Apple: Intel Inside

[GHDpro]

This isn't really emulation news, but for those who haven't heard yet: Apple will switch to Intel CPUs in 2006-2007. If you told that to any Mac fan until just very recently, you would be considered a fool. But shock! It's reality now! As for the emulation news: since it'll be a while before all software is converted to the Intel platform, Apple has developed "Rosetta" which is described as a "dynamic binary translator" to allow the new Intel-based Macs to run old PowerPC-compiled software. A question still remains: who's going to buy a Mac now with such a large transition in the pipeline?

[onewecallgod]

what i want to know is if intel is going to: produce IBM chips, design a new chip from the ground up, use current x86 P4s and such or i've heard sources that they might modify the Itanium!

[hagbard]

Very interesting Apple claims now Intel "has the strongest processor roadmap by far", when the G5 it's known as the most powerfull home CPU so far.


Btw, ins't that "dynamic binary translator" a kind of Power PC emulator on x86 CPUs?

[onewecallgod]

roadmaps arent actual CPUs. by using intel chips, apple probably doesnt have to worry about designing their own

[hagbard]

It's also a curios coincidence too that PCs & Macs goes both to Intel x86 architecture, with everything that it means (possible convergence?), but the next gen consoles would run IBM Power PC based CPUs. The battle didn't finish yet with Sony's plans of "not only a console" for PS3.

[GHDpro]

The G5 may be powerful, but it also produces a lot of heat. It's this problem that's being
a bottleneck for the G5 right now -- afaik the fastests PowerMac G5s are even water-cooled
to keep them cool. The biggest problem this heat issue causes is that the G5 is simply NOT suitable for Notebooks.

That's why Steve Jobs showed a chart displaying "performance units" by Watt (heat/power),
a chart where Intel clearly wins over PowerPC. The Pentium M can simply deliver more power
for less heat in notebooks today.

That said, there are Mac geeks out there that claim that for specific tasks (encoding a video
in Final Cut Pro for example) there should be no way anything but a G5 can do it fastest,
this due to the "AltiVec" processor extension the G5 has.

Another interesting point I gleaned of another forum right now... what about Virtual PC?
That can now run with a LOT less overhead, because far less "translating"/"emulating" is needed.

[Zach]

Very interesting Apple claims now Intel "has the strongest processor roadmap by far", when the G5 it's known as the most powerfull home CPU so far.


Btw, ins't that "dynamic binary translator" a kind of Power PC emulator on x86 CPUs?

L-O-fucking-L
I read this a long long time ago, you should too..

http://spl.haxial.net/apple-powermac-G5/

[DrAkeNgaRd_KneLL]

how many years does it take a person to upgrade his CPU like changing P4 HT to P4 EXT ED?
could anyone tell me?

[GHDpro]

Don't know the generic statistics, but I'm typing this on a P4 that'll be 3 years old in September.
(Pentium IV 2.4 Ghz, S478, 533 FSB)

My next CPU upgrade is indeed going to be a Dual Core one. They're obviously a bit
expensive right now but hopefully they'll be affordable in 6-12 months.

[hagbard]

L-O-fucking-L
I read this a long long time ago, you should too..

http://spl.haxial.net/apple-powermac-G5/

From some link of the site you post before:

http://spl.haxial.net/apple-powermac...ned-in-uk.html

...
Furthermore, it shared one viewer's doubt that the claim could be substantiated at all because, as evidence for and against the claim had shown, computers were constantly being updated and had many different applications and benchmarks.
...

Was common known indeed, that's obviusly questionable because also the G5 have been updated since then. ¿What about the Cell Processor, Power Mac G5 based? M$ tolds the benchmarks comparing Xbox 360 with PS3 are false, because PS3 almost doubled the FPC, then who is right?

With such a variety of performances available on both PC & Mac and so many benchmarks, it's very easy to take any conclusion.