB2, FireWire2

HD: 60, 80, 100GB 7200rpm, either ATA100/133 or FireWire2 (see below)

One thing that I've been speculating about is this: FireWire 2 is 800Mbps (100MBps) which is the same as ATA100. Therefore, it would be possible to take the entire IDE bus off the motherboard while still increasing HD speed. This would make for a smaller, cheaper motherboard (have you seen how big IDE ports are?), that didn't have stupid master/slave settings, could have more than two drives, and used much less clunky cables. The only possible problem with this is if FireWire2 is expensive enough that you don't save anything by axing IDE. Apple probably won't do this, but it would be cool.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Re: I think the G5 will have...

Originally posted by Catfish_Man
...
The only possible problem with this is if FireWire2 is expensive enough that you don't save anything by axing IDE. Apple probably won't do this, but it would be cool.

That would be EXACTLY why Apple would do it. Same price - twice as cool.

BTW, that's a really good idea.

 

[GIR]

buuutt...

there are no HDs that could be bought in a cost effective manned that have Firewire on them - you have to have hardware that converts IDE to firewire. That adds cost, + you dont have the easy ability to add internal drives.

 

[3G4N]

realistically speaking...

To all this "G5 has to" whining... please - can it!

G5s are close to, if not more than, a YEAR off.
. . . 6-8 months at a *bare minimum*

Think about it. We just got the Apollos. Motorolla
will try to milk them as long as they can. How long
did the ppc7400's last? And the ppc7410's? Even these
Apollos (7445,7455) are 0.18 microns SOI, and the
next batch (746x) are supposed to be 0.15.
G5s are supposed to start at, what, 0.13? Motorola
doesn't have the manuf-process down that small, finely
detailed, nor reliable, YET. The "networking
G5" (0.13/8540) still isn't due til mid-2002. Mot typically
announces things 8-12 months before shipping.
The 8540 was announced almost a year ago,
and has still to make it to full production. Mot hasn't
even announced the computing G5. Apollo is the
production-process guineypig for G5, SOI, and getting
the process down to 0.13-15 microns. I think that
these 1.2-1.6ghz chips we are hearing about
are the 2nd batch of Apollos (7460) in testing.
A new mobo is probably in early alpha testing.
I figure that when the G5s debut, their speeds will
with overlap with the G4s, with a modest advance
for the G5 in the highest speeds (1.2-1.8ghz in
first batch of G5s, 2+ghz in later revisions (2004)).

That was just the hardware -- Now for the software
side of things! Apple just made all of their developers
jump through a bunch of hoops with OSX, now they
are going to throw 64-bit at them too?! The developers
need a break to rest and get familiar with 64-bit stuff.
Now some of you out there may say, "it's just a simple recompile" --
To that I must say, "nothing is ever as easy as it sounds".

If, however, 10.2 *is* actually going to be 64-bit, then G5s may
be closer than I argue above. 10.2 should be due mid-2002,
with 10.3 approx 6 months later. I think that 10.2 will largely
entail UI features, with a lot of speed enhancements to the OS.
I suspect that 10.3 might be a more likely candidate for 64-bit.

Like everyone else here, I'm just speculating...

don't drool too soon, or too long . . .
be patient . . .

 

[GIR]

first off...

OSX is already 64-bit ready with a kernal recompile ( i beleive) and the processor handels the 32/64-bit program context switch automatically. And in reality, most programs, except for real server apps, are NOT going to see a benifit from 64-bit'ness in the near future, so i dont even think this is a worry.


As for motorola, the appolo isnt going anywhere if its taken out of the high end of G4's. It will go in to iBooks, iMacs, and PBTi(until THEY go G5 next year) and low end workstations.


So, I stand firm on my G5 @ MWNY 2002 prediction.

 

[MacManiac1224]

G5:

I think the G5 is coming out in MWNY. I think they will probaly release it at speeds of 1.2-1.6Ghz. Not sure about that though. I think the iMac will be bumped up to 1Ghz, but not for about 6-8 months. The Powerbook really needs an upgrade, I think in Tokyo. I am thinking around 800-900mhz for the high end and low end about 700mhz. I think the G5 powerbook will debut at 1Ghz in MWSF 2003. Also I think the iBook will come out later in 2003 with a G4, maybe MWNY 2003. We will see.

 

[Catfish_Man]

The next chips for the iBook and TiBook...

...are most likely the IBM 750fx (Sahara) and Motorola 7445. The Sahara runs at up to 1GHz (although Apple won't do that at first because the TiBook will still be clocked lower) and the 7445 runs at up to 800MHz. The 750fx draws only 3.6 watts of power at 800MHz so the iBook should have an awesome battery life. Also, it supports a 200MHz system bus.

 

[kaneda]

G5

G5 will be out soon...I saw the Motorolla chart of the chips...G5 is starting from 1ghz-2gh+ I think..so you we expect G5 in MWNY...Or unless Apple is holding of the becoz they want to designing a new case for it, just like an Imac...

And Apple will still keep the G4 cheap for imac, ibook, powerbook (half more year)...but for right now Pro users can enjoy the new G5 chips...

 

[gbojim]

...what will IBM do with their sahara line of G3's?????? they run up to 1 ghz, have a 200mhz bus, DDR ram, and have integrated SIMD instruction set giving G4 style performance.

The 750FX supports DDR and SIMD? Anyone have a link to this info?

 

[Catfish_Man]

With the correct motherboard...

Originally posted by gbojim


The 750FX supports DDR and SIMD? Anyone have a link to this info?

...the 750fx supports PC1600 DDR (200MHz). It does NOT support SIMD (IBM's next PPC will). It also doesn't do double precision floating point math afaik (the earlier G3s didn't).

btw, I've revised my estimate about the G5 (this assumes a Motorola G5 with RapidIO bus)

any three of the following: 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, or 2GHz Motorola 7500 (either 32 bit or 32/64 bit)



The reason for this is that a 500MHz bus standard RapidIO) will scale the processor clockspeed in 250MHz increments.

 

[Rower_CPU]

Originally posted by macmunch
New lineup at end of this year will be: (believe me)

PM ---> G5
PB ---> G4 "apollo" or 7455
iBook ---> G4
iMac ---> G4


Yes right the G4 allows Higher clock rates, but where to go when he cant get Higher ?????
So apple will switch professionals to G5 that the consumers can get faster G4s and when he is at maximum the G5 will take place of the G4 in cosumer line but till this time its a long time. maybe 2004.


My english is not the best.

Uhhhh...wait, didn't you start this thread?
https://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php3?threadid=4966

This isn't a matter of bad english. It's a matter of bad thinking. Make up your mind.

 

[Paolo]

this thread is getting to long

The G5 will be at MWNY Apple need the boost in processing... Intel are finally over taking apple... which is sort of funny considering as they only make chips where as apple make entire computers!
Rediculous!

 

[mmmdreg]

G5 will come within a year I'm guessing, MWSF03 I'm guessing, MWNY02 I'm hoping...but there'll probably be these better G4's at MWNY which will be handed down into the iMac/iBook range when g5's come out at kick arse...

 

[Ouroboros]

The feeling I'm getting while reading through the discussion boards with this whole G4/G5 thing -- with statements saying things along the lines of, "well the G4 has plenty of life left in it..." -- this applies to the life it has left in the ENTIRE mac line. The iMac and iBook will continue to carry the G4 for a long time. This is where the benefits of its long life will bear the most fruit. However, after the iMac suddenly jumped all the way to an 800 mhz G4, that said something to me. Either SJ and co. knew that by years end they would have a powerful solution to differentiate the Pro & Consumer line, or they made an error. I'm happy the iMac has a G4 of course, but we all know that now the Professional line has a weaker draw than it used to have, COMPARED with Apple's other products. AND, because Steve was willing to jump so much with the iMac, if the G5 is ready, I see it possible for him to shoot them up to the new processor.

Another thing that I've remembered. I believe it was an article I read on Maccentral several months ago, where they were interviewing someone from Motorola. When the question was asked about future processors, the spokesman was of course not very helpful in giving out info., but he seemed to imply that they may be totally suppressing any sort of announcement from their end of ANY future processor release that would relate to Apple. I think he said something about how their contract is respecting Apple's future releases.

Maybe then this gives hope to the idea of G5's in July? Since there's so little to find on any developments from Motorola, possibly this is intentional so that it is a secret for Apple's benefit.

I don't know, just thought I'd mention this idea that's been brewing for a while... maybe it is pure wishful thinking, but its not hurting me.