The new PowerPC microprocessor (see photo) will be available immediately in speeds of 400, 500 and 600MHz, with production ramping in April, IBM said. A 700MHz model is targeted to be available as a sample in May. Based on quantities of 10,000 pieces, pricing for companies interested in using it would be US$57 for the 400 MHz model, $93.75 for 500 MHz and $143.75 for 600 MHz.
The 750CXe incorporates 256KB of high-speed on-chip L2 cache. The new chip is the first to use copper-based embedded technology at 0.18 microns, which contributes “to higher clock speeds and lower power consumption than competitive chip architectures,” the company said.
“With on-chip L2 cache, the 750CXe opens board space and reduces cost by eliminating the need for external SRAM chips. At the same time, it operates at higher frequencies than its predecessors,” said Jeff Durst, product marketing manager of Artesyn Communication Products. “This will allow Artesyn to boost performance in the PM/PPC product family — a line of PowerPC-based processor PCI mezzanine cards — while delivering cost-effective solutions to customers.”