[soledade]

Hi,

I am wondering if you guys could please help out with a few questions about the Rev. B 2.0 G5s:

(1) Some say apple has clarified that all the new G5s use the 970FX 90nm chips. Can someone reply with a link to such a statement by apple?

(2) Do the rev B 2.0s and the new 2.5 use the same motherboard design (outside off the cooling system is everything else the same)? Again can someone point to a definitive link?

(3) I will be doing mostly web development, 2d illustration, and photoshop work. No 3d and no games. In your opinion is the 9600XT enough?


Thanks for the help!
Carlos

[Catfish_Man]

1) As far as I know this either isn't true, or wasn't until recently
2) Unsure
3) Yes. It supports full CoreImage/CoreVideo/Quartz Extreme acceleration, which is the only thing you're likely to use. Not entirely sure about the requirements for Quartz 2D Extreme, but I would assume it's fine.

[OzarkMtn]

1. Same chip that was used in the Rev. A's.
2. Unsure, but in regards to the answer in #1, it would not be possible to use the same motherboard IMHO.
3. This video card will be sufficient for your application.

[Oneota]

Originally posted by OzarkMtn:
1. Same chip that was used in the Rev. A's.

What's your source for this? Just curious.

[Catfish_Man]

Originally posted by Oneota:
What's your source for this? Just curious.

The 2.5s definitely do use the 970fx, so whatever the source is it's incorrect.

[Oneota]

Originally posted by Catfish_Man:
The 2.5s definitely do use the 970fx, so whatever the source is it's incorrect.

Yeah, the 2.5s do use the new processor, but it's conceivable that the 2.0 and 1.8 models don't. I'd like to know definitively either way, I guess.

[Al G]

Originally posted by Catfish_Man:
The 2.5s definitely do use the 970fx, so whatever the source is it's incorrect.

Yes, 970fx in the 2.5 is clear but this topic is about the 2.0.

Apple has never said outright that the rev B 2.0 uses the 970fx (the white paper telling us how great the 970fx is, is sufficiently vague about what goes in what). So far, the people who know what they're doing and have looked at the shipping rev B 2.0s have found the same 970 processor as the rev A machines.

That's not to say Apple won't switch 2.0s/1.8s to the 970fx at some point in the future, but not yet.

[soledade]

Thank you for all the responses.

It appears to be clear that the answer to number one is: Currrently no 970fx chips for 2.0 despite the fact they may choose to switch in the future.

The reason I asked number 2 was the genius at my local apple store was trying to convince me (upsell me) to wait for the 2.5 because of stability improvements associated with a new motherboard. I was ready to purchase and he pratically pushed me out the door indicating I really really should wait for 2.5. Seems strange to me. From all the specs its clear that 1.8 is not the same but 2.0 and 2.5 look to have the same features. What do you guys think about this?

Thanks for the responses on the video card as well!

Carlos

[Eug Wanker]

The new G5 2.0 uses the 970FX.

Also, the new 2.0 does seem to use a new motherboard. The new machines are recognized as PowerMac7,3, which is the same as the 2.5.

Rev. A was recognized as PowerMac7,2.

See here.

[Eugene Fields]

Originally posted by soledade:
Hi,

I am wondering if you guys could please help out with a few questions about the Rev. B 2.0 G5s:

(1) Some say apple has clarified that all the new G5s use the 970FX 90nm chips. Can someone reply with a link to such a statement by apple?

(2) Do the rev B 2.0s and the new 2.5 use the same motherboard design (outside off the cooling system is everything else the same)? Again can someone point to a definitive link?

(3) I will be doing mostly web development, 2d illustration, and photoshop work. No 3d and no games. In your opinion is the 9600XT enough?


Thanks for the help!
Carlos

From 'ClearView F1' who has finally nailed down the Info...

"It was important that I find this out for additional purchases of the Dual 2.0 (Rev B) I have now. Without mentioning names or departments, I will say, after speaking to the "proper people" at IBM and Apple, that all of the NEW June G5's (1.8 & 2.0) do in fact include IBM's new "FX" 90 nm chip! I know there has been a lot of posts and debate with all kinds of speculation regarding this issue. However, both the 970 and 970FX chip measure out at the IDENTICAL package size. So, even a visual inspection would prove fruitless for identification."

I have one of the New 2.s and Its silent. There is no ramping up as with the RevA's. Its like a different animal altogether. Never ramped up yet! Its been 35 days now. Oh, the Heatsink cover Cover is identical to the 2.5's Very buff. Has the New Chips - Not the same machine. Never is ill manured. Way different.

I think its a way quieter box then the RevA Having had both. The new 2'0 is way more composed. Im Folding 24/7 And have the 9800XT and the Fan on the Card looks to be a knock off of the Verax G03 which I had bought for the RevA. It certainly has not made any noise. This is the quietest Tower I ever had except for the Cube of course. Very Impressed.

And since its been 5 weeks and never made a solitary PEEP Yes I'd say its way more reliable, as by now I was going nuts from my RevA. The Video card was whining, +++.

[OzarkMtn]

I have a Rev. A Dual 2.0 GHz and it has never "ramped up". My machine was built in the later part of March, it has the revised U3H controller. I also installed the ATI 9800 Mac PRO SE with a Verax G03. This thing is whisper quite, I have had absolutely no problems as experienced by others. I would be hard pressed for anyone to distinguish my Rev. A from a Rev. B.

[Eugene Fields]

Originally posted by OzarkMtn:
1. Same chip that was used in the Rev. A's.
2. Unsure, but in regards to the answer in #1, it would not be possible to use the same motherboard IMHO.
3. This video card will be sufficient for your application.

The 130 nm G5 970 is dead


I wrote in a previous article that the newest rev. B G5 2.0 GHz Power Mac was no longer using the older 130 nm G5 970 chip.

This has been confirmed. Typing "ioreg -l | grep cpu-version" in the Terminal yields an identical CPU ID in the new G5 2.0 as the G5 2.5, and both are different from the rev. A and apparently also different from the earliest rev. B G5 2.0 machines. Thus, all new rev. B machines (including likely the 1.8 GHz machines) seem to be utilizing the 90 nm 970FX chip.

Given that the new iMac G5 will also use this chip, there remains no machines in Apple's lineup that use the old 130 nm G5 970 chip. In other words, we have already moved completely to a new chip generation now, a year after the original G5 was introduced.

G5 970 RIP.


posted by Eug @ 11:03 PM