Powerbook updates?
so...
does anyone think that the powerbooks will be updated to a decent spec (dual core processors/2 GHz+ single g4 processors etc) before xmas/spring?
I would like a powerbook to replace my powermac, but I alread have a dual 1.42 g4 machine, and I don't really want to downgrade on speed... especially as the g4's are super slow compared to the g5's out there...
or should I just wait a whole feckin year till the intel Macs come out??
cheers
Niall
does anyone think that the powerbooks will be updated to a decent spec (dual core processors/2 GHz+ single g4 processors etc) before xmas/spring?
I would like a powerbook to replace my powermac, but I alread have a dual 1.42 g4 machine, and I don't really want to downgrade on speed... especially as the g4's are super slow compared to the g5's out there...
or should I just wait a whole feckin year till the intel Macs come out??
cheers
Niall
Comments
The next generation powerbook will be based on a Yonah chip (65 nm ) technology. Don't expect more than a minor speedbump or a better GPU.
So June next year is our best bet.
Originally posted by ragingloogie
i wouldnt expect a dual core system coming out w/ the PB's however, i would expect a G5 to come out sometime in the relative near future(lets hope)
There will never be a G5 Powerbook, if that's what you are referring too. That was one of the main reasons for the switch, so they aren't gonna go through all the hooplah of releasing a G5 powerbook (which aside from being a nightmare, would cost a hell of alot of money) when the inBooks are just around the corner.
7447b (current 15"/17" chip)
Clock (max): 1.67 GHz
FSB (max): 167 MHz
L2 Cache: 512kb
Process: 130nm
7448
Clock (max): 1.8-2.0 GHz
FSB: 200 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Process: 90nm
That's it until the Macintel's. The PowerBooks should then use a dual-core Yonah at 2.16 GHz/667 MHz FSB with a 2 MB L2 cache at 90nm.
Originally posted by spyder
There will never be a G5 Powerbook, if that's what you are referring too. That was one of the main reasons for the switch, so they aren't gonna go through all the hooplah of releasing a G5 powerbook (which aside from being a nightmare, would cost a hell of alot of money) when the inBooks are just around the corner.
too bad... would have beena nice step for mac... especially when i was hoping for it by next year when im going to college... oh well... i doubt i would ever buy any kind of mac that has an intel in it... even if its half.. or something... i want a full 100% mac machine
Originally posted by ragingloogie
too bad... would have beena nice step for mac... especially when i was hoping for it by next year when im going to college... oh well... i doubt i would ever buy any kind of mac that has an intel in it... even if its half.. or something... i want a full 100% mac machine
That's a little ridiculous, don't you think? Asides from probably being a little cheaper, it will be faster. You must define Macs soley by the chips inside. Along that line of thinking though, you could never have owned any mac, because IBM made PPC's, Motorola made 68K, etc. The OS will be even snappier with the new Intel chips, and will be cheaper. The G5's, while nice, hit a brick wall and were too hot to get into the powerbooks. Even if they HAD somehow gotten them in, I doubt that 30 mins of battery life would do anyone any good. Get a G4 powerbook now, then get an inMac when they hit Rev. B.
-- The most likely update will be to the 7448 since it is a drop in
-- replacement to the 7447x.
What about the Freescale MPC8641D?
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/...=DRPPCDUALCORE
Do you think that'll make it into a PowerBook before they go Mactel?
Originally posted by ka2357
What about the Freescale MPC8641D?
http://www.freescale.com/webapp/sps/...=DRPPCDUALCORE
Do you think that'll make it into a PowerBook before they go Mactel?
Electric Monk's prediction is the most reasonable. The 8641D would require a complete logic board re-design in order to work in a Powerbook. And there is no way Apple will do two major such re-designs in one or two years (one to accomodate the 8641D and another for the x86 CPUs).
The 8641D chip was the only obvious CPU choice for next year. But not anymore after the WWDC. I don't believe that we will see more than the 7448 in the Powerbook.
Originally posted by Electric Monk
The most likely update will be to the 7448 since it is a drop in replacement to the 7447x.
7447b (current 15"/17" chip)
Clock (max): 1.67 GHz
FSB (max): 167 MHz
L2 Cache: 512kb
Process: 130nm
7448
Clock (max): 1.8-2.0 GHz
FSB: 200 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Process: 90nm
That's it until the Macintel's. The PowerBooks should then use a dual-core Yonah at 2.16 GHz/667 MHz FSB with a 2 MB L2 cache at 90nm.
Do you have any evidence that the 7448 gets to 2 Ghz?
So no proof besides 1.8 GHz+ on their website, and that the 7447 managed to climb up from 1.33 GHz to 1.67GHz. Assuming that a future 7448a/b manages more or less the same improvement 2 GHz is a reasonable end of the road for it. I suppose I should have made it clear that 2 GHz wouldn't be a launch speed by any means.
Originally posted by Electric Monk
The most likely update will be to the 7448 since it is a drop in replacement to the 7447x.
7447b (current 15"/17" chip)
Clock (max): 1.67 GHz
FSB (max): 167 MHz
L2 Cache: 512kb
Process: 130nm
7448
Clock (max): 1.8-2.0 GHz
FSB: 200 MHz
L2 Cache: 1 MB
Process: 90nm
That's it until the Macintel's. The PowerBooks should then use a dual-core Yonah at 2.16 GHz/667 MHz FSB with a 2 MB L2 cache at 90nm.
++
Don't forget added registers and out of order execution of some Altivec instructions on the 7448
...not that Altivec matters anymore...
So Freescale managed the transition to 90nm...any ideas how well this was achieved and whether Crolles helped?
Originally posted by Electric Monk
Freescale says 1.8 GHz plus.
All I've seen is 1.5 Ghz plus (like in this pdf file). Can you provide a link to anything that says 1.8Ghz?
Originally posted by spyder
That's a little ridiculous, don't you think? Asides from probably being a little cheaper, it will be faster. You must define Macs soley by the chips inside. Along that line of thinking though, you could never have owned any mac, because IBM made PPC's, Motorola made 68K, etc. The OS will be even snappier with the new Intel chips, and will be cheaper. The G5's, while nice, hit a brick wall and were too hot to get into the powerbooks. Even if they HAD somehow gotten them in, I doubt that 30 mins of battery life would do anyone any good. Get a G4 powerbook now, then get an inMac when they hit Rev. B.
yea.. true... i dunno though... it would for me atleast take some getting used too w/ intel in macs and such...
Originally posted by Electric Monk
That's it until the Macintel's. The PowerBooks should then use a dual-core Yonah at 2.16 GHz/667 MHz FSB with a 2 MB L2 cache at 90nm.
Would be nice to see this machine at MWSF!, but that's a "little" optimistic! - but well know if Apple updates the PB's to the 7448 at around the 1.8G mark. I think theyll have to, to get the ibook higher at around 1.5G or the whole notebook range would look shot.
Originally posted by PB
Electric Monk's prediction is the most reasonable. The 8641D would require a complete logic board re-design in order to work in a Powerbook. And there is no way Apple will do two major such re-designs in one or two years (one to accomodate the 8641D and another for the x86 CPUs).
The 8641D chip was the only obvious CPU choice for next year. But not anymore after the WWDC. I don't believe that we will see more than the 7448 in the Powerbook.
Due to the fact that 8641D has ondie two chanell DDR memory controller and intergrated PCI express bus Apple could take standard PCI express switch to integrate peripherals. Of course board redesign would be necessary.
But the drop in 7448 upgrade is more likely.
Rooster
Originally posted by Rooster
Due to the fact that 8641D has ondie two chanell DDR memory controller and intergrated PCI express bus Apple could take standard PCI express switch to integrate peripherals. Of course board redesign would be necessary.
And then there are those four (!) ethernet controlers on the 8641D, more than overkill for a laptop. If Apple was ever to use this chip, it would not be exactly the 8641D but a customised version of it.
But as has been already stated repeatedly, and according to current evidence, Apple won't go beyond the MPC7448.
Originally posted by PB
And then there are those four (!) ethernet controlers on the 8641D, more than overkill for a laptop. If Apple was ever to use this chip, it would not be exactly the 8641D but a customised version of it.
But as has been already stated repeatedly, and according to current evidence, Apple won't go beyond the MPC7448.
You simply don't have to use all 4 ports. Where's the problem? The 8641D would (will?) make a perfect laptop chip. With almost everything ondie (PCIe, RIO, MC for dualchannel DDR2,GBit Ethernet, ...) a motherboard can be built quite easily. It's just up to Apple. I think this depends on how fast Freescale and Intel can deliver. Don't forget a year is a long time.
End of Line
Originally posted by BRussell
All I've seen is 1.5 Ghz plus (like in this pdf file). Can you provide a link to anything that says 1.8Ghz?
Go to Page 5
Originally posted by a j stev
So Freescale managed the transition to 90nm...any ideas how well this was achieved and whether Crolles helped?
From what I know Crolles2 is producing 90nm parts now for all three partners, with at least some of the stuff (ARM for example) in volume. The 7448 would almost have to be produced at Crolles2 because Freescale's other fabs suck (dirty, old, etc), though the chip might have been sampled there depending on how much Freescale has moved testing and production over to Crolles.
The alliance has also just (i.e. June 15th) demonstrated functioning circuits and ultra-dense SRAM device at 45nm.
Also they should be in risk/pilot production at 65nm right about now, based on last years timeline (which is of course out of date, but we don't know by how much).