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Source: The Inquirer: (outdated link removed)
THE WORLD OF BIG TIN will be much faster when IBM releases its new Power5 processor. The Power4 was dual core, effectively two processors on a chip. The Power5 64bit processor is still dual core but adds multithreading capabilities to both cores, according to Silicon Strategies.
Multithreading is the ability of a processor to run two or more parts of a program at once. This is the same as Intel's Hyperthreading technology in the Pentium 4 and Xeon processors. The Power5 will appear to the operating system as four processors, despite being a single chip.
This will come as interesting news to Apple fanatics too. IBM is producing a cut down version of the Power5 with just a single core. However, that single core should be capable of multithreading, another boost for Apple quite apart from the advantages of going to 64bit.
IBM has said that the Power5 prototypes are already meeting expectations. The processors are set to debut at speeds of 1.5GHz and higher. IBM has set the goal of achieving a four-fold increase in performance over the Power4 and all the signs are that it will hit that target.
THE WORLD OF BIG TIN will be much faster when IBM releases its new Power5 processor. The Power4 was dual core, effectively two processors on a chip. The Power5 64bit processor is still dual core but adds multithreading capabilities to both cores, according to Silicon Strategies.
Multithreading is the ability of a processor to run two or more parts of a program at once. This is the same as Intel's Hyperthreading technology in the Pentium 4 and Xeon processors. The Power5 will appear to the operating system as four processors, despite being a single chip.
This will come as interesting news to Apple fanatics too. IBM is producing a cut down version of the Power5 with just a single core. However, that single core should be capable of multithreading, another boost for Apple quite apart from the advantages of going to 64bit.
IBM has said that the Power5 prototypes are already meeting expectations. The processors are set to debut at speeds of 1.5GHz and higher. IBM has set the goal of achieving a four-fold increase in performance over the Power4 and all the signs are that it will hit that target.
