So, where does the G5 go next?
The XServe turned out to be the next part of the Mac line-up to get a G5 processor, after the Power Mac. This makes sense if Apple wants to start making inroads into the business market. So, where does the G5 go next?
(eMac and iBook make no sense as choices really, but I just wanted to be thorough and list what's left after the Power Mac and the Xserve.)
(eMac and iBook make no sense as choices really, but I just wanted to be thorough and list what's left after the Power Mac and the Xserve.)
Comments
For the moment the 90 nm chip is only for the Xserve line. The X serve market is a niche market, so Apple do not need to have a huge stock of 90 nm G5 avalaible.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
I vote for i mac and powerbook. Motorola do not seem to be interested to fab 7457 clocked at more than 1,33 ghz. Apple has to choose a new chip : the PPC 970 90 nm process is the obvious choice.
For the moment the 90 nm chip is only for the Xserve line. The X serve market is a niche market, so Apple do not need to have a huge stock of 90 nm G5 avalaible.
Are you sure the new XServe G5 is using the 90nm processors? It makes sense to me, but they did drop a drive bay (only 3 instead of the 4 in the XServe G4). I can only imagine they did that for cooling reasons. On top of that, Apple still hasn't gone beyond 2.0GHz. The new 90nm processors are supposed to be in the 2.2 - 2.6 range, correct?
[Edit: I now see that Powerdoc is suggesting that the G5 uses a 90nm G5. C'est vrai?]
Then again, one of the big features of the iMac is that it's quiet, and the iMac might not be able to remain so trying to keep a 130nm G5 cool.
If both the iMac and the PowerBook can't move forward until 90nm G5s come along, then perhaps both lines will be updated at the same, or nearly the same, time.
The way Steve remarked again about the G5 being Apple's future, it seems likely to me that any postulated IBM-made G4 would be used, if it gets used at all, only in the eMac and the iBook at the bottom of Apple's line-up. While I can't be certain of the order of the updates, the iMac and the PowerBook would have to come next, and I'd say before the end of 2004.
The Xserve is built on 90 nm G5. In this thread i gave possible explanations about the 2 ghz thing.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
The Xserve is built on 90 nm G5. In this thread i gave possible explanations about the 2 ghz thing.
Excellent! Then I suppose having the iMac and the PowerBook move forward to G5 will mainly depend on getting yields up on the 90nm G5s. Even if an iMac was technically possible using 130nm G5s, I can't imagine now that Apple would even bother with that idea, unless the cost savings were significant.
Originally posted by Powerdoc
Ebby give this precious link to an Apple PDF file (the Xserve G5) in this thread
The Xserve is built on 90 nm G5. In this thread i gave possible explanations about the 2 ghz thing.
Cool, thanks for the info!
Originally posted by Powerdoc
I vote for i mac and powerbook. Motorola do not seem to be interested to fab 7457 clocked at more than 1,33 ghz. Apple has to choose a new chip : the PPC 970 90 nm process is the obvious choice.
For the moment the 90 nm chip is only for the Xserve line. The X serve market is a niche market, so Apple do not need to have a huge stock of 90 nm G5 avalaible.
Agreed, except that Apple will tons of 90nm G5 for the new PMac, and just imagine how many they'll need for iMac/PB. I suspect these products will only be updated when IBM can accomodate the forecasts in advance.
As for the iBook/eMac, I think your right that Motorola is unlikely to scale this chip, meaning they can only be resfreshed maybe once more (3-4months) before requiring IBM's 750VX within 6 months.
Originally posted by \\/\\/ickes
eMac needs an overhaul...
It may need an overhaul, but it's inconceivable that the eMac would go G5 before the iMac or the PowerBook.
I wouldn't be surprised if the eMac and the iBook end up with some sort of "G4+" chip before being upgraded to G5. Then again, if G5 production costs drop far enough, and the eMac and iMac don't have to stagnate too much longer in the interim running slow old G4s, I can also easily see the eMac and iBook going straight to low-end G5s (perhaps only running at 1.2 or 1.4 GHz).
Considering that the iBook only just recently dropped the G3, I figure it will be dead last in the G5 update process.
I'm just thinking about that row of 7 fans in the Xserve, even for a .90 chip. :eek: I know, it's a dual and has more stuff in it, but think about the thinness of a Powerbook.
Originally posted by BRussell
Well I know the Powerbook got the G4 before the iMac, but I'd guess the iMac would get the G5 before the Powerbook, because the iMac has more room. Maybe they'll need to reduce the heat by throttling the FSB speed down to 400 Mhz, or maybe they'll wait for a new lower-power G5. Who knows, maybe they'll need to re-design the iMac case. But I just don't think they'll get this thing into a PowerBook any time soon.
I'm just thinking about that row of 7 fans in the Xserve, even for a .90 chip. :eek: I know, it's a dual and has more stuff in it, but think about the thinness of a Powerbook.
The current G5 90 nm is build upon SOI. Is it possible that the powerbook version will use 90 nm Strained silicon on insulaltor : SSOI ?
Originally posted by BRussell
Maybe they'll need to reduce the heat by throttling the FSB speed down to 400 Mhz, or maybe they'll wait for a new lower-power G5...
I'm just thinking about that row of 7 fans in the Xserve, even for a .90 chip. :eek: I know, it's a dual and has more stuff in it, but think about the thinness of a Powerbook.
It's dual, and also both of those processors are running at 2.0 GHz. The iMac and PowerBooks would still be getting performance boosts by going to the G5 even at speeds like 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 GHz.
Combine that with lowering the bus speed as you suggest, and there could be some significant power savings.
Another thing to consider about the cooling design you see in the Xserves is that perhaps the Xserves could actually be cooled effectively with fewer fans, but (1) just like in the Power Mac, more fans, each at lower speeds, is quieter than fewer fans running faster, and (2) some of those fans might be there be for increasing the server's reliability via redundancy.
Originally posted by shetline
It's dual, and also both of those processors are running at 2.0 GHz. The iMac and PowerBooks would still be getting performance boosts by going to the G5 even at speeds like 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 GHz.
Combine that with lowering the bus speed as you suggest, and there could be some significant power savings.
Another thing to consider about the cooling design you see in the Xserves is that perhaps the Xserves could actually be cooled effectively with fewer fans, but (1) just like in the Power Mac, more fans, each at lower speeds, is quieter than fewer fans running faster, and (2) some of those fans might be there be for increasing the server's reliability via redundancy.
Also consider they design these to last some time. Perhaps all 7 are not needed right now- but will be as the G5 clocks up. I am sure that is why the current G5 case looks empty and has so many fans. It won't need retooled as the G5 hits 3ghz
It's not going into anything like the PowerBook, or iMac unti there is a nother incarnation of this processor. As I just said in another thread, and it's also noted elsewhere: The Xserve has 8 cooling fans, smart pathways leading to huge vents to push the air through in single, and dual configurations. It's not going into a PowerBook any time soon. It's obviously still way too hot.
If you think it's still cool enough to go into a PowerBook, or iMac your kidding yourself.
Originally posted by onlooker
If you think it's still cool enough to go into a PowerBook, or iMac your kidding yourself.
At the risk of carrying over the same argument from a differentthread...
Yes, you've again repeated to us how massive the Xserve G5's cooling system is. We're all now aware of that. Thank you very much.
Now, would you care to address why you don't think that all of this:
1) Lowering the number of processors from 2 to 1, plus...
2) Lowering the CPU speed by as much as 0.6 GHz (appropriate for the next 17" PB at 1.4 GHz) or even 0.8 GHz (good for a 12" PB update), plus...
3) Increasing the CPU/bus speed ratio (thus lowering bus speed even more than the CPU speed) plus...
4) Not needing as much cooling redundancy in a laptop as compared to a server
...won't make a significant dent in how much of a cooling system a G5 will need?
Originally posted by Crusader
I would like to see a G5 in a Powerbook, mainly because college laptop purchasing is coming up within 6 months. The iMac line does appear, to an outsider, to be stagnant tho, so maybe a G5 would help boost iMac sales?
Yeah, I really want to get a G5 for a College PowerBook... please, Apple, I beg of thee...
The cooling thing? Man, Apple will figure something out. Please, Apple, please please please!?