Arrival date for dual-core Power Mac?
I've been reading a lot lately about AMD and Intel working on dual-core processors. I think I recall reading that Apple might use a dual-core G4 in the next power book update, but has anyone heard anything (speculation or information) about a dual-core G5 Power Mac? I hoping to buy a new Power Mac in about 10-12 months and I'm curious if that technology will be available by then.
Comments
Do realize that right at this moment the Power5 is dual core all that is required to deliver an chip to Apple is to add Alt-vec and delete non server features. It is not a big deal for IBM in my opinion for the next generation. There is a good possibility though that the current genration could go (970MP) dual core in a short period of time.
Now how well the different implementations would work out is a open question. There is a large body of evidence that what is really needed is a chip with an on board memory controller. So maybe the 970MP won't be what everybody is hoping for.
Dave
Originally posted by xedgelockx
I've been reading a lot lately about AMD and Intel working on dual-core processors. I think I recall reading that Apple might use a dual-core G4 in the next power book update, but has anyone heard anything (speculation or information) about a dual-core G5 Power Mac? I hoping to buy a new Power Mac in about 10-12 months and I'm curious if that technology will be available by then.
Originally posted by xedgelockx
Apple might use a dual-core [...] I hoping to buy a new Power Mac in about 10-12 months and I'm curious if that technology will be available by then.
Both IBM and Freescale are hard at work bringing dual core offerings of their G4 and G5 lines respectively. However I'm quite certain that they are not something you'lll see in Macs this year. But they might show up just in time for your next purchase.
From what we rumormongers know IBM seems to be ahead of Freescale in this race. IBM have several years head start in developing dual core chips and they currently have several offerings on the server side and some on the embedded custom chip side. Freescale have no current dual core in production that I know of.
My guess that we will see IBM's PPC 970MP this spring at the earliest and Freescale's e600-based MPC 86xx in about a year.
Originally posted by hypoluxa
what is the use of a dual core? what does it mean exactly as far as performance?
This has been the topic many times before. In short: It means little in repect to performance but it means a lot i repect to production cost and complexity of the whole system. Depending how it's contructed some speed can be gained from sharing resources and reduced length of communication paths between the cores. Some performance can also be lost due to bottleneckes in busses to other components in the system. Like the dual core Athlons AMD has demonstrated where the two cores share one memory controller on die where as two single core Athlons have a controller each. There is a potential bottle neck in such a configuration. I don't think it'll be an issue in real world performance though.
We know very little of how Freescale and IBM will implement the dual core designs that we are talking about here. IBM have some really good designs already though.
Originally posted by onlooker
DC 2006.
I think you are too pessimitic -- the rumoured 970MP design is done in such a way that very little R&D is needed to build it. They may not be able to push the clock rates, but they should be able to quickly deliver 2 cores.
Originally posted by hmurchison
Supposedly the 970MP is being sampled by Apple now. Volume production would likely commence Q1 2005. That should make for a mid 2005 delivery. I expect to see one more refresh of the Powermacs with 970fx and then the lineup change to DC.
supposedly? where did you read this? i'm just wondering, cuz i'm curious.
IBM will reportedly deliver the first prototypes to Cupertino in August and is projected to wrap up its own testing and begin production in January; this timetable suggests that customers could see the new processor in Apple products sometime in 2005.
Looking good for a mid 2005 launch providing IBM doesn't run into any significant snags.
So I think we hit 3Ghz by then with a Feb refresh taking us up to about 2.8Ghz tops.
Originally posted by hmurchison
Thinksecret on Antares
Looking good for a mid 2005 launch providing IBM doesn't run into any significant snags.
So I think we hit 3Ghz by then with a Feb refresh taking us up to about 2.8Ghz tops.
2.8Ghz tops
That has to be totally embarrassing for IBM, and frustrating for Apple.
And no I am not trying to be negative just stating the obvious.
Originally posted by onlooker
2.8Ghz tops
That has to be totally embarrassing for IBM, and frustrating for Apple.
And no I am not trying to be negative just stating the obvious.
Only in the sense that Steve Jobs predicted 3Ghz. Personally I have always felt that was a very ambitious statement because the 970 isn't as hyper pipelined as a Pentium 4. Who knows though they may just hit 3Ghz I wouldn't put it past them.
I am eager to see what Apple does with dual core cpu in the line. I hope they drop the entry level PM back down to the $1499 level and have a 4 core system at the high end.
Now if they don't put on-chip mem controllers and 1mb l2 cache next chip... then I'd have to say that chip would be an embarassment for IBM.
If they hit dual core... who cares if it is 3ghz... dual dual-core chips... would a difference between 2.8 and 3ghz really matter?
Originally posted by emig647
If they hit dual core... who cares if it is 3ghz... dual dual-core chips... would a difference between 2.8 and 3ghz really matter?
He he, not at all
Said they couldn't work the 'more MHz/GHz =more computing power' angle anymore...!
Originally posted by MacRonin
Wall Street Journal (print edition) had an article today with Intel claiming that they were going to bring dual core CPUs to market in 2005; for desktops, laptops & servers...
Said they couldn't work the 'more MHz/GHz =more computing power' angle anymore...!
Yes for those that want more info check anandtech's IDF(Intel Developer Forum) for more info. Intel will be shipping DC in 2005 and in 2006 DC is going to be pervasive amongst their lineup. Even the laptops will have DC in most of their offerings.
This bodes well for all of us because IBM will surely be keeping up the pace here as well.
Originally posted by hmurchison
This bodes well for all of us because IBM will surely be keeping up the pace here as well.
I am not so sure about that. It is true IBM has already experience in dual core designs, but this has only to do with server chips. For the Macintosh, this means we will easily have dual core in Power Mac and XServe (well, after the current problems that IBM is facing are resolved). But what about the Powerbooks? Apart the scheduled announcement of dual core PowerPC processors from Freescale this fall (the only ones that could be used in a slim notebook like a Powerbook), there is nothing in the horizon. We are left with the hope that things will go well on Freescale's side. And it remains to see if Apple finally chooses to go with the RapidIO interface that those chips will bring with them.