Power Mac G5: The advent of 64-Bit computing

Apple recently released the much-anticipated Power Mac G5 computer, its flagship product in the desktop and workstation space. Boasting of up to two 64-Bit 2.0GB IBM-produced G5 chips, a total memory capacity of up to 8GB of RAM and a speedy 1GHz system bus, the G5 is touted by Apple as the world’s fastest computer.

G5 power architecture

More than the introduction of a new chip to replace its aging Motorola-made G4 processor and desktop line, Apple has rebuilt its professional desktop around and introduced an entirely new architecture that focuses on speeding up all aspects of the computer’s system. The ultra-high bandwidth system features a 1GHz front side bus one for each processor which is designed to move data at a very fast pace.

Also included in the three G5 models launched are PCI-X and AGP 8x slots for connecting high-speed peripherals as well as numerous USB 2.0 and FireWire I/O ports. Pitting the G5 against a dual 3.0 GHz processor Xeon workstation showed the G5 coming up on top of the SPEC CPU 2000 benchmark tests. The new Power Mac also performed consistently faster in specific Adobe Photoshop tests. Other manufacturers worried that the machines used weren’t optimized have questioned these tests.

‘Stunning’ new design

The aluminum enclosure of the Power Mac G5 is a departure from the rounded plastic enclosures of the past and actually ushers in an entirely new era of industrial design for Apple’s desktop line. Aluminum has been the material of choice for Apple’s servers and professional laptops. The current G5 enclosure is serious looking and is clearly aimed at the enterprise and business market just as it is to the creative and professional market. The new enclosure is large and taller than the previous G4 boxes.

In order to cool the searing G5 processor that is based on IBM’s Power 4 chip, four thermal zones have been created within the casing. There are also nine miniature fans that are programmed to cool the processors as well as the high-speed hard drives and optical media. The grille covering the front and back of the G5’s casing is made that way so ventilation is more effective.

The specific cooling requirements of the G5 processor make it clear that Apple will not be using it to power its professional PowerBook laptop line nor its sleek and slim Xserve server line. These products’ current case design doesn’t seem to have ample ventilation for the 64-Bit processor.

64-Bit for tomorrow

Curiously, while the Power Mac G5 is a 64-Bit machine, perhaps the first one sold as a desktop and not as a server, all of Apple’s programs are currently 32-Bit optimized. Even Apple’s OS X operating system, which will receive an upgrade called Panther this September, is a 32-Bit native OS. Analysts expect this to change in the coming year.

This means that Apple is clearly investing in a high bandwidth and high-performance, 64-Bit future and can now go beyond its megahertz deficiency, a problem that has dogged it, and considering users’ perception that the Power Macs were falling behind in clock speeds. This new architecture puts Apple in the performance and speed forefront once more and makes it a serious contender in the branded desktop area.

Prices for the Power Mac G5 from Ynzal Marketing Corp. (http://www.ynzal.com) are as follows: the base model G5 with 1.6GHZ processor, 256MB RAM memory, 80Gb hard drive and DVD-CDRW burning SuperDrive sells for P133,288; the 1.8GHz version with 512MB RAM, 160GB hard drive and SuperDrive, P160,088; and the ultimate dual G5 processor 2.0GHZ model with 512MB RAM, 160 GB hard drive and SuperDrive, P196,888.