PowerPC 970GX Reference?

[MacRumors]

A developer article on IBM's website was noted to have a reference to a yet-unreleased processor referred to as the PowerPC 970GX.

"The only processors currently supporting AltiVec are the G4 and G5. The G4 (including model numbers 7400 and 7410) and G4+ (7450 and 7455) processors are made by Motorola. (There are more models than just the ones listed here, but these are the most widely discussed.) The G5 chips include the IBM 970, 970FX, and 970GX; these are essentially POWER4™ cores with an AltiVec unit bolted on."

The reference has since been removed from IBM's site. Information on the 970GX was first leaked back in November 2004. It was described with a larger L2 cache, 3GHz speeds, and an expected ship date in early 2005.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Well, now it's confirmed, lets get it out here. The G5s could do with that 3 GHz speed boost

 

[mad jew]

Great news! Here's hoping for updates soon.

Does anyone know about the cache differences and whether they'll make all that much of a difference?

 

[iJaz]

Well, now it's confirmed, lets get it out here. The G5s could do with that 3 GHz speed boost

Yeah, its really about time!

 

[illustratorDavi]

Whoooo!!! -- 3ghz here we come.

But not cell for the time being

 

[Montserrat]

I thought Steve told us we were getting 3GHz last summer. With the way things have been going for Apple recently, it would be a shame to see them lose ground in top speed machines.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

But not cell for the time being

Don't worry, you can be assured Apple will be the last major computer manufacturer to use cell chips..

 

[mvc]

Assuming for a minute that a 3ghz part is now/soon available, the real question is:

Which is more embarrassing to Steve:

A) Let it loose on the quiet as a tuesday speedbump and hope noone will notice such a subdued and belated fulfilment of his brash 3Ghz promise

B) Boldly announce it himself a year late at WWDC '05 and be right there when the jeering and catcalls start!

C) Get Joswiak to take the flack as usual

D) None of the above - announce Quad Dual-Core 4ghz G6 PowerMac at WWDC, and just delay shipping until 2007!

 

[whocares]

Credit where it's due

Link.

 

[combatcolin]

Great news! Here's hoping for updates soon.

Does anyone know about the cache differences and whether they'll make all that much of a difference?

Yes.

Very.

And much

 

[CTerry]

Meh I don't particularly care about what Steve promised, just as long as the PowerMacs are speeding up reasonably, personally I'm more interested in this chips heat output, size, scalability, and power demands- in other words will we be seeing a PowerBook G5 with this chip, or have to wait for the next generation of chip?

Well someone had to mention the PowerBook didn't they

I'm getting a PowerBook in the summer, whatever the config is, but I'd be markedly happier if the PowerBook I was receiving had a G5 chip in it, and I don't think anyone could blame me for that.

 

[johnnyjibbs]

Meh I don't particularly care about what Steve promised, just as long as the PowerMacs are speeding up reasonably, personally I'm more interested in this chips heat output, size, scalability, and power demands- in other words will we be seeing a PowerBook G5 with this chip, or have to wait for the next generation of chip?

Well someone had to mention the PowerBook didn't they

I'm getting a PowerBook in the summer, whatever the config is, but I'd be markedly happier if the PowerBook I was receiving had a G5 chip in it, and I don't think anyone could blame me for that.

It was only a matter of time before the PowerBook G5 reared its ugly head

Maybe this is the chip, maybe something else entirely is. It seems as if the PowerBook G5 is never going to happen

 

[Palomino]

Link.

indeed.

still why is this not in the "Rumors pt.2" page.
seem's rather unsubstanciated.

Jordan

 

[~loserman~]

It was only a matter of time before the PowerBook G5 reared its ugly head

Maybe this is the chip, maybe something else entirely is. It seems as if the PowerBook G5 is never going to happen

Nah....
This chip is for the POWER iPOD G5

 

[~Shard~]

So, does Jobs release the 3 GHz PowerMac at WWDC and admit he was a whole year late on his promise?

 

[~loserman~]

So, does Jobs release the 3 GHz PowerMac at WWDC and admit he was a whole year late on his promise?

If the chip is available in quantity then the PM will be released.
I guess Jobs would just blame the delay on IBM and the whole industry not being able to get a handle on the 90nm process as soon as expected. Which is true by the way.
I dont expect Apple to announce the PM 3Ghz unless they have been assured by IBM that they can deliver in quantity though because Steve wont want to be embaressed again.

 

[Little Endian]

I remember reading an article from TheRegister.co.uk that said the 970GX was supposed to run cooler than the 970FX. How much cooler is anyones guess but if they can get it to run cooler "quieter" at 3 Ghz than the 2.5GHZ G5 970FX then that's great. Other than the possibility of being cooler I don't think we will see that big of a speed bump from 970GX at 3Ghz.

2.5 to 3.0Ghz is only a 20% bump in speed even with a 1MB L2 cache we may at best see a real world speed bump of only15- 25% in best case scenarios. 20% is good but it is not that magic speed bump that will give the Mac the performance crown in every aspect. Remember the 2.5Ghz 970FX was a 25% increase in clock speed that in real world situations only realized a 14-25% actuall increase in speed. What the 970 series needs more than anything else is an ultra fast on chip memory controller like those found on AMD proccessors but I have not seen any mentions of plans to do so with the 970 series.

 

[Steven1621]

slowingly closing in on the intel chips ...ha ha what are the PC people going to say now!

 

[Adurbe]

mini g5 possible with these 'cooler chips'?

or are they still that hot that the mini would have to be the size of a PM to keep it cool?

 

[JRM PowerPod]

I quickly scanned through the linked article and there was no mention of the 970 GX. Has the page been changed or was it never there? Or am I just crazy?

 

[Poff]

slowingly closing in on the intel chips ...ha ha what are the PC people going to say now!

By summer a regular consumer PC will have 3 GHz (they have like 2.7 - 2.8 now.) The MHz myth will live on for a long time, my friend..

 

[~loserman~]

By summer a regular consumer PC will have 3 GHz (they have like 2.7 - 2.8 now.) The MHz myth will live on for a long time, my friend..

Actually Dell sells PC's for under $1500 with 3.6Ghz processors right now.
In desktops 2.7 and 2.8 are very very entry level machines and can be had from Dell starting at $400 range

So yes the Mhz myth will live a very long time.

 

[letsGoOn2]

Nah....
This chip is for the POWER iPOD G5

Here's to hoping! But you know, I think Apple broke their own naming convention with the iPod mini and shuffle... It should've been the "Pod mini" and "ePod". That would let them coin the forthcoming music device as the Power Pod... Perhaps the fabled Power Pod is the iPod photo?

 

[iGary]

I can never afford the top-end of the G5 range. I'm just hoping for a non-crippled dual 2.0 configuration under the $2,000 mark this year.

 

[adamfilip]

since 3ghz is over due by almost a year. i would not be happy unless the new powermacs had either a single 3.5 ghz g5 or dual core 3 ghz