New iBook Specs?

dr. jdr. j
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
I've read all the other threads posted, but no one has mentioned what they think or otherwise know what the specs of the new iBook are/may be. I'm curious as I too am in the market for one, but do not know if I want to get a new iBook, new Powerbook, or wait and see what happens in 2005 with all this talk of powerbook G5's (or I might just get antsy and buy one of the new iMac g5's). If anyone knows anything or has some speculation, i'd be interested.....



Thanks,

The Doctor

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    We will not see improved iBooks before the PowerBook gets updated. I expect the iBook would gain faster processors and faster GPUs with more memory. That's about it.



    I'd say low-end iBooks would have a 1.2GHz PowerPC G4 processor, with a 1.4GHz PowerPC G4 processor for the top model. A faster GPU might be an ATI 9600 with 64 MB of RAM.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    dr. jdr. j Posts: 39member
    Thank you for your reply, but I suppose I needed to be a bit more specific with what I am looking for........

    Mainly I would like to know what speculation there is on a low-end iBook coming standard with an airport extreme, possibly 512mb ram, superdrive, or even with a faster bus......

    But it is good to hear someone thinks they will bump the video up a bit.



    Thanks

    The Doctor
  • Reply 3 of 17
    peter northpeter north Posts: 103member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dr. J

    Thank you for your reply, but I suppose I needed to be a bit more specific with what I am looking for........

    Mainly I would like to know what speculation there is on a low-end iBook coming standard with an airport extreme, possibly 512mb ram, superdrive, or even with a faster bus......

    But it is good to hear someone thinks they will bump the video up a bit.



    Thanks

    The Doctor





    aiport extreme: maybe

    512mb ram: no way

    superdrive: not for awhile

    faster bus: probably not
  • Reply 4 of 17
    chagichagi Posts: 284member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dr. J

    Thank you for your reply, but I suppose I needed to be a bit more specific with what I am looking for........

    Mainly I would like to know what speculation there is on a low-end iBook coming standard with an airport extreme, possibly 512mb ram, superdrive, or even with a faster bus......

    But it is good to hear someone thinks they will bump the video up a bit.



    Thanks

    The Doctor



    I think the odds of including Airport Extreme as standard are quite good are quite good, but then, I'm not sure what Apple's margins are like for the iBooks.



    Superdrive as base? Doubt it, this is how Apple differentiates the iBook models. Faster bus? Doubt this one as well, next gen iBook will likely just plunk in a faster CPU. 512MB RAM is quite doubtful as well, but fortunately RAM is pretty cheap.
  • Reply 5 of 17
    messiahmessiah Posts: 1,689member
    I heard somewhere that the current iBook line-up does not support some of the recently announced features in Tiger (Core Video?).



    I guess the next iBook revision will address this, at least. I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to thin it down a bit, or even introduce a new form factor. They may even manage to drop the price a bit as well.
  • Reply 6 of 17
    dhagan4755dhagan4755 Posts: 2,152member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiah

    I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to thin it down a bit, or even introduce a new form factor.



    Good point. The iBook hasn't seen a new enclosure since May 1, 2001.
  • Reply 7 of 17
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    I don't think the new iBook will get the ATI 9600, I think it will get the nVidia 5200 Ultra (same as iMac).



    I would expect it to ship with 64MB VRAM (and all PowerBooks will ship with 128 or 256 optional).
  • Reply 8 of 17
    dr. jdr. j Posts: 39member
    So does the general consensus believe in a possible $100 price drop?? As in apple going to the sub-1000 dollar range?



    -The Doctor
  • Reply 9 of 17
    yevgenyyevgeny Posts: 1,148member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Messiah

    I heard somewhere that the current iBook line-up does not support some of the recently announced features in Tiger (Core Video?).



    I guess the next iBook revision will address this, at least. I wouldn't be surprised if they managed to thin it down a bit, or even introduce a new form factor. They may even manage to drop the price a bit as well.



    I doubt that Apple thinks that core video users will be doing their video editing on iBooks. Wrong market.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    curiousuburbcuriousuburb Posts: 3,325member
    The iMac could've taken the same attitude and shipped with a non-Core compliant GPU.



    Instead, they made sure it does support Core I/V/A, because iLife tools will benefit.



    The 5200 Ultra seems to be the new entry level consumer card, so why wouldn't it be used in iBooks? What reason would Apple have to intentionally leave the consumer portable as the only machine to fall short of the minimum specs of Tiger/Core support only months before shipping said OS?



    (And you think there's whining now).



    Core's listed "GPU supported" box is here in the lower right.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    hasapihasapi Posts: 290member
    I think there is market pressure on the 12" to be increased to a 13.3" - with a 1.2G G4, but it may not get the screen this time round.



    If it stays 12" with better specs and a slight price drop that should be good enough.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    dr. jdr. j Posts: 39member
    So everything I'm hearing from both all of you and other sources is that iBooks are going to look alittle like so:



    12" 1.2Ghz G4 $999

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Capable



    14" 1.2Ghz G4 $1099

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB or Poss. 60GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    14" 1.33Ghz G4 $1299 or $1399

    SuperDrive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200 or Poss. ATi 9600m

    60GB or Poss. 80GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    With maybe a Tad bit of difference here and there. I believe that this is concievable, however I would love to see the 1.33Ghz G4 in the lower end iBook and possibly the 1.5Ghz from the present Powerbook line up in the top end iBook (I think I'm just dreaming).....

    But anyway, more comments are always appriciated.....



    -The Doctor
  • Reply 13 of 17
    chagichagi Posts: 284member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dr. J

    So everything I'm hearing from both all of you and other sources is that iBooks are going to look alittle like so:



    12" 1.2Ghz G4 $999

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Capable



    14" 1.2Ghz G4 $1099

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB or Poss. 60GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    14" 1.33Ghz G4 $1299 or $1399

    SuperDrive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200 or Poss. ATi 9600m

    60GB or Poss. 80GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    With maybe a Tad bit of difference here and there. I believe that this is concievable, however I would love to see the 1.33Ghz G4 in the lower end iBook and possibly the 1.5Ghz from the present Powerbook line up in the top end iBook (I think I'm just dreaming).....

    But anyway, more comments are always appriciated.....



    -The Doctor



    I think that what you included looks pretty good overall, though I'm generally more inclined to think that the pricing structure will remain the same as current, but with Airport Extreme included as a standard feature.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    I wouldn't mind just one size across the iBook line (13.3 inch widescreen), slightly thinner and speeds of 1.2, 1.33, and 1.42

  • Reply 15 of 17
    carson o'geniccarson o'genic Posts: 1,279member
    MacRumors is suggesting new iBooks this week, starting at $999. I hope it is true because i think these things would be a big (bigger) hit at that price point.
  • Reply 16 of 17
    brussellbrussell Posts: 9,812member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Dr. J

    12" 1.2Ghz G4 $999

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Capable



    14" 1.2Ghz G4 $1099

    Combo Drive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200

    40GB or Poss. 60GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    14" 1.33Ghz G4 $1299 or $1399

    SuperDrive

    256MB DDR

    Nvidia 5200 or Poss. ATi 9600m

    60GB or Poss. 80GB 3.5" HDD

    Airport Ext. Included



    That almost seems not worth the trouble of the update. I know ThinkSecret is saying 1.3, but it doesn't make sense to me to up the high end from 1.2 to just 1.3 Ghz. There would have to be something else in the mix, like significant price drops. But even then, it just wouldn't seem like a typical Apple update.
  • Reply 17 of 17
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by BRussell

    That almost seems not worth the trouble of the update. I know ThinkSecret is saying 1.3, but it doesn't make sense to me to up the high end from 1.2 to just 1.3 Ghz. There would have to be something else in the mix, like significant price drops. But even then, it just wouldn't seem like a typical Apple update.



    Perhaps that 13 inch widescreen is that "something". So you get a slightly faster, wider, hopefully higher res screen, but for $100 less.

    Now that, sounds like an Apple update.
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