PowerPC 970: A "G4-Killer"?


MacGeneration has posted an interesting feature article arguing how the long-awaited PowerPC 970, aka 'G5' might be marketed by Apple. The 970 could be a 'G4-killer' in two respects: first, the 970's speed and power would outclass the G4's on every level, creating a strong distinction between 'pro' and 'consumer' products. Second, the 970 will eventually 'kill' the G4, as higher-octane G5s are released, and the G4 is phased out.

The article suggests that the 970, at least initially, might be preserved for the 'Pro' models in Apple's line-up. This wouldn't be altogether a bad thing, says author Rondeau Benjamin at MacGeneration. The G4, he says, still has some considerable life left as a 'consumer' chip, particularly as Motorola has ramped up production sufficiently to produce the 1.25 and 1.42GHz G4s in volume. This would mean, at last, that the iBook could go G4, opening the way for wall-to-wall DVD-R throughout Apple's model line-up.

Moreover, OS X, while it could be leveraged to take real advantage of the 970's 64-bit capabilities, is still more than adequate on the G4s, if not on the G3s. At the very least, argues Benjamin, it would enable Apple to achieve some parity with x86 boxes in volume-selling consumer lines by equipping them with Pentium-fighting G4s. As Mac users know only too well, the only reason the iBook still has a G3 is so it doesn't cannibalize PowerBook sales. Similarly, iMacs have to wait until Power Macs get a sizeable MHz boost before they, too, get an upgrade. That's a clear consequence of waiting for Motorola.

Benjamin characterizes the G4 as a ball and chain that Apple has had to drag around for far too long, with the now four-year-old G4, whose "limits were quickly apparent." AltiVec optimization, which is available for relatively few applications, has not moved many developers to optimize their products specifically for the G4.

The statement is true enough, even if the characterization of the G4 is a little unfair. The chip itself is powerful enough; it's Moto which hasn't kept pushing the envelope on clock speed (perhaps the fact it therefore forces Apple to buy two processors for every Power Mac makes economic sense for Moto?). At similar clock speeds, the G4 is superior to the P4. But that's irrelevant in a world of 3+GHz P4s and fast PC buses.

G4 as consumer chip? A 1.4Gz iMac? A G4, DVD-R iBook? They might be closer than you think.