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Freescale Debuts Faster, Cooler G4

Posted by pudge on from the i-think-i-need-a-new-powerbook dept.

acsinc writes "The Register reports that Freescale (Motorola's chip division) has launched the 90nm G4, and is planning a dual core version for next year. The chip is faster -- over 1.5GHz -- and cooler than the old chip, but it is also pin compatible. This ought to help provide a speed bump for PowerBooks, which still don't have G5s."

4 of 37 comments (clear)

  1. new powerbook cpu by boomerny · · Score: 5, Insightful

    this cpu will probably be in the last generation of G4 Powerbooks before they move to G5. Personally I think I'd rather have a nice, cool running, fast, energy efficient, 3rd or 4th gen G4 than a 1st gen G5.

  2. Re:Enh? by BigZaphod · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Ok, so maybe the poster was suggesting that they use these new G4s instead of G5s to boost PowerBook performance. I suppose that makes sense...

    --
    Hexy - a strategy game for iPhone/iPod Touch
  3. Re:G4's last gasp? by Graymalkin · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Tiger isn't going to be released until sometime in the first half of 2005, even then it will contain fat binaries which are binaries containing multiple versions of the same executable in different ISAs or what have you. Tiger then will have 32-bit and 64-bit versions of all of its frameworks and the OS will pick which to use at runtime based on what processor the system is running on. This was a capability of OpenStep, fat binaries allowed you to compile for different architectures yet only distribute one executable file without JITC.

    After Tiger there isn't likely to be another OSX upgrade until the first half of 2007 or so. So between now and the release of Tiger's successor you've got plenty of time to use a Powerbook. Even when Tiger's successor (Ocelot?) is released it will very likely still support old 32-bit Macs considering there will still be millions of them in use. It was only with Panther's release the Apple dropped official support for the last of the Old World machines, Wallstreet Powerbook and Beige G3 PowerMac, though with a little hacking they work just fine. Those systems were both five years old when Panther was released.

    --
    I'm a loner Dottie, a Rebel.
  4. Re:Huh? by zbrimhall · · Score: 0, Insightful

    G4 merely defines the PowerPC generation 4, which means existance of AltiVec, multi-processing capability, etc. It doesn't have to be on the same hardware at all.

    Actually, I think the correct technical definition would be "G4 is whatever Apple's marketing department needs it to be."