06/23/2003, 5:30pm, EDT
Monday, June 23rd[::FROM::] [::SiteName::]
Apple announces dual-2GHz Power Mac G5
[::digg_button::]
The Power Mac G5 features the personal computer industry's first 64-bit processor and 1 GHz front-side bus. Powered by the PowerPC G5 processor designed by IBM and Apple, the Power Mac G5 is the first personal computer to utilize 64-bit processing technology for unprecedented memory expansion (up to 8GB) and advanced 64-bit computation, while running existing 32-bit applications natively.
Delivering the industry's highest system bandwidth, the Power Mac G5 line offers dual 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processors, each with an independent 1 GHz front-side bus, for 16 GBps of bandwidth. The line also features the industry’s highest bandwidth memory (400 MHz 128-bit DDR SDRAM with throughput up to 6.4 GBps); the industry’s fastest PCI interface available on a desktop (133 MHz PCI-X); and AGP 8X Pro graphics capabilities.
The new aluminum enclosure is built around four independently controlled thermal zones for advanced airflow management, with fans in each zone that are individually controlled based on a sophisticated combination of thermal and power monitoring, resulting in the Power Mac G5 running two times quieter than the previous Power Mac G4. The G5 enclosure also features an easy-to-open access panel allowing quick access to internal components for tool-less installation of memory, hard drives, optical drives or an AirPort Extreme card. Front and rear handles allow professionals to rapidly and safely move Power Mac G5s when and where they need them, and front-mounted FireWire, USB2, and headphone ports provide convenient access for popular peripherals.
The PowerPC G5 processor is a result of the strategic relationship between Apple and IBM. At frequencies up to 2 GHz, the PowerPC G5 introduces 64-bit processing technology to desktop computing, while also running 32-bit applications natively. The PowerPC G5 processor architecture is based on a new execution core that features massively parallel computation for an unprecedented 215 in-flight instructions, full symmetric multi-processing, two double precision floating point units and an optimized Velocity Engine.
"The new Power Mac G5 is the fastest personal computer based on SPEC® CPU 2000 benchmark results and leading professional application performance tests when compared against 3.0GHz Pentium 4-based systems and 3.06GHz Dual Xeon-based systems."
Dual processor tests results, which determine the fastest personal computer since dual processor systems are faster than single processor systems, are a "clean sweep" with the Power Mac G5 beating the 3.06 GHz Dual Xeon workstations by 41 percent on SPECfp_rate_base2000, which measures the total floating point throughput of the system, and edging out the same system by three percent on SPECint_rate_base2000, which measures total integer computation throughput.
The Power Mac G5 delivers industry-leading connectivity and high-performance I/O for creative professionals with Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire® 800, two FireWire 400 ports, three USB 2.0 ports, dual display support, optical digital audio input and output, analog audio input and output and a headphone jack. The system also supports 54 Mbps AirPort Extreme wireless networking and is Bluetooth ready for wireless connections to a host of Bluetooth-enabled peripherals.
The Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of $3,000, includes:
The Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of $2,400, includes:
The Power Mac G5, with a suggested retail price of $2000, includes:
The Power Mac G5 line will be available in August.
Apple will continue to offer its Power Mac G4 computers until August. The G4 towers, available in limited pre-built configurations, are now priced $1,300 for the 1.25GHz machine (with Mac OS 9 boot capability), while other configurations are available as build-to-order.
[::news_tags::]
, 
[::delicious::][::slashdot::][::digg::][::buzz::] [::twitter::], 
[::doclix::]
[::boottext::] [::bootmark::]
[::layout::]
[::google::]
Top
subscribe to comments
for this article
posted by MacNN.com Reader
posted by MacNN.com Reader
Also, not sure how I feel about the case... I really like the way the g4 swings everything out before you... No more with the new case design. I am a tech and have to crack them open more than most though so take my opinion w/ a grain of salt...
posted by MacNN.com Reader
Methinks the portable version of this chip is a ways off ...
check back in about ... hmmm ... let's say 9 months.
posted by MacNN.com Reader
posted by MacNN.com Reader
As for the fans ... I *want* to believe that Apple has gotten this right finally. I can't wait to see (and hear) for myself.
Overall, I give Apple incredibly high marks -- so far. Nice job, but now they need to publish speed tests using the apps Windows users notice most -- Microsoft Office, Solitaire and Help Viewer. There's no way you're going to convince those sheep you've actually got a faster machine until you get THOSE numbers. :)
posted by MacNN.com Reader
Wow!!!! I am still drooling after getting to see the live satellite broadcast. I think Apple and IBM are up to the challenege. Even if Intel tries to one up, they seem to have a good future in front of them.. As Steve said, "the chip has legs" and promised 3 Ghz within 6 months.
posted by MacNN.com Reader
IBM knows how to fab chips. Now that we've finally given Motorola the boot, the Macs will start progressing again.
PS - the rest of the machine is pretty sweet, too, although I'm skeptical that the memory speed and badwidth claims are really that good, and why doesn't the drive IO have it's own direct channel to the ASIC instead of being hung off like a pair of balls beneath the PCI bridge?
As for the case, it looks like a great case technically; would need to get my hands on one for more assessment.
posted by MacNN.com Reader
No indication of iMac?? Are they going 970? They already have inferior graphics card compared to eMac so expecting a refresh sometime soon?????
posted by MacNN.com Reader
posted by MacNN.com Reader