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New PowerBooks - Finally

Originally posted by Lord Bodak
My 12" order was automatically upgraded.

Good things:
Faster chip
More L2 cache
USB 2.0
More onboard RAM
DVI!

Bad things:
Mini-DVI to composite video adapter is listed as "sold separately" (they used to include one)
My estimated ship date moved from 9/24 to 9/25 :(

All in all though, I'm pretty happy...
The 7457 (it obviously has one b/c of the 512K L2 cache... the old chip had 256K as was pointed out in iMac discussions last week) should hopefully solve the heat issue.
Click to expand...

I would call and push them to include the adapter. If you bought today, you 'd get one (according to the spec sheet). The idea here is that it shouldn't cost extra to use the hardware. I think if you squeak they will give it to you to shut you up. ;)
 
Well, that's pretty much what I was expecting for the 12" PowerBook... but still no FW800? :( When I get one of these babies, I'd like it to last me several years into the future. Thankfully, I can afford to wait... yay on finally updated 15"s though!
 
New chips, good. No L3, bad. Notice apple says almost nothing about performance on their PB pages. New video cards, good. 32MB VRAM on the 12", very bad. Why not 64 & 128? Why does the 12" pro model still come with only 256 MB RAM? No FW 800 on the 12" and no way to ever add it is bad. All in all pretty disappointing, just as I expected. At least the price drop and speed boost (although maybe not after losing the L3) on the 17" make it less of a bad deal. I don't think this will increase PB sales much. Without the L3, the 15" superdrive model has gained maybe 10% speed in 10 months. Totally unacceptable.
 
Side ports?

Are the sideports on the 15" new? I just switched and bought the new 15", but I don't remember seeing the side ports on the old models in the store. I loved how smooth the outside of the computer was. It's a shame if they changed that.
 
Re: Side ports?

Originally posted by AGoldman
Are the sideports on the 15" new? I just switched and bought the new 15", but I don't remember seeing the side ports on the old models in the store. I loved how smooth the outside of the computer was. It's a shame if they changed that.
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Yes the side-ports are new. I like it. I had a 15" 667mhz TiBook, and I hated having to fish around in the back to plug stuff in.
 
Originally posted by brooklyn
Two-week-old Mac User Here.

I finally saw the light and jump over to the Mac-side two weeks ago. I purchased a 12 PowerBook without knowing that newer models were being released soon. Is it possible (after 2 Weeks) to exchange my two-week old "outdated" model for the current one? I figure I ask here before calling Apple! Thanks.
Click to expand...

No. And your machine is not "outdated."
 
Originally posted by brooklyn
Two-week-old Mac User Here.

I finally saw the light and jump over to the Mac-side two weeks ago. I purchased a 12 PowerBook without knowing that newer models were being released soon. Is it possible (after 2 Weeks) to exchange my two-week old "outdated" model for the current one? I figure I ask here before calling Apple! Thanks.
Click to expand...

I'm just curious, but I don't know of any PC manufacturers that allow exchanges like this, so why do people expect it of Apple then? They do allow for a 10 day price match thru the Apple store though when a new model is released if you have purchased one that recently.
 
screen rez!

anyone notice yet that the 15" has had a very nice screen rez bump to 1280x854 - the perfect size I reckon.

this truely is the perfect laptop.. my order is going in now!
 
Re: Re: Where's the screenresolution..?

Originally posted by moby1
No! Do you sit with your nose to the screen? 1280 is all I can handle on the 15". I know people who work in Word all day who kept their old Ti's because of the 1152 screen.
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If you do Word all day you should get an iBook, not a PowerBook!
 
Re: Re: Re: Where's the screenresolution..?

Originally posted by F/reW/re
If you do Word all day you should get an iBook, not a PowerBook!
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Ya know, he's got a point. This is supposed to be the pro notebook, aimed at pro users with pro requirements and all that rot.

-Richard
 
Re: Side ports?

Originally posted by AGoldman
Are the sideports on the 15" new? I just switched and bought the new 15", but I don't remember seeing the side ports on the old models in the store. I loved how smooth the outside of the computer was. It's a shame if they changed that.
Click to expand...
With the hinge on the al dropping the screen down below the back, you wouldn't be able to get to the ports easily (if at all) without them being on the side. And it really lowers the profile of the system when its being used to do that.

-Richard
 
Re: screen rez!

Originally posted by danman
anyone notice yet that the 15" has had a very nice screen rez bump to 1280x854 - the perfect size I reckon.
Click to expand...
I could have sworn that this was the same resolution that it was a week ago. Am I reallly that forgetful?

-Richard
 
Battery Specifications

The old 15" came with a 61 watt-hour battery and a claimed 5 hours of battery life. ( http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:VINgc9ZFPkMJ:www.apple.com/powerbook/index15.html ).

The new 15" has a 46 watt-hour battery with a claimed 4.5 hours of battery life ( current specifications ).

That certainly speaks to better power consumption for the new processor, but isn't it a little disappointing that the battery got 25% smaller to compensate? I mean, it'll charge faster now, but by doing that Apple is staying behind in the battery-life game (compared to some of the 6-7 hour IBMs, for example).

-Richard
 
Memory Question

Did anyone happen the notice that the RAM capacity goes to 2Mb but they are alll "SO-DIMM" configurations accross the lines??

Would that mean that we are stuck with at least one chip or two if we decide to keep the "512MB DDR333 SDRAM-2x256 SO-DIMMs" ??
 
defending complaints

Hey, read my post - it's not that these new machines suck. They're awesome machines and should make anyone real happy, especially a switcher. Heck, if you're trading up from a PC this will seem like manna from heaven.

But as an upgrade, this isn't all that special, and I don't see a lot of people trading in their 667DVIs or 800s for a "shiny new 1.25ghz". The rev just isn't that big a deal. Now if they had put the G5 in (I know it would have been tough, but still), then everyone would have upgraded.

And since when did the 15" become the red headed stepchild? No updates since 11/2002, and then when it comes, it's a 250mhz upgrade. I thought the 15" was the bestseller, the flagship, etc.

So that's why we're complaining - we're happy PB users, but were hoping for something that would really blow us away, not something that would make us say "well, I guess my current TiBook is fine for another six months." :)
 
drive thru,

You weren't looking at the drive Apple is using in the new PBs (it's an 80GB 5400rpm; only one on the market) You were looking at the old models (that maxed at 60GB.) I interleaved the data below for comparison purposes for what most likely is the 4200rpm drive used (unless Apple screws the customers and goes with a lower performer for the 4200rpm):

Here's the new 5400rpm drive:
Series: 5K80
Size: 80GB
Model: HTS548080M9AT00

Here's the probable 4200rpm drive:
Series: 4K80
Size: 80GB
Model: HTS428080F9AT00

Performance
Data buffer (MB) 8
Data buffer (MB) 8
Rotational speed (rpm) 5,400
Rotational speed (rpm) 4,200
Latency (average ms) 5.5
Latency (average ms) 7.1
Max. media transfer rate (MB/sec) 45.0
Max. media transfer rate (MB/sec) 43.9
Max. interface transfer rate (MB/sec) 100MB/sec Ultra DMA mode-5
16.6MB/sec PIO mode-4
Max. interface transfer rate (MB/sec) 100MB/sec Ultra DMA mode-5
16.6MB/sec PIO mode-4

Seek time (ms)
Average (typical) 12
Average (typical) 13
Track to track (typical) 2.5
Track to track (typical) 3
Full stroke (typical) 23
Full stroke (typical) 24

Power
Requirement +5VDC(±5%)
Dissipation (typical)
Startup (max. peak) 5.0 W
Startup (max. peak) 4.5 W
Seek (average) 2.6 W
Seek (average) 2.25 W
Read (average) 2.5 W
Read (average) 2.0 W
Write (average) 2.5 W
Write (average) 2.0 W
Performance idle (average) 2.0 W
Performance idle (average) 0.65 W
Active idle (average) 1.3 W
Active idle (average) 0.90 W
Low power idle (average) 0.85 W
Low power idle (average) 1.65 W
Standby (average) 0.25 W
Standby (average) 0.15 W
Sleep 0.1 W
Sleep 0.1 W

I'll leave it up to the reader to decide which numbers are most important... :)

About the 330MHz increase,

Despite its appearance it won't amount to much of a direct improvement. Luckily or unluckily (depending if you are an owner or buyer (former vs latter) in the PB market) performance is not a linear scale based on cycles. A 1Ghz machine will not perform twice as fast as a 500MHz machine and similarily a new 17"PB with the 1.33GHz chip is not going to equate to the power of an old 17"PB (1GHz) + an older PB at 350MHz.

also of note
the new 15 is heavier than it's previous one at 5.6lbs (probably the reason why they reduced the battery--old cheap trick from laptop makers to reduce weight if they start getting too heavy) which makes it heavier than the T40p IBM.
 
Having watched the updates come and go for a year and a hlaf, the only thing I know for certain is that someone is going to complain to no end that they didn't get everything they could poissibly want for $1000. I'll say it again: If you think Macs are such a bad deal, go buy a PC and bug off.

That said, I think the updates are spot on. Apple isn't going to overshadow the G5 with Powerbook speeds near the same level. For mobile uses, these things are faster and better than ever. If you want a desktop, get one.

Sometimes I think you people would complain the our porche burns too much gas.
 
Originally posted by nydoofus
So now that 5400 RPM HD's are an option, do any of you think its worth the extra cost?
Click to expand...

Not for regular use. It's nice for when you're streaming to and/or from harddisk though (video, music, ...).
 
My girlfriend has complained without end that I never dance...well today she is going to be quite pleased because not only was last night our 11 month anniversary, but I am getting a new PowerBook. Today, I am going to dance. Oh hell yes, I am going to dance, because I am getting a new PowerBook and by this time next week (hopefully) I will finally be using OS X.

...and I shall be called the Lord of the Dance!
 
Originally posted by Powerbook G5
My girlfriend has complained without end that I never dance...well today she is going to be quite pleased because not only was last night our 11 month anniversary, but I am getting a new PowerBook. Today, I am going to dance. Oh hell yes, I am going to dance, because I am getting a new PowerBook and by this time next week (hopefully) I will finally be using OS X.

...and I shall be called the Lord of the Dance!
Click to expand...

You go boy!! ;)
 
Discounted upgrade to Panther later?

OK, so if you buy a PB today, will Apple offer a $20 (or less) upgrade to Panther when it is released? Any thoughts (based on previous "Up-to-date" programs)?
 
Delivery Times

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more discussion about delivery times. I like the fact that they stocked up on them enough to be able to meet demand, although I'll be more impressed when people actually start getting their orders in the 3-5 days promised! At least they seem to have learned that lesson (again) from the G5 debacle.

-Richard
 
Does anyone know if the Apple Stores (brick and mortar) will have these in stock today? (I guess I'm asking people on the East coast where they should be open already)

Thanks
 
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