HD For Indies

Hmmm.... I've been thinking about these Dual Core G5's for a while now myself. If they do go Dual Core, I'd have a difficult time believing that they'd limit it to a single dual core chip.

Since the 'tooling' for the dual processor motherboard based on the 970 PowerPC chips already exist, it wouldn't make much sense to just bail on a proven design that they've already invested a ton of money in.

My understanding of the 970MP chip is that its the same form factor & package design as the current G5's 970 based chip. If that is the case, then switching to a Single Chip based Dual Core system as the top of the line model would cause them to have to redesign the motherboard and spend a ton of cash setting up the tooling and fab process for a new motherboard. Using 2 Dual Core processors wouldn't involve all those changes to the motherboard & tooling processes.

While Apple does make a single Proc. G5 motherboard, it is severely limited in comparison to the Dual G5's motherboard. The Dual Core system is obviously going to be Apple's top-end machine, that mobo would have to be redone to bring it up to spec with the current 2.5 & 2.7Ghz motherboards.

That may not all make sense, but the gist is: why would Apple spend the money to limit it's top end machines by making the Dual Core G5 a single processor machine when they could simply use the current Dual Processor motherboards and have Dual Core Dual Proc G5's for next to no added expense.

Of course, all that may be moot if they do go PCIe since it would involve a motherboard redesign anyways.

If they go Dual Core 970, my prediction is that it'll be in the form of 2 Dual Core processors. It makes sense for financial and performance based reasons.

Also, I don't believe the update to Dual Core would be significant enough an event to call for a Stevenote. Since Apple has already made their announcements about going Intel; I don't forsee Steve doing a keynote about another PowerMac G5 upgrade until it's being announced that it has Intel inside. We could very easily see the Dual Core update at the Paris expo without a Stevenote.

My apologies for writing so much, Mike. I love HD4Indies and I love to run my mouth. I'm also not intelligent enough to figure out my own blog thingamabob.

take care all,

harlan
 

Mac dual core is a bit of a "me too" product. If Apple had built dual core computers before the PC manufacturers then I'm quite sure we'd would ave seen a grand Stevenote proclaiming world dominance yet again. Fact is Mac dual core is woefully late to market.

Powermac releases has generally been accompanied by PC bashing and the release of PC crushing benchmarks. The switch to Intel has probably tempered this sort of attitude for obvious reasons.

So there a two good reason why Jobs won't spouting forth about this release if it does happen.

Cheers
 

Harlan -

your comments are and thoughts are always well reasoned and worth it, please continue to contribute.

I hadn't thought about the PR ramifications of Intel Inside when announcing new Macs, but that's a damn good point, and might make twin dual core PCIe more likely.

I had been thinking that if it isn't going to be a rockin', blow away the competition box, why bother with a SteveNote. But if it is a "confusing to the public" super fast PPC box and not Intel, I could see it getting launched minus Steve.

I agree about motherboard designs and packaging, but there is also the OS to consider - is it ready for quad processors? Are OS X apps going to need to be rewritten/recompiled to be able to take advantage of quad? There was a point not too long ago when Mac OS X was only capable of two processors...

Ah, confusion in the marketplace....
 

Maybe some of the 500 bug fixes in 10.4.3 are related to >2 processing unit problems and 10.4.3 will finally bring support for the new hardware. Just a thought. (I thought something similar for 10.4.2, but alas, nothing)

Darrik