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Powerbooks are definatley going to be a G5 now

AHDuke99

AHDuke99

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Nov 14, 2002
2,326
170
Charleston, SC
Now that the iMac updates are out of the way, along with the iPods as well, it seems now that Apple is clearing time of the keynote for something big. The Powerbook was missing from the updates today, and sites claim they won't be updated tomorrow. This begs the question, why? If they are just going to be speed bumped G4's like the iMac, why would Apple wait until the Expo to release them? Your answer, because they WILL indeed be G5's. Remember when Apple ordered 40GB Hd's back when they released the first batch of Gen3 iPods but didn;t use them? They came out today. My theory is the same thing is going to happen with the G5 PB. Apple ordered 1.2~1.4 GHZ G5's along with the 1.6 and 1.8 back in May, where did they go, in the PBs. All signs point to it. Now more than ever. So here's my last spec prediction before the expo next week.


Powerbook Specs (Final Prediction)
15.4" and 17" Screens
1.2-1.4GHZ G5
600MHZ-700MHZ FSB
512K L2 Cache
512 DDR 400 RAM
Superdrive all around
64-128MB Raedon 9600 Mobility
Bluetooth
Airport Extreme
USB 2.0
Firewire 400/800


12" Powerbook
1.0-1.25GHZ MPC 7457 (When Moto finally ships it)
512K L2 Cache
1MB L3 Cache (Maybe)
256MB DDR266 RAM
Combo-Superdrive
64MB nVIDIA/ATI Raedon?
AE, FW800
USB 2.0
Backlit Keyboard (Possibly)

With one week to go, we all are in for a treat. A 1.2 GHZ G5 takes 19watts, the same as the 1.0GHZ 7455. Coolchips, a cooling company's stock has risen a lot in the past few months. They could possible be used to cool the chips. The 12" can't move to the G5 until the 90nm chips come out in Jan/Feb 2004.
 
-AHDuke99

As much as I want them to come out next week, that's just not to be. We will see G5's in PB's but not until next year. There are two reasons for this: Heat and power consumption. Everything else works, but it's just too hot. Also the G5 would blaze through a battery like an Area 51m.

It's not my aim to be a killjoy, it's just physics. It'll probably be a 7455Moto in all likelyhood. And an IBM PowerPC 750XX "G4.5" on the really optimistic side.
 
why on earth would they upgrade the 15 and 17 to a G5 and leave the 12 as is? the 12 is a powerbook, not a weaker computer, just a smaller one, i hate how people always talk about it as if it were a glorified ibook....
 
g5 at 1.2 is not to hot or using to much power. how many times does this has to be said. if the powerbooks were being bumped they would announce them today or tomorrow. the expo will have a surprise. g5 powerbook is my guess.
 
i'm also thinking g5 powerbooks will be announced. apple has has about 3 months to work with g5 powerbook prototypes, and i think its safe to say they have probably addressed any heat/power issues. i think its going to be announced in paris. but thats just my speculation.
 
The heat issue isn't the main problem, the main problem is logistics. Apple has just delivered and/or announced updates to about 3/4 of their line. There is a limit to how much they can do at one time.

My prediction? Only software announcements in Paris.

Around October, the 7457 PowerBooks at 1.33MHz, all three sizes.

PowerBook G5's... they won't announce them until they're ready to ship, to avoid killing sales of the '57 books. I'd expect them around June 2004.

Prove me wrong, Steve!

(edit) Possibly an iBook update in the near future, to a faster G3.
 
Originally posted by cubist
The heat issue isn't the main problem, the main problem is logistics. Apple has just delivered and/or announced updates to about 3/4 of their line. There is a limit to how much they can do at one time.

My prediction? Only software announcements in Paris.

Around October, the 7457 PowerBooks at 1.33MHz, all three sizes.

PowerBook G5's... they won't announce them until they're ready to ship, to avoid killing sales of the '57 books. I'd expect them around June 2004.

Prove me wrong, Steve!

(edit) Possibly an iBook update in the near future, to a faster G3.
Click to expand...

Motorola did say in February that the faster G4s would be available in autumn, but they were talking about much faster speeds--1.5 to 1.8 GHz. It would just be a relief to see they've gotten the 7457s out the door at all.
 
One thing I read once was that the heat issue is not about the CPU. Afterall a 1.2GHz G5 would not produce any more heat than a 1GHz G4.

But the real issues are the accompanying ASICs. The Northbridge chip, or whatever it's called, the one that supports the faster busses, provides USB2 and FW 800. Those tend to become very hot and are power hungry too. They reportedly need to move to 90nm before being useable in a portable.
Understandably because who wants a 1.2 GHz G5 PowerBook with a 200MHz bus? Wasn't the G5 all about fast busses and faster throughput? If not we might be better off with a 1.3GHz G4 and 333MHz DDR RAM.

Dreamail out.
 
not so far fetched

They already have built in slewing/powerstep features.

Plus, who says they have to be PowerBooks? Maybe they are mobile workstations. Portables are huge in the PC scene these days. Who needs much of a battery when they are plugged in all the time anyway.
 
Originally posted by patrick0brien
-AHDuke99

As much as I want them to come out next week, that's just not to be. We will see G5's in PB's but not until next year. There are two reasons for this: Heat and power consumption. Everything else works, but it's just too hot. Also the G5 would blaze through a battery like an Area 51m.

It's not my aim to be a killjoy, it's just physics. It'll probably be a 7455Moto in all likelyhood. And an IBM PowerPC 750XX "G4.5" on the really optimistic side.
Click to expand...

Why doesn't anyone understand? A 1.2GHZ G5 runs at the same heat as a 1.0GHZ G4 7455. Uses 19watts for the G5! This is possible and it will happen. If it was going to be 7455, they would be out by now.
 
Originally posted by plinkoman
why on earth would they upgrade the 15 and 17 to a G5 and leave the 12 as is? the 12 is a powerbook, not a weaker computer, just a smaller one, i hate how people always talk about it as if it were a glorified ibook....
Click to expand...

A cooler chip has got to be put into that, even a 867MHZ 7455 is hot enough. I don't think a G5 could work in the 12" right now. But in the bigger models it can.
 
Re: Powerbooks are definatley going to be a G5 now

Originally posted by AHDuke99
Now that the iMac updates are out of the way, along with the iPods as well, it seems now that Apple is clearing time of the keynote for something big. The Powerbook was missing from the updates today, and sites claim they won't be updated tomorrow. This begs the question, why? If they are just going to be speed bumped G4's like the iMac, why would Apple wait until the Expo to release them? Your answer, because they WILL indeed be G5's. Remember when Apple ordered 40GB Hd's back when they released the first batch of Gen3 iPods but didn;t use them? They came out today. My theory is the same thing is going to happen with the G5 PB. Apple ordered 1.2~1.4 GHZ G5's along with the 1.6 and 1.8 back in May, where did they go, in the PBs. All signs point to it. Now more than ever. So here's my last spec prediction before the expo next week.


Powerbook Specs (Final Prediction)
15.4" and 17" Screens
1.2-1.4GHZ G5
600MHZ-700MHZ FSB
512K L2 Cache
512 DDR 400 RAM
Superdrive all around
64-128MB Raedon 9600 Mobility
Bluetooth
Airport Extreme
USB 2.0
Firewire 400/800


12" Powerbook
1.0-1.25GHZ MPC 7457 (When Moto finally ships it)
512K L2 Cache
1MB L3 Cache (Maybe)
256MB DDR266 RAM
Combo-Superdrive
64MB nVIDIA/ATI Raedon?
AE, FW800
USB 2.0
Backlit Keyboard (Possibly)

With one week to go, we all are in for a treat. A 1.2 GHZ G5 takes 19watts, the same as the 1.0GHZ 7455. Coolchips, a cooling company's stock has risen a lot in the past few months. They could possible be used to cool the chips. The 12" can't move to the G5 until the 90nm chips come out in Jan/Feb 2004.
Click to expand...


Well....
 

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To be honest I'm not that bothered whether we see a G5 powerbook this year or next year. I'll still be buying a 12 inch in November. If the updates were to take it from 837mhz to 1ghz then I would be happy. Hell I'd be happy with just the backlit keyboard update. As long as there's not a price increase. I would have no use for a G5 in my laptop as the only thing I would use it for is some Dreamweaver and Photoshop stuff. I do however think it is very unlikely that the PB will have a G5 this year.

Oh and my main curiosity is would the design of the PB change with the G5 update? Will they change it to look like the G5 PM?
 
Ha! Well if the 'books do get announced next week, they won't ship until January!

My money's on a faster G4 before we see a G5 'book.
 
Look at the new picture in the G5 Processor Module Thread ...

Look at the processor module with the heat sink still attached, it looks like even the CPU module's power supply circuit is cooled in this monster. :eek:
 
I would think G5 would bring a different case design. That seems to be the trend with Apple when introducing a new chip/technology overhaul. If they did make it look like a PowerMac, it might not look that bad. When I first saw pictures of the PowerMac after June, I thought it was ugly and an eyesore, but after seeing them in person, I have to say, they are truly great designs. I found myself just touching the case to feel how smooth and polished the design was. Everything just flows and it all adds up to be one solid machine that I'd be more than happy to display by my desk. But, I do love the current Aluminum PowerBook designs as they are today, too. A 15" Aluminum PowerBook would look damn sharp, especially with a lit up keyboard and the features of the 17". Either way, whatever Apple comes out with by the Christmas vacation time, I am buying whatever the 15" version will be. If it's 15" and has Panther running on it, I'll be happy.
 
i'd give G5 PowerBooks a 50% chance of showing at Expo Paris. most likely they would have a new case design, but there was a rumors last week that someone saw a 'G5' PowerBook, with that sort of drilled Aluminium on the palm rests.

i really don't know what to think now... :confused:
 
No way...do you have any idea how painful it would be to type a paper on a laptop with drilled holes on the palm rest? Apple wouldn't be that stupid...I hope not.
 
maybe they have invented a user friendly grilled palm rest that has an option that lets the heat out when you are working in winter.
 
It depends on how big the holes are.
If it's small enough then it won't bother you at all.
it's not like you're going to stand on top of the powerbook's
palm rest with your bare feet. (I mean, unless if you put a lot of weight on it, it won't be a problem as long as the holes are very small)

And when someone says 1.2ghz G5 takes 19 Watts, that is related to power. After seeing that how can you say a G5 drains a battery so fast?
Though there might be external elements that affect the fast drain of the battery, I don't think the G5 itself would be a problem.
Unless, of course IBM posted some faulty specs on the website.

I think by announcing the 1.25ghz imacs before the new powerbooks (though they are using the 7455), raises the possibility that the G5 powerbooks will be announced soon (hopefully at the Paris Expo)

I hope a G5 powerbook comes out. That way I'll be able to milk this new powerbook dry until I really need another laptop upgrade.

64 bit is the future. I don't want to be using a 32bit laptop while everyone else is using one, let's say in 3-4 years.
 
Re: Powerbooks are definatley going to be a G5 now

Well we know this much about the upcoming PBs;
-the top end will be at least 1.25Ghz G4 (or they will be slower than the iMacs).
-Radeon 9600M 128MB (the Geforce 5200Go uses more power and is slower), but I expect the 12in will have a Radeon 9000M 64MB.
-512MB DDR333 RAM min
-USB2, Airport Extreme, Firewire800, Bluetooth
 
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