If you’ve followed computer news recently, you’ve seen links to articles about 10 GHz processors from Intel (Intel Plans $1500 10GHz PC) and IBM (IBM Reveals 10GHz, 0.13µ PowerPC Chip Tech). Well, Apple certainly hasn’t been left out in the cold – rest assured that Steve Jobs is prepared. Taking a page from the Intel play book, he’s just announced a G5 machine running at 10 GHz!

The Power Macintosh G5/10G will use the new technology to run at a screaming 10 GHz with four CPUs sharing a 16 MB intelligent L2 cache. The computer itself will ship with a gigabyte of memory and a 200 GB hard drive.

Addressing the “oops, we blew it on CD-R” issue, the G5/10G will incorporate a single drive that supports CD, CD-R, CD-RW, DVD, DVD-RAM, and the new triple-density 2 GB recordable CD format.

Gigabit ethernet will also be supplemented with 10 Gbps ethernet, making Apple the first to announce use of the as-yet-nonexistent technology.

Unlike earlier Power Macs, the G5/10G will be fanless, just like the Cube and iMac. The only sound you’ll hear will be the 20,000 rpm hard drive spinning, the keys clicking, and the saliva hitting the floor as Windows users drool.

Jobs did make it clear this is a product preannouncement, just as he did with the iMac, 500 MHz Power Mac G4, and iBook. The Power Mac G5/10G will not be available for purchase until after Macworld San Francisco – the exact year is as yet undetermined.

Still, next time some Wintel user bugs you about The GHz Gap, ask him when Gateway, Compaq, Dell, etc. will announce a 10 GHz model!

– Anne Onymus

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