New Powerbooks: When and What Specs?

chillimacchillimac
Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Hi all,



I have FINALLY saved enough loot to buy a Powerbook! I'm pyched EXCEPT

I believe I'm near the end of this product's life cycle. With ATI recently shipping it's ATI9800 Mobility Radeo (256MB vs 128MB for the Powerbooks 9700 Mobility), and Freescale's Dual Core G4 announcement (Due in October), I am afraid Apple is poised to release new Powerbooks with these items (before PB G5) between Macworld Paris (Aug 31) and Macworld SanFran (Jan 2005).



I don't mind paying a boatload for a great machine, BUT I want to buy the best possible to make it useable for the greatest length of time ESPECIALLY since you can't upgrade the processor and graphis cards in Powerbooks.

Conversely, I bought my Sawtooth G4 in Feb 2000 and it has been terrif for3 years and the past year too many software titles require more processor and/or graphics card muscel than I have.



Any thoughts? Anyone know the last 6 upgrade cycles for Powerbooks? I know April was the most recent...



Thanks a heap!

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 15
    powerdocpowerdoc Posts: 8,123member
    Don't expect a major revision for september. You will have to wait that the chip supplier (MOTO) switch to 90 nm process, to have a speed bump.

    The next big thing will be dual core G4 laptops for 2005.



    Note that the current line is excellent. May be a price drop is possible in the next coming months
  • Reply 2 of 15
    bnoyhtuawbbnoyhtuawb Posts: 456member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ChilliMac



    [...]

    Any thoughts? Anyone know the last 6 upgrade cycles for Powerbooks? I know April was the most recent...



    Thanks a heap!



    http://buyersguide.macrumors.com/
  • Reply 3 of 15
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    Next big thing is the PowerTuned-970fx. I'll believe dual-core G4's when I see it. No, it will be a G5 (but when???).
  • Reply 4 of 15
    kenaustuskenaustus Posts: 924member
    It's a hard choice. I decided in April to go with the new 1.5 15" and love it. I figured that it will take a while for the G5 and when this one is ready for replacement I'll be able to get a rev b.



    While I knew that there would be a faster PB in the future I needed more speed than my 667 PB because I demo a Windows product on the PB - more dependable that a PC laptop! For me it was a great buy and I have loved it. No doubt that it can go for a long time. (I recently bought a new 23" display to use at work with the PB and it does make accounting work almost a joy - the PB is very versatile when it comes to office tasks.)



    Actually now I'm waiting for the G5 iMac and will order on the first day with a BTO to max it out. This will be replacing an old 450 Dull at home and will provide the G5 platform for pics and movie work.



    If this is going to be your main computer you might want to wait until you see what the fall brings. New graphic and processor options may be announced, but I think that the G5 PB is a ways off.



    Good luck and have fun when you get it.



    PS. Don't look at the new G5 iMac when it comes out as you may find it sucking some of your savings, leaving you with an iBook later . . .
  • Reply 5 of 15
    chillimacchillimac Posts: 18member
    Alright, I agree that it is:

    A) Unlikely to releasea radically faster processor (G4 Dual Core or G5) before January Macworld)



    B) When they do, it will mosst likely require a new motherboard etc. thus making the Powerbook Revision A again, frought with production problems most, including me won't want to deal with.



    HOWEVER...



    Now the main thing that makes me hesitate to buy now is the recent ATI release of the 9800 Radeo Mobility card. I am a graphic artist working in 2 and 3D design as well as a gamer and need as much graphics card power as possible and the new graphics card not only has twice the video RAM availble (256MB VS 128 MB for the current ATI 9700 Mobility card), but other technical improvements. I know there are people who say that there is little difference between 64 MB of Video RAM and 128, but if that were true, why not go iBook with 32MB of Video RAM, or 16MB?



    Most would say 128MB is just dandy for today's user. TODAY's uses. I am of the frirm belief that when dropping more than $2500 for a computer that it should be powerful enough for TOMORROW'S needs as well. I won't be buying again for 4 years and this things has to be at least competent for Adobe CS and successors as well as some 3D games and Tiger's Graphics Core features.



    This will make the Powerbook viable EVEN LONGER and I can only afford to buy a new computer every 4 years. If I could swap out the cards later, I wouldn't hesitate at all.



    I will restrain myself NO LATER than the first day of MacWorld San Fran.
  • Reply 6 of 15
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ChilliMac

    Alright, I agree that it is:

    A) Unlikely to releasea radically faster processor (G4 Dual Core or G5) before January Macworld)



    B) When they do, it will mosst likely require a new motherboard etc. thus making the Powerbook Revision A again, frought with production problems most, including me won't want to deal with.



    HOWEVER...



    Now the main thing that makes me hesitate to buy now is the recent ATI release of the 9800 Radeo Mobility card. I am a graphic artist working in 2 and 3D design as well as a gamer and need as much graphics card power as possible and the new graphics card not only has twice the video RAM availble (256MB VS 128 MB for the current ATI 9700 Mobility card), but other technical improvements. I know there are people who say that there is little difference between 64 MB of Video RAM and 128, but if that were true, why not go iBook with 32MB of Video RAM, or 16MB?



    Most would say 128MB is just dandy for today's user. TODAY's uses. I am of the frirm belief that when dropping more than $2500 for a computer that it should be powerful enough for TOMORROW'S needs as well. I won't be buying again for 4 years and this things has to be at least competent for Adobe CS and successors as well as some 3D games and Tiger's Graphics Core features.



    This will make the Powerbook viable EVEN LONGER and I can only afford to buy a new computer every 4 years. If I could swap out the cards later, I wouldn't hesitate at all.



    I will restrain myself NO LATER than the first day of MacWorld San Fran.



    My guess is that Apple will have a hard time getting the MR9800 to fit into the PB, and wouldn't have it in one anytime soon. It's a pretty big piece of hardware, considering it's almost twice the transistor count and I think is made on the same 0.13 micron process.



    http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=17463
  • Reply 7 of 15
    quagmirequagmire Posts: 558member
    Well I just found out that the pbook numbers 7,1 and 7,2 use MacRISC4 architecture. You will also notice the Pmac G5, the Xserve G5, and the upcoming imac G5 uses MacRISK4 architecture. So this is more confirmation of the next rev of the pbooks will sport a G5.
  • Reply 8 of 15
    rhumgodrhumgod Posts: 1,289member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by quagmire

    Well I just found out that the pbook numbers 7,1 and 7,2 use MacRISC4 architecture. You will also notice the Pmac G5, the Xserve G5, and the upcoming imac G5 uses MacRISK4 architecture. So this is more confirmation of the next rev of the pbooks will sport a G5.



    And more specifically a PowerTune-enabled 970fx.



    It is pretty obvious now that SMU_Neo2 is the whole voltage/power reduction scheme for the 970fx. Mind you, the current PowerMacs are listed under the PowerMac7,2 platform plugin, which is NOT PowerTune enabled.



    I can't really see Apple doing this whole Freescale thing, especially when they are head-over-heels into RapidIO. No everything is pointing to PowerTune as the solution for cooling in tight spaces. That is why the PowerMacs do not use it. It's got enough of a cooling apparatus already. No need to throttle down their "workstation".
  • Reply 9 of 15
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Rhumgod

    I can't really see Apple doing this whole Freescale thing, especially when they are head-over-heels into RapidIO. No everything is pointing to PowerTune as the solution for cooling in tight spaces. That is why the PowerMacs do not use it. It's got enough of a cooling apparatus already. No need to throttle down their "workstation".



    Just be aware that if Apple is counting on PowerTune to solve their heat issues, that means that the CPU in the PowerBook will never run at full throttle.
  • Reply 10 of 15
    chillimacchillimac Posts: 18member
    Hi guys,



    I know the focus is on the next processor in the Powerbook and yes I think it's very important to speculate on. But realisticly in terms of my making a PB purchase now or by November depends on the whether it is possible or likely that Apple will offer the new ATI 9800 Mobility graphics card as an option.



    256 MB of video RAM will make the Powerbook viable for the length of time until my next Mac purchase (4-5 years). By viable I mean being able to run Core Graphics, Adobe apps, 3D apps, video apps and of course 3D games. The sophistication of this card and extra VRAM provides nearly double the framerates on demanding 3D games as the 9700 128 VRAM and and measureable improvements using 3D rendering apps and video apps.



    I buy professional graphic apps (upgrades) and games often and have for the past 2 years fallen short of minimum requirements when it comes to video card and processor.



    If most people's conjecture on the next signifigant PB processor (2 GhZ would be the next serious bump) arriving no sooner than November (highly unlikely) and probably between Seybold in March and WWDC 2005 for either G5 or Dual Core G4 (either processor would require a motherboard change and possibly new inclosure); then a) I can't wait that long and b) don't want a revision A of that PB.



    Assuming adding an ATI 9800 would NOT require a motherboard or case change and given that ATI released it in July THEN how likely is it that Apple would offer it in a quiet PB speedbump by November this year? This is what I'm holding off my PB 15" 1.5 Gig for.



    I'm not waiting on the processor, although it'd be terrific if they could just bump the Front Side Bus from 167 MhZ to 200-300 Mhz. Is that even possible for the G4 to support higher FSB?



    Anone else waiting to make their PB purchase (not due to not having the money)?
  • Reply 11 of 15
    thats superthats super Posts: 2member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ChilliMac Anyone else waiting to make their PB purchase (not due to not having the money)?



    i am. the money is burning a hole in my pocket but i just can't seem to bring myself to fork out the $2500 knowing that apple will release an updated version probably the day after i were to buy it. when i spend that much money on a machine i expect it to be the top of the line for at least a few months. i really dont like playing apple's guess our update date game. more than likely i will purchase mine after the paris expo and just not check any apple sites for a while just to spare myself the anguish of finding out they released an updated version.
  • Reply 12 of 15
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Amorph

    Just be aware that if Apple is counting on PowerTune to solve their heat issues, that means that the CPU in the PowerBook will never run at full throttle.



    And isn't that true of the new iMac also? After all, the iMac and the 17" PowerBook are basically the same machine. Another reason to expect GF 5200 video in the next PowerBook.
  • Reply 13 of 15
    iqatedoiqatedo Posts: 1,824member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Powerdoc

    Don't expect a major revision for september. You will have to wait that the chip supplier (MOTO) switch to 90 nm process, to have a speed bump.

    The next big thing will be dual core G4 laptops for 2005.



    Note that the current line is excellent. May be a price drop is possible in the next coming months



    I had been hanging out for the next revision, pushing my G3 Wallstreet further and further into territory it was uncomforatable in when I had to make a decision for lecturing purposes. As a solution I turned to eBay (the faithful) and picked up a 6 month old, 12.1 inch PBook for US$1199. Always a bit of a risk but the machine is typical Apple brilliance, a dream to use. Might be a solution if you are waiting for the next wave.
  • Reply 14 of 15
    thttht Posts: 5,451member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by cubist

    And isn't that true of the new iMac also? After all, the iMac and the 17" PowerBook are basically the same machine. Another reason to expect GF 5200 video in the next PowerBook.



    The current Powerbook G4 12" already has Geforce FX Go5200 graphics (w/64 MB). The 15" and 17" have Mobility Radeon 9700 graphics. I would imagine that the next Powerbook revision would have the next step up from these.
  • Reply 15 of 15
    amorphamorph Posts: 7,112member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by ChilliMac

    If most people's conjecture on the next signifigant PB processor (2 GhZ would be the next serious bump) arriving no sooner than November (highly unlikely) and probably between Seybold in March and WWDC 2005 for either G5 or Dual Core G4 (either processor would require a motherboard change and possibly new inclosure); then a) I can't wait that long and b) don't want a revision A of that PB.



    Assuming adding an ATI 9800 would NOT require a motherboard or case change and given that ATI released it in July THEN how likely is it that Apple would offer it in a quiet PB speedbump by November this year? This is what I'm holding off my PB 15" 1.5 Gig for.



    I think it's fairly likely whether or not the 9800 Mobility can be slotted in as a minor revision. It's a big, hot beast of a chip, which makes it difficult to put in a thin, light PowerBook, but that doesn't mean Apple won't try, and even succeed. It might "only" have 128MB RAM onboard, with 256 available as a BTO the way the 128MB GPU is now.



    Quote:

    I'm not waiting on the processor, although it'd be terrific if they could just bump the Front Side Bus from 167 MhZ to 200-300 Mhz. Is that even possible for the G4 to support higher FSB?



    MaxBus can theoretically hit 200MHz, although whether that's possible within the PowerBook's heat, power and engineering constraints is unknown. It'll never see 300MHz. After the next G4, the 7448, Freescale will abandon MaxBus and move to RapidIO, which is like HyperTransport, and much faster than MaxBus (this is what the dual-core G4 will use). The 7448 will apparently start out shy of 2GHz, then eventually exceed it. If it appears in the PowerBook it'll probably only be for one go-round before it moves down to the iBook (and possibly the iBook-ish 12" PowerBook).
Sign In or Register to comment.