Processors Toolkit

Apple slips out G5 chip details

Ina Fried, CNET News.com CNET News.com

Published: 20 Jun 2003 07:29 BST

Apple Computer appears to have let the cat out of the bag regarding its forthcoming line of desktop Power Macs.

The Mac maker posted specifications for a new line of Power Macs powered by a G5 processor, according to a number of reports. The machines run far faster than Apple's current lineup, which tops out at 1.42Ghz, the reports said.

According to screen shots taken by enthusiast sites including MacMinute, the new Macs range in speed from 1.6GHz to a dual 2GHz, all using a new G5 processor. The machines also were touted as having up to 8GB of memory, a 1GHz processor bus, Serial ATA disk drives, AGP 8x Pro graphics from either ATI or Nvidia and three PCI or PCI-X expansion slots. The machines were also said to come with three USB 2.0 ports, one Firewire 800 port and two FireWire 400 ports as well as optical and analogue audio in and out ports.

Apple has been widely expected to introduce new Power Macs running IBM's faster 970 processor at Monday's Worldwide Developer Conference, however the accuracy of the Apple Store posting could not be independently verified. An Apple representative declined to comment on the posting.

The information was reported to have been briefly posted on the existing Power Mac G4 page of the Apple Store. According to enthusiast site MacNN, the Apple store was then briefly unavailable and when it came back, the G5 information was removed.

The apparent lapse in security is unusual for Apple, which keeps its new products a tightly guarded secret. The company has been particularly aggressive in trying to keep a lid on information regarding its new chip architecture. IBM announced plans for the chip last October. At the time sources close to IBM indicated the chip would be used by Apple, but the chipmaker has said little on the fate of the 970 processor since then.

Several Mac enthusiast sites that have posted alleged details on the G5-based Power Macs, including AppleInsider, say they were forced to take down their articles by Apple's legal department.

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