At what frequencies will the PPC 970 Macs debute?

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
This could be the real killer for Apple: if new Powermacs top out a measly 1.8 GHz with no dual options, or duals ONLY on the $3500 top end, then the new hardware will impress but it won't blow anyone away (at least not me). Alternatively, Apple could release Powermacs topping out at 2+ GHz, all duals. Not likely, but if it happened I bet PC gamers would be flocking to Macs in droves for the ultimate Doom3 experience.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 59
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Junkyard Dawg

    This could be the real killer for Apple: if new Powermacs top out a measly 1.8 GHz with no dual options, or duals ONLY on the $3500 top end, then the new hardware will impress but it won't blow anyone away (at least not me).



    No, I disagree. From all reports on the 970, the worse case scenario right now is that Apple releases the 970 starting at 1.4 GHz in a single processor configuration. That worse case scenario gives pro users a low-end pro machine that is more than twice as fast as the current high-end pro machine, a dual G4 at 1.42 GHz. The comparison is even more staggering when we'll likely get better graphics cards, better overall system bus improvements, etc.



    Roughly around the summer time frame as well we may also finally receive the OS X-native version of the much awaited Quark application, plus soon thereafter a new version of Mac OS X "Panther," which may support the 970 by running in 64-bit mode. Even if it's not optimized to take advantage of the 64-bitness of the 970 it will run just fine in 32-bit mode; having been further optimized for performance. A win-win no matter what you say.



    I think that scenario will have people flocking to get their hands on these new machines, thus, in conjuction with pressure from the PC market's falling prices, cause the prices on the 970 to lower as well.



    That's the way I see it at the moment.
  • Reply 2 of 59
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    well said.
  • Reply 3 of 59
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    By the way, your poll is hyper. 1.8 to 2.4? The option I want, and is most reasonable, is not listed.



    I think the 970 will debut at 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 GHz in a variation of single and dual processor configurations.
  • Reply 4 of 59
    overhopeoverhope Posts: 1,123member
    And there I was just today thinking that I hadn't seen a JYD post in a while...



    Regardless of how fast they are, I will guarantee we'll see "only x.xGHz???" posts about ten seconds after the announcement.
  • Reply 5 of 59
    nevynnevyn Posts: 360member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by DHagan4755

    By the way, your poll is hyper.



    The question:

    "What will be the max Hz sold by Apple" would be simpler. Too many overlapping questions.



    1) IBM has some specs for the 1.2 GHz... but they don't claim that they'll ship any. The presentation they gave claimed it would intro "...at 1.4 to 1.8."



    2) The Blade announcement from IBM-germany claimed 1.8-to-2.5 (before all references were vaporized).



    So I don't see any reason for _any_ of the options that include 1.2. And the "max" should reach 2.5. (They might not ship it, by why truncate the rage in the poll?)



    So prices from $1200 (for low Hz single) to $3000ish for high-Hz dual.



    I'm also rooting for a quad in a more-expensive-than-the-norm box as well. On the "Well, we don't really expect to sell zillions, but we've _GOT_ to convince people that we _can_ make performance boxes." theory. But I expect to be disappointed here.
  • Reply 6 of 59
    bartobarto Posts: 2,246member
    1.2GHz to 1.8GHz, all duals.



    That's just a guess.



    Barto



    WE LOVE YOU JYD!
  • Reply 7 of 59
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    i'm inclined to go high because the snippets from IBM lead me to believe they'll outperform their usual conservative predictions.



    that said, even if they ship 1.6-2.5 some dual (as i voted), a higher base speed delivered by IBM might allow for a downclocked 1.2 or 1.4 for 15.2in AlBook usage with acceptable power/heat load that might otherwise take 6 months to optimize if it ran full throttle



    trying to be optimistic.



    and where's the dan rather poll option... "what's the frequency, kenneth?"
  • Reply 8 of 59
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Nevyn

    The question:

    "What will be the max Hz sold by Apple" would be simpler. Too many overlapping questions.





    Yeah, I thought of that AFTER posting. I could have made the poll much more concise. But the main thing I'm getting at is, what speeds to expect? Next time I'll try to make a better poll...



    I've gotten an interesing tip, but before sharing at AI I wanted to see what page everyone is on. It can be very interesting to see how far opinion diverges from reality.
  • Reply 9 of 59
    ghstmarsghstmars Posts: 140member
    welcome back JYD! ive been reading your posts for years.

    welcome home!
  • Reply 10 of 59
    709709 Posts: 2,016member
    1.6, 2.0, 2.4 for version1 970 machines in single, single/dual, dual respectively.
  • Reply 11 of 59
    keyboardf12keyboardf12 Posts: 1,379member
    does that tip cover the subsystem on the 970?



    or just the megahertz.
  • Reply 12 of 59
    kupan787kupan787 Posts: 586member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by curiousuburb

    a higher base speed delivered by IBM might allow for a downclocked 1.2 or 1.4 for 15.2in AlBook usage with acceptable power/heat load that might otherwise take 6 months to optimize if it ran full throttle[/i]



    If I remember correctly, the 1.2 was supposed to be a low power version of the 970 which ran at a lower wattage than todays G4s in the powerbooks. Sorry can't rememebr a figure, but I am sure someone here can.
  • Reply 13 of 59
    stoostoo Posts: 1,490member
    I think it was about 12W for the 1.2GHz 970.



    Quote:

    Regardless of how fast they are, I will guarantee we'll see "only x.xGHz???" posts about ten seconds after the announcement.



    Due mainly to the success of the Pentium 4 in convincing people the Hz is the key factor in guaging performance. This is probably why AMD adopted a Performance rating scheme. The top Athlon (rated as equivalent to a 3GHz P4) runs at 2.167GHz!.



    It's nice to see polls without comedy options.
  • Reply 14 of 59
    Quote:

    Originally posted by keyboardf12

    does that tip cover the subsystem on the 970?



    or just the megahertz.




    No, not the MHz, not really. Although I think some here are overly optimistic about the speed ratings.



    What I smell is raw performance. Think of a car engine, a giant V8 beast that totally rocks out the HP. An engineer gets medieval on it's ass and decides to boost it's power output even higher...yet, he doesn't increase the displacement or increase rpms. The engine is essentially unchanged, but the air/gas mixture flowing into the combustion chambers is compressed by a turbo. By making changes "upstream" of the engine's guts, the engineer realizes incredible gains in power output.



    Trouble with the turbo is that the power gains are all at high rpms. At low rpm, the exhaust pressure isn't high enough to spool up the turbo. So this engine mod can be said to work in specific circumstances. It does not universally increase power output in the engine to the same degree at all times.



    One thing is for sure....the "liberal hollywood elite" will slay rednecks for these new powermacs. Musicians and producers will ravage their corporate benefactors for PPC 970 Macs. Peter Jackson will spooge buckets of orc cum for these new macs. The Wachowski brothers will inflict unspeakable acts of incest upon each other to get their hands on a truckload of powermac 970s.



    Hold onto you Apple-tattooed butts because these new machines are gonna rock planet Earth.
  • Reply 15 of 59
    macjedaimacjedai Posts: 263member
    JYD, you weren't getting excited there . . . were ya?



    But I do agree!



    I think initial speeds of the 970 will turn out to be from 1.4 GHz to approx 2 GHz (ya, I'm being a little optimistic with the high end). Singles mostly with one dualie machine (maybe 1.8).



    Welcome back JYD
  • Reply 16 of 59
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by MacJedai

    JYD, you weren't getting excited there . . . were ya?



    But I do agree!



    I think initial speeds of the 970 will turn out to be from 1.4 GHz to approx 2 GHz (ya, I'm being a little optimistic with the high end). Singles mostly with one dualie machine (maybe 1.8).



    Welcome back JYD




    I think that's pretty reasonable considering Apple will want to get these machines out ASAP to avoid completely vaporizing sales. But if IBM's production is happening at a good rate, they could stick with the DP strategy across the board (will just add to the utter explosion of performance with the new chip).
  • Reply 17 of 59
    shaktaishaktai Posts: 157member
    I think 1.4 to 1.8 ghz. Top 2 models as duals. Entry level model as a single. I like jyd's analogy though. I think that is pretty similar to what we wil see. Tremendous power that goes beyond the apparent speed.
  • Reply 18 of 59
    drboardrboar Posts: 477member
    Runors has it that the motherboard that Apple have out on contract are two different ones one for SP and one for DP. Ita ll could be a smoke screen and that the real MB are made in Uzbekistan for a new TP configuration. Triple CPU in the "tripe tower" would take most of us with surprise



    I am hoping for a SP-DP-DP instead of a SP-SP-DP as I intend to get the midrange to replace my G4/400



    The speed range is up to IBM but for Apple 200 MHz more or less really does not matter as any speed above 1 GHz will be way faster than the G4s. Apple should get the 970 out ASAP with what ever is aviable and then crank up the speed in later revisons.
  • Reply 19 of 59
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Overhope

    And there I was just today thinking that I hadn't seen a JYD post in a while...



    Regardless of how fast they are, I will guarantee we'll see "only x.xGHz???" posts about ten seconds after the announcement.




    I disagree.



    If there is a 1.4GHz, SP, 1.8GHz DP, and 2.4GHz DP lineup in PowerMacs at WWDC announced I would consider Apple caught up in terms of frequency/speed/GHz vs. x86 processors.



    If that were to happen (1.4 x1, 1.8 x2, and 2.4GHz x2), and there were motherboard features that are equal to what is available on the wintel side now I don't think we would hear any complaining.





    There is a lot that could go wrong.

    Before the 500MHz G4's actually shipped people around here were talking about FireWire 800, and 1600 coming out on the next Mac at speeds well over 1GHz. Some of us remember being in here through the G4 problems that never ended. I'd hate to see that again.



    I voted for 1.6 - 2.4 but I think we'll get slower ones just because I'm so used to disappointment from processors, and motherboard features on the Mac over the past 3 - 4 years.
  • Reply 20 of 59
    zapchudzapchud Posts: 844member
    We'll definitely see only 2.4GHz 970's in SP-DP-QD configs, at affordable prices!







    Seriously, I think we'll see SP 1.4Ghz DP 1.6GHz and DP 1.8GHz for a little higher price than the current towers. And I would've ordered it yesterday if I could
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