MacBidouille says 970 for July
This is from <a href="http://www.macbidouille.com/niouzcontenu.php?date=2003-02-28#4868"; target="_blank">MacBidouille</a> today. Translated from the French.
<<
Thanks to anonymous for the info
IBM have had a welcome surprise at the onset of production of the PPC 970. The amount of valid processors reaching 2 Ghz or more has surpassed all their expectations. The chip should be available in July!
IBM's future chip plans:
In Spring 2004 it will be superceded with a 970CX version etched in 0.09 microns and reserved for portables. At the same time, the Power 5 will be available, starting at between 1.5 and 2.5 GHz. Further still, the PPC 980 will be a Power 5 light + Altivec expected to operate between 2.8 and 4.5 GHz. There should also be a super version which will be a Power 5 that is not castrated with Altivec. It will be named the PPC 9800. In 2006 we will be seeing the PPC 990...
As you'll have gathered, Apple's sales will take off
- [Rumor] Apple has very advanced prototypes of the PPC 970 motherboard (they received CPUs more than 2 months ago). As on other protypes that we've seen, the CPU is aligned at 45 degrees. The prototype supports DDR400, USB 2.0 and AGP 8x. It is very well advanced even though there are still some problems with the bus.
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I posted this on the other 970 thread but I could have said I'm giving away 1million dollars for all the notice it got.
Lots of info here - I hope M. Anonymous is genuine. What do you think?
If IBM is making a non-Altivec version of the 980 (the 9800) it implies to me that they're not interested in AV for servers, so the 970 was probably instigated and made for Apple. Great news for laptops and the 980 coming sooner than expected too.
<<
Thanks to anonymous for the info
IBM have had a welcome surprise at the onset of production of the PPC 970. The amount of valid processors reaching 2 Ghz or more has surpassed all their expectations. The chip should be available in July!
IBM's future chip plans:
In Spring 2004 it will be superceded with a 970CX version etched in 0.09 microns and reserved for portables. At the same time, the Power 5 will be available, starting at between 1.5 and 2.5 GHz. Further still, the PPC 980 will be a Power 5 light + Altivec expected to operate between 2.8 and 4.5 GHz. There should also be a super version which will be a Power 5 that is not castrated with Altivec. It will be named the PPC 9800. In 2006 we will be seeing the PPC 990...
As you'll have gathered, Apple's sales will take off
- [Rumor] Apple has very advanced prototypes of the PPC 970 motherboard (they received CPUs more than 2 months ago). As on other protypes that we've seen, the CPU is aligned at 45 degrees. The prototype supports DDR400, USB 2.0 and AGP 8x. It is very well advanced even though there are still some problems with the bus.
>>
I posted this on the other 970 thread but I could have said I'm giving away 1million dollars for all the notice it got.
Lots of info here - I hope M. Anonymous is genuine. What do you think?
If IBM is making a non-Altivec version of the 980 (the 9800) it implies to me that they're not interested in AV for servers, so the 970 was probably instigated and made for Apple. Great news for laptops and the 980 coming sooner than expected too.
Comments
<strong>IBM has stated that they will use the 970 in their blade servers. I would imagine that part of IBM's investment in Linex is in getting the neccessary programing in place to take advantage of Altivec.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I thought I remember seeing work on a Redhat Linux distro with Altivec support. Anyone care to confirm?
<a href="http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:SU4B1lt0gFgC:www.redhat.com/about/presscenter/2002/press_motorola.html+Redhat+Altivec&hl=en&ie=UTF-8"; target="_blank">Confirmed!</a>
[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: hmurchison ]</p>
<strong>
If IBM is making a non-Altivec version of the 980 (the 9800) it implies to me that they're not interested in AV for servers, so the 970 was probably instigated and made for Apple.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Uhm, IBM will use 970 (with AV) in servers.
<strong>IBM has stated that they will use the 970 in their blade servers. I would imagine that part of IBM's investment in Linex is in getting the neccessary programing in place to take advantage of Altivec.</strong><hr></blockquote>
Yes, because it is available in the 970, perhaps at Apple's understandable insistance, but IBM have seemed reluctant to use Altivec for a long period. I don't know who this anonymous guy is but he talks of Altivec "castré" or causing some bottleneck that they would want to leave it out for a super-fast version of the 980, the 9800. Does AV hold back a CPU in some ways? Was that a factor in the G4s non-progress? But if they get momentum with Linux developers with the 970, those people will want to keep using it and the 980 will allow that. Maybe Altivec has little use in database servers - but of course it has great value for media applications and for all of Apple's market. Of course it's pure rumour and we'll see soon enough.
<strong>Is this a translation glitch, or am I missing something?</strong><hr></blockquote>
Neither a translation glitch nor you missing something. The author of MacBidouille's article just forgot a couple commas: he didn't mean "not castrated with altivec" but "not castrated, with altivec"... grammar issues!
By the way, i heard that IBM will deliver an altivec version of the Power4 in Q1 '04, just before they issue the 970CX CPU. That seems pretty weird to me since Big Blue is likely to release the Power5 chip only a few months later. Anyway, a Power4 with altivec would be a neat CPU for powering the new Xserves... so anyone got info about that one?
<strong>IBM has stated that they will use the 970 in their blade servers. I would imagine that part of IBM's investment in Linex is in getting the neccessary programing in place to take advantage of Altivec.</strong><hr></blockquote>
I smile everytime someone writes Linex instead of Linux, because I think of this:
<strong>I'm curious about the "not castrated with AltiVec" line. In what way would AV be "castrating" the 980? In my mind, it would seem to be the other way around - a processor would be "castrated" by removing the AV. Is this a translation glitch, or am I missing something?</strong><hr></blockquote>
It's a mistranslation/understanding. They say there will be a Power5 version that is not castrated, but has AltiVec called PPC9800. (Possibly a full two core Power5 with AltiVec, who knows)
michael
<strong>
Neither a translation glitch nor you missing something. The author of MacBidouille's article just forgot a couple commas: he didn't mean "not castrated with altivec" but "not castrated, with altivec"... grammar issues!
By the way, i heard that IBM will deliver an altivec version of the Power4 in Q1 '04, just before they issue the 970CX CPU. That seems pretty weird to me since Big Blue is likely to release the Power5 chip only a few months later. Anyway, a Power4 with altivec would be a neat CPU for powering the new Xserves... so anyone got info about that one?</strong><hr></blockquote>
OK, so they're saying the 980 is the "castrated" Power5 with AltiVec (as the 970 is a "castrated" Power4 with Altivec), and the 9800 is the "original" Power5 with AltiVec added? That makes a whole lot more sense. Thanks.
edit: Thanks mmicist! (you posted while I was writing)
[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: TJM ]</p>
...wouldn't that put apple in a higher class server grade, i mean the Power4 isn't exactly cheap as i understand it
<strong>
OK, so they're saying the 980 is the "castrated" Power5 with AltiVec (as the 970 is a "castrated" Power4 with Altivec), and the 9800 is the "original" Power5 with AltiVec added? That makes a whole lot more sense. Thanks.
</strong><hr></blockquote>
Cool: so the 9800 would be a dual core like the Power 5, a true Power 5 light. Not too big on 0.09. I didn't think I translated it wrong, just literally, as it says earlier in the quote that the 980 has altivec. But castrated with only 1 core, that makes sense.
[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: Jupiter ]</p>
<strong>So it's definite that the Power5 is of the male gender.
Of course, it's a CPU not a graphics chip
<strong>So it's definite that the Power5 is of the male gender.
So what does that say about all the men around here drooling lasciviously over these new processors? :eek:
<strong>So what does that say about all the men around here drooling lasciviously over these new processors? :eek: </strong><hr></blockquote>
"P-chip" envy.
<strong>xServve with an AV Power4?
...wouldn't that put apple in a higher class server grade, i mean the Power4 isn't exactly cheap as i understand it</strong><hr></blockquote>
... a Power4 in a 1U rack space ...
Maybe, if there's a market for expensive silicon magma.
<strong>
OK, so they're saying the 980 is the "castrated" Power5 with AltiVec (as the 970 is a "castrated" Power4 with Altivec), and the 9800 is the "original" Power5 with AltiVec added? That makes a whole lot more sense. Thanks.
edit: Thanks mmicist! (you posted while I was writing)
[ 02-28-2003: Message edited by: TJM ]</strong>[/QUOTE]
Yes :
980 = single core power 5 with altivec
9800 = dual core power 5 with altivec
If this rumor is true, it's mean that IBM is very interested in Altivec. The 9800 is a high end chip.
<strong>
... a Power4 in a 1U rack space ...
Maybe, if there's a market for expensive silicon magma.</strong><hr></blockquote>
A 90nm version of the Power4 would run way cooler than the Power4 as we know it now... maybe still too hot for a 1U rack, though, i don't know.
However, i'm not 100% sure that my source is reliable, so i can't even say for sure that the AV Power4 will be released (that's why i was asking for more info on that one)...
980 = single core power 5 with altivec
9800 = dual core power 5 with altivec
If this rumor is true, it's mean that IBM is very interested in Altivec. The 9800 is a high end chip.
<hr></blockquote>
9800? Dual Core? If this is true, that would be amazing on top of the enormous projected gains of the 'POWER 5'. After years of languishing embedded performance, along come IBM and simply pick up the ball and punt it light years ahead of current performance. Within four years, the Mac platform will be transformed into a performance demon..! After testing a dual 1 gig G4 on Photoshop...a 970, a dual 970...980...9800...these kinda chips are just going to be on another planet of performance. The impact for Mac pros everywhere is going to be significant.
Castrated Power chip?
Yes please.
Looks like IBM is going to give Intel the 'Who's the DADDY?' treatment...
Jupiter, thanks for the heads up on the link.
This July? Why would I not be surprised? Apple has been receiving a steady stream of 970 samples from IBM...and IBM have had massive success in ramping up the mhz so that 1.8 gig is now the low end. Maybe that hints that test samples have gone so well that production could be ramped up quickly, efficiently and without delays.
In short, it's actually ahead of/or on schedule: 2nd half 2003. ie the beginning of!!!
IF this is Apple's last New York Macworld, what a way to go. A 970 bakeoff with the performance ramifications thus far indicated...it will send shockwaves through the Mac community...and through the whole creative field. Watch Switcher converson rocket. This...this sort of announcement would put Apple not only back in the game...but ahead of it!
Could such a stunnng coupe de grace be on the cards?
Lemon Bon Bon :cool:
[ 03-01-2003: Message edited by: Lemon Bon Bon ]
[ 03-01-2003: Message edited by: Lemon Bon Bon ]</p>