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PowerBook G5... Not Yet...

What's newsworthy here? Seriously, we've known for a while that making a PowerBook G5 was difficult, and that it wouldn't get easier anytime soon. That's EXACTLY what the article says.

EDIT: This is the kind of thing that belongs on MacBytes rather than the front page.
 
Hmmm... a 12" g5 pb to replace a 12" g3 iceBook.

🙂

I could go for that!

(As for thickness, I don't think another half-inch would be so bad.)
 
i don't think a laptop would let you address over 4 GB of memory, and tiger won't be 64-bit native, so why does everyone *need* a G5 powerbook? i know the FSB limitations of the G4, but this is a laptop... i can't wait until we get some comparisons of the 1.6 GHz G5 ~ 1.67 GHz G4, i think that they'll be closer than much people think.

would you rather have a G4 laptop 80% as powerful as the G5 chip, or a 2 inch thick G5 laptop that dies out in 1 1/2 hours?
 
Because Windows is so much faster

stealthboy said:
Ok, so I keep reading all these posts about people whining about a lack of G5 PowerBook. Can someone honestly tell me WHY they think they *need* one? I mean, really, people. Are you rendering raytraced scenes for an upcoming Pixar film on your PowerBook and really need the extra speed? What would a G5 chip *really* give you over the current 1.67GhZ G4?
Click to expand...
I write Java for a living, and I tend to use my 17" 1.3 GHz PB when I go to clients. Java is dog slow on the PowerBook and mostly because of the CPU speed. On my 2.6 GHz Windows XP box (1.5 GB RAM), it takes 1/2 the time for me to run "ant test-all" on my project. I realize I could get a G5 Desktop, and get the same speed out of an Apple, but I don't really want an Apple Desktop since most of my clients use Windows and its nice to mimic my client's environments.

I love my PowerBook, it's just much slower for running Java. Furthermore, it's frustrating that I could buy a really fast Intel laptop and run Linux or XP.
 
Well, this clearly isn't news.

But it is a good summary of the realities of a G5 Powerbook. Something I think the dreamers in the Mac world need to read very carefully.

I think this report is important to reset expectations in the Mac community. People who need a new laptop but are waiting for a G5 are crazy since you are going to be waiting at least a year. At least.

I laugh every time someone says the G5 PB is coming at WWDC.

Think WWDC 2006 at the earliest. Unless we go dual core, and skip G5 on the laptop line, then it'll be January 2006.

But I think we are going to see a G4 Powerbook for some time.
 
BWhaler said:
Well, this clearly isn't news.

But it is a good summary of the realities of a G5 Powerbook. Something I think the dreamers in the Mac world need to read very carefully.

I think this report is important to reset expectations in the Mac community. People who need a new laptop but are waiting for a G5 are crazy since you are going to be waiting at least a year. At least.

I laugh every time someone says the G5 PB is coming at WWDC.

Think WWDC 2006 at the earliest. Unless we go dual core, and skip G5 on the laptop line, then it'll be January 2006.

But I think we are going to see a G4 Powerbook for some time.
Click to expand...
At this point, it seems likely that the PowerBooks will go dual-core and go straight to G6, since it'll ideally be cooler running than any G5. This won't happen until early 2007 though in my estimation.
 
mac n cheese said:
Wow, are we supposed to pretend like this is breaking news? CNET is right on the cutting edge of technology news 😕
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Generally speaking, C|Net is usually on the cutting edge of dissing Apple. IMHO they're often quite biased. But this is a wake-up call for all the G5 PB gong-beaters I guess.
 
I always thought that people suggesting to others to wait for WWDC '05 for the new G5 Powerbook were kinda stupid, as this advice was based on nothing.

I never expected the G5 Powerbook before MWSF 2006, and actually, I'd rather have a dual proc G4 running at 1.8 or 2GHz in my PB. Like others have said already, all those people complaining about how slow a 1.67GHz G4 is compared to Windows laptops aren't really thinking. A single proc 1.6GHz G5 laptop isn't going to help you work any faster, as the iMac points out. People complain about a lack of power, but want the slower processor. Tell me why? 😕

And by the time 64-bit apps are commonplace, your brand new 1.67GHz G4 Powerbook will be 2-3 years old.

Ian
 
In response to stealthboy -

In my office I have a G5 Dual 2.0 with 4 GB of RAM. I use this system primarily to work on huge point-of-purchase displays and rendering small video projects. When I say huge displays I mean that the layered Photoshop files often exceed 2-3 GB in size. Needless to say that a machine needs some muscle and fast storage. The Dual G5 can even be pokey on some operations.

Now I'm not saying that I would ever expect to have desktop performance on a laptop but it would be very nice. My work requires me to be on the road quite a bit going to clients offices, printers, etc. and my current PB 17" 1.33 with 2 GB of RAM is very slow when I have to modify large files on the fly. For everyday use (internet, mail, powerpoint, word, light graphics) it's fine but for anything large it requires serious patience. Someday, maybe 5-7 years from now Apple will be able to put the POWER in the PowerBook - until then we'll just have to watch that beachball spin.
 
PowerBook is for Power USers!

stealthboy said:
Can someone honestly tell me WHY they think they *need* one? I mean, really, people. Are you rendering raytraced scenes for an upcoming Pixar film on your PowerBook and really need the extra speed? What would a G5 chip *really* give you over the current 1.67GhZ G4?

/
The demand for a G5 is all about staying State-of-the-art. The ibook is for the average consumer. The imac is for the consumer. The PowerMac is for the poweruser. The PowerBook is for the poweruser.

The PowerBook is all about performance. Right now the PowerBook lags behind the performance PC world in the following areas.

CPU performance, FSB speed, Memory speed and bus, Graphics card and Graphics Bus, display resolution and brightness, battery performance. The recent release of the updated PB's just aggrevated the situation by not improving the gap much.

When the TI 500 PowerBook was introduced 4 or 5 years ago. It was the most stunning laptop produced. It led the industy in CPU performance, size, weight, battery life, FSB, and had up-to-date graphics system, plus beautiful display.

As Apple fanatics, we just don't like being second place. Also remember hardware and OS improvements allow innovation in software development.

How many of you were saying, "I don't see why we need more than 32 mb of ram and a 68030 processor for word processing and spreadsheet work" back in the early 90's.

As new hardware and OS's progressed now we have software like iMovie, iDvd, Garageband, iPhoto, keynote, PhotoShopCS, etc, etc. All with functionality that you would not have dreamed of back in the early 90's.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
This is a rubbish.

Of course Apple have the PB G5 almost ready. They will have started as soon as they have access to the G5 chips. Plus, this is less of a challenge than the G4 was. It will be absolutely AWESOME, and it won't be long. Design wise, Apple never JUST MAKES THINGS HAPPEN, they EXCEED, and IMPRESS, and LEAD THE WAY.

Just y'all wait!
 
It's a dead horse

Must we continuely beat this dead horse down? Get over it, Apple will release a G5, dual core G4 or something new when it's ready and not before. These sort of articles just confirm that all the people that want desktop power on their laps, already know.

!!! Dude! Powerbook G5 dual cores at WWDC! Powerbooks rulez!

A simple search here turns up enuff powerbook G5 threads to satisfy almost anybody.
 
couple of questions really

how would a twin core g4 stack up to a g5? anyone know?

also it seems to me that even if a dule core g4 is a bit slower than a g5, a dule core G4 would make a fast, and much smaller, lighter, longer battery life, quieter, without a horribaly complex cooling system power book - shurely that would be the obvious choise?
 
relimw said:
Must we continuely beat this dead horse down? Get over it, Apple will release a G5, dual core G4 or something new when it's ready and not before. These sort of articles just confirm that all the people that want desktop power on their laps, already know.

!!! Dude! Powerbook G5 dual cores at WWDC! Powerbooks rulez!

A simple search here turns up enuff powerbook G5 threads to satisfy almost anybody.
Click to expand...

I am getting sick and tired of all the PowerBook G5 thread here, lets start something refreshing:

PowerBook Gx 😉 🙂 😀
 
Almossstttt.

With my 400/128/20g/breakingDVDplayer Sawtooth, which is now in its sixth year of use, I was so excited for powerbook updates... but I get the feeling that they're still not quite enough for me to want to make the jump yet. I'm actually kind of fed up with the unbelievably slow pace with which the powerbook line has been proceeding - but the DVI port in the back necessitates me getting one, as opposed to an ibook.

And yet, at the same token, I'm beginning to think that a G5 tower might not be too bad of an idea either. Either way, Apple has been just so slow to update recently. The iPod, the iPod mini, the powerbooks, the emacs, the PowerMacs... I understand that they're running into a major wall with the G5 heat issue... but I mean, c'mon. Be creative guys. In 10 months, the first powerbook update is a.... speed...bump? I really, really don't want to wait anymore. But I just have to. My last update was from a 601/60mhz Performa 6116/700mb/40megs of ram. I'll hold out for something better then just a 400---->1500 speed jump.
 
Poor Sales until a G5

maya said:
And the PowerBook G5 Mantra Begins Yet Again 🙄 😛 🙂
Click to expand...

One thing is for certain. Apple is going to continue having terrible PowerBook sales until a major upgrade occurs.

These little bumps of improvement just aren't going to cut it. Everyone and I mean everyone is waiting for the big jump.

Either G5 or G4 Dual core, with improved screen, FSB, GPU subsystem, etc.
 
Everyone just needs to be patient. As mentioned Apple will release what they have when it's ready.
 
by the lights said:
also it seems to me that even if a dule core g4 is a bit slower than a g5, a dule core G4 would make a fast, and much smaller, lighter, longer battery life, quieter, without a horribaly complex cooling system power book - shurely that would be the obvious choise?
Click to expand...
Logic says yes... but you never know. When I get my G5 PB, I"m going to hook it up to my AC window unit. Trick it out with intercooled freon tubing. I'll still probably have to use an oven mitt as a lap pad.

Who knows. The speed differences that everyone talks about is blinks of an eye. I should go dig up my Apple IIe, work on that for a day, then get back on my PB. Like going from a Yugo to a Maseratti.

Thanks Steve. Just pack up my Rev D PB and send it already!
 
No New News here!
"It might be reasonable that they could get something by midyear,".
That's all I need to hear!
 
Obviously Apple will put a G5 or better chip in the PowerBook as soon as they can. Does anyone know the status on the 130, 90, 65 nanometer thing and does this effect the size of the chip and how hot it runs. For example would a 130 G5 at 1.6 GHz be hotter, bigger, more energy consuming than a 65 1.6 GHz? Or am I understanding this completely wrong?
 
2A Batterie said:
I was dissapointed by the recent PB update, but I would prefer a slow update rather than a big-ass noisy machine. I thiknk if everyone just holds on, we'll seed a G5 at WWDC.
Click to expand...

It's more about the speed and functionality of the PowerBook than the specific make and model of processor under the hood. If the G5 just isn't going to work in the PowerBook's enclosure, I'll trust that Apple is working on something else.

And if that means dual-core, side-by-side G4s, or microscopic mice on wheels, I'm fine with that. I want a faster machine, G5 or otherwise.
 
My next PowerBook is...

12", Battery lasts 6 hours, Made by Apple, has a lightscribe drive, and can play doom 3 at 30 FPS. I really don't care what G is in it as all. Give me a well balanced system, with a sufficient 3d system, and I am there... Otherwise my Ibookg4 really is, it really is, quite sufficient for my road warrior needs.
 
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