Performance: 15" Ti vs. 17" Al

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I'm considering upgrading my ibook with a new powerbook.

I noticed that the 15" and the 17" is very similar. Besides the different type of ram and the faster hd and display card, they're pretty much the same. (not including the bluetooth which should not affect performance).

I'm wondering performance-wise, how much faster is the 17"?



Thanks!!!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    The faster memory architecture will allow the PowerBook 17" to be faster in some areas. A few seconds there and a few seconds here, but from the benchmarks I have looked at the difference is minimal.



    When trying to decide it is better to look at it in terms or space. The 17" has a big screen which can be nice, but if you are trying to travel around it can be a pain. The 15" is a great size and gets better battery life than the 17". The 15" is also 700 USD less and has the benifit of quite a few revisions behind its belt. On the other hand the 17" is slightly faster has a lightup keyboard and AirPort Extreme.



    I have a 1ghz Tibook which I love. The comp is really fast and rips through photoshop filtres in no time at all. Most of the iApps open in one bounce. WarCraft 3 opens in one bounce which is faster than my friends 2.4Ghz P4. It's a great computer.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    yevgenyyevgeny Posts: 1,148member
    Well, at some point in time in the next month or two (or three?) there will be an upgrade to the 15 inch powerbook, and perhaps to the 17 inch powerbook as well. If you can wait for a purchase, then I would really strongly advise you to wait. The new 15Ti will kick the rear of the current 15Ti.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Yevgeny

    Well, at some point in time in the next month or two (or three?) there will be an upgrade to the 15 inch powerbook, and perhaps to the 17 inch powerbook as well. If you can wait for a purchase, then I would really strongly advise you to wait. The new 15Ti will kick the rear of the current 15Ti.



    Unless you want a large price drop. They are having some large deal on 15" Powerbooks now. My friend ended up getting a decked out on when he was only planning on buying a 12" since the deal was so good. And he got to get a 15GB iPod with it (he was selling his old 10GB model) which also knocked $200 off the price of the Powerbook since he got them together. I feel all jealous now with my poor ass and year-old powerbook. 667MHz all the way! :wink:



    As far as the lighted keyboard goes... I think that you might be able to get one into the old 15" books. I mean the iBook keyboards fit onto the powerbooks...Maybe the light-up one will too. (I knew some people at a mac certified repair shop)
  • Reply 4 of 11
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    The performance of the alu vs the TI should be sligty the same. Some benchmarks finded a huge advantage for the Alu, some others not. In a logical point of vue, the DDR memory and the faster bus 167 mhz vs 133 should only gave a small advantage.



    The main difference, is the built in new features ; like FW 8OO (nice for the new HD, with oxford 922 electronic), and airport extreme.



    The alu case is better : it's more rigid than the ti, dissipate more heat, has a very low noise level (even if the two fans are working), the screen is larger and better : you have a desktop screen quality (the one of the imac 17) in a laptop. The built in HP are better also (best HP ever built in a mac desktop). The keyboard is improved also, wich a better feeling when you tape, add the ability to illuminate in the dark with an automatic light adjustement.



    The alu 17 is a good buy, except if you are concerned by the size (too big for normal seats in plane. Anyway : if you are concerned by these feature, choose the 12 alu book, the 15 inch is already too big)

    The alu 17 is the choice, for people who wants to do video or audio. A big screen really help when you use FCE or FCP.



    I have just ordered one, it will ship next week. I will use to do video editing while i am on holiday.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    pyr3pyr3 Posts: 946member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    The alu 17 is a good buy, except if you are concerned by the size (too big for normal seats in plane. Anyway : if you are concerned by these feature, choose the 12 alu book, the 15 inch is already too big)

    The alu 17 is the choice, for people who wants to do video or audio. A big screen really help when you use FCE or FCP.





    Actually, I don't think that the 15" is too big. I think that the size is just right. I've been using one for almost a year. Anything bigger would be too big and anything smaller ... well, I don't like the smaller screen resolution. Though I admit that something smaller would be more portable.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pyr3

    Actually, I don't think that the 15" is too big. I think that the size is just right. I've been using one for almost a year. Anything bigger would be too big and anything smaller ... well, I don't like the smaller screen resolution. Though I admit that something smaller would be more portable.



    You should wait for a 15 alu book. It will be presented in september at Apple Expo Paris. Perhaps i will have choose a 15 alu book, if he was avalaible, i am little scared by the size of the 17 inch



    Unfortunately , the 15 alu book was not avalaible, and i wanted one for my holidays : so i choose the 17 inch. I will made give my first impressions when i will recieve it.
  • Reply 7 of 11
    yevgenyyevgeny Posts: 1,148member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by pyr3

    Unless you want a large price drop. They are having some large deal on 15" Powerbooks now. My friend ended up getting a decked out on when he was only planning on buying a 12" since the deal was so good. And he got to get a 15GB iPod with it (he was selling his old 10GB model) which also knocked $200 off the price of the Powerbook since he got them together. I feel all jealous now with my poor ass and year-old powerbook. 667MHz all the way! :wink:



    If you want an old machine with an older G4 with a case that scratches, etc, then go for the 15. I think that the forthcoming 15 will be pretty good.



    As for price drops, newer doesn't always mean fantastically more expensive. Compare the prices of G4's before the G5 to the price of the G5. The G5 is newer and very well priced.



    Quote:

    As far as the lighted keyboard goes... I think that you might be able to get one into the old 15" books. I mean the iBook keyboards fit onto the powerbooks...Maybe the light-up one will too. (I knew some people at a mac certified repair shop)



    I somehow doubt that in the 15 Ti book there will be a place where you can plug in the power cable of a lighted keyboard.
  • Reply 8 of 11
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    Performance-wise they are the same.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    jcjc Posts: 342member
    I have owned both. I sold my Ti to buy my Ai.



    the Ai is a far beter machine. it is more stable and never crashes. It has a 167 mz system bus instead of a 133 mz and is thus a lot faster. the case is stronger and more durable. and it is not that big. it is just a few inches wider. The size is perfect it is a true desktop replacement. and if you are foreward thinking you should get a machine with firewire 800. I love mine. Buy one and you will love yours too
  • Reply 10 of 11
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    http://www.barefeats.com/pb17.html



    If I could get either, I'd get the 17", but performance wise, they are the same.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Just recieved mine, the screen is perfect, and the sound is the best ever heard from a laptop. It's fantastic to watch DVD on it, much better than on TV, it looks like a small cinema display.



    Performance is not everything in a laptop. The alu 17 is a real winner.
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