The Pentium-based symmetric multiprocessing servers IBM Corp is announcing this week have been designed to accommodate PowerPC chips in place of the Intel chips by swapping a processor daughterboard on the motherboard, US PC Week reports. The design will make it possible for users to benchmark their applications under the PowerPC and iAPX-86 versions of OS/2, NetWare and Windows NT when the PowerPC versions of these arrive, and choose the processor that suits them best. Since IBM makes the PowerPC chip but not the Pentium, the move suggests that it is confident that the PowerPC versions will win hands down in straight play-offs. An IBM PC Server 720 using PowerPC processors is expected to cost about the same as the $16,000 Pentium model, and the new motherboard design will enable users to mix and match CPU clock speeds – two 120MHz and two 90MHz Pentiums would be possible for example. The paper also hears that Compaq Computer Corp also has a modular Pentium server that can support the PowerPC running in its labs; Compaq confirmed that it is still testing the PowerPC, but says that it will not release a system until customer demand warrants it.
