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PowerPC 970 Running at 2.5 GHz
kuwan writes "IBM has just released a press release that indicates they have the new PowerPC 970 running at 1.8 to 2.5 GHz making it 'the fastest PowerPC so far.' IBM's original estimates were to have the chip running at 1.4 to 1.8 GHz at introduction, so this is very good news for those of us hoping Apple will use this as their next-generation chip."
The server is already quite slow, here is the Text:
IBM PowerPC Blade
Prototype from the IBM Development Lab in Böblingen, Germany
With the planned introduction of the PowerPC Blade, IBM will expand the performance of the IBM eServer BladeCenter and further extend its range of open source IBM eServers. To customers in the high performance computing sector (HPCS) the PowerPC Blade presents a very interesting and competitive extension of the IBM eServer BladeCenter and offers cost-effective computing power in the Unix and Linux area.
The PowerPC Blade offers outstanding performance and is superior to Intel Blades for certain applications in the High Perfomance Computing Sector. It is ideal for very computing intensive applications, for example in the area of simulation like meterology or geological calculations. The PowerPC Blade integrates seamlessly into the IBM eServer BladeCenter architecture with all its software components. Power und Intel Blades can be mixed in a BladeCenter in any order depending on the software applications.
The new IBM PowerPC 970 is the heart of the PowerPC Blade. It is based on the 64-Bit Power 4 architecture which is also used in the processors of the IBM eServer pSeries. The 64-bit microprozessor
Offers full symmetrical multi-processing
Has a high reliability (with parity L1, ECC L2 and parity checked system bus)
Is manufactured in the latest 0,13 micrometer Copper/SOI CMOS technology
Runs at frequences ranging from 1.8 GHz - 2.5 Ghz
Therefore the IBMPowerPC 970 is the fastest PowerPC so far.
Further technical highlights of the PowerPC 970:
Onchip 512 KB L2 Cache
Altivec (TM) Vector/SIMD unit
6,4 GB/s I/O system bus throughput
The IBM eServer BladeCenter has been available since December 2002 and is currently delivered with Intel processor blades.
IBM offers a solution for modular computing with the space-saving BladeCenter. The IBM eServer BladeCenters distinguish themselves by their high reliability and extensive system management software. The flat servers create free space in the computing center and can simply be supplemented with additional server "slices" when needed.
However, they are always doing the PPC vs. Intel matchups, and it seems that PPC is generally on the losing end (at least overall). Now I know comparing processors by MHz is no more valid than comparing comparing apples and oranges, but it seems to me... well, never mind.
Anyway, I just want to see if this new PPC will beat out AMD's new x86-64 offerings. THAT will be news.
Manipulate the moderator system! Mod someone as "overrated" today.