PowerMac 970 Benchmarks?

[MacRumors]

MacBidouille posts, what it claims to be, early benchmarks from PowerMac 970 machines.

The site has hinted that it has received such benchmarks, but has not published them until now. English translations are provided on their site. In brief, the site claims to have both early benchmarks as well as graphs depicting production machines running at single 1.4GHz, Dual 1.6GHz and Dual 1.8GHz.

The preliminary benchmarks reportedly reflect that the single 1.4GHz PPC 970 is anywhere from 87% to 254% faster than a current Dual 1.42GHz G4 machine depending on the specific test (Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Alias|Wavefront Maya Render).

The second series of benchmarks (supposedly on production machines) shows different benchmarks (Cinema 4D-XL, Photoshop, Bryce 5) as comparison, which again shows significant (thought perhaps not as dramatic) improvements of the 1.4GHz 970 vs the Dual 1.4GHz G4s, and also graphs Dual 1.8GHz 970 machine perfromances.

Looking closely to these results we understand why Apple didn't need to wait for a 64 bits OS to launch the PPC 970. We'll take advantage of a 50% gain of performance between he up-market Pro G4 and the first PPC 970. We can imagine the difference with the top level PPC 970. It will be the best evolution ever between two Mac generations.

 

[mkaake]

hope it's true...

matt

 

[wallinbl]

Well, if they made this up, no one will ever pay attention to them again.

I do find it hard to believe that they have benchmarks of this.

 

[NitzerX]

Awesome!

 

[kylos]

Nice! Now if they trounce Intel's offerings I'll be thrilled.

 

[WannabeSQ]

I WANT ONE!!!

cool, if these are real, then the mac future seems very bright. Even if they cost more than our current G4s who cares, cause it'll be able to beat a 3ghz p4. Id still like to see some other benchmarks, like games etc.

 

[Megaquad]

ME WANTS!!!!

if this 1.4 ghz is so fast, then 1.8 will eat little children!!
but will this not create too giant leap between consumer,laptop vs. powermac line?

 

[Xerov]

Awesome! can't wait!

 

[jayb2000]

wow

Thats fast!
I really hope to have a 970 based machine by the end of the year!

 

[PaisanoMan]

Those benchmarks look [suspiciously] impressive to me. If those machines are really that fast, they will definitely have a lot of customers -- I can see the supply problems already.

 

[Mr.Hey]

How interesting

 

[NitzerX]

Originally posted by wallinbl
Well, if they made this up, no one will ever pay attention to them again.

I do find it hard to believe that they have benchmarks of this.

No one believed they had pre-release pictures of the mirror door power macs either.

I'm usually quite skeptical, but these last few days the rumors just seem right...

 

[Escher]

Wow! That's nutterbutters! Imagine the new low-end 1.4Ghz SP 970 decimating the old high-end DP 1.4 like that. Everybody's gonna wanna upgrade. Maybe I'll finally abandon PowerBooks and iBooks and move to a PowerMac.

BTW: The fact that MacBidouille is providing their own English translations that they know the impact of their rumor reports. Their translations also help speed the spread of their news beyond the Francophone world.

I wonder how soon, if at all, Apple will start sending Cease and Desist letters to MacBidouille. I almost feel like calling the attorneys at Arendt Fox to ask whether they've noticed.

Escher

 

[pgwalsh]

Originally posted by Mr.Hey
How interesting

Hey! - A man of intrigue and few words.

 

[mkaake]

<edit>

after 15 minutes of waiting, i told it to submit again (After a connection error) and what do ya know? it submitted 15 minutes ago...

matt

(my original message was posted twice...)

</edit>

 

[cc bcc]

I don't believe these benchmarks. Cinema 4d is normaly about 1.7 to 1.8 times faster on a dual cpu system, not here. And it clealy shows that Bryce 5 benifits from dual cpu's, which is not true in real life. Sorry, these are fake.

 

[e-coli]

[edit] content edited because there's a few pricks on this board [/edit]

 

[AntoineG]

Wow, I hope it's real.

This would be really great news if it proves to be right, I hope they don't announce them 4 month ahead of release date...

 

[suzerain]

Two things jump out at me...

(1)
The single 1.4 970 is slightly better the 3 Ghz Pentium IV in *all* tests. That means it ought to be about equal with the Pentium IV that's current at release...and that's at the LOW END. (!)

(2)
None of the software here is, apparently, optimized. All of the apps are 32-bit, and the OS was Alpha. In other words, we can expect the performance of the initial machines to even increase over time, as the software developers (Apple included) take better advantage of the 970's idiosyncrasies.

Ummm...I am pleased with these two revelations.

If these are even close to true, I will be buying one of the low-end desktops, I think, as soon as they are released, and then waiting to drop more serious cash on one of the PowerBooks whenever they come out with them.

 

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by PaisanoMan
Those benchmarks look [suspiciously] impressive to me. If those machines are really that fast, they will definitely have a lot of customers -- I can see the supply problems already.

That might be one of the biggest understatements I've seen on these boards in a while.

If those numbers are true, it will usher in a new age of Mac Computing - although, even though I really need a new machine, I'd definitely wait for the duals to come out.

D

 

[vitrector]

There is a misquotationin the origianl post! The correct text (perhaps corrected since the post here) reads:
"Looking closely to these results we understand why Apple didn't need to wait for a 64 bits OS to launch the PPC 970. We'll take advantage of a 50% gain of performance between he up-market Pro G4 and the first PPC 970. We can imagine the difference with the top level PPC 970. It will be the best evolution ever between two Mac generations."

i.e. they say that Apple does not have to wait for the 64 bit OS to launch the 970 based computers (which makes sense since the 64 bit deal affects memory addressing, and not really performance so much)

 

[Trimix]

Have VISA, have AMEX, and ready to splurge !

 

[type_r503]

Originally posted by e-coli
I know the 970 is coming VERY soon. Hold on tight. I can't say how I know, but I know. Don't bother prying for more info. I'm not going to lose my job or jeopardize any else's.

Maybe you know because it is completely obvious. Oh I hope I don't lose my job.

 

[Frobozz]

Originally posted by cc bcc
I don't believe these benchmarks. Cinema 4d is normaly about 1.7 to 1.8 times faster on a dual cpu system, not here. And it clealy shows that Bryce 5 benifits from dual cpu's, which is not true in real life. Sorry, these are fake.

I don't think your criteria is complete to pass these off as fake. Although you are correct if you were comparing today's machines, the software and hardawre combination that these benchmarks are being run may indeed see increases that older software and hardware combos do not. Keep in mind that the motherboards talk to each cpu better, and to the memory faster.

I'm not saying a disgree with you. I'm only saying that these could very well be accurate numbers.

Maybe Macbidouille is making up numbers and rumors for traffic related revenue.... but it seems weird for them to intentionally do that. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[JtheLemur]

Yeah? YEAH?! Well I know that DUAL 970s are coming! So there! What ya gonna do about that?

Also, Apple's new keyboard will indeed dispense Tab when the tab key is pressed. Refills will be quite affordable because, after all who the hell drinks Tab other than ballerinas and the like?

The Robot Monkey A/V prototypes are looking great too... Imagine 50+ hours of MPEG-4 video in the space of only one monkey! Go ahead, imagine it! Bah, I know you won't!