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

7448 G4 PowerBook?

Punani

Punani

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 16, 2004
199
0
Los Angeles
Aloha,

I realize this issue in some form or another has been rehashed ad nauseum, but my searches for this have not been helpful, so I hope you'll forgive the possible redundancy.

Basically, I'm just wondering if the current PowerBook line-up represents a stop gap for the release of Intel PowerBooks (Are they waiting for Merom?), or is Apple planning to release 7448 PowerBooks and is simply being hampered by Freescale's low yields?

I'm interested because the MPX bus is truly ridiculous on the PowerBook, and I'm trying to figure out if I should keep my current (February 2005 revision) PowerBook, or consider selling it in light of Apple's current or near-future releases.

Speaking of selling it, how much would a stock 15" PowerBook of the last revision go for these days?
 
Apple installed a new chipset, the Intrepid2

It has DDR2, and a bunch of new features.

Most likely the biggie, capable of faster FSB speeds -- ie, the 7448 when it is finally ready.

---

Of note about new chipsets, Apple likes to keep them around 18-24 months. ;)

Expect this chipset to quickly go through all machines ... with a couple few machines ending up legacy machines that Apple will keep selling for 12-18 months after the x86s arrive.

Since the 7447A will be EOLd soon by Freescale and replaced by the 7448, expect Apple to make the switch to that CPU as soon as possible.

---

Whether or not the Intrepid2 has some "extra features" (like RIO) or will work with the dual core G4s is a good question. :confused:
 
I have already seen references to 7448A on the web, so I imagine that a revision was required at Freescale, hence a delay, hence the 7447A in the new PowerBooks.

I expect the 7448A to be utilised, maybe silently, later this year, or a very minor upgrade in January/February next year to tide the machine over until the Intel switch. By minor upgrade, I mean 1.67GHz 7447A -> 1.7GHz 7448A on 200MHz FSB.
 
Hattig said:
I have already seen references to 7448A on the web, so I imagine that a revision was required at Freescale, hence a delay, hence the 7447A in the new PowerBooks.

I expect the 7448A to be utilised, maybe silently, later this year, or a very minor upgrade in January/February next year to tide the machine over until the Intel switch. By minor upgrade, I mean 1.67GHz 7447A -> 1.7GHz 7448A on 200MHz FSB.
Click to expand...
Just looked at the 7448 errata ... they are now on revision c (rev 2.1) without a high volume version. :rolleyes:

http://www.freescale.com/files/32bit/doc/errata/MPC7448CE.pdf

Still not a 7448A, just a 7448 rev C -- not off to a wonderful start if Apple hasn't adopted it yet after 3 revisions, and it still has a lot of problems.

Probably a good reason we got another 7447A processor with a major board level update. :(

Of course Freescale isn't publishing the available part numbers like Motorola used to, so it's sometimes harder to tell what they are up to.
 
Hattig said:
I have already seen references to 7448A on the web, so I imagine that a revision was required at Freescale, hence a delay, hence the 7447A in the new PowerBooks.

I expect the 7448A to be utilised, maybe silently, later this year, or a very minor upgrade in January/February next year to tide the machine over until the Intel switch. By minor upgrade, I mean 1.67GHz 7447A -> 1.7GHz 7448A on 200MHz FSB.
Click to expand...

The 200MHz bus could be significant though.

Anyone know what "IPX" stands for anyway?

I want the best of the last PPC PowerBooks... they are certainly making it difficult for me.
 
I agree with dferrera. Im trying to get the last revision of PPC iBooks to get the best (hopefully most stable) one. I dont know whether to expect ibook revisions in early 2006 or not. Im trying to figure out if ibooks will get upgraded 7447A's or 7448's. Also, if theyll get new features that PB have. The only thing confusong me is that since in the PB update last week no new features were added besides a better screen and battery, i dont think apple will even bother updating ibooks. I hope this is the last revision.
 
>dferrara

It's the MPX bus (MaxBus) ... the tweeked version of the Motorola/IBM 60x bus.
 
7448

it was a huge disappoitment not seeing it in this upgrade, and what is more discouraging is i just heard that the apple pricepoint will actually not stay the same or go down with Intel but go up?? has anyone heard this also ? Apple will go with all the high end chipsets and Intel prices are going up across the board ? very upset by this news. So given this information which i believe im really hoping for the new G4 in the Powerbooks next rev. before Intel ?

very worried! is anyone else?:confused:
 
I looked on freescale.com and even the picture of the 7447A looks old. Is this chip old technology because looking at the pictures of the 7447A and 7448, it looks like 10 years.
 
capone2 said:
it was a huge disappoitment not seeing it in this upgrade, and what is more discouraging is i just heard that the apple pricepoint will actually not stay the same or go down with Intel but go up?? has anyone heard this also ? Apple will go with all the high end chipsets and Intel prices are going up across the board ? very upset by this news. So given this information which i believe im really hoping for the new G4 in the Powerbooks next rev. before Intel ?

very worried! is anyone else?:confused:
Click to expand...

This is a historic low for PowerBook prices... it's pretty much a given that prices will go up, and probably a lot.
 
rye9 said:
I agree with dferrera. Im trying to get the last revision of PPC iBooks to get the best (hopefully most stable) one. I dont know whether to expect ibook revisions in early 2006 or not. Im trying to figure out if ibooks will get upgraded 7447A's or 7448's. Also, if theyll get new features that PB have. The only thing confusong me is that since in the PB update last week no new features were added besides a better screen and battery, i dont think apple will even bother updating ibooks. I hope this is the last revision.
Click to expand...

If I can wait until the macworld expo in January, then maybe apple will tip its hand on its intel plans and release a Mactel mini (or something). Then we might have a better idea of whether Apple will be surprising us with a last G4 upgrade next summer. If, however, history is going to repeat itself, it took 10 months for apple to get around to this last PowerBook refresh, and 10 months for the one before that. 10 months from now puts the Intels arriving in July/August 2006. That's in line with some estimates I've seen around the web.
 
Do u think its possible for an ibook upgrade? I would like one, but IMO it would mean a 1.42 Ghz 12 in and a 14 in 1.5 Ghz, but Apple wouldnt let an ibook and PB have the same speed. Also, i dont think apple can add any features to ibooks besides a backlit keyboard which will never happen. Does any1 think an ibook upgrade is even possible, bc i dont think they can be upgraded at all unless i am forgetting something.
 
rye9 said:
Do u think its possible for an ibook upgrade?
Click to expand...
Apple currently is shipping 2 G4 chipsets, Plan on Apple killing one of them quick.

They should be upgrading the rest of the machines to kill off all the old Intrepid machines and replace them with the new Intrepid2 with DDR2 soon.

It's a big upgrade, not a speed bump -- and the only way Apple can make all that R&D for a new chipset pay, is ship it in as many machines as they can.

Carrying an old chipset in the bulk of the machines, and a new one in a couple -- is crazy.

Plus the move may also get rid of the expense of separate Bluetooth and Airport modules as they are relocated to the logic boards, should be interesting to see them try this with the Mini and iBook -- if they can.
 
physics_gopher said:
If I can wait until the macworld expo in January, then maybe apple will tip its hand on its intel plans and release a Mactel mini (or something). Then we might have a better idea of whether Apple will be surprising us with a last G4 upgrade next summer. If, however, history is going to repeat itself, it took 10 months for apple to get around to this last PowerBook refresh, and 10 months for the one before that. 10 months from now puts the Intels arriving in July/August 2006. That's in line with some estimates I've seen around the web.
Click to expand...
I'm kind of half expecting a sneak upgrade to 7448 in about three months, similar to what they did for the Mini. I have no evidence for this apart from a vague feeling in my gut, but that might just be the burrito I had for lunch.
 
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
Back