Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Does 12" Powerbook use same screen as iBook?

P

psylance

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 18, 2004
18
0
I saw a very interesting article on macosrumors.com:
http://www.macosrumors.com/42504A.php

It was written by a guy who is about to buy a new 12" Powerbook and he was overjoyed to find out that Apple has improved the display. At least that was what the Mac salesperson told him. I would love to know if anyone can confirm this with a more reputable source.

Apparently, until now, while the 15" and 17" Powerbooks had high quality LCDs, the 12" was using the same display as the 12" iBook and it was of noticably inferior quality. I found this shooking (especially since I am right about to purchase a new 12" Powerbook)!

If you want to see confirmation of the claim that the display was the same between the iBook and the Powerbook you can look here:
http://www.macosrumors.com/42204E2.php

And here:
http://www.osnews.com/story.php?news_id=2776&page=2

:confused: Please, someone, please, please reassure me that this is no longer the case. From my perspective the screen is the MOST important part of the computer. It's what you are staring at all day. I really hope, if the old rumors were true, that someone out there can confirm that the new one is true too and the the LCD has indeed been improved!

If anyone can confirm this for me thanks a million in advance!
 
Fuchal

Fuchal

macrumors 68030
Sep 30, 2003
2,607
1,086
Hmm.

I have an 867 12", and after a quick Color Calibration, the screen looks GORGEOUS.
 
QCassidy352

QCassidy352

macrumors G5
Mar 20, 2003
12,028
6,036
Bay Area
the salesperson was correct. The 12" PB used a TFT XGA screen for its first two revisions, identical to that of the ibook. It now uses a true TFT screen, which is brighter and crisper, same as the other powerbooks. Look at the tech specs for each:

http://www.apple.com/powerbook/specs.html
http://www.apple.com/ibook/specs.html

The ibook says "TFT XGA" and the powerbook does not. On the powerbook page for the last revision, the 12" used to say TFT XGA while the bigger two did not.

I should also just say, though, that I have a 12" rev. B PB, and the screen is very nice. So if it's even nicer now, that would just be an added bonus.
 
C

Crikey

macrumors 6502
Jan 14, 2004
356
0
Spencer's Butte, Oregon
Hey, all,

The "XGA" designator isn't about how the screen was made, it's the name of an ancient IBM "high resolution" display that ran at (gasp) 1024x768 pixels instead of their "VGA" which ran at 640x480 pixels. "VGA resolution" caught on as a way of saying 640x480 pixels, and now people (even Apple) call any 1024x768 screen "XGA".

Apple was just saying that the PowerBook (and iBook) have a 1024x768 TFT screen.

Back when the 12" PowerBook ran at 867MHz and the iBooks had G3s, I was curious about this question and compared the two one day in the store. I recall thinking that the PowerBook's screen looked slightly better, so I assumed they were not identical. The differences were slight enough that individual manufacturing tolerances could have explained them, though.

I certainly didn't have any complaints about the way either screen looked. I think the iBook has a very nice screen for an "affordable" notebook.

Cheers,


Crikey
 
P

psylance

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 18, 2004
18
0
So no one knows?

Humm, I was really hoping I could get some feedback from someone out there who knows. I also thought that this would be something more people would be concerned about. Oh well, I was sold on a Powerbook before hearing the rumor, and I am still happily counting the days until I can purchase it, ibook screen or not. :eek:
 
P

psylance

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 18, 2004
18
0
Just bought it! WOOOOT!

:D I just had someone buy my existing Fujitsu Lifebook and seconds later I placed my order for a 12" Powerbook. I've been waiting over 8 months for this! I'll let you know first hand how gorgeous the screen is as soon as it arrives.

Welcome to the Mac world! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom