Dual G4 PowerBooks?

MacRumors · Sep 10, 2003

PowerPage.org provides Part 2 of their previous report and expect 1.25GHz speeds with a 15.4" -- (while our own sources claimed 15.2".)

The most interesting note is that they expect Dual G4s PowerBooks to arrive before the G5 makes its way into the PowerBook.

In Part I, PowerPage previously reported that they did not feel that PowerBook revisions were likely at Apple Expo next week.

e-coli · Sep 10, 2003

nice!

That's what I would love to have. Even more so than a G5 powerbook. Dualies with OS X is so nice.

theipodgod16 · Sep 10, 2003

well, it would be a partial explanation as to the delays (need 2x as many processors as previous incarnations of powerbook g4)

Waluigi · Sep 10, 2003

There have been numerous dual G4 powerbook rumors in the past. Is there any more validity to this one?

--Waluigi

noverflow · Sep 10, 2003

I hope not, that just seems like a means to stalling. The power consumption on them would be huge. then you would have to have it so that it was only a dual when it was plugged-in. Also the felt heat from one of those cpus is enough for me, they would be too hot for me when i was using it plugged in and on my lap. The metal case transfers too much heat to the user.

ELYXR · Sep 10, 2003

Originally posted by noverflow
I hope not, that just seems like a means to stalling. The power consumption on them would be huge. then you would have to have it so that it was only a dual when it was plugged-in. Also the felt heat from one of those cpus is enough for me, they would be too hot for me when i was using it plugged in and on my lap. The metal case transfers too much heat to the user.

I agree with the heat issue. We had a 12" PB demo at the Apple reseller I used to work for. The Apple reps told us to uninstall the multimedia software demo because it would make the chassis too hot to touch over the left hand rest. That is where the **harddrive** is located on the 12". I hope they can pull off dualies though, Apple has to come out with something really awesome after the G5 towers, and they know it! If they could get the heat down, I'd buy one in a second.

As far as the power issue, I disagree. I think if one CPU worked on battery power and gave you 5 hours of life and dual procs yielded 3 hours, that would be pretty cool. Remember, a lot of the juice is getting used to power the LCD screen. My $.02

CmdrLaForge · Sep 11, 2003

G4 with dual core

Hi ,

I read an interesting article about Moto working on a G4 with a dual core. That means one processor with two cores. Its like a two processors in one. Maybe thats the way they make it.

Cheers

panphage · Sep 11, 2003

Re: G4 with dual core

Originally posted by CmdrLaForge
Hi ,

I read an interesting article about Moto working on a G4 with a dual core. That means one processor with two cores. Its like a two processors in one. Maybe thats the way they make it.

Cheers

BwAAAAAAAAHAAAHAAAA!!!! Oh, man, that's one of the funniest things I've heard all month. Let's wait and see the 7457's, that were announced for Q4, then stated to be available early (Mid-August) and I guess now are on for Q4 again, before we start looking for dual cores. Maybe Moto will have that legendary dual-core part available NEXT October(at a zippy 1.5GHz!!!!) Maybe Microsoft will go Open Source and maybe, just maybe, Amiga will come back strong and take 90% marketshare. As long as we're dreaming...

byteborg · Sep 11, 2003

Re: G4 with dual core

Originally posted by CmdrLaForge
Hi ,

I read an interesting article about Moto working on a G4 with a dual core. That means one processor with two cores. Its like a two processors in one. Maybe thats the way they make it.

Cheers

In fact, IBM's POWER4 (their workstation pendant to G5) should be a twin-core on one dye.

Due to IBM's heavy involvement in Development of the G5 PowerMac, I guess that Motorola's days are over. The announcement at the latest trade show in Frankfurt, Germany, was that IBM produces the CPUs and the chip set for the G5 platform.

Regards,
/k

Vroem · Sep 11, 2003

I guess there is some logic.

Motorola made the 7457s available earlier than expected.
But there is a shortage of 15-inch LCDs, so the powerbooks are delayed
Apple has more processors and less screens
Since the 7457 has a very low consuption they put two of them in one powerbook.

If this is true then Apple must have known for a long time that there was a shortage on LCDs.

dietsoda · Sep 11, 2003

I suppose this could explain the delay, and even if they were ready, maybe Steve wanted to wait to announce them himself. There really is no way to navigate through all of these contradicting rumors. It's now been so long that I'm hoping to make do with a lime green ibook from work untill we see a G5 PB.

Stella · Sep 11, 2003

ROTFL.

If ONE of these PB rumours come true, Rumour sites had BETTER NOT CONGRATULATE themselves for getting it right... they've got almost daily predictions.. they can't fail to be wrong one of these days...

Anyway, dual processor PB?? Seriously this would be a major battery drainer? How long would the batteries not last?

bluedalmatian · Sep 11, 2003

" Seriously this would be a major battery drainer? How long would the batteries not last?"

Probably about as long as my Dell laptop - 90 minutes LOL

Its only got 1 processor but it has got dual fans

tpjunkie · Sep 11, 2003

w00t! another powerbook rumor! At this point I think we have heard every possible permutation of hardware for the upcoming revision.

Vroem · Sep 11, 2003

Correct me if I'm wrong but I read on this motorola.com page ...

The MPC7457 and MPC7447 can perform at 1 GHz while consuming less than 10 Watts, making them ideal for high-performance, power dissipation-sensitive applications such as network control plane processing.

When I read the posts I start to think this is not true, but if it is, it would enable Apple to put two of them in one powerbook, wouldn't it?

AppleMatt · Sep 11, 2003

Originally posted by ELYXR
The Apple reps told us to uninstall the multimedia software demo because it would make the chassis too hot to touch over the left hand rest. That is where the CPU is located on the 12".

No, the CPU is located at the back of the machine just next to the graphics chip. The hard-drive is under the left palm rest, and it's the hard-drive which is causing most of the heat problems (along with the power-board), not the CPU.

AppleMatt

chazmox · Sep 11, 2003

This guy seems to be going for the MacWhisper's title - the above doesn't pass the common sense test.

1.) SARS really hasn't been an issue for 3 months now. It was a second quarter issue, not a third. Does anyone really think that Apple has had PowerBook intergration issues since the second quarter?

2.) What intergration issues would there be? I can't imagine much. The 7457 is a drop in replacement. The motherboard would not have to be modified on a large scale ( FW800, AE, etc. would be small local mods ) and most of the problems with the case would have been discovered in the 12 inch and 17 inch manufacturing introduction. Again, what issues would take since May??? And this would be after the product was released from design to manufacturing. A three month delay in startup - that seems very long.

And dual G4's easier to cool than a G5??? I doubt it...

crees! · Sep 11, 2003

Battery Life

Some of you are talking about battery life and dual PB's being impossible.. I know it's most likely not available yet (but who knows).. but fuel cells I've read have anywhere from 8-10 hour life to 40 hour battery life. Yes there is a stark difference between 10 and 40 hours but I read that somewhere.

x86isslow · Sep 11, 2003

40 hr battery

NEC 40 hr laptop battery

Sol · Sep 11, 2003

Dual G4 PowerBook not impossible

I do not think that dual G4 PowerBooks are impractical for technical reasons. These are portable processors and a second one would not dramatically increase the overall system heat or drain the battery much quicker. As someone allready mentioned on this thread, the hard drive and the screen are the biggest culprits in portable systems.

Anyway, the 17 inch PowerBook has enough room for an even bigger battery than most laptops and more fans.

One thing is for sure, OS X runs at its best with two processors and a 32MB graphics card.

e2chris · Sep 11, 2003

Cpu heat on12inch

this dude worked for apple and thinks the CPU is under the left hand palm rest. WOW! I swear I have yet to meet anyone with any knowledge of anything at the Apple Stores.

e2chris · Sep 11, 2003

my 2¢ (option 4 dude)

EOM

-hh · Sep 11, 2003

DP Powerbook ... first DP Notebook ever?

Hmmm...a DP Powerbook. I seem to recall predicting this awhile back as a way for Apple to work around MHz/GHz myth problems.

In any event, it does bring up a slightly different question:

Has anyone in the world sold a DP Notebook yet?

If not, then there's "bragging rights" to be had for the advertising and marketing departments to take advantage of.

It would also help redeem Steve's "Year of the Laptop" claim.

-hh

Powerbook G5 · Sep 11, 2003

This is just like the week before WWDC...first the rumors of G5 PowerBooks, then the rumors of dual G4 PowerBooks...before too long I'll hear rumors of dual G5 PowerBooks then I'll know for sure that there is some seriously bad weed some people are smoking. Just eat a couple of carrots instead, for the love of God!

Sol · Sep 11, 2003

Similar rumours

Originally posted by Powerbook G5
This is just like the week before WWDC...

At least no-one is talking about video iPods and how Apple has to release them before the competition beats them to it. What were they thinking? Until Apple does portable video no-one will care about such devices.

Dual G4 PowerBooks?

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