Making the switch, now vs. later:
I'm going to "make the switch" next fall hopefully, after years of using PCs. I'm a graphic artist, so at this stage it's really the better option for me. However, I do have some concerns about the upcoming product roll-outs. I'd rather not drop $4500 on a PB17 (+ extras) and then have the 970 come out the next day. Obviously Apple is pretty tight-lipped about their future releases, but I've seen speculations as soon as the end of the month and as far as next feb/march. Once fall rolls around, I'll pretty much need to purchase some machine, but can everyone weigh in on how likely it is that I'll be able to get a PB17 with a 970 in it in or around August? I'm not really hip to the "Apple Scene" so I'd really like some opinons on what is really, actually likely to happen versus what everyone wants to happen (have it now, obviously)
,
Chris
,Chris
Comments
Those that say, don't know.
wait till WWDC. should be the best indicator.(along with the release of the 15" redux)
- PPC 970 in desktops this summer
- PPC 970 in laptops early next year (possibly even January in MWSF 04?)
All the threads about 970 laptops being announced alongside 970 desktops are -- IMO -- plain old wishful thinking.
So no, I don't believe money spent for 17" PowerBook will be badly spent at all... unless you need a desktop, or can hold out for another seven to nine months.
The PB17 right now seems to fall a bit short (so close yet so far) in the horsepower field to do the gaming and audio that I'm going to need. But I will definately need a computer fall.. I know Apple is big on the "back to school" market. But just how important is it to them that they'd roll out the 970 in time?
And what is all this jazz about the 980?
Originally posted by elizaeffect
It's going to be a desktop replacement, but I'm also a game development student, and I'm going to want to be able to run Doom 3 well in conjunction with all the other standard design/art apps, as well as some minor sound production.
The PB17 right now seems to fall a bit short (so close yet so far) in the horsepower field to do the gaming and audio that I'm going to need. But I will definately need a computer fall.. I know Apple is big on the "back to school" market. But just how important is it to them that they'd roll out the 970 in time?
And what is all this jazz about the 980?
Apple wants to release the 970 (in a desktop machine) as soon as it can, and all signs point to it being released in this summer to early fall. The 970 in the PowerBook will almost certainly follow soon after, but very unlikely at same time -- probably another 3-6 months afterward. I'm sure part of that is technical (heat and space issues fitting the new chip into the PowerBook), part finanical (squeeze as much sales from the new desktops), part marketing (the G5, or whatever it's called, may very well sport a revised design).
So if you're looking for a laptop, I wouldn't wait for the 970. The 17" PB was engineered almost solely for video professionals, so you're not going to go wrong getting it for design, video, and audio work. By all accounts, it's an amazing machine. Maybe even Doom 3 will run passably well on it.
One good thing is that if you wait until mid-June or -July until the 970 is introduced, is that Apple will almost certainly bump speeds in all other G4-based lines for the fall. The lameness of their current "high-end" machines is currently holding them back. So if you can wait, wait. Who knows.
980 is pretty vaporous, as far as I can tell. Doesn't seem like we'll be seeing it any time soon, if it even exists yet.
Originally posted by Stratosfear
New OS X version Panther 10.3 is coming in July-August.
Hmm more like late August earliest, and more likely sept or early oct.
So it's better wait now and buy new machine after when Panther has been released.
Or atleast wait until the WWDC and see what appears there, at least hardware wise. You can probably upgrade to Panther for free when it's released if you but hardware after the WWDC
We will see 15" PB update during the summer.
Maybe, maybe not
[edit: grammar]
Besides the old Ti has been rated best laptop in many PC magizines and the 17 is such an improvement. they all ready are selling as many as they can make. and next year if they uprade the 17 to a 970 we will all rush to buy them again.
So I recommend buying a 17 now and waiting for a desktop untill the 970 comes out. Actually I am going to wait untill the second generation 970 machine. The 17 i have now suits me fine and i am a graphic artist too
Originally posted by JC
Side by side release of a 970 in both desktops and powerbooks is not going to happen. If they did that they may run into issues of not being able to keep up production. The first 970 may only be available in the top of the line powermac. They have done this before. The first Duel processor, ect ect.
Besides the old Ti has been rated best laptop in many PC magizines and the 17 is such an improvement. they all ready are selling as many as they can make. and next year if they uprade the 17 to a 970 we will all rush to buy them again.
Actually, I think there are a lot of reasons for them to come out with a 970 based laptop at the same time as the desktop (if not even first).
1. Profits on laptops are high.
2. They have to combat Intel's Centrino architecture.
3. Desktop sales have been lagging, laptop sales have been increasing. Again, see where the high profit margins are.
4. Easier to support, as custom hardware can't be put in.
5. Latptops could use a different class of 970 (1-1.2 GHz, instead of 1.4-1.8GHz)
It might be wishful thinking, but I can see strong business reasons for it, and very few against it. Why not have a simultaneous release if you can technologically do it? Why have they been holding up the 15" AlBooks for so long (I find it hard to believe they had a 3 month inventory of TiBooks)?
My guess is they've held up the 15" AlBook for so long because they are redesigning the motherboard to handle the 970, and they'll anounce it after WWDC (possibly far after, when Panther is ready to support it). Either that, or they'll anounce it and take orders for it during WWDC, and then ship it when Panther is ready (similar to the 17" delay, but for different reasons...).
John
Originally posted by John Whitney
It might be wishful thinking, but I can see strong business reasons for it, and very few against it. Why not have a simultaneous release if you can technologically do it? Why have they been holding up the 15" AlBooks for so long (I find it hard to believe they had a 3 month inventory of TiBooks)?
It just doesn't make any sense.
The 15" PBs are not going to outpace the high-end, be-all 17" PB. Common sense, fella. Apple just doesn't work this way.
I don't know why the 15"ers are being held up, but probably because they're still selling all right, and/or a new graphics card is being prepared for the 15". Or whatever. We'll see pretty soon.
It'd be a slap in the face to people who just bought a new PowerBook, only announced 4 months ago, and with the 17" only being widely available *very* recently.
Apple likes to space out major releases (and believe me, a 970 PPC PB will be a *major* release) to ensure maximum sales. Pro users have waiting for the G5 desktop for years now, that's their core market they need to satisfy. Why muddy the waters with a choice between superfast desktop and superfast laptop?
The marketing angle feeds into it, but it doesn't matter; I don't even think it's at all easy. People seem to think you just throw a new, very powerful chip into a <1" body and turn it on. It's far more work than that, and takes time to get working right.
I would be impressed if they can get one in by MWSF 04.
Originally posted by John Whitney
Actually, I think there are a lot of reasons for them to come out with a 970 based laptop at the same time as the desktop (if not even first).
Pittsburgh must be the home of unbridled optimism and rampant speculation, because I also see this as a possibility and even a probability IF IBM's Fishkill plant has produced a large number of 970's that don't test out to the 1.4 to 1.8 range and they can offer them to Apple at >= 1 gig at low power (and low cost).
AND the mobo for a portable has been developed. Giving the attendees at WWDC the option of taking home the beta of Panther on a 970 PB "developers" edition, will make the plastic fly at the booth they dispense them at.
The "rest of us" will need to wait until Panther is released to buy the 970 across the "Power" line-up.
...
Originally posted by Hobbes
It'd be a slap in the face to people who just bought a new PowerBook, only announced 4 months ago, and with the 17" only being widely available *very* recently.
While I don't know the answer to the question, I'll say right here and right now: If you can't handle faster machines coming out a few months after you just bought your baby, you need to get out of the computer business. 6-7 months is quite a long time. In the PC laptop world, performance doubled in that time from when I bought mine.
Apple is also falling behind, and really needs a draw to bring over PC users and increase market share.
Apple likes to space out major releases (and believe me, a 970 PPC PB will be a *major* release) to ensure maximum sales. Pro users have waiting for the G5 desktop for years now, that's their core market they need to satisfy. Why muddy the waters with a choice between superfast desktop and superfast laptop?
Muddy the waters? Why does giving the customer a choice between a powerful laptop and a powerful desktop muddy the waters? Why should Apple care if their customers pick one or the other? Either way they get their money (and more of it if their customers choose the laptop). What's magical about the PowerMac, that it couldn't be replaced by an equally powerful PowerBook?
The marketing angle feeds into it, but it doesn't matter; I don't even think it's at all easy. People seem to think you just throw a new, very powerful chip into a <1" body and turn it on. It's far more work than that, and takes time to get working right.
I probably know better than most what goes into this sort of development. But then, you have to ask yourself, how long has Apple had access to 970's for development purposes? It could have been over a year ago, for all we know. They have to be developing the 64-bit capable Panther on something.
Do you think anyone is going to keep buying PowerBooks if it takes them a year to catch up to PC performance? Centrino already puts them behind the curve in terms of power consumption, and maybe performance. Where will Centrino be in a year? Apple needs to get back ahead of the game, as I'm sure they know as well.
As I said, we'll see. I'm optimistic. However, I won't be very optimistic of Apple's future if they can't get moving quickly. In any case, come the release of Panther, one of us can tell the other "I told you so!"
One good thing is that if you wait until mid-June or -July until the 970 is introduced, is that Apple will almost certainly bump speeds in all other G4-based lines for the fall.
With what? Current PB capable G4 chips max out at 1GHZ. Motorola's timeline for the .13um die-shrink is Q4 2003, and that right now is looking very optimistic, though at least one year late if you go by anyone else's fab capabilities.
It's either a low clock 970 or a long wait between PB bumps.
Originally posted by elizaeffect
I'm fine with a low-clock 970, I just don't wanna miss out on the benifit of 64-bit with the upcoming OS..
I think Apple will probably discount or give a free upgrade to Panther for people buying a 970-based machine, beit laptop or desktop, if they are released prior to Panther being ready.
I got rid of my older Powerbook G4-400 this Spring, since I have a B&W G3 at home too, and I am compiling a ton of DV stuff I'd like to burn to DVD, but don't have the option at the moment. If Apple were to release a 970-based laptop this fall or summer I would jump at it, regardless of speed. The need is there.
The safe bet is to wait til WWDC (June 23rd) and that should be a better indicator of future hardware, if they don't release anything outright then.