Post-2002 IBM G3 Specs
I just got news of some new G3s coming down the pipe from IBM-- it seems IBM is hedging a lot on the 750 series and has plans that reach all the way into 2005. That's impressive considering the 750 debuted in 1997 and it's already 6 years old.
First off, the newest gen of 750 will have up to 1024k L2 cache available on-chip. It will also support 256k and 512k flavors.
L3 cache support will be 512k, 1024k, and 2048k.
Clockspeed will start at 1000MHz and (purportedly) max out at 1500MHz in later revisions. IBM likes to stay conservative, though, so don't be surprised if this round of G3 tops out at 1.75GHz.
As for a SIMD ISA, it's supposed to be in there but since it's debuting soon in the next G3, lips have been tight. So I can't share anything on that. I don't even know if it's compatible with AltiVec.
Even further out there is talk of adding L3 cache to the G3 itself and 3GHz speeds.
If anyone has any light to shed on this, by all means share. I usually don't get this kind of info since I do OS programming and am not involved in any ASIC or motherboard development, which would receive this news more readily.
[ 04-08-2002: Message edited by: PowerPC Gx ]</p>
First off, the newest gen of 750 will have up to 1024k L2 cache available on-chip. It will also support 256k and 512k flavors.
L3 cache support will be 512k, 1024k, and 2048k.
Clockspeed will start at 1000MHz and (purportedly) max out at 1500MHz in later revisions. IBM likes to stay conservative, though, so don't be surprised if this round of G3 tops out at 1.75GHz.
As for a SIMD ISA, it's supposed to be in there but since it's debuting soon in the next G3, lips have been tight. So I can't share anything on that. I don't even know if it's compatible with AltiVec.
Even further out there is talk of adding L3 cache to the G3 itself and 3GHz speeds.
If anyone has any light to shed on this, by all means share. I usually don't get this kind of info since I do OS programming and am not involved in any ASIC or motherboard development, which would receive this news more readily.
[ 04-08-2002: Message edited by: PowerPC Gx ]</p>
Comments
IBM has 1GHz G3s now, right now, and we're only using 600MHz parts in the iBooks at the moment. There are x86 laptops over 1GHz right now...
Apple doesn't have a reason to drop IBM's G3 now, it has no room too-- it would have to be pushing IBM for faster G3s which it is nowhere near doing now.
The new G3s are also rumoured to have a 5 stage pipeline, and support for 200 mhz busses.
The G3 is a meaty processor that holds its own. That, plus high clockspeeds, plus very small die size/ power consumption makes me consider buying an iBook in the near future.
[ 04-08-2002: Message edited by: stimuli ]</p>
<strong>Too bad that by January Apple will most likely not be using G3's anymore.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think they will be for some time still-- only when the PowerBook goes to the G5 will the iBook move up from the G3, and Apple stills sells the original iMac and will for some time.
[ 04-11-2002: Message edited by: PowerPC Gx ]</p>
<strong>I think they will be for some time still-- only when the PowerBook goes to the G4 will the iBook move up from the G3, and Apple stills sells the original iMac and will for some time.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Oh I don't know about that... if new, faster G4 chips arrive (7460, 7500) there will be plenty of room in the G4 line to differentiate between products. Having AltiVec across the entire line is a fairly compelling carrot.
<strong>
I think they will be for some time still-- only when the PowerBook goes to the G4 will the iBook move up from the G3, and Apple stills sells the original iMac and will for some time.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Apple has been catching some flak for OSX performance on G3's. Apple wants the whole product line using AltiVec.
BTW: The Powerbook HAS gone to the G4.
Everyone thought that there was no way Apple would put a G4 in the iMac blah blah blah. It is coming to the iBook, it's just a matter of time and I think that it will be before the end of this year.
Although some of this IBM documentation of the 750FX has been out for a while, I would suggest people take a look at it. The chip has SOI, SiLK, with a .13 micron process, and can run using only 3.6 W at 800 Mhz. That low power requirement blows my mind. You could make toast on a PIII at that clock speed.
IBM has show consistant performance and efficiency gains in the G3 since it's 1997 production. They countinue to find ways to modify the chip to perform a number of desktop and embeded functions. Hell, all the Jaguar automobiles from the past 4 years have G3 PPC variants running their diagnostics and telemetry. I'm just amazed how IBM can squeeze out so many performace increases and positive design modifications with a G3 chip architecture that is over 5 years old.
I wish Motorola could take a page out of IBM's development of the G3. IBM really knows how to stretch the techonolgy in a chip. I'm looking forward to these future G3's taht you mention. You can take a look at the FX specs here....definitely worth a look.
<a href="http://www-3.ibm.com/chips/techlib/techlib.nsf/techdocs/FBEAAB9F7A288ED787256AE200622214/$file/PowerPC750FXmpf.pdf"; target="_blank">IBM G3 Info</a>
[ 04-11-2002: Message edited by: Maine Road ]</p>
This is a whole new generation of PowerPC.
Esp. if they put a SIMD on it...
<strong>With all those improvements that they are doing to it.... it really wouldn't be a "G3" anymore now would it? G stands for Generation...
This is a whole new generation of PowerPC.
Esp. if they put a SIMD on it...</strong><hr></blockquote>
Not quite. The core itself hasn't changed in any major way. The differences between the 750L and the 750FX are minor compared to the 750L and the 7400, or the 750L and the 603e.
It's just a G3 with some exrta goodies, not any major alterations to the core.
G3= 1997 name...
iTunes
iDVD
iMovie
DVD studio pro
FCP
OS X
RC5
Quake III (i think)
Photoshop
Illustrator.
etc..
<strong>How does a 1 Ghz G3 with 512 KB Level 2 cache, 150 or 200 Mhz bus iBook grab ya? I'd buy one. Would Altivec be needed, or is there that much of a performance hit without it? OS X runs fine on my iBook 600 (better Aqua performance with the ATi Retail update). I mean, it's mostly the Pro apps that are Altivec enabled anyhow, and the iBook is the consumer portable.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I think an iBook with a 150 or 200MHz bus and a 1000MHz 750FX would be an excellent system.
Apple really should work on better G3 performance for OS X though, but since everything is moving towards the G4 and beyond, I wouldn't expect it.
<strong>Now that the iMac uses the G4, we're going to see lot's more apps optimized for Altivec. I'd rather see a G4 iBook than a G3 iBook, but I suppose I would settle for a G3 iBook if I had to. It's not my first choice though.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I would much rather see the iBook stick around with the G3 and enjoy the fruits of IBM's labors. The iBook is intended to be a small, cheap, relatively fast but not high-end system you can easily take with you on the go-- and down and dirty sidekick ready to rock and roll at a moment's notice.
Going to the G4 would take many of these aspects away from the iBook, add cost and heat, but take away battery life and compactness. (The 14" iBooks are self-contradictory machines already enough but have a niche. Let's just hope they don't become the only size iBook in the future, or go to a G4.)