More power, any takers?

As Intel introduces the world to the era of 2 gigahertz-and-beyond PC

processing power, many are once again asking why the average consumer and

business user would need such vast power in their computers.

The question has been posed many times over the years, all the way back to

the beginning of the Moore's Law era at a time when a few hundred kilohertz

seemed plenty to do word processing, Lotus 1-2-3 and dBase II.

The reality is that even at 2 GHz, there will be a need for 3 or 5 GHz,

whether to run HDTV-quality movies full screen or a high-speed 3D-simulation

game.

3D Simulation has barely begun to affect computer users. But even five years

ago, the then Intel CEO Andy Grove showed in his Comdex keynote address that

while certainly impressive, 3D graphics simulation at 10 GHz was still far from

sufficient to create a true real-world-like computer graphics experience.

Perhaps at 100 GHz that will be possible, Grove said then.

And as long as computers sporting these extremely high-end processors don't

cost any more than last year's model performing at half the speed, what argument

can be made against proceeding with the Moore's Law of continued computer

performance enhancement?

"It's quite similar to buying a car; you want the best possible engine

you can put in this," Intel senior vice president and general manager,

Architecture Group, Albert Yu told a press briefing. "We're pushing the

edge of technology." Today's edge that is. And today's "leading edge"

barely represents 10 per cent of the capabilities of the technology already

demonstrated in today's most advanced scientific and engineering laboratories.

The designs for 10-20 GHz processors and 64-256 GHz DRAM chips are on the

drawing boards of the engineers that scratch the true edges of today's

technological possibilities.

So when are you current or behind the times? I have to rule that I will not

consider any new PC purchase unless the new system can offer three times the

performance at roughly the same price.

That means my 180 MHz PowerMac is about to be moved next to the Apple II+

MacPlus and the original Powerbook that preceded it. A new 550 MHz G4 PowerMac

Cube appears to be in my future as soon as the price comes down to around

$1,800.

How about a Windows PC at 1.1 GHz you say? No thanks. It just wouldn't look

right.