PowerMac 970's in August?

[MacAficionado]

Man, everything is just falling into place. Do you really doubt that Apple is not doing something to change the G4?

Now we have new keyboards on the eMacs, those will likely be the keyboards for the re-designed PowerMacs. It is just too obvious, in my experience with Mac rumors, this is definitely one that I believe is going to happen. Just wait, G5's (970) are coming. Soon someone will post a picture of one, you'll see.

Hail to the Mac Baby, we're coming back to contention!

 

[GregA]

Originally posted by macrumors12345
It has never been confirmed. I think some site (possibly MacBidouille) just slapped that name onto the possible Power 5 derivative, and then it stuck.
...
At any rate, there has never been any reliable confirmation that a Power 5 derivative is planned, but it would certainly make sense for them to produce one. So I wouldn't be surprised if they someday produce a PPC derivative of Power 5, and I wouldn't even be shocked if they chose to call it PPC 980. But no one knows.

The Power5 is designed as a mid-low end chip to start with (unlike the Power4 which was high end, and is 'cut down' as a 970)
http://www.infoworld.com/article/03/02/04/HNibmroad_1.html

Would Apple really need a 980, or is the Power5 itself good enough? I guess Altivec is an issue here?

 

[mim]

Originally posted by GregAussie
Would Apple really need a 980, or is the Power5 itself good enough? I guess Altivec is an issue here?

Errr - have you seen the size of the power5? It's about as big as a 12" pb

Also goes through 150Watts or so. So no - the power5 is not good enough, but not for the reason you think.

 

[MacBandit]

In either case the 980 is probably a couple years off if not longer. There is a revision of the 970 due early next year to move it to the 90nm die. That will carry Apple for at least another year or so.

 

[benoda]

The 970 hasn't even hit the street (or officially announced for that matter) and y'all are already talking about the 980!?!!?

I say let's see what happens this summer - who knows how much headroom the 970 has. Especially when the 90nm switch occurs.

 

[dongmin]

Originally posted by macrumors12345
It has never been confirmed. I think some site (possibly MacBidouille) just slapped that name onto the possible Power 5 derivative, and then it stuck. Now everybody is using it, even though there is no reason to believe that the processor will be called that (besides common sense), assuming it even exists.

At any rate, there has never been any reliable confirmation that a Power 5 derivative is planned, but it would certainly make sense for them to produce one. So I wouldn't be surprised if they someday produce a PPC derivative of Power 5, and I wouldn't even be shocked if they chose to call it PPC 980. But no one knows.

actually I think it's here on MacRumors where it all got started.

 

[steve53e]

Power 5

Whether a derivative of the Power 5 makes it's way into the Apple line at some point in the future is questionable, the power of this chip doesn't seem to be in question.
.
http://www.itweek.co.uk/News/1137113

 

[rotlex]

Originally posted by LordNadroj
I just ordered a PowerMac G4 Dual 1.42 Ghz with EVERYTHING including two 17 inch monitors. Should I cancel my order? Please respond with what you would do.

Mmm, been following this thread, and as someone in a sort of similar situation, I figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.

I'm a current PC/Windows user, or maybe that's a switcher in waiting, LOL. Anyway, my current rig is nearly 4 years old. (PIII 800, 512 Ram, original Gforce etc. etc.) I've been DYING to switch out ever since OS X really, and this year, I felt it finally justified to replace my current system. I nearly ordered a new G4 1.42 last week, but I just couldn't do it! I know holding out for the next best thing in the computer world is normally futile, but this just seems to big. Personally, I'd kick myself if I didn't hold out just 2 months or so, heck it's been a few years already, drop 3 grand, only to find out Apple has moved away from Moto, released a machine with the 970, and basically made my investment outdated before I even paid it off. Anyone can say this is just the chance you take with technology, but with everything I've read of late, it just seems worth it to wait it out. At least in my case anyway, where in reality, I have a perfectly useable PC for the next few months.

Again, just my 2 cents, but felt the need to share.

 

[MacsRgr8]

Yeah, and you'd be wondering why Apple didn't say anything about a new PowerMac @ WWDC.....

Just a simple word of advice:
If you CAN wait until June 23rd, then wait. You'll probably be wiser then.
If nothing is announced @ WWDC, go get it...... and don't be surprized if Apple launches the nw PowerMac 970 one week later.

Get my point? You'll never know. Timing is luck. Maybe getting the first (rev. A) version of the 970 will be a bad choice (unstable, problems with ethernet...)
I'm happy I got my Dual 1.25 a few months ago.

My opinion:
YOU WANT IT NOW? GET IT NOW.

 

[The Shadow]

Originally posted by MacsRgr8
Yeah, and you'd be wondering why Apple didn't say anything about a new PowerMac @ WWDC.....

Just a simple word of advice:
If you CAN wait until June 23rd, then wait. You'll probably be wiser then.
If nothing is announced @ WWDC, go get it...... and don't be surprized if Apple launches the nw PowerMac 970 one week later.

Agreed, wait.

I am in a similar posi to Rotlex, in the sense That my PowerMac is coming on 3 years old. If a normal revision or speed bump was expected, than I wouldn't care, I'd go out and buy. In fact, that happened when I bought my current PM - but I didn't give a hoot.

My strategy then was that I bought the lowest end PM, so no matter what happened, I knew I would still not be able to get a new PM any cheaper. And back then, a low end PM had easily the same performance as a high end Pentium (1.2 Ghz) at high end tasks. So when a spedd bump came along 3 months later, didn't bother me.

I see the same scenario returning. Good times ahead for PM buyers. But because I've got an older Mac, I'll be prepared to wait up to 6 months for the next big thing, cause it might be REALLY BIG. Not just a speed bump and minor case revision. Radical increase in performance, and a major case overhaul is years overdue.

 

[job]

Originally posted by pyrotoaster
Who's going to buy a G4 tower when a 970 tower is on the way?

Imagine the current stock of G4s becoming the "low-end G4 system" everyone's been wanting.

 

[ZeeOwl]

Low end G4.

Originally posted by job
Imagine the current stock of G4s becoming the "low-end G4 system" everyone's been wanting.

Haha! That would be quite ironic. But, I think you may have something there. I mean, Apple will have to "dump" these machines, if they want them to sell. Could be compensated by a higher introductory price on the new machines. With such a huge boost in speed, they'd sell anyways. Be mostly bought by pros. Then they'd bring the prices back to current levels once the G4 PowerMacs are gone.... Or, if they're selling like hotcakes, and volume makes up for lower margins. Keep making more...

 

[job]

Re: Low end G4.

Originally posted by ZeeOwl
Be mostly bought by pros. Then they'd bring the prices back to current levels once the G4 PowerMacs are gone.... Or, if they're selling like hotcakes, and volume makes up for lower margins. Keep making more...

Imagine picking up a a dual 1.42 for around a grand.

All the expandability you need combined with a lower cost...

Apple could clear out it's current stock of G4 towers if it sold them at dirt cheap prices if they release the 970.

No need to design a pizza box low end system. Just take the current tower design and mark down the price.

It would make everyone happy. Consumers will get more bang for their buck, prosumers would have all the expandability they would need at consumer prices, and pros, well, they get the 970.