Apple launches PowerPC G5, claims its world's fastest

64- bit, 1 GHz front-side bus, 512 MB 400 MHz dual channel DDR memory, 160 GB Serial ATA HDD, 4x SuperDrive, AGP 8x Pro graphics slot-sounds futuristic? Apple made it true by launching the world's fastest desktop PC in India. The PowerPC G5 processor designed jointly by IBM and Apple powers this new PC. The Power Mac G5 utilizes 64-bit processing technology with memory expandability to 8GB and still runs the 32-bit applications natively.

Speaking on the launch, Apple's CEO Steve Jobs said, "The 64-bit revolution has begun and personal computing will never be the same." He added that this product combines the world's first 64-bit desktop processor, the first 1 GHz front-side bus and up to 8GB of memory and will beat performance of any other PC. 

"The Power Mac G5 is a big hit with customers and developers," said Apple's senior VP of Worldwide Product Marketing Philip Schiller. "The two single processor Power Mac G5 models are available now, so we wanted to get those into customers' hands as soon as possible," he said. 

The company claims that the Power Mac G5 delivers the industry's highest system bandwidth. It offers dual 2.0 GHz PowerPC G5 processors, each with an independent 1 GHz front-side bus, for 16 GBps of bandwidth. It will run on MAC OS X and also Linux. According to the company, the line also features the industry's highest bandwidth memory (400 MHz 128-bit DDR SDRAM with throughput up to 6.4 GBps); the industry's fastest PCI interface available on a desktop (133 MHz PCI-X); and cutting-edge AGP 8X Pro graphics capabilities. Apple is in the process of making a 64-bit enabled OS and will also launch a 3 GHz 64-bit processor by June 2004.

Power G5 comes in aluminum casing with four independent thermal zones for advance airflow management. With nine cooling fans, this Power G5 is two times quieter than erstwhile G4. It is also equipped with an easy-to-open access panel, has quick access to internal components for a tool-less installation of memory, HDDs, AirPort extreme card, etc. It also has a front-mounted FireWire, USB2 and headphone ports.

The price tag for Power G5 starts from Rs 1.74 lakh to Rs 2.54 lakh.

Cyber News Service 

New Delhi