G5 PowerBooks Speculation

[iGav]

Interesting article at Business week....

rinky dink link...

http://www.businessweek.com/technolo...5848_tc056.htm

[jamdr]

Well, March would be a lot better than summer, or during the WWDC at the end of June. As nice as the current line of PowerBooks is, they still aren't very fast. Certainly, their other features make up for that (in my opinion, which is why I bought one), but I'm really looking forward to a G5 PowerBook. I probably wouldn't buy a Rev. A, but once the technology is out there, I'm sure we will see it advance as nicely as the Desktop G5s.

Ever since last summer when the PowerMac G5 was released, I have been hoping that the PowerBook would be released during MWSF, but I guess that is becoming less and less likely. If they can ship one by March, though, I would be happy. I can't wait to see what it looks like...

[iGav]

Originally posted by jamdr
Well, March would be a lot better than summer, or during the WWDC at the end of June. As nice as the current line of PowerBooks is, they still aren't very fast. Certainly, their other features make up for that (in my opinion, which is why I bought one), but I'm really looking forward to a G5 PowerBook. I probably wouldn't buy a Rev. A, but once the technology is out there, I'm sure we will see it advance as nicely as the Desktop G5s.

Ever since last summer when the PowerMac G5 was released, I have been hoping that the PowerBook would be released during MWSF, but I guess that is becoming less and less likely. If they can ship one by March, though, I would be happy. I can't wait to see what it looks like...

PowerBook G5 is what I'm waiting for.... I just don't see a reason to spend the $ on a current PowerBook to replace my 1GHz TiBook.

I'm hoping for a WDC announcement and maybe July shipping, as that'll give me a saving up period.

As for the looks, I'd figure on it being pretty much the same as the current range as they've just been overhauled, I must admit, and I know I'm in the minority here, but I'd like to see and appearance of the G5's venting holes on it... love the G5 me....

[mactastic]

The simple solution to all of these problems is to introduce a low-power, slower-speed chip specifically for laptops. That's what Apple and Motorola have done in the past with G4 laptop chips.

Is that true? I was under the impression that the G4 was the same chip whether laptop or desktop.

[dongmin]

Originally posted by mactastic
Is that true? I was under the impression that the G4 was the same chip whether laptop or desktop.

no you're correct. there's only one chip for both desktop and laptop. BUT the G4 was designed from the get-go to be used as an embedded processor, meaning lower power consumption. The 970, on the other hand, is an adaptation of a server chip, which is at the opposite spectrum.

[PeteyKohut]

Well...I must say that this discussion is a bit more interesting than yesterday's cell-phone/PDA rumor rehash. I for one hope it does come out (who doesn't). Though, I am one to always wait for the first revision. So....I probably won't own one until 2005.

[Sonofhaig]

Do you think we'll get any info from the upcoming show?

[iggyb]

Hopefully, the new servers will be announced at MacWorld. They surely are due for an upgrade.

Although G5 Powerbooks sound suh-weet, I imagine we'll be waiting for quite some time before we can get a machine like that in our hands.

[robotrenegade]

Sounds like music to my ears.

[SpY2K]

once they figure out the cooling issues, this beast will be unstoppable! I've been informed they are ahead of schedule and that the G5 portables will be out in early 2004... although I am very skeptical of my source... and my own knowledge of the delays in the revised aluminum PowerBook G4s... lets hope sooner than later though

[mrsebastian]

drool... gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!

[Maclicious]

You know, I thought I'd be dying to get one of these powerbook G5s--but Apple did too good a job on its 17 inch alubooks. I can't think of a blessed thing that troubles me about my PB laptop experience (I'm on it 8+ hours a day, writing, blogging, or suring). I'm still using Jaguar for god sakes! (that'll probably change after Christmas, though). This last year's worth of computer usage has been the best of my life.

Worse, my wife still really likes using my old tangerine iBook clamshell. If she was slobbering after my 17 inch alubook, I could see myself inching towards wanting a G5 PB. (Maybe that tangerine is due for an accident?... maybe, after the actual release of the powerbook G5, Rev B).

;-)

[beefcake]

PowerBook rumors?

Here we go again

[RedMacMan]

I feel sorry for all those poor bastards holding out for a PBG5... My PBG4 15" 1.25GHz+airport+superdrive+80GB@5400RPM+Panther is purrrrrrrrrrfect.

[Sabenth]

when there on the shelf or at the keynote ??? and i say when and if in a big way.. rumors are great but this is getting silly

[DTphonehome]

Would be really really nice to start med school in September with a shiny new PB G5. My 667Mhz DVI TiBook is doing just fine, but I have uncontrollable techno-lust.

It rolls off the tongue nicely, too. Try it...PB G5.

--DT

[WK2003]

Originally posted by RedMacMan
I feel sorry for all those poor bastards holding out for a PBG5... My PBG4 15" 1.25GHz+airport+superdrive+80GB@5400RPM+Panther is purrrrrrrrrrfect.

Amen to that....and frankly, I am getting a little tired of all these PB G5 rumors....it will come out when it comes out....can't be happier with my 1.25GHz Al-book either in the mean time....

[ITR 81]

I believe Apple will speed bump the entire PB lineup once again giving these #'s

17 = 1.42
15 = 1.33
12 = 1.25

Before the G5 PB is released. So if a speed bump happens in Jan. I expect the G5 PB 3-4 months from the day the speed bump PB's ship.

[greenstork]

Reality check, the properties that make a chip good for a Blade server ARE NOT the same properties that make a chip good for a laptop. Servers have the luxury of jet turnbines cooling them, while laptops do not have that luxury. So while the scarcity of space is the same, to some extent (but really not even close as servers have a great deal more room under the hood than a 1" thick laptop), the power requirements of high speed fans cannot compare. Laptops simply cannot have fans running constantly if you want any more than 2 hours of battery life. If this is the only rationale that this guy can come up with for a G5 in a laptop then it's just pure speculation and he's talking out of his ass. I could be wrong but I have serious doubts a G5 will ever make it into a PB or perhaps more accurately, I have doubts that it will make it into all of the PB's.

The Motorola chip is, for the most part, the same in desktops as it is in laptops and rest assured that if a G5 goes into a laptop that it will be largely different that it's desktop brother.

I've got my money on a specially designed mobile chip for Apple PB's, like maybe the rumored 750VX with SIMD.

[iLilana]

I would be happy with a 1Ghz iBook. So long as it has Bluetooth and FWE, I would be in heaven. Try hauling an eMac back and for to work. Not really designed for portability... obviously.

[SpY2K]

hehehe... it is humurous that those that just do not care about this development are the proud owners of an under one year old G4 laptop.............. that is perfect for them, nothing wrong with that

...the rumors never stop, the development never stops, technology progresses and the day a new Apple product gets released that replaces the one you currently own, it gives you a strange combination of envy as well as feelings that "it doesn't really matter, mine works fine for me"... I have experiences this myself, as well as observed each and every friend of mine that owns an Apple computer show the sames signs immediatly following a keynote or product release.

Of course in my experience I got the "double-whammy" in that my Sawtooth G4 was replaced by the exact same system with 2 processors for the exact same price as what I had just paid less than a month before hand... of course I was new to Apple at that time, and have since learned the right timing for purchases to avoid this feeling... but it never goes away...

[daveL]

Originally posted by ITR 81
I believe Apple will speed bump the entire PB lineup once again giving these #'s

17 = 1.42
15 = 1.33
12 = 1.25

Before the G5 PB is released. So if a speed bump happens in Jan. I expect the G5 PB 3-4 months from the day the speed bump PB's ship.

A speed bump like this isn't worth the expense of changing the spec sheets. There's no reason to bother. All you would get is a little more heat and a little less battery. In normal use, you'd never even notice an 80 MHz clock increase (15", 17"), and there's a reason the 12" is at 1 GHz: Heat. Just my take.

[neilw]

A speed bump like this isn't worth the expense of changing the spec sheets. There's no reason to bother. All you would get is a little more heat and a little less battery. In normal use, you'd never even notice an 80 MHz clock increase (15", 17"), and there's a reason the 12" is at 1 GHz: Heat. Just my take.

That is quite true, except that it does open up a little space for a minor speed bump for the iBooks.

If they added L3 cache (adding more heat and draining battery life more, of course) they *might* be able to add enough performance to make it worthwhile, but I doubt it.

Lets face it, any *real* speed bump for the PowerBook is now going to require a new chip, be it the G5 or the rumored 750VX. The Motorola G4's have gone as far as they can, unless Motorola pulls a surprise out of their hat (probability: infinitesimal.)

That is why I'm hoping for G5 PowerBooks sooner rather than later; the alternative seems to be another 9 month stretch (or longer!) for the PowerBooks without significant performance boost. Not good.

[~Shard~]

I originally predicted a summer 2004 date for the G5 PB release, so sounds like things might be right on track. Sooner would be better, but I don't think that's very likely due to all the factors involved.

[parrothead]

I, for one, would welcome a G5 powerbook with open arms, and open wallet.