Motorola Inc has launched its expected next-generation PowerPC microprocessors, the PowerPC 740 and 750 chips, speeding up system level performance while using up less power. At the same time, Motorola launched new 604e PowerPCs using the same .25 micron manufacturing process. Unsurprisingly, Apple Computer Inc and Motorola Computer Group, along with Macintosh clonemakers Umax Corp and Power Computing Corp all came out in support of the chip. The level 2 cache enhancements will help the chip’s acceptance into real-time industrial control markets, and also boost high-end graphics and multimedia applications. The chips, available in small quantities today, with production ramping up during the third quarter, run at 200MHz, 233MHz or 266MHz in the 4 to 6 watt power range, have a 32Kb integer cache and 32Kb data cache, and 6.35m transistors. The 266MHz 750 version runs at 12.4 SPECint95 and 8.4 SPECfp95. Prices are $378 (200MHz) $568 (266MHz) and $433 (233MHz) in quantities of 1,000. The new 604e chips run at 350MHz and operate in the 6 to 8 watt power dissipation range, and cost $695 per 1,000 at 350MHz.