Titanium/Aluminum differences?

epimetheusepimetheus
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Hi all,



Does anyone know the differences between the Titanium and Aluminum used in the Powerbooks? Is one metal lighter, more scratch resistant, less transfer of heat, etc? Is there a cosmetic difference? I've tried looking online for cosmetic differences (color, etc) but haven't noticed any.



Is there a reason Apple moved from Ti to Al?



Sorry for all the newb questions -- I assumed that the PBs were still Titanium and found out the last few revs have been Aluminum... so much for me being current!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    The aluminum is darker in color, and sturdier. Where the Ti was two-toned with the silver and white, the Aluminum is all one color.



    To me, the main difference is the screen hinge. The Ti had a hinge that was prone to weakening over long periods of use, and cracking. The Al has the iBook-style hinge, so it is much stronger and more pleasing to look at. Other than that, I think Al is actually heaver, but stronger (in Apple's implimentation) and possibly less scratch prone. Not much else is different.
  • Reply 2 of 18
    epimetheusepimetheus Posts: 34member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiahtosh

    The aluminum is darker in color, and sturdier. Where the Ti was two-toned with the silver and white, the Aluminum is all one color.



    To me, the main difference is the screen hinge. The Ti had a hinge that was prone to weakening over long periods of use, and cracking. The Al has the iBook-style hinge, so it is much stronger and more pleasing to look at. Other than that, I think Al is actually heaver, but stronger (in Apple's implimentation) and possibly less scratch prone. Not much else is different.



    Thanks Messiahtosh, that's exactly the kind of info I was looking for. Thanks!
  • Reply 3 of 18
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    I found some more information in an old thread here:



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...threadid=23894



    You can see I was also participating quite a bit . Basically, these are the advantages:



    1. Aluminum conducts heat instead of insulating it like the titanium, so the heat is all spread out over the surface instead of building up inside the computer and causing hot spots to form.

    2. The aluminum is anodized rather than painted, making it scratch-resistant.

    3. Aluminum doesn't interfere with wireless signals the way titanium does.

    4. Aluminum is cheaper (I think this is the biggie).
  • Reply 4 of 18
    epimetheusepimetheus Posts: 34member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Luca

    I found some more information in an old thread here:



    http://forums.appleinsider.com/showt...threadid=23894



    You can see I was also participating quite a bit . Basically, these are the advantages:



    1. Aluminum conducts heat instead of insulating it like the titanium, so the heat is all spread out over the surface instead of building up inside the computer and causing hot spots to form.

    2. The aluminum is anodized rather than painted, making it scratch-resistant.

    3. Aluminum doesn't interfere with wireless signals the way titanium does.

    4. Aluminum is cheaper (I think this is the biggie).



    Thanks for the great info!
  • Reply 5 of 18
    messiahtoshmessiahtosh Posts: 1,754member
    You're welcome, and here's my random "Bill Gates looks ridiculous photo of the day."



  • Reply 6 of 18
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiahtosh





    "Braaaaaiiiins!!"
  • Reply 7 of 18
    buckeyebuckeye Posts: 358member
    Edit: Nevermind.
  • Reply 8 of 18
    >_>>_> Posts: 336member
    Aluminum is also a lot easier / cheaper to form, giving the AL books a much smoother, rounded feel on the edges and corners.



    - Xidius
  • Reply 9 of 18
    hardheadhardhead Posts: 644member
    Cosmetically speaking, MOST of the Ti books I've seen are starting to look like crap...
  • Reply 10 of 18
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Ti powerbooks have paint on them and they chip. Also the titanium interfers with your wireless internet connection. The titanium also interfers with the security checks in the airport and now train stations. Aluminum is lighter, more sturdy, and looks much better then titanium.
  • Reply 11 of 18
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiahtosh

    You're welcome, and here's my random "Bill Gates looks ridiculous photo of the day."







    I think Gates is saying, " Calm down people, it is not like we are creating are own OS. We are just stealing from apple as always."
  • Reply 12 of 18
    kraig911kraig911 Posts: 912member
    I don't know to me there's just something about my Ti that I like more than the current crop of Al's, it just looks sharper to me I guess, and not so bubbly.
  • Reply 13 of 18
    mrmistermrmister Posts: 1,095member
    Just so we're clear--Titanium and aluminum equally interfere with wireless signals. It's just that with the Aluminum they've moved the antennas so that they can get better reception.



    Also, Titanium is lighter than aluminum--you can check that easily enough. And I've never had any problems with security anywhere with a Titanium or Aluminum Powerbook, so I don't think that's really an issue, either.



    AlBooks are heavier, because they need more internal support, because Al is softer and more ductile than Ti.



    The way I see it, both have advantages and disadvantages. It isn't nearly as clear-cut as posters here seem to make it out to be.
  • Reply 14 of 18
    admactaniumadmactanium Posts: 812member
    i like a lot of the new features on the alu-book but i am not a big fan of that "painted-on metal" look for the keyboard. i like the contrast of the translucent dark keys on my tibook better. the aluminum powerbook looks a little cheaper, imo, because of it.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    Actually, titanium is much heavier than aluminum... more than half again as heavy. Titanium is very strong, however, whereas aluminum is comparatively weak and brittle. The Ti in TiBooks is paper thin, aiding in low weight and slim form factor. Check out the ports cover on the back... you could prepare sashimi with that thing. *chop chop!* The Ti panels on a TiBook are way less than a mil. thick.



    AlBooks, on the other hand, have to be cast as whole pieces, with corners, inner ribs, etc, other wise they would be structurally unsound. More (thicker) aluminum has to be used than Ti. Al is also a bitch to cast, as Apple discovered. But it's quite a bit cheaper than Ti.



    I own a TiBook and love it, but personally prefer the one-tone of the AlBooks to the two-tone (ugh) of the Tibook.



    Ti: strong, flexible, heavy (but can be made paper thin to make it 'light')



    Al: Light, brittle, weak.
  • Reply 16 of 18
    admactaniumadmactanium Posts: 812member
    i'm wondering if anyone has been brave enough to polish out their aluminum book to a mirror finish yet.
  • Reply 17 of 18
    gsxrboygsxrboy Posts: 565member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by admactanium

    i'm wondering if anyone has been brave enough to polish out their aluminum book to a mirror finish yet.



    I wondered the same thing a while ago, someone has to have access to returned shells etc to try a demo on one !
  • Reply 18 of 18
    1337_5l4xx0r1337_5l4xx0r Posts: 1,558member
    I think Bill Gates is the only one who'd consider polishing his aluminum powerbook...
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