07-07-2005, 09:17 PM

http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardwar...id=126&tid=137

PM4RK5 writes "Today at the Power Everywhere Forum in Japan, IBM officially unveiled its rumored dual-core PowerPC line of chips, the 970MP. Code-named Antares, these chips have been rumored to be under development since 2004. It is believed that Apple has been working with prototypes and is likely to use them in forthcoming updates to the PowerMac G5 line. The press release is in Japanese; as of this writing, IBM has not released an English version. Some of the slides from the presentation given by IBM are available. The processors pack some impressive specs, ranging from 1.4 to 2.5 GHz and including 1MB L2 cache per core; the chips also include the ability to power down the extra core when it is not needed. Alongside the 970MP, IBM also announced its low-power 970FX chips, ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 GHz, with power consumption ranging from 13 to 16 Watts, respectively."

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Steve Jobs makes an announcement: opps, we were just kidding!

07-07-2005, 10:13 PM

PM here we come!!!

07-08-2005, 01:56 AM

Hopefully, just in time. I am looking at getting a PowerMac and a PowerBook.

07-08-2005, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by mmoy

Alongside the 970MP, IBM also announced its low-power 970FX chips, ranging from 1.2 to 1.6 GHz, with power consumption ranging from 13 to 16 Watts, respectively."

1.6 GHz? In other words, we can now build a G5 PowerBook...only it'll be slower than the current G4 PowerBooks, except when it comes to bus speeds.

And that, in a nutshell, is why Apple is switching to Intel.

07-08-2005, 05:57 AM

Originally Posted by technologist

1.6 GHz? In other words, we can now build a G5 PowerBook...only it'll be slower than the current G4 PowerBooks, except when it comes to bus speeds.

And that, in a nutshell, is why Apple is switching to Intel.

I would tend to agree with you, except for on one thing: the G5's FPU performance is markedly better than that of the G4's, so while users wouldn't notice a performance improvement in most day-to-day integer-intensive apps (e-mail, web browsing, office apps, etc) and general OS GUI response, they would notice a signifcant improvment in media production/content creation apps (FCP, DVDSP, Motion, Shake, Flash MX, etc.)

And for that reason alone, I'd probably make the switch (from my 1.67 PB).

However, if we ever REALLY see those bloated dual-core chips Freescale has been "joking" about for the past year, I'd be much more inclined to go with those rather these low-voltage 970FX's .

07-11-2005, 09:48 PM

It will probally be about the same for every-day tasks. U should be able to notice the diff when you R encoding video, etc.

08-02-2005, 11:09 AM

does anyone know if this true still, the debuting of a g5 dual core, particullarly since apple is migrating to intel chips? I would think they would have dropped ibm's antares since ibm has not been able to meet demand for their powerpc chips.

Also, does anyone know if intel is designing a chip especially for apple, i ask since i remember when amd was designing their 64 bit chip and intel said they have no plans to go into the 64 bit realm becuase itwas not cost effective and all that jazz. I would like to think that apple would not do away with all that 64 bit developement just becuase ibm could not meet their demand, and intel will most likely not be able to develope a 64 bit chip as good as the power pc.

later

08-02-2005, 11:32 AM

Well, I guess I answered one of my own questions:

http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archi...050221comp.htm
http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/dis...804013641.html

Doesn't this seem like a "ohh ****" move by intel, kinda of like everyone is doing so we better now?

This still does not answer if the g5 dual core is scrapped for apple's machines...

later

08-02-2005, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by knemonic

does anyone know if this true still, the debuting of a g5 dual core, particullarly since apple is migrating to intel chips? I would think they would have dropped ibm's antares since ibm has not been able to meet demand for their powerpc chips.

Also, does anyone know if intel is designing a chip especially for apple, i ask since i remember when amd was designing their 64 bit chip and intel said they have no plans to go into the 64 bit realm becuase itwas not cost effective and all that jazz. I would like to think that apple would not do away with all that 64 bit developement just becuase ibm could not meet their demand, and intel will most likely not be able to develope a 64 bit chip as good as the power pc.

later

Intel has said that it won't be developing a separate line of chips for Apple. Intel does have some 64-bit chips on the market, mainly EM64T versions of the Pentium4. (There's also Itanium, which is used mostly in servers, and doesn't seem to be of any interest to Apple.)