New PowerBooks on Tuesday.

[MacRumors]

We've received further confirmation that Apple will be updating PowerBooks on Tuesday. Details are scarce, but rumors suggest 3 models with a price range from $1999 to $2999. Specific sizes not specified.

Last week, AppleInsider "positively confirmed" 15" PowerBook updates last week at Apple Expo, while in August ThinkSecret had suggested that 12" PowerBooks would follow after 15" and 17" updates.

(While purely speculation, the three models could represent two 15" models and a 17" model.)

[theipodgod16]

finally, just waiting for the money to fall into my lap now. heh, lets hope they are g5's.

BTW, just to put it out there, what are the chances of a 12 inch widescreen powerbook, to match the 15'' and 17''??

[DrGonzo]

Could it be? The last powerbook rumor! I can only hope.

[arn]

sorry...

rumor edited.

3 models. Screen sizes were not specified. So could simply represent pricing for 15" models only. or two 15" and a 17".

arn

[geekpunk]

doesnt break my heart like all the other rumors about the pb... ive been waiting about 2 months to buy one for work....

[Ikash]

Yea lets hope that they don't raise the prices from the current models. and lets hope that they put the light up keybord in all the models not just the high end. i mean 2 grand for the 15" is fine but lets hope they don't raise it to 2500 or something for the low end

[chazmox]

Interesting... a narrowing of the price range. Seems to indicate that the specs of all three models will be brought together with screen sizes ( and maybe graphics cards ) being the main differentiator.

I am somewhat surprised that the low end will be brought up that much; however, if all three share the same processor ( 1.33 GHz 7457? ), have the lighted keyboard, and the 12" get's L3 and DVI out, then this makes some sense.

Wonder when they will be shipping? And wonder when they will be at retailers? I'd like to buy immediately, but I would also like to avoid the Apple Store sales tax!

[howard]

holy crap!! with those prices they have to be G5's!!!

well at least i can hope so...

i can't wait in any case...and it won't be long!

[mxpiazza]

i'd be VERY surprised if the laptops are g5's... lets be realistic here people, these things are simply waaaay too hot to be realistic laptop processors at the current production processes and speeds. however, if they do end up coming out with a g5 powerbook... my 1.8 g5 has a 30-day guarennteed return period.

[joephish]

Ah, that sounds much more likely, seeing as how the 15" is currently $1999 as it is. So basically we would be looking at an upgraded one at the same price, plus a couple of badass ones :-)

Although 3 models of 15" sounds a bit much?! Maybe that means 2 15" and 1 17"? Which means no 12" :-( I dunno, I suppose I should just shut up and wait and see!

[arn]

Originally posted by joephish

Although 3 models of 15" sounds a bit much?! Maybe that means 2 15" and 1 17"? Which means no 12" :-( I dunno, I suppose I should just shut up and wait and see!

also possible. (rumor post updated with info from thinksecret's old rumor)

arn

[snofseth]

This better be real I'm getting tired of these rumors, but if not a G5 i wont care I'm fine with my 12" until they go G5 sure the dvi would be nice but i cant afford an external monitor so dont care about that, but I am pissed my 12'' wobles but I have all 4 rubber feet. Lets see if these updates will be worthy of telling someone like my uncle or father they sould get one I hope so!, by the way when will they be annouced is it 4am in the moring tuesday? That would be cool wake up 2 new powerbooks maybe even something else panther or a new somethinng.

[miradu]

As a 3 month in wait 12 inch soon to be buyer, this rumor is just going from awesome to simply depressing.

[amin]

$1999 sounds about right for a new version G4 12" PB. After all the "old" 12" PB w/ SuperDrive came out at $1999. I am guessing that the new 12"er still won't have L3 cache or DVI out.

[Vlade]

Originally posted by howard
holy crap!! with those prices they have to be G5's!!!

well at least i can hope so...

I agree, who would pay 3000 bucks for a G4 right now, not me anyways!

[Freg3000]

There were 3 15" PowerBook models before MWSF: 867 MHz w/Combo, 1 Ghz w/Super, and a BTO 1 Ghz w/Combo. However, a 1999 to 2999 price range for only 15" is very wide (unless they are G5s). I don't believe that though, so would agree with Arn that this seems to be for the 15" and 17" PowerBooks only.

Perhaps the 12" PowerBook won't be upgraded because it is selling so well already, or because it can't be upgraded due to heat concerns. Just about 36 hours to go.....

Edit:

Originally posted by mxpiazza
i'd be VERY surprised if the laptops are g5's... lets be realistic here people, these things are simply waaaay too hot to be realistic laptop processors at the current production processes and speeds. however, if they do end up coming out with a g5 powerbook... my 1.8 g5 has a 30-day guarennteed return period.

True-at these clock speeds. Who says they couldn't make a 1.2 or 1.4 GHz G5? The G5 is cooler than the G4 at lower clock speeds. These prices without being pegged to certain models certainly makes it interesting.

[psxndc]

I'm glad this is happening early in the morning. Since my surgery is at 2:30 PM EST, if something goes wrong, at least I can die saying I finally saw the PB updates.

-p

PS It is minor surgery (abdominal hernia) so don't anyone go getting worried.

[bennetsaysargh]

i guees it is true! another week, another powerbook rumpr! wow, they didn't wait for even a day into the week for this one

[yujini]

With those pricings, there's no way it would be G5s.
I'd think apple would try to make as much profits
for the new g5 powerbooks.

IF it were 2 15inch pbooks and a 17inch,
then 17inch actually gets another price drop?

I'd guess that they'd go back to the original pricing
before the price drop if the G5s were in them.

[XnavxeMiyyep]

Originally posted by Freg3000

True-at these clock speeds. Who says they couldn't make a 1.2 or 1.4 GHz G5? The G5 is cooler than the G4 at lower clock speeds. These prices without being pegged to certain models certainly makes interesting.

If the G5 truly is cooler than the G4 at those clock speeds, then I don't see why they wouldn't put it into at least the 15" and 17". It may be too big for the 12" at this point.

[daveschroeder]

Originally posted by mxpiazza
i'd be VERY surprised if the laptops are g5's...lets be realistic here people, these things are simply waaaay too hot to be realistic laptop processors at the current production processes and speeds.

Wrong. This is an incorrect statement that, for some reason, keeps getting repeated. As with all incorrect statements, saying it over and over again doesn't make it true.

According to IBM's PowerPC 970 documentation, a 1.2 GHz PowerPC 970 comes in at 19W power dissipation (typical), while a 1.8 GHz PowerPC 970 comes in at 42W.

Meanwhile, Motorola's PowerPC 74xx documentation indicates that a 1 GHz PowerPC 7455, the latest processor about which data is available, dissipates 35.5W (typical) (and 50W max).[1]

Power dissipation (typical) per MHz:

PowerPC 7455: 0.0355W
PowerPC 970 (1.1v): 0.0158W
PowerPC 970 (1.3v): 0.0233W

It's easy to see that, clock for clock, the PowerPC 970 consumes much less power - and therefore dissipates less heat - than the PowerPC 74xx. The current 1.8 GHz G5 numbers aren't significantly higher than a 1.0 GHz G4...it's therefore not hard to imagine the G5 making its debut in a portable machine in the future.

That said, the new machines on Tuesday will likely not be G5s, but it's not because the G5's are "waaay too hot", when in fact just the opposite it true.

[1] Yes, the prevailing rumors indicate that the PowerPC 7457 will be used in any new PowerBook, and will presumably consume less power, and therefore dissipate less heat, per clock. However, since the clock speed is likely being increased, total power dissipation is likely to remain similar.

[eric67]

What I think, and from my personal info is that the 12"GHz will be updated but nothind dramatical; whereas the 17" will probably get the 1.25 GHz, since there is enough space for improving the cooling system (it will most probably be a 7455 rev at the beginning before it goes 7457...); concerning the 15", then I have heard 2 types of rumors; the few 7457 processor ready will be put in the 15" @ 1.25GHz to allow speed jump without scarifying the battery life. so, my view :
15" @ 1GHz
15" @ 1.25GHz
17" @1.25GHZ
the 12" will get FirWire2, USB2 and maybe backlighted keyboard, as for all the 3 others.
let see in 36 hours now, if my guess from personal info were right

[NicoMan]

Originally posted by Freg3000
Perhaps the 12" PowerBook won't be upgraded because it is selling so well already, or because it can't be upgraded due to heat concerns. Just about 36 hours to go.....

That could be the case if Moto can't deliver the 7457s. The 15" and 17" might be OK with a warmer chip, but the 12" is a no-go.
Only a day and a half till the answer.

[eric67]

Originally posted by XnavxeMiyyep
If the G5 truly is cooler than the G4 at those clock speeds, then I don't see why they wouldn't put it into at least the 15" and 17". It may be too big for the 12" at this point.

they have to design a brand new mother board, if they do so, they want the latest technology (and even the future ones) to be included. in addition to desgin new chipset for the G5
I will be very (positively) suprised if Apple can intro a G5 laptop less than 3-4 month after announcing a G5 desktop....

[hmmm]

3 upgrades, 3 models, face it, it's going to be throughout the whole ranger, I mean, why buy a 12" PB when you can get a 900 G3 ibook for so much less with just as much performance (check out the benchmarks) - also both the 12 and 15 is unavailable for most Apple resellers, so it has to be those, especially when you can buy a 17" in just a few days - well whatever it is, I'm looking forward to tuesday!