Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
DGFan said:
That's 20%. If 20% faster doesn't matter then why is everyone clamoring for 2.4GHz G5s? And why is everyone clamoring for G5s in laptops when the G5s aren't even 20% faster than G4s?


Oh gosh, don't trip over the Megahertz Myth.

There is much more to speed than the Ghz.
 
Agreed, and the one thing holding the G4's back is that lousy front side bus. If they can put a competative front side bus speed on that while bumping the clock speed to 1.5, I'd be glad to own one(plus not having to crap shoot a rev A PB G5).
 
Macmaniac said:
1.5ghz G4'S Here we come!




Lets save the G5 rumors next year!!

how about the 1.5s now and the g5 powerbooks late this year...just in time for christmas

that would be ultimate and make me think that apple inc was keeping up with the ever faster mobile wintels..though i don't expect it, it would be great if a lot of pc users noticed apple's great laptops

i think the one issue which is holding them back is price...a couple of hundred dollars means a lot to the computer shopper these days and i suspect a lot of people are getting bargain priced pc laptops
 
Dippo said:
How much faster could they really make the Powerbooks?

The 17" is already running at 1.33GMhz, and the fastest G4 in a PowerMac was 1.42Ghz. Wasn't it?

My assumption would be a minimal processor bump but a decent sized FSB bump. Maybe a quicker HD.

It's good to know that there will be some decent (and recently upgraded) laptops out when I go shopping at the start of the next school year. I was pretty much resigned to an iBook but a PowerBook might actually be an option now.
 
elgruga said:
I cant see too many Apple fans buying a new powerbook with a G4 in it.
I will. It is going to be the finest g4 'book ever released.

Just wait to read the support forums on the rev. a g5 powerbook. Apple's gonna have to open a whole new server for that. Their hardware quality on rev.a products has not been all that great lately.
 
elgruga said:
I cant see too many Apple fans buying a new powerbook with a G4 in it.

Only a G5 will persuade me to buy a new powerbook.


I want a rev B 15" powerbook. I've been waiting for them to rev for a long time. If they were to go for a g5, i'd have to wait for the next rev to buy. I'm not interested in bleeding edge tech. I just want it to work.
 
Agreed...

Quote:

that would be ultimate and make me think that apple inc was keeping up with the ever faster mobile wintels..though i don't expect it, it would be great if a lot of pc users noticed apple's great laptops

****

Agreed. 250 Mhz isn't going to make that much difference in the feel of the laptop for most applications.

I don't yet have a mac, though I'd love one, can't afford one. I would only buy a 15" Superdrive Powerbook, and though they are awesome machines, the price is just too much! Especially when compared to 2.5 Ghz Plus thinkpads, which are nice notebooks, indeed.
 
jefhatfield said:
i think the one issue which is holding them back is price...a couple of hundred dollars means a lot to the computer shopper these days and i suspect a lot of people are getting bargain priced pc laptops


I agree but even the cheapest windows laptops still cost around $1000

What I really hate is that Apple always cripples their "smaller notebook". If the 12" Powerbook could have the same specs as the 17" Powerbook, then I would be happy to buy one.

I was encouraged by the eMac updates because instead of different processor and mem specs, they were different in only opitcal drive and hard drive specs.
 
Im thinking the iBooks are gonna get the better end of the deal espically for the price.... ;)
 
It's the bus speed, stupid

I'd take a 1GHz G4 PB if it had a 500MHz FSB.. I'd take an 800 MHZ G4 if it had a 400MHz FSB.. and so on.. the processor can be a jet engine, but if the information that's computed can't get around, it's useless.. the FSB on the (current) G4 is appauling... a true nightmare and embarrasing, even by years back standards. Increase the board/mem specs and then we'll be talking.. Anything other than that is purely for marketing's sake.

Maybe Arn has specs on the (rumored) 1.5 GHz G4?? If so, let us know what they are, and same goes for anyone else.. and links please people.
 
Dippo said:
What I really hate is that Apple always cripples their "smaller notebook". If the 12" Powerbook could have the same specs as the 17" Powerbook, then I would be happy to buy one.

I don't think that they intentionally cripple them. I think it's just because they are smaller so they don't have as much room for hotter components. But what do I know? :D
 
Yep.. Apple seems to think we buy the 12" PB because we're poor, not because we don't want to lug around a lunch tray on our transcontinental flights..

I want real power in a really portable laptop, and i'll pay for it, so listen up..

 
Dippo said:
How much faster could they really make the Powerbooks?

The 17" is already running at 1.33GMhz, and the fastest G4 in a PowerMac was 1.42Ghz. Wasn't it?
In reality, it doesn't matter what the fastest G4 processor was in the Powermac.

What does matter is how fast a G4 Apple cna get its paws on. In this case, expect 1.5GHz processors for the 17" and possibly one of the 15" Powerbooks.
 
iAtom said:
I don't think that they intentionally cripple them. I think it's just because they are smaller so they don't have as much room for hotter components. But what do I know? :D


I thought the same thing too, but they do the same thing with the iMac and they used to do it with the eMac. I think it is a marketing thing to get you to buy the next better model. The only problem with that is that I want a smaller laptop, not a larger one.

I would even pay more if they had a faster and smaller laptop.
 
elgruga said:
I cant see too many Apple fans buying a new powerbook with a G4 in it.

Only a G5 will persuade me to buy a new powerbook.
I can. My current Powerbook is starting to show its limitations. Any bump up from the current top end 15" will be a welcome machine to buy. Also, hopefully they will drop the prices a couple hundred dollars again.
 
Indiana Mac said:
Does anyone know if the newest G4 will support anything faster than the current bus?
At one point, Motorola was going to be introducing G4 class processors with a faster FSB. Hopefully the 1.5GHz G4 procs have one, even if it's only 20% faster than the current FSB.
 
Quote:

Own a crappy Dell Dimension 8200 with Winblows XP - biggest mistake of my life

***

God do I wish that was my biggest problem.

___

Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said, "We are all just prisoners here, of our own device"
 
I have been looking into a Mac for like a month now and almost bought a PB 15' Superdrive. I am glad I waited. I really want an iBook tho, because I think the sleek white case is sexier :D

I hope to go we get better iBooks out of this deal...
 
elgruga said:
I cant see too many Apple fans buying a new powerbook with a G4 in it.

Only a G5 will persuade me to buy a new powerbook.
i guess i'm in the minority....

you do realize that if you wait for a g5 pbook its gonna be october before you actually get it right?

also, someone needs to update the buyer's guide and add 'updates soon' to the pbooks
 
October.. of what year?

TRiPod said:
i guess i'm in the minority....

you do realize that if you wait for a g5 pbook its gonna be october before you actually get it right?

also, someone needs to update the buyer's guide and add 'updates soon' to the pbooks
 
Folks, this is a NAB show release. The wow factor is not going to come from the processor. If they have decided to use NAB as a launchpad, there's going to be some serious audio/video stuff going on. I agree with the past posts that the 17" (and maybe the 15") will probably sport an HD screen.

How about fixing those crummy speakers? It's like listening to a clock-radio from the 80's.

And what about some out-of-left-field stuff? If they're going to be hawking G4 Powerbooks for the rest of the year (and I think they are) they are bound to come up with something that will make the PC crowd drool. My personal vote is for a detachable screen. Just imagine it: the screen snaps off from the base, and you can buy a seperate cradle with ADC connector that allows you to place the monitor at a decent level without having to lug around a seperate keyboard! Will this happen? No. But it is more likely than a G5 portable on Sunday.

PREDICTION: Quicktime update on Sunday.
 
Dippo said:
I agree but even the cheapest windows laptops still cost around $1000

I see Dell offering some for $700 (granted I can't figure out how to configure it for that cheap). Quite a few are around $800 also. Be nice to see the iBook 12" closer to that.
 
So I read somewhere, that seemed to be a legitimate source, that Microsoft will put three G5s in the next xbox.

So your telling me apple can't figure out to put one in the powerbook?

--
IBM Thinkpad 600e PII 366
Smok'in
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.