Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Updates from New York Media Event

Does ANYONE know if you have to put the same size chip in your PB to upgrade the ram as the original? Can you have a 512 DDR2 chip and a 1GB DDR2 chip? If they must be the same, will Apple install your own ram for you (internal slot)? I want to upgrade the internal ram to 1GB but dont' want to pay for the apple ram (I want it from newegg)...will they put it in for me?
 
Another SERIOUSLY dissapointed low-end PowerMac user here. The Dual 2.0 PowerMac was introduced in June 2003 at $3000 list. It's still in the lineup (though as a dual core) 28 months later, at $2000. While the specs have evolved somewhat, it's been a core part of the lineup for more than two years, and is still over $2K.

I'm just intensely frustrated that if I want to use my own monitor, which I've already paid for, I can have a $600 Mini, or a $2000-$3400 PowerMac. I'm a light user of CS apps, need more than the Mini can offer, and would love to have a $1100-$1600 option for a headless Mac. But instead, I'm out of luck - I suppose I could get a refurb single 1.8 Powermac, but that's the same price as a full-on 2.0 iMac with a 20" screen, which I've already got one of, thank you very much.

I've been using Macs since my Mac LC in 1991, with a few forays into the Windows world. I LOVE the MacOS, but I HATE HATE HATE having to live with such limited hardware options. I literally can't imagine Dell deciding to sell nothing without a built-in monitor between $600 and $2000 - that's the core of the PC market, folks...

The Dual-Dual looks like a monster, but the pricing is... WOW.
 
Don't know if this has been asked...I just woke up. But, do you think that the new batteries will fit into our current powerbooks?
 
Hattig said:
The Quad has a total of 21 double precision gigaflops via the G5's FPU (8 in total) and 76 single precision gigaflops via Altivec.

In comparison, the Cell processor in double precision at 3.2GHz can only get around 25 gigaflops, although in single precision (albeit non-IEEE compliant) it is a monster at over 200.

It'll take Intel a few years to get an x86 processor out that has SSE2 or SSE3 performance like the above. You certainly aren't investing in something dead end there.

Anyway, since when is buying a computer 'investing' anyway? You buy it, use it for 2-5 years and then get another one. What is the problem with the Intel dunderheads? If you need the power today, then this system is a pretty good purchase regardless of the future.
Click to expand...

And considering that Apple could potentially be using PPC in the Power mac until the end of 2007 it's hardly dead end. The transition will not be complete until 2007 and I'm sure it will be the PowerMac that is the last to go. These seem like solid updates to me.
 
There's a perfect gap in the PowerBook range now when the 12" finally gets the boot for a 13.3" widescreen at 1280x800.

I'm satisfied with all of today's products, that Quad PowerMac looks like an absolute beast - is the Power back? Hell yeah.
 
neoxion said:
why it works at 333MHz not 533MHz?
Click to expand...
Is that english? THe DDR2 ram runs at 533MHz. It is not compatible with DDR (or 333 MHz).

Does this ram have to be installed with identicle sized chips?
 
mongoos150 said:
Does ANYONE know if you have to put the same size chip in your PB to upgrade the ram as the original? Can you have a 512 DDR2 chip and a 1GB DDR2 chip? If they must be the same, will Apple install your own ram for you (internal slot)? I want to upgrade the internal ram to 1GB but dont' want to pay for the apple ram (I want it from newegg)...will they put it in for me?
Click to expand...

You do not need to buy your ram from Apple.

I don't think you need to put the same size stick in each slot.

If you're worried about installing your ram, it's cheaper to buy from newegg and then pay someone to install it (for example, my local Apple-certified computer store will install RAM for $50).
 
Stella said:
The performance of the PB depends on what you are doing - Java performance is very poor, even on the 1.67Ghz...

Email, word processing ( Word gets slow ), web browsing, iPhoto, all fine...

Converting video encoding, OTOH, so very slow.

PowerBook isn't really suited for a typical Pro user anymore- i.e., heavy graphics, video ; mid range, at best. Fine for developers ( not so much Java ).
Click to expand...

Funny thing about Java - my 1.6GHz P-M Thinkpad is barely any faster at Java compilation than a 1.5GHz G4 PB. This is because I must run an on-access virus-checker, that checks every file written to disk, if I want to connect to my employer's network.
 
Fun with real estate

Maybe nobody will ever put 8 displays on a PowerMac. What could possibly make such a thing worth the cost? A big exhibit? Just use a projector!

But just for fun, here's what you could do (given that the "foot" is removable, and OS X now lets you choose Portrait orientation).

The second setup is an 8.5-foot-wide display, over 25 megapixels. It assumes that you run four 23" AND four 30" at once. Is that possible? (Since each card has one DVI and one dual-link DVI, I am assuming you could run four of each.)
 

Attachments

  • nagromme8displays.gif
    nagromme8displays.gif
    9.3 KB · Views: 138
mongoos150 said:
Does ANYONE know if you have to put the same size chip in your PB to upgrade the ram as the original? Can you have a 512 DDR2 chip and a 1GB DDR2 chip? If they must be the same, will Apple install your own ram for you (internal slot)? I want to upgrade the internal ram to 1GB but dont' want to pay for the apple ram (I want it from newegg)...will they put it in for me?
Click to expand...


The memory does not have to be the same - it has to be pin compatible of course.

The faster memory will just slow down to match the speed of the slower memory.
 
plinden said:
Funny thing about Java - my 1.6GHz P-M Thinkpad is barely any faster at Java compilation than a 1.5GHz G4 PB. This is because I must run an on-access virus-checker, that checks every file written to disk, if I want to connect to my employer's network.
Click to expand...

That is what i've found too - java compilation is the same, however, execution of Java is different.
 
JasonGough said:
The stupid thing is that a dual core 2.3 won't be as fast as the original 2 x 2.3 chips tho will it?

I remember someone site saying the new dual core chips have 50-80% better performance than the standard ones. so thats not as good as 2 standard 2.3s.

what i was hoping for was a dual dual midrange mac, don't know if i can afford £2,300!!! thats a hell of alot.
Click to expand...

I don't think you get how processor scaling works.

One 2.3GHz 512KB L2 Single Core Processor = 100% for this.

Moving to TWO 512KB L2 cache 2.3GHz SC Processors will not give you 200%. It will give you around about 150% - 180%.

Moving to TWO 1MB L2 cache 2.3GHz SC Processors would give you around 155% - 185%, maybe a little more, depending on the application.

Moving to ONE 512KB L2 cache 2.3GHz DC Processor (doesn't exist) would mean sharing the bus to the system controller, so lets say that is 145% to 175% faster.

However the 970MP has 1MB L2 cache. So the extra cache makes up for having to share the FSB. Also core-core memory transactions are massively faster than processor-processor, so you gain a bit of performance there as well.

I'd argue that the new 1P2C setup is equivalent in performance to the old 2P1C setup at the same speed, ignoring factors such as PCIe and DDR2 memory.

Certainly the Dual 2GHz is more tempting, because you've gone from a 4GB PCI machine to a 16GB PCIe machine with all the trimmings.
 
Glad I bought my revB 2.0 dualie a few months ago. Still a much better deal at $1699 and there was no way I was ever going to pay $1999 when extra $ also had to be spent on more RAM and a usable sized hard drive. For most routine, non-MP optimized tasks it will continue to be indistinguishable in performance from the new Quad 2.5.
 
Aperture is the BIGGEST thing in this update ...

If the teaser they are showing us at apple (http://www.apple.com/aperture/) is true, this software is HUGE.

THIS COULD DO TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WHAT FINAL CUT PRO DID FOR DIGITAL VIDEO!

As a professional photographer who's been doing digital for 5 or 6 years, I've got several key day to day concerns:

1. work flow issues
2. RAW handling capabilities
3. editing
4. backup of digital images

It seems that the move to non-destructive editing, built in backup (vaults) and a much improved work flow will make this thing rock.
 
Get a mini

eric_n_dfw said:
Amen!

And don't tell us to, "just buy an iMac". I don't want a new monitor!

If they'd just put out a Mac with a G5 in a desktop case (ala PowerMac 6100 / NeXTStation size), I'd buy it.
Click to expand...


Okay, just buy a Mac Mini then.
 
Stella said:
The memory does not have to be the same - it has to be pin compatible of course.

The faster memory will just slow down to match the speed of the slower memory.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Do you all think it would be better (benefit/cost) to just keep the internal 512 and buy an additional 1GB stick (from newegg) that I can install myself OR buy two 1GB sticks, have an apple retailer install the one chip in the interal slot ($50) and put in the other chip in the user-accessible slot? Is the extra 512MB worth it? I don't think it would be worth the hassle but what do you all think (using Adobe CS, FCP, gaming).
 
No 12" powerbook support for Aperture?!!?!?

Sure, it's a small screen, but I am GUTTED. Simply GUTTED about this.
 
mddharma said:
Well, I was waiting for the update of the 12" and it is now here. :( However, it is time to move on. I think it may be a while before there is a better 12" model that is PPC, if there ever will be. I do not want to go to intel for a few years. So, I figured I would buy the 12" with superdrive refurbished on Apples site, and the price has stayed the same! :eek: It is still listed at $1449, which is ONLY $50 cheaper than a new 12" with superdrive. :( I thought for sure they would have reduced it. I can't seem to win on this purchase. Anyway, been holding out for months, so ... time to move on.
Click to expand...

It may still be reduced. It often takes a few days for them to adjust the prices on the refurbs to reflect updated hardware.
 
The G4 is a chip which has passed its useful life. We're talking about a architecture which is limited to SDR RAM speeds (DDR is used to ensure they have a supply of memory) and 4x AGP. The 9700 in there now is about as fast as your going to get on that bus. X800 would be bottlenecked not to mention that is a DESKTOP REPLACEMENT chip and would probably melt a 1" powerbook. Until the G4 is replaced, Apple can only move at the pace of freescale whose man concern is making the best ebedded CPU they can make.

The new G5 finally becomes the workstation is was designed to be. It's about time we got a pro card. However, Apple probably should have given pro users the option of the FX540 in place of the 6600LE and the 1400 and 3450 for an additonal fee. Not all pros will be able to mortgage thier house for the 4500. Going to all PCI Express was a nice touch even though I think it was necessary. I don't believe we'll see anything but speedbumps for the best of the G5's life. Compared to Dual core PC workstations, the prices are hard to beat.

Aperture scares be though. It might cross into Photoshop's territory a little too much. Do I need to remind people what would happen to the pro Mac sector if Adobe cesed Mac development?

I have one last note here. Apple you have given the consumers a home run with the iMac and gave the Pro users exactly what they want with the new PowerMac. For God's sake throw us prosumers a bone here!
 
:( I was going to buy an UPDATED 12 PB but the specs on current model blow. Mr. Jobs let me Down hard this time. I'm blaming apple on this one and no one else. There are alot of things they could have updated that are not to do with IBM. In nine months Apple couldn’t even come up with ONE damn update for the 12 PB. MY KID was made IN 9 MONTHS!! I don’t know about you guys but I was hoping for a new video card, 7884, and something to blow me away. I got blown today, but it wasn’t from Apple as hoped. ;) Also, Nano screen also busted last night. :( :mad:
 
Out of interest, it looks like you can still get the dual 2.7, for only (?) $2,799.00.

Just hit the little 'Need PCI-x?' button when choosing your powermac in the store.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back