Apple PowerPC G5 manual Introduction, Key Features

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White Paper

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PowerPC G5

Introduction

Key Features

64-bit architecture, capable of addressing

18 exabytes of memory

Clock speeds up to 2GHz

1GHz frontside bus for throughput of up to 8 GBps per processor

Dual independent 1GHz frontside buses in dual processor systems

Superscalar execution core supporting up to 215 in-flight instructions

Velocity Engine for accelerated single- instruction, multiple-data (SIMD) processing

Two double-precision floating-point units for high-speed advanced computation

Massive three-component branch prediction logic to increase processing efficiency

Native compatibility with existing 32-bit application code

State-of-the-art process technology from IBM

The revolutionary PowerPC G5 changes everything you know about personal computing. Suddenly, the next generation of high-performance applications for design and graphics, media production, and scientific research is possible and practical on the desktop. That’s because the PowerPC G5 brings a 64-bit architecture to the Mac platform—ushering in an exciting new era in personal computing.

The introduction of the PowerPC G5 is a product of Apple’s partnership with IBM, lever- aging the most advanced chip design and manufacturing expertise in the world. The results are phenomenal: 130-nanometer fabrication technology, 2GHz clock speeds, and an all-new PowerPC architecture. Together, they put enormous computing power within the reach of personal computer users:

The ability to address huge amounts of memory provides ultrafast data access, boosting performance for 2D imaging, 3D design, and video rendering tasks.

A high-bandwidth execution core with 12 functional units improves performance by executing multiple instructions per cycle in parallel.

An optimized 128-bit Velocity Engine cranks through image editing tasks, high- definition video transitions, and complex scientific analysis.

Two double-precision floating-point units accelerate 64-bit calculations for 3D visualization, research simulations, and multitrack audio creation.

The G5 processor is making its debut in the Power Mac G5, the world’s fastest personal computer according to industry-standard SPEC benchmarks.1 Now Power Mac users can tackle projects never before possible on a desktop system—and blaze through their work faster than ever. In fact, the Power Mac G5 runs Adobe Photoshop more than two times faster than the fastest Pentium 4–based system.2 Best of all, the PowerPC G5 runs 32-bit code—including existing Mac OS X applications—natively, so the transition to 64-bit power is absolutely seamless.

Welcome to the PowerPC G5, the world’s first 64-bit desktop processor and the heart of the new Power Mac.

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Contents White Paper July PowerPC G5Contents Introduction Key FeaturesMemory Addressing up to 18 Exabytes An Exponential Leap in Computing PowerFull Support for Symmetric Multiprocessing High-Precision Calculations in a Single Clock CycleClock Speeds up to 2GHz Industry-Leading 1GHz Frontside BusNative Compatibility with 32-Bit Application Code Ultrafast Access to Data and Instructions Next-Generation PowerPC ArchitectureAggressive Queuing and Register Renaming Highly Parallel Execution CoreTwo Load/Store Units Optimized 128-Bit Velocity EngineTwo Double-Precision Floating-Point Units Two Integer UnitsCondition Register Three-Component Branch Prediction LogicState-of-the-Art Process Technology from IBM Spec CPU2000 Industry-Leading PerformanceSpec CPU2000 Single-Processor Speed Spec CPU2000 Dual Processor System Throughput Wide execution core Technical SpecificationsBit PowerPC processor architecture Frontside busThree-component branch prediction logic Physical specificationsComparison of PowerPC G4 and PowerPC G5 For More Information