wizard said:
Everyone is aware of IBM's issues with the production of the 970FX for the XServe. If they are having trouble with low volumn machinery like XServe, it is pretty clear that you won't be putting the hardware into high volumn product until the issues have been resolved and you are confident in that resolution.
So number one issue is that the chip is not ready for prime time. In the case of the current portables release, Apple had no choice but to use the G4.
Okay, I'm not disputing that Apple has issues to address before getting the G5 into a PB, thus, as you so aptly put it, Apple has no choice but to use the G4. However, what you're talking about above is a
process issue, not a chip issue. The fact that IBM is having trouble producing these chips has nothing to do with whether or not these chips are ready and able to be put in PBs.
As to long term issues; the FX is power humgery and will have to run at a reasonably fast clock to better the current G4 machines. So your talking about 2GHz 970FX in a portable.
Well, I have to disagree. A 1.6GHz G5 would see a notable gain (very significant in some instances) over a 1.5GHz G4. Further, from the numbers that have been published, the 970FX is not that much more power hungry than a similarly clocked G4. So, if a 1.6GHz 970FX is too power hungry for a PB, then I'd stipulate that the 1.5GHz G4 is, too, and you'd better write to Apple right away to tell them to pull their new updates.
...Contrary to what a lot of people think that 970 series is not an awsome computational engine, much of its advantage comes from the high speed interface. Currently Apple does not have a low power solution to the issue of high bandwidth support chips...
While I'll agree with you that the bandwidth is a major advantage, and the need to develop a lower power support chipset is there, I have to disagree with your characterization of the 970 as not being an awesome computational machine. In one application, in particular, even after adjusting for clockspeed differences, the G5 sees anywhere from a 2.5x to a 6x speed gain over the G4. You simply cannot tell me that this is due to the memory bandwidth.
On top of all of that Apple needs to maintain a slim profile or better yet a slimmer profile in its hardware.
Why? Because you want it? Sure, I'd like to keep things slim and light, but for the power of the G5 I'd be more than willing to see some growth in thickness and weight. Again, I freely acknowledge that it would be a mistake for Apple to put out a 2.5" thick, 12 lbs. G5 PB. But, given the heat numbers that we have for the 970FX, I doubt such a size would be necessary. Perhaps 1.2"? Maybe +1 lb., or less?
The removal of heat from all of ths fast components that make up a G5 would become a problem. slow your componnents cown to more energy efficent hardware and you decrease bandwidth thus strangling the G5 putting yourself back into the same position as you are with the G4.
First, this again has nothing to do with whether the chip is ready to be placed in a mobile setting.
Second, the G4 is currently choked by its own hardware limitations. It can't have a faster FSB. On the other hand, it's not that hard to imagine putting a 970FX on a 400MHz or 500MHz FSB in a mobile setting. This would be drastically faster than the G4 is capable of, but slower than the PMs, and therefore producing less heat.
I suspect that before we see 64 bit in a Apple portable we will see new technology to faclitate its implementation.
Well, of course we will see new tech to facilitate its implementation. That's the most... never mind. I'm guessing what you mean is that we'll see a whole new CPU chip. But you've covered yourself by phrasing it this way, so even a new system controller for the 970FX would prove you right.
I would not be surprised though if Apple just takes its time and waits for a completely differrent chip to plug into the portable.
Well, if the problem is with the hot chipset elements that support the faster FSB, then those would be faced by a new chip, too. So, while Apple may be looking to have a derivative chip developed specifically for the mobile market (a la Pentium M), which may well be a very wise move for them, I'd guess that they're still aiming to get the current G5 (970FX) into a PowerBook, and probably by the next revision.
And, 'Come on your better than that' yourself. Sheesh...
Here's a realization Apple better get in a freaking hurry. If they are going to charge a premium for their laptops they DAMN well better have performance to go with it and if not they better change their price scheme accordingly.
