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IBM AND MOTOROLA BOOST POWERPC 601 PERFORMANCE
BY UP TO 25 PERCENT
March 30, 1994
Microprocessor Speed Increased To 100 MHz
HOPEWELL JUNCTION, N.Y., March 30, 1994 - Motorola and IBM today announced a new version of the PowerPC 601 microprocessor that is faster, smaller and uses less power than competing desktop processors.
The new 100 MHz version of the PowerPC 601, being offered by IBM's Microelectronics Division and Motorola's RISC Microprocessor Division, uses an industry leading 0.5 micron CMOS process technology. This enables the new device to offer unsurpassed price-performance for desktop computers.
Using industry-standard benchmarks, the 100 MHz PowerPC 601 achieves an estimated SPECint92 performance rating of 105 and a SPECfp92 rating of 125 with a secondary cache. In the new version, die size shrinks from 120 to 74 square millimeters (approximately the size of a thumbtack) and typical power consumption drops from 8 to 4 watts, as compared to the original PowerPC 601.
"The 100 MHz version of the PowerPC 601 microprocessor outperforms any other comparable industry standard microprocessor when measuring performance, die size or power consumption. With the PowerPC architecture hitting stride, our intention is to widen this gap," said Fred Sporck, director of PowerPC products for IBM Microelectronics. "With these new offerings, we intend to continue to deliver twice the performance of comparably priced CISC microprocessors."
"This smaller, faster and more powerful version of the PowerPC 601 clearly demonstrates the scalability and superiority of the PowerPC microprocessor," said Phil Pompa, director of marketing, Motorola RISC Microprocessor Division. "The new 100 MHz version will enable systems manufacturers to maintain a competitive advantage by providing the best price/performance systems available on the market today."
The PowerPC microprocessor family delivers performance that enables development of a new generation of applications and enhances existing applications for desktop computers. New and enhanced applications include: language translation, three-dimensional image rendering, integrated office communications and voice recognition. Improvements to existing applications include: more natural ease-of-use, greater integration between applications and incorporation of new graphical, computational and multimedia features.
Limited quantities of the 100 MHz PowerPC 601 microprocessor will be available in the second quarter from IBM Microelectronics and Motorola, with volume production planned for the fourth quarter of 1994. The PowerPC 601 microprocessor is available today in 80 MHz, 66 MHz and 50 MHz versions.
PowerPC chips, jointly designed by Apple, IBM and Motorola, are based on a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) architecture and incorporate leading-edge technologies and processes from both IBM and Motorola. Companies developing PowerPC systems and subsystems include Apple Computer, Groupe Bull, Canon, DayStar Digital, IBM, Harris, Motorola Computer Group, Parsytec, Powerhouse, Tadpole, Thomson-CSF, YARC and the Taiwanese New PC Consortium.
Apple began shipping its first personal computer products based on the PowerPC 601 microprocessor on March 14, 1994. IBM's RISC System/6000 Division has been shipping workstations based on the PowerPC 601 since October 1993, and began shipping its notebook workstation on March 25, 1994.
The PowerPC 601 microprocessor is the first of four initial PowerPC microprocessors that IBM and Motorola will provide to the industry. Other members of the PowerPC family include the PowerPC 603t, PowerPC 604t and PowerPC 620t microprocessors.
PowerPC microprocessors address a wide range of computing requirements, from portable computers to midrange workstations and servers to multi-processing, fault-tolerant and supercomputing systems. In addition, PowerPC microcontrollers will be used for embedded control applications in automotive and consumer products.
Motorola, IBM and third parties also offer comprehensive software, system design kits, development tools and support packages for the PowerPC family to enable developers to substantially reduce overall design time.
IBM Microelectronics, headquartered in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., is among the world's largest microelectronics businesses, developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide range of integrated microelectronics products and services.
Having 1993 worldwide sales of $5.7 billion, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector is the largest U.S.-based broad line supplier of semiconductors, with a balanced portfolio of more than 50,000 devices. Motorola is one of the world's leading providers of wireless communications, semiconductors, and advanced electronic systems and services. Major equipment businesses include cellular telephone, two-way radio, paging and data communications, personal communications, automotive, defense and space electronics and computers. Communications devices, computers and millions of consumer products are powered by Motorola semiconductors. Motorola's 1993 sales were $17 billion.
IBM Microelectronics, PowerPC, PowerPC 601, PowerPC 603, PowerPC 604 and PowerPC 620 are trademarks of the IBM Corporation.