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Desktop Computers

Apple Computer was the dominant player in the market of desktop computers based on PowerPC processors until 2006 when it switched to Intel-based processors. Apple used PowerPC processors in the Power Mac, iMac, eMac, PowerBook, iBook, Mac mini, and Xserve. Classic Macintosh accelerator boards using PowerPCs were made by DayStar Digital, Newer Technology, Sonnet Technologies, and TotalImpact.

There have been several attempts to create PowerPC reference platforms for desktop computers by IBM and others: The IBM PReP (PowerPC Reference Platform) is a system standard intended to ensure compatibility among PowerPC-based systems built by different companies; IBM POP (PowerPC Open Platform) is an open and free standard and design of PowerPC motherboards. Pegasos ODW (Open Desktop Workstation) is an open and free standard and design of PowerPC motherboards based on Marvell Discovery II (MV64361) chipset; PReP standard specifies the PCI bus, but will also support ISA, MicroChannel, and PCMCIA. PReP-compliant systems will be able to run OS/2, AIX, Solaris, Taligent, and Windows NT; and the CHRP (Common Hardware Reference Platform) is an open platform agreed on by Apple, IBM, and Motorola. All CHRP systems will be able to run Mac OS, OS/2-PPC, Windows NT, AIX, Solaris, Novell Netware. CHRP is a superset of PReP and the PowerMac platforms.

Power.org is working on a new Power Architecture Platform Reference, PAPR, that will provide the foundation for development of Power Architecture computers based on the Linux operating system. The PAPR spec is scheduled for final release third quarter 2006.

List of desktop computers based on PowerPC:

Servers

  • Apple
  • Genesi
    • Open Server Workstation (OSW) with dual IBM PowerPC 970MP CPU.
    • High density blade server (rack server).
  • IBM
    • Rack server.

Supercomputers

  • IBM
    • BlueGene Supercomputer. On each processing node, there are two PowerPC 440 cores (700 MHz). The current fastest PowerPC based supercomputer: DOE/NNSA/LLNL Machine: IBM BlueGene/L. CPU: 131,072 PowerPC 440 (700 MHz). Main Memory: 32768 GB. Rmax: 280.6 Teraflops.
  • Virginia Tech
    • Supercomputer based on 1100 Apple PowerMac G5.
    • Supercomputer based on Apple Xserve (PowerPC G5).

Personal digital assistants

IBM released a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) reference platform ("Arctic") based on PowerPC 405LP (Low Power). This project is discontinued after IBM sold PowerPC 4XX design to AMCC.

Game consoles

All three major game console manufacturers announced in 2005 that their next-generation consoles will contain PowerPC-based processors. Sony's PlayStation 3 console, to be released in November 2006, will contain a Cell processor, including a 3.2 GHz PowerPC control processor and eight 3.2 GHz closely coupled DSP-like accelerator processors, seven active and one spare; Microsoft's Xbox 360 console, available now, includes a 3.2 GHz custom IBM PowerPC chip with three symmetrical cores, each core SMP-capable at two threads, and Nintendo's Wii console, which is shipping November,19th,2006, contains an extension of the PowerPC architecture found in their previous system, the GameCube.

TV Set Top Boxes/Digital Recorder

IBM, Sony, and Zarlink Semiconductor had released several Set Top Box (STB) reference platforms based on IBM PowerPC 405 cores and IBM Set Top Box (STB) System-On-Chip (SOC)

Printers/Graphics

Network/USB Devices

Automotive

Medical Equipments

  • Horatio - patient simulator for training doctor and nurse.
  • Matrox image processing subsystem for medical equipment: MRI, CAT, PET, USG

Military and Aerospace

  • The RAD6000 and RAD750 (234A510, 234A511, 244A325) radiation-hardened processors, used in several spacecraft. The RAD6000 was developed by IBM Federal Systems, now a part of BAE Systems, and the RAD750 is the successor. The RAD6000 was used on several Mars rovers and other important spacecraft.
  • Maxwell radiation hardened Single Board Computer (SBC) for space and military projects.
  • U.S. Navy submarine sonar systems.[citation needed]
  • Canadarm for International Space Station (ISS) created by MacDonald, Detwiller & Associates (MDA).

Point of Sales

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