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Powerbook Rumors Again

*sigh*

well, I've waited this long might as well wait YET another month.

and I do hope I don't end up feeling like a fool for waiting -- i.e. the specs are decent.
 
Re: Re: 7457

Originally posted by vniow
200Mhz bus, low power consumption and DDR support are just a few of the things I can think of from the top of my head, you know, stuff that was cool last year..
Click to expand...
No DDR support on the 7457, last I heard, but like you say it will support a faster (200 MHz) bus.

No, I don't know for sure, but that seems to be the conventional wisdom.

I have to say, I don't understand this whole thing about "fake" DDR vs. "real" DDR. DDR simply means that data is transmitted on both edges of the clock signal. The bus between the CPU and the system controller (U2 or Intrepid) doesn't support DDR. The bus between the controller and RAM does. Why do we have to use loaded adjectives like "fake" to describe this?

WM
 
PowerBook vs. PowerMac performance

I'm looking into buying a 1.25 GHz PowerMac. But if they bring out an 1.1 GHz PowerBook, I might wait a while and get a 12" instead. Anybody care to expand on the probably performance differences between a 7457 12" PowerBook and the current G4? It looks as if the PowerBook almost catches up (except L3 cache).
 
Re: PowerBook vs. PowerMac performance

Originally posted by crenz
Anybody care to expand on the probably performance differences between a 7457 12" PowerBook and the current G4?
Click to expand...

Motorola has stated that there is a 40% speed improvement for the 1.33 GHz 7457 compared to the 1 GHz 7455.
 
Ahh!

Great, I was all set on picking up a 1ghz 15" PB this coming week and this report comes out. Now i'm all torn up again, hahaha.
 
Updates to the iMac and eMac cannot be far behind PowerBooks

Faster G4 processors for the PowerBooks also indicates that updates to the eMac and iMac will be released about the same time. Seeing how Motorola expects to get the 7457 up to 1.8 GHz, the eMac and iMac could get much faster G4 processors than the PowerBooks. The question is can IBM bump the iBooks 750FX G3 up to 1 GHz around the same time these faster G4 processors are announced by Apple? If not, then it's a long wait until the 750GX arrives in December.
 
Re: Re: Re: 7457

Originally posted by WM.
...
I have to say, I don't understand this whole thing about "fake" DDR vs. "real" DDR. DDR simply means that data is transmitted on both edges of the clock signal. The bus between the CPU and the system controller (U2 or Intrepid) doesn't support DDR. The bus between the controller and RAM does. Why do we have to use loaded adjectives like "fake" to describe this?

WM
Click to expand...

Why not "limited" DDR support? Since it's not a full implementation...
 
Maybe it's just me, but I think another G4 PowerBook, no matter how much Motorola updates it, will be a huge disappointment. I've already ordered a dual G5 PowerMac and I don't think I could bring myself to purchase another G4. I'd rather just hang on to my 17" PowerBook and wait until a 64-bit version comes out. God knows I'm a patient man.
 
Re: Re: Re: 7457

Originally posted by WM.

I have to say, I don't understand this whole thing about "fake" DDR vs. "real" DDR. DDR simply means that data is transmitted on both edges of the clock signal. The bus between the CPU and the system controller (U2 or Intrepid) doesn't support DDR. The bus between the controller and RAM does. Why do we have to use loaded adjectives like "fake" to describe this?

WM
Click to expand...

Because, it would be like advertising that your new computer sports 133 MHz SDRAM but the actual bus is 66 MHz.

Would someone please tell me what the advantage is in supporting DDR between RAM and the controller if there is no DDR between the controller and the CPU? What is the actual benefit to such a setup (compared to no DDR anywhere)?
 
Originally posted by bluecell
Maybe it's just me, but I think another G4 PowerBook, no matter how much Motorola updates it, will be a huge disappointment. I've already ordered a dual G5 PowerMac and I don't think I could bring myself to purchase another G4. I'd rather just hang on to my 17" PowerBook and wait until a 64-bit version comes out. God knows I'm a patient man.
Click to expand...

Why do you say that? From where I sit, the G4 is an outstanding chip for laptops, generally comparable to the Pentium M and superior to everything else currently used in notebook computers from any manufacturer.

Besides, there is no evidence that the current G5 would even be as good as the G4 in critical areas such as battery life (the one area where the Pentium M trounces even the G4) or heat dissipation.

Personally, I would be very happy to see a G4 PowerBook with the indicated speeds. What else out there could beat it?

elo
 
Originally posted by elo
Why do you say that? From where I sit, the G4 is an outstanding chip for laptops, generally comparable to the Pentium M and superior to everything else currently used in notebook computers from any manufacturer.

Besides, there is no evidence that the current G5 would even be as good as the G4 in critical areas such as battery life (the one area where the Pentium M trounces even the G4) or heat dissipation.

Personally, I would be very happy to see a G4 PowerBook with the indicated speeds. What else out there could beat it?

elo
Click to expand...
Yeah, it is superior to the Intel and AMD mobile chips because the PowerPCs aren't scaled down. However, I personally like having nearly the same performance in my notebook as I have in my desktop. I might be spoiled, but I know that I'm not the only person who feels like dropping money on another G4 update would be extremely painfull. I'll wait.
 
Originally posted by bluecell
Maybe it's just me, but I think another G4 PowerBook, no matter how much Motorola updates it, will be a huge disappointment. I've already ordered a dual G5 PowerMac and I don't think I could bring myself to purchase another G4. I'd rather just hang on to my 17" PowerBook and wait until a 64-bit version comes out. God knows I'm a patient man.
Click to expand...

k, no personal attack intended, but hang on to your 17"??? you've had it for how long? <4 months?

technology moves quickly, but surely, you don't think 17" is so out of date that you'd describe owning it as "hanging on"?

(of course, i presumed you have as much $$$ as most of us, i.e. buying a computer every few years, perhaps. if you happen to be a multi-millionaire, i apologize. 😀 )
 
Originally posted by jxyama
k, no personal attack intended, but hang on to your 17"??? you've had it for how long? <4 months?

technology moves quickly, but surely, you don't think 17" is so out of date that you'd describe owning it as "hanging on"?

(of course, i presumed you have as much $$$ as most of us, i.e. buying a computer every few years, perhaps. if you happen to be a multi-millionaire, i apologize. 😀 )
Click to expand...
Meaning that I won't even think about another PowerBook update until it gets a new processor. And yes, I update pretty regularly. But I'm not a multi-millionaire.
 
Ha! These powerbook rumors are sounding like a broken record. At first I was bummed 'cuz I bought one when they last updated the 15" in November, and the new ones came out in January, but by now I am very happy I didn't wait for them. My 1Ghz is great!
 
Newbie here (to the forum, not to the OS). Just bought a 12" on Friday. Absolutely could not wait any longer. Got the 12" instead of 15" because I knew (assumed) newer one is around the corner in at least under 6 weeks. I'm actually loving the size of it, but am wondering if anyone has info on whether the following will be updated in the 12"?
Faster video card? Ability to support digital monitor via ADC or DVI connector? More max RAM, up to 1GB perhaps? New, non iBook enclosure. I realize this is a forum on rumor/conjecture so don't flame me, just fantasizing how fast I can put this baby up on ebay!😉
 
*yawn* These rumors are getting kinda silly now. Everytime the update doesn't come, the sites just post another guess. Is there anything that makes this one more reliable than the rumors of updated PBs at WWDC? Or in New York last week?

Although I'm stuck anyway... I can't get my 12" til the end of August anyway. And that is stretching and putting the case and Airport base on another credit card...

Knowing the updates are coming eventually, I suppose I will just wait another paycheck and get my case, Airport, and iSight all at the same time.

I really just wish they'd just announce the darn things and let us start preordering! It'd be a lot easier on my budget, especially if they choose to drop prices.

*still crossing fingers for a 1 GHz 12" with some L3 cache*
 
Would this happen?

12" PowerBook - G4 1.1GHz
15" PowerBook - G4 1.2GHz
17" PowerBook - G4 1.3Ghz

And once 12" PowerBook goes over 1Ghz mark, does that mean we can expect 1GHz G3 iBook?
 
Originally posted by chomsky
Personally, I'm more concerned about the video chipset upgrade than the CPU upgrade. I want a 128mb radeon 9600 in my "17 powerbook....
Click to expand...

Same man, but in the 15" too.
 
Originally posted by macphoria
Would this happen?

12" PowerBook - G4 1.1GHz
15" PowerBook - G4 1.2GHz
17" PowerBook - G4 1.3Ghz

And once 12" PowerBook goes over 1Ghz mark, does that mean we can expect 1GHz G3 iBook?
Click to expand...

I don't see why the 15" and the 17" would have different processors, they don't now.
 
Bus multipliers...

Well, we can assume that the 1.1 Ghz bus is 200 Mhz, because using a 100 Mhz bus is a step backward, and 1.1 is a nice 5.5x 200.

1.25... what do we make of that? a 200 Mhz bus, that would be a 6.25 multiplier, which as far as I know doesn't fly that well. A 250 Mhz bus would work nicely, with a 5x multiplier.

and 1.33? well a 333 Mhz bus would be fine, but I doubt it, really. A 266 Mhz bus would equate to a nifty 5x multiplier.

So:
1.1 Ghz: 200 Mhz
1.25 Ghz: 250 Mhz
1.33 Ghz: 266 Mhz

I guess they could use the same speed bus and do some funky stuff... I don't know how they'd work a 250 Mhz bus either. Probably stick with 200 Mhz and do a 5.25 multiplier.

So a more sensible table would be:
1.1 Ghz: 200 Mhz 12"?
1.25 Ghz: 200 Mhz 15.4"?
1.33 Ghz: 266 Mhz 17"?

That follows the pattern of giving super cool technology to the 17", in this case, a 266 Mhz bus.
 
Well, duh.

The "end of next month" WOULD be September, basically, right? Why did you say "however, a Page 2 rumor...".
 
Re: Powerbook Rumors Again

Originally posted by Macrumors
Speeds are expected to be 1.1, 1.25 and 1.33 GHz with USB 2.0 and Firewire 800 throughout the entire line.
Click to expand...

If those speeds are correct, the FSB will be at 167 MHz.
7 x 167 = 1.169 GHz
7.5 x 167 = 1.2525 GHz
8 x 167 = 1.336 Ghz

The only purpose of using DDR ram with a 167 MHz FSB is that it's cheaper than 167 MHz SDR SDRAM. (I'm not sure if it even exists.) DDR can easily fill the 167 MHz FSB, just by not using the caracteristics that makes it DDR, they are using Double Data Rate RAM at half the speed, simply because it's cheaper and looks good in advertizing. Effectively it's 167 MHz SDR RAM, not DDR.

edit: I see now that bobindashadows also mentioned multipliers. I think Apple just rounds them off to nice looking numbers.

7 x 167 = 1.169 GHz
It should be called 1.2, but that you can't justify charging much more money for a 1.25 GHz machine. So they'll call them 1.1 GHz, makes 1.25 look a lot nicer 😉
 
The clockspeeds seem suspect or apple are deliberately crippling them.

With the 200Mhz FSB (it can also run at 167Mhz), the new G4 should have clockspeeds in increments of 0.1Ghz assuming apple want to get the most out of the performance. I'd be more interested to see what they're doing with the chipset than what cpu speeds they're using.

It should use DDR400 and support 8 x AGP at the very least. They need to improve the powermanagement to the level where it's competitive with the battery life of Centrino laptops.
 
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