When will we see a 15" Albook?

brokenradio11brokenradio11
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Well here's my first post:



I've been a PC user my whole life but for the last year or so I've been dying to make the switch. Mostly because of poverty I haven't been able to do it yet, but I'm hoping it can finally happen this summer. For a long time I've been mostly interested in the 14" ibook, but I hoped it would be demonstrating better performance by now. I know that in comparison to a similarly priced pc notebook, the ibook is far superior, but with the light video editing and multitrack recording i do, i need something with a little more kick.



So ever since January I've been waiting for the 15" Albook. Do you guys see it coming in the near future (meaning before the holiday season) and if so, what sort of capabilities will it sport?



Also, do you think I'm making a good decision in pursuing the powerbook? What would you recommend for someone, as i said before, who is interested in amateur video editing and music production but also needs portability. I consider myself to be fairly knowledgable, having done considerable research in the last year, and feel very comfortable making the switch. (I've learned a lot reading these posts!!)



Okay, hopefully there isn't already another thread out there on this topic, I would be terribly embarrassed to get canned on my first post!



~Thanks~
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 328
    pscatespscates Posts: 5,847member
    First off, welcome



    I would like to think that an updated 15" PowerBook - sporting all or most of the technical and cosmetic features found on the 12" and 17" models - would HAVE to be coming out within the next several months.



    I think the last rev of them was in November (might want to confirm that) and I simply don't see them sticking around forever when the models directly above and below them are now sporting Bluetooth, AirPort Extreme, improved AirPort reception and - in the case of the 17" model - the cool lighted keyboard and FireWire 800.



    Honestly, I think this much-talked-about 15" Aluminum PowerBook is going to be a HUGE seller because it perfectly straddles that line between the two others (those wanting a larger screen than the 12" model, but those who aren't in a position to drop $3300 for the huge 17" one). It'll sell like crazy and I'd imagine there'd HAVE to be one out by summer.



    According to a couple of rumor sites (and you have to take that with a big, honkin' grain of salt, of course), these things are even slated for a late May rollout, so...



    That would be nice, wouldn't it?



    I think you'd probably dig that model quite a bit for the work you described. I'm betting that it would come in two models (Combo Drive and SuperDrive) and that both models would be at least 1GHz.
  • Reply 2 of 328
    filmmaker2002filmmaker2002 Posts: 686member
    With any luck, it'll have a 970 in it. I know it seems like a dream, but you never know. Apple never ceases to surprise and amaze. I agree that the 15" will be a HUGE seller. I also see no reason that the 15" can't outperform the 17". The 17" is for people who want a big screen. The 12" is for people who want a truly portable G4. The 15" is that wonderful middle road, so why can't it have a faster processor in it. I think we will see one by WWDC. I'm waiting to replace my "aging" TiBook 667 VGA, and I told myself that I wouldn't until the 970 was in it. If I have to wait til next christmas, so be it! (I have a Dual 1Ghz MDD to hold me over)
  • Reply 3 of 328
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    exactly, the 970 would be a treat -- if even at 1GHz, it'd blow the other Pee-cee laptops out of their pants. But even if the AlBook debuts with a G4, which it still probably will (if but to exhaust the supply), it will more than meet your needs for editing, graphics, etc. Gotta hark back to the concept of human perception; how fast can something get realistically? And where time is but a medium measured by our memory, why try to go faster and faster?



    'Cause it rocks, that's why. Bring on the fulfillment of the "year of the notebook," Apple.
  • Reply 4 of 328
    filmmaker2002filmmaker2002 Posts: 686member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by fred_lj

    how fast can something get realistically? And where time is but a medium measured by our memory, why try to go faster and faster?



    Because I greatly dislike waiting an hour to render a 10 minute video or waiting a day to render a one hour documentary. Until processors get so fast that they can instantaniously export a one hour documentary into MPEG-2 format so I can burn it into DVD Studio Pro, I won't be happy...
  • Reply 5 of 328
    eddivelyeddively Posts: 74member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by filmmaker2002

    With any luck, it'll have a 970 in it. I know it seems like a dream, but you never know. Apple never ceases to surprise and amaze. I agree that the 15" will be a HUGE seller. I also see no reason that the 15" can't outperform the 17". The 17" is for people who want a big screen. The 12" is for people who want a truly portable G4. The 15" is that wonderful middle road, so why can't it have a faster processor in it. I think we will see one by WWDC. I'm waiting to replace my "aging" TiBook 667 VGA, and I told myself that I wouldn't until the 970 was in it. If I have to wait til next christmas, so be it! (I have a Dual 1Ghz MDD to hold me over)



    You are right for the most part, but when it comes down to it. No one would buy the 17" PowerBook if the 15" was more powerful and cheaper. With that said, If they did a Clean sweep across all lines, well, then, I would have no problems with that at all



    -Hehe, fun with vB tags
  • Reply 6 of 328
    neutrino23neutrino23 Posts: 1,563member
    The release date for an Al 15" PB is one of the harder dates to guess. A number of arguments point for both early release and a postponed release.



    As stated above, the 15" TiBook has not been updated since November. It does not have the cool Al skin, lighted keyboard, airport extreme, FW800 and such of the 17" PB. This all argues in favor of it being updated soon.



    On the other hand, technology has moved on. The TiBook already was at 1GHz. It should move a little higher. There is also the powerful new ATI 9600 graphics chip available for it. If the TiBook is refreshed it should also get a processor upgrade and a graphics processor upgrade. However, doing so will put it rather ahead of the 17" Al Book which just started shipping a month or so ago. Also, the TiBook is the last PowerBook which can boot OS 9. All these would be arguments for postponing the release of the 15" AlBook for a few months.



    My guess is that the 15" PB would come out sooner rather than later. If it does have some cool things like a speed bump for te CPU or a better GPU it may tick off some 17" PB purchasers and may take some sales from that product but time to market is so important I think Apple looses more than they protect buy waiting.



    Now, is that clear as mud?
  • Reply 7 of 328
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    The OSX transition is far from complete, with Apple keeping a OS9 capable machine in each of it's line-ups. The TiBook fills that role in the PB line. The problem for Apple is that they really don't have any room to do a significant bump. Performance wise, the Ti is right there with the 17" Al, so even if they updated the case, what would you gain? Airport ex and bluetooth, not a big gain, it's probably much more important for them to keep an OS booting PRO laptop around ATM.



    The 15" will get a bump when the 17" can get one as well, could be as long as another 6 months.
  • Reply 8 of 328
    brokenradio11brokenradio11 Posts: 15member
    If an update could be as far of as 6 months, is it likely that we'll see the 970 by then? If that were the case, it seems as though it would be worth waiting. If not, how much more can we expect out of the G4 in a portable?
  • Reply 9 of 328
    junkyard dawgjunkyard dawg Posts: 2,801member
    If the powerbooks get a PPC 970, it will show up either in all of them, or only in the 17" or 17"+15".



    Apple has never introduced a new feature in the midrange build of a particular model...it wouldn't make any sense. Why would Apple put their most advanced CPU in a powerbook that costs less than the high-end model?



    If Apple were to only use the PPC 970 in one tower, and leave the others as G4s, would you expect them to put the 970 in the midrange model, and leave the $3500 tower with a G4? No. And if Apple did that the board would make sure somebody's head rolled for such a stupid decision.
  • Reply 10 of 328
    flounderflounder Posts: 2,674member
    railheaddesign (fairly reliable when he does post rumors)

    said he is getting conflicting reports, but it should be between the end of may and the end of june.
  • Reply 11 of 328
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    I'm hoping that the next PowerBook 15" will have the new IBM PPC970. I'm not paying USD2800 for a 1Ghz G4! I'm just not going to do it. My next computer, however, is going to be a PowerBook, so I am really hoping that the new ones will have the 970. It doesn't seem all that impossible...right?
  • Reply 12 of 328
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    In all likelihood, the PM's will be the only macs to sport the 970 for at least a few months, and those won't be seen untill MWNY (probably). Possibly, the 17" might get one at that time aswell, just for the wow factor of a 17" 64 bit notebook. I don't think there'll be enough 970's to go around after that, at least not for a few months
  • Reply 13 of 328
    algolalgol Posts: 833member
    I don't see how apple is going to sell expensive G4 PowerBooks along side the 970 PowerMacs. We are not dealing with Motorola anymore, so maybe there is a possibility of the 970 PowerBooks coming out at the same time. I am really hoping for a 970 PowerBook lol! However, it seems like I may have to wait a while longer.
  • Reply 14 of 328
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matsu

    The 15" will get a bump when the 17" can get one as well, could be as long as another 6 months.



    I agree I think it will be November 2003 - as that will make it a year old - no great worry to Apple - but I think they will have to bump up 17inch spec at same time - otherwise a 15inch revision now will make the 17ich seem lame (other than the screen size)



    Jools
  • Reply 15 of 328
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Also - remember the 17inch still is NOT out in the UK yet - and I doubt they will introduce a killer 15inch until UK gets stocks otherwise it blows the lid on the "wow factor" of the 17inch arriving in the UK





    UK is still 6 weeks away from the 17inch coming out that makes it 6 months late since it was annouced...RUBBISH!!
  • Reply 16 of 328
    fred_ljfred_lj Posts: 607member
    That won't hold them back from intro'ing anything as soon as it's feasible (if they have anything to intro at all). I would like to think the 17" PowerBook doesn't have to be the top-dog. It's too big for most people; I favor more the idea of it being an "option" rather than a flagship. Let the 15" reign.
  • Reply 17 of 328
    hobbeshobbes Posts: 1,252member
    Supposedly the 15" Albook is awaiting a new graphics card. Hopefully it'll arrive in the next month or two.



    I wouldn't expect a 970 PowerBook until next year.
  • Reply 18 of 328
    cliveclive Posts: 720member
    This is a difficult call I think. It's either going to happen relatively soon, or the 15" is just going to get incremental upgrades until close to this time next year (when it'll get a new case and a 970).



    So I'd say, if it doesn't happen within three months, then it's not going to happen before next year.



    Wait and see what leaks out from WWDC about the 970.
  • Reply 19 of 328
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    when is the WWDC?
  • Reply 20 of 328
    marcusmarcus Posts: 227member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by kittylitterdesign

    Also - remember the 17inch still is NOT out in the UK yet - and I doubt they will introduce a killer 15inch until UK gets stocks otherwise it blows the lid on the "wow factor" of the 17inch arriving in the UK





    UK is still 6 weeks away from the 17inch coming out that makes it 6 months late since it was annouced...RUBBISH!!



    I was on the Jigsaw, Cancom UK and Macwarehouse sites today, and they were all showing stock of the 17"...
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