Perpetual Quad-core PowerMac Speculation

macroninmacronin
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
By popular demand...



Okay, by now we should all realize (hey! you in the back! listen up, dammit...) that a quad CPU (physical CPUs, 4) is way to expensive, even for Apple...



And, while feasible, quad-cores might take a little longer...



So, we are left waiting for a dual-core dual CPU machine from Apple...



And 4 cores makes it a Quad, right?!?



Gentlemen, start your speculators...



(hey! you in the back, again! I said speculators, not speculums! the clinic is down the street...)



Cheers!



EDIT - Should have known that the code tags wouldn't work on the topic... Duh!
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 64
    carson o'geniccarson o'genic Posts: 1,279member
    If TS is correct, then I'll give them 6 months for a revision to dual-dual.



    If TS is wrong, maybe sooner.



    my 2 cents of speculation.
  • Reply 2 of 64
    imiloaimiloa Posts: 187member
    we pretty much know the 970MP is coming, via the doc slip on IBM's own site. given the specific detail on thermal characteristics in that doc, it seems likely that they have long since sampled, and production can't be far off.



    other factors of possible delay include:

    - new motherboard/bus

    - OS support (vis CHUD tools, this seems done)

    - cooling system



    re: cooling, iirc, the IBM doc suggested the new chips at 2 ghz would be comparable or cooler than existing FX.



    as such, i fully expect an 970MP mac announcement by sept, if not june (WWDC). am i missing anything?
  • Reply 3 of 64
    mike egglestonmike eggleston Posts: 719member
    Ok, so the whole NAB prediction was off. This just tells me that they will be released by WWDC. And this would also be the perfect time to release Dual-Dual Core chips. Sure, we have all been talking about it, however I know that Apple must want to release them.



    For starters, there is the revenue boost, which Apple can always use. This boost would come from sales to the creative market, especially to the Movie and Content Creation studios.



    Then, there is the marketing blitz. You know Apple would milk the whole 4 processors thing to death. They may not be the first one out of the gates, but you know they will say something like how Tiger is optimized for use of all available processors and such.



    Finally, there is the timing of it. Two years ago, he revealed the G5 to WWDC attendees first. It would be perfect timing for them to use that event to launch the Dual-Dual Core on to the world.



    Just my thoughts...
  • Reply 4 of 64
    t'hain esh kelcht'hain esh kelch Posts: 1,274member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Mike Eggleston

    Ok, so the whole NAB prediction was off.



    NAB isnt over yet dude.
  • Reply 5 of 64
    jlljll Posts: 2,713member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch

    NAB isnt over yet dude.



    Keep dreaming.
  • Reply 6 of 64
    macroninmacronin Posts: 1,174member
    WWDC 2005
  • Reply 7 of 64
    pbpb Posts: 4,255member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by imiloa



    re: cooling, iirc, the IBM doc suggested the new chips at 2 ghz would be comparable or cooler than existing FX.





    This is what the IBM document said:



    Quote:



    The dual 64-bit core PowerPC970MPTM (970MP) is the next evolutionary step in the PowerPC 970 family of microprocessors. The higher frequency grade versions of the 970MP consume higher amounts of power than earlier IBM microprocessors do, and that can cause temperature issues. Each 970MP processor core contains a thermal diode used to monitor its operating temperature. The thermal diode must be monitored to ensure that the maximum operating temperature of the 970MP is not exceeded. These thermal diodes used by the microprocessors are unique to the PowerPC architecture and cannot be ?read? using standard thermal diode monitoring chips. This paper will discuss the characteristics of the diode and outline the structure of a thermal diode monitoring circuit used to monitor the temperature of the microprocessor?s cores.





  • Reply 8 of 64
    programmerprogrammer Posts: 3,458member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacRonin

    WWDC 2005





    So is that official insider information, or pure speculation?
  • Reply 9 of 64
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by T'hain Esh Kelch

    NAB isnt over yet dude.



    no shit. keep dreaming.
  • Reply 10 of 64
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Programmer

    So is that official insider information, or pure speculation?



    who cares? he's wrong
  • Reply 11 of 64
    groovergroover Posts: 29member
    Does anyone remember The Quad Daystar Mac Clone? It was about $15000. The big problem outside the price was that few apps supported it. Much has changed since then but a Quad mac would still be very expensive. Quad-core would be great. I think the Cell processor is a Quad-core chip. Well with E3 coming up soon and all the new consoles being shown and IBM making the CPU for all of them you would think that a major PowerMac G5 upgrade would be a shoe in.
  • Reply 12 of 64
    costiquecostique Posts: 1,084member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Performa636CD

    who cares? he's wrong



    Yep. My highly regarded reliable sources said they don't think it's even remotely possible. Maybe, next year?
  • Reply 13 of 64
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    we'll see
  • Reply 14 of 64
    junkyard dawgjunkyard dawg Posts: 2,801member
    MWSF 2006



    \
  • Reply 15 of 64
    sunilramansunilraman Posts: 8,133member
    MWSF 2007
  • Reply 16 of 64
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    WWDC 2005



  • Reply 17 of 64
    performa636cdperforma636cd Posts: 187member
    if you guys only knew...
  • Reply 18 of 64
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Performa636CD

    if you guys only knew...



    Isn't that the truth.
  • Reply 19 of 64
    mikenapmikenap Posts: 94member
    I just read a speed test between the new intel and AMD dual core chips. AMD crushed intel in content creating (photoshop, web, etc) and intel crushed every other system by a big margin besides the AMD boxes. Big big jumps in 2D and video work. If Apple just shipes a 200 mhz upgrade, on the old chip line, it's going to be ugly.



    pcmag.com
  • Reply 20 of 64
    icfireballicfireball Posts: 2,594member
    I don't see dual core in the next upgrade, but they might change the chip to something that requires less adult supervission; or in other words, a chip that uses less engergy and produces less heat. With apples liquide cooling system, there are concerns about leaks. Apple has it in their best interest to replace older engery-hogging chips for two reason. 1) They can scratch the liquid cooling system, and 2) Powerbook/iBooks



    Also, Apple dosnt like to spoil secrets. If they are working on dual core for soon, your not going to find anything about it untill they want you to find anything about it. With the next new Powermacs, I see it as a holding point till the next big update, probably dual-core, which If I had to guess, would come out early 2006. Also, although new specs leaked by ThinkSecret could be right, and they look like they are ballpark...remember when we were so sure that the next iPod mini update would sport 5gb drives instead of 6gb drives?
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