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Think Apple will release another G4 powerbook before it brings on the G5?

spaceballl

spaceballl

macrumors 68030
Original poster
I know everyone predicted that the last G4 powerbook revision would be the last. However, that was before IBM was up front with how difficult the transition to 90nm was. That was also before Apple said not to expect a G5 anytime soon. It's doubtful that apple will wait more than 6 months or so to update its PB line. What do you think the update in the fall / early winter will hold? G5s or G4s? Dual core G4s 😱??
-Kevin
 
i don't believe there will be a G5 powerbook in the next year...unless they decide to increase the thickness, weight, etc. and create a bulky monstrosity.

The next G4 may have an L3 cache on it, dual processors (highly doubtful), or they may not update the powerbooks for a year, until they create G5 powerbooks (they waited that long to "update" the G5 already). I'm quite happy with my Rev. C 12" Combo, it's not the best for Final Cut, Maya, etc. but if you're using that software, you're computer should cost more than the license to a program no?
 
I think we'll definitely see them in desktops before laptops. No one is going to want to have a thicker or bulkier laptop for the G5, but maybe that will have to happen.
 
I think that there will be a new G4 first before a PowerBook G5 is ready. Although it seems that Apple splurged on this rev. for it not to be the last (notice how the last rev is always really nice with lower prices?). But I think another G4 first.
–Chase
 
MacFan26 said:
I think we'll definitely see them in desktops before laptops. No one is going to want to have a thicker or bulkier laptop for the G5, but maybe that will have to happen.
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Where have you been for the past year?
 
crees! said:
Where have you been for the past year?
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😱
Oops, I failed to mention I meant in the other desktops besides 'the' G5. So, I think they'd be more likely to show up in the iMac/ maybe eMac prior to seeing them in the PowerBooks. Sorry for the confusion, I do know about the current G5's 🙂
 
MacFan26 said:
😱
Oops, I failed to mention I meant in the other desktops besides 'the' G5. So, I think they'd be more likely to show up in the iMac/ maybe eMac prior to seeing them in the PowerBooks. Sorry for the confusion, I do know about the current G5's 🙂
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YAY!
–Chase
 
Florida Gator said:
why doesnt apple get somebody to build them a laptop chip from the ground up instead of changing desktop and server chips?
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Thank you, i couldnt agree more... this is the reason that the pentium m will have so much success over the g4 untill apple replaces the g4... the g4 is a solid chip with solid performance... but the pentium m screams and soars... it combines the power or a p4 chip with the battery life of a lower frequency p3...

Apple could, and should, dominate the portable market if they could build a mobile processor series... and by this i mean like there next processor shouldnt be a g3 g4 g5 g6 or g-anything... it should be completely different... like apple should have the g series processors for desktops... and like an m series for laptops or some other letter or system of naming...

personally i would like to see the future of their desktop and laptop processors to be researched by completely different people... and have little to do with each other... (besides the sharing of innovative technologys)... because lets face it... the approach in a desktop is different from the approach in a notebook... it took intel MANY LONG YEARS to figure this out... and its working for them... apple needs to realize that for once... they werent the great innovators and they need to accept intels approach...

the g4 is a great chip.. but its time is up... the g5 is even better... but the sacrafices it would take to get it in a notebook would diminish its power and advantages... by the time a DESKTOP chip gets in a notebook... it is already outdated by a notebook chip...
 
Soc7777777 said:
Thank you, i couldnt agree more... this is the reason that the pentium m will have so much success over the g4 untill apple replaces the g4... the g4 is a solid chip with solid performance... but the pentium m screams and soars... it combines the power or a p4 chip with the battery life of a lower frequency p3...

Apple could, and should, dominate the portable market if they could build a mobile processor series... and by this i mean like there next processor shouldnt be a g3 g4 g5 g6 or g-anything... it should be completely different... like apple should have the g series processors for desktops... and like an m series for laptops or some other letter or system of naming...

personally i would like to see the future of their desktop and laptop processors to be researched by completely different people... and have little to do with each other... (besides the sharing of innovative technologys)... because lets face it... the approach in a desktop is different from the approach in a notebook... it took intel MANY LONG YEARS to figure this out... and its working for them... apple needs to realize that for once... they werent the great innovators and they need to accept intels approach...

the g4 is a great chip.. but its time is up... the g5 is even better... but the sacrafices it would take to get it in a notebook would diminish its power and advantages... by the time a DESKTOP chip gets in a notebook... it is already outdated by a notebook chip...
Click to expand...

I understand your frustration, the new Dothans make the G4 prehistoric. However, Apple is not really in the chip making industry, and its not exactly a cheap industry to get into. Semiconductor fabs are notoriously expensive and require continual reinvestment with the latest process, SOI, 65nm, etc, etc. You never stop pouring money into a chip fab. Even if they went the NVidia/ATI route and just did chip design, and outsource manufacture to TSMC or UMC they are still starting from behind. Just look at relative startups like Transmeta and their struggles. Unfortunately its probably the more palatable business risk to align with a major player and hope for the best.
 
back to the original post, there probably will be another G4 pb revision because just look at the GIGANTic heat sinks the new G5 desktops have. It will take a while to figure out a way put that into a laptop.

The idea of a new processor just for the powerbooks is interesting. Maybe IBM is already doing that.
 
I think you'll be seeing a G4 in there for the next 2-3 speed bumps. The new freescale chips are going to go above 2ghz so it wouldn't be out of the question to see 1.6ghz - 1.8ghz for the next round, 2.0 - 2.2 ghz the following round and who knows after that. That huge ass water-cooler on the 2.5ghz PM should be your clue that the G5 isn't going into the PowerBooks anytime soon. My vote is sometime late in 2005 or 2006 for G5's in da books. Hopefully these new Freescale chips will do the ram justice and get a decent FSB.
 
My guess is we'll see at least one more G4 revision, probably in October. If everything goes wel,l PB G5s might be announced at WWDC 2005.
 
bertagert said:
I think you'll be seeing a G4 in there for the next 2-3 speed bumps. The new freescale chips are going to go above 2ghz so it wouldn't be out of the question to see 1.6ghz - 1.8ghz for the next round, 2.0 - 2.2 ghz the following round and who knows after that. That huge ass water-cooler on the 2.5ghz PM should be your clue that the G5 isn't going into the PowerBooks anytime soon. My vote is sometime late in 2005 or 2006 for G5's in da books. Hopefully these new Freescale chips will do the ram justice and get a decent FSB.
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Agree, the Freescale e600 seems to be the natural successor to the current G4. But knowing Moto... It may be a while still. They could easily market these as G5´s or G4 Extreme as they should blow the G4 as we know it out of the water with higher clock frequenzy and a FSB of 400. I´m not sure, but I think they will (may) be offered as both single and dual core. As the G5 seems to produce a lot of heat, I doubt we´ll ever see them in a laptop. After the e600 Freescale may have the e700 ready going 3GHz+.

I will upgrade my TiBook when it happens!
 
Belly-laughs said:
They could easily market these as G5´s or G4 Extreme
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market them as G5-M or M5 or something


Belly-laughs said:
After the e600 Freescale may have the e700 ready going 3GHz+.
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yeah but the e600 wont be ready till mid-late 2005 probably... isnt the e700 64 bit?
 
Good thread.

I'm very interested in the way Apple's notebooks are headed. I'm in the market for one now (just need to save a little cash) but I can hold out for a little while- say, 'til Christmas at the latest.

My dilemma is a common one: buy now (or soon) or wait for the next big thing. My initial reaction is buy now. The wiser and more patient decision would be to wait. And judging by the "Buyer's Guide" section of MacRumors, we can expect another Powerbook upgrade in the fall. But what will it be? A 12" G4 1.5 GHz at the bottom end with newer chips- possibly Freescale's offerings- in the 15" and 17" models? For me, that would suck. I want the 12" model to keep pace with the others, within reason of course, because that's the model I'm most interested in. I just hope they don't shun it when/if they switch to another processor.

Squire
 
Florida Gator said:
why not jan? when many are predicting a new PB...
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Well, Florida Gator, because I'll be going to Florida then and I'd like a notebook for the 20-odd hours I'll be spending in transit. (Something to keep me and the kids busy.) Also, I'll need to do some work while kicking back in Panama City Beach. The 12" Powerbook is my weapon of choice.

Squire
 
Squire said:
But what will it be? A 12" G4 1.5 GHz at the bottom end with newer chips- possibly Freescale's offerings- in the 15" and 17" models? For me, that would suck. I want the 12" model to keep pace with the others, within reason of course, because that's the model I'm most interested in.
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First: Your avatar is pretty funny.

Second: I would bet that if the freescale chip makes it into PowerBook line, all PowerBooks would have the same chip (just at different clock speeds).

I'm still going to go with my Freescale 1.6-1.8 this fall. Let the wagers begin.
 
I don't know how Apple is ever going to fit the G5 into something the size of a laptop.

Everyone thought that the 90nm G5's would generate less heat and that would lead the way for G5 PowerBooks, but in fact the only PowerMac that uses the 90nm chips is the one that generates so much heat that even 8 fans couldn't cool it, it needes a massive liquid cooling device!

I agree with all those calling for an entirely different processor for the portable line, at this stage it just isn't possible anymore to put the processor apple is using in its desktops, into a laptop AND keep the small and elegant form factor. I'm no fan of the G4, but at least it transitioned well into the portable line 🙄
 
LaMerVipere said:
I agree with all those calling for an entirely different processor for the portable line, at this stage it just isn't possible anymore to put the processor apple is using in its desktops, into a laptop AND keep the small and elegant form factor. I'm no fan of the G4, but at least it transitioned well into the portable line 🙄
Click to expand...

The transition has come to an end. Last year. I want, I want... I want (don´t necessarliy need) a PB with a 2GHz chip (e600, G5 portable, whatever fablerd heaveness), kick arse bus, lots of ram, lots of HD space, lots of, well everything. Still, I´ll probably want more when "more" apears. It´s just the way it is. Until "more than more" comes along I´ll tick along below the GHz and stay happy.

Now if someone could show me the way to the "drunk-when-posting" thread I´d be even happier..
 
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