Powerbooks
MMM not to excited about the new powerbooks. Nothing really very drastic. I got the call that they made new ones, and i was happy then i heard that they still had the G4 processor in it and i wasnt that happy. I want the G5 powerbook,this new one wasnt really needed. I personally dont think itll sell really really well. I am looking forward to Q2 of 2005, because that is said to be the release of the Powerbook G5. Im not lying go search apple powerbook g5 on google and you will see. So all you G4 fans can hate me, but its time for the g5 powerbook this new one is a waste!
Comments
Originally posted by MacsRbetterthanPC
MMM not to excited about the new powerbooks. Nothing really very drastic. I got the call that they made new ones, and i was happy then i heard that they still had the G4 processor in it and i wasnt that happy. I want the G5 powerbook,this new one wasnt really needed. I personally dont think itll sell really really well. I am looking forward to Q2 of 2005, because that is said to be the release of the Powerbook G5. Im not lying go search apple powerbook g5 on google and you will see. So all you G4 fans can hate me, but its time for the g5 powerbook this new one is a waste!
You can forget Q2 2005 as a potential date. We'll be lucky to have a PB G5 in Q3. Sales will likely remain static, people who need a PB right away will upgrade those who can wait will probably do so. Apple has evolved the system nicely in the meantime.
I really want to upgrade, but is the speed/option worth moving to the new ones??? I could wait for a G5 if it is coming late this year. But if it is going to be sometime in 06' then I would for sure by now.
Thoughts??
One can get an HP 17" with:
1gig of Ram
100 gig HD
P4 3.42 ghz/ 1mb L2 Cache / 800 mhz FSB
256 mb Graphics Card
802.11g
XP Media edition for 2200 bucks.
DVD Burner
Yeah, you get a Plastic PeeCee and all, but pound for pound (not literally) the powerbook only really stands out aesthetically. I don't believe Apple will let it stay that way for another year and a half. It may not be a "G5", but it will be a pretty smokin' dual core G4 with a sweet new design, 802.11n, dual layer burner, 6-8 hours of battery life. They'll be back on top soon.
I do a lot of PC tech support. and let me tell you 8 out of 10 problems are from HP.
Yes, HP is cheap, Comcrap is cheap, e-machine is cheap, but they are all crap. they use crap drives, crap screens, crap memory everything is just crap.
there is no way you can compare a powerbook to an HP lapcrap.they are in two totally different classes.
it would be more relavant to compare the iBook to the HP but even then the iBook is made out of quality parts. the HP/Compaq is just crap.
do you konw how many "quantom" harddrives i've replaced?
It is only a justified argument to compare the powerbook to something in its class. like say a higher end dell. Dell puts quality parts in most of their higher end laptops and desktops. I've never had any terrible problems with higher end dell computers.
Remember people: You get what you pay for. the powerbook comes stock with every app you'll ever need. the iLife suite is much better than any crap demos PC manufacturers put on their PCs.
never listen to someone who posts like the person above.
i've had a lot of problems in the past. some just frustrating, others more serious. problem is it can be hard to know when you're getting quality components and when you're not.
Originally posted by Frugle
holy cow dude you have no idea what your talking about.
I do a lot of PC tech support. and let me tell you 8 out of 10 problems are from HP.
Yes, HP is cheap, Comcrap is cheap, e-machine is cheap, but they are all crap. they use crap drives, crap screens, crap memory everything is just crap.
there is no way you can compare a powerbook to an HP lapcrap.they are in two totally different classes.
it would be more relavant to compare the iBook to the HP but even then the iBook is made out of quality parts. the HP/Compaq is just crap.
do you konw how many "quantom" harddrives i've replaced?
It is only a justified argument to compare the powerbook to something in its class. like say a higher end dell. Dell puts quality parts in most of their higher end laptops and desktops. I've never had any terrible problems with higher end dell computers.
Remember people: You get what you pay for. the powerbook comes stock with every app you'll ever need. the iLife suite is much better than any crap demos PC manufacturers put on their PCs.
never listen to someone who posts like the person above.
I think that's rather unfair. Sorry, but you may have replaced a lot of Hard Drives but you may want to check your ego at the door. I agree that the Powerbooks are higher quality, but I also had my screen crap out on my powerbook a week after I bought it. We bought my Dad an iBook for his birthday and got it home, set it up for him, and the screen crapped out on that. I read about a lot of issues people have with there macs (Powerbook battery recalls, logic board problems, leaky coolant systems on the 2.5's, read the other forums. Yes, they use better parts, they have higher quality. However, I've had two Sony Laptops and had no problems with them and have used no name crap PC laptop for two years and didn't have a problem with that either.
Whatever the case, if you compare the specs, the powerbook is lacking in POWER. It may have nice components and a great design but don't kid yourself, it isn't competing for a PRO line computer.
Originally posted by Mawsdz
I think that's rather unfair. Sorry, but you may have replaced a lot of Hard Drives but you may want to check your ego at the door. I agree that the Powerbooks are higher quality, but I also had my screen crap out on my powerbook a week after I bought it. We bought my Dad an iBook for his birthday and got it home, set it up for him, and the screen crapped out on that. I read about a lot of issues people have with there macs (Powerbook battery recalls, logic board problems, leaky coolant systems on the 2.5's, read the other forums. Yes, they use better parts, they have higher quality. However, I've had two Sony Laptops and had no problems with them and have used no name crap PC laptop for two years and didn't have a problem with that either.
Whatever the case, if you compare the specs, the powerbook is lacking in POWER. It may have nice components and a great design but don't kid yourself, it isn't competing for a PRO line computer.
Yes, powerbooks have had problems, but jnot as many or as bad as cheaper PCs. You can buy a 1GB stick of generic crap RAM. or you can buy Kingston ram? or OCZ Ram? which do you think is going to crap out first? All of them may crap out first, but the generic is far more likely to do so.
I beleive your one suffering from HNS. meaning Higher Number Syndrome. You look at bigger numbers and think "Oh, it must be better!" don't you?
that is not always the case. The G5 is/(was when it was released) the fastest computer chip on the market. but how could that be at 1.8GHz? there are many factors that go into that that I don't have time to go into, but just remeber, bigger is not always better.
Go search online for Steve Jobs' "higher MHz myth" video... I forget what its called.
Mawsdz but I don't wanna PC*
*in a Seinfeld voice wearing cowboy boots.
I was dead set on getting the new PowerBook when they were predicted to come out b/c I was have very frequent kernal panics. I tried replacing the RAM twice, but no avail. So last weekend I wipe it clean and re installed, and now it is running smoothly.
Initially I took it to the Genius Bar and they first told me that it was the "logic board", then they said no everything is ok. Took it home and the kernal panics started again. I would have sent it to Apple to see what the deal was, but I decided not to AppleCare this one. I have always bought AppleCare with my Macs in the past, but I never used it. And low and behold when I do not I have trouble....murphy's law right?
Originally posted by Frugle
Yes, powerbooks have had problems, but jnot as many or as bad as cheaper PCs. You can buy a 1GB stick of generic crap RAM. or you can buy Kingston ram? or OCZ Ram? which do you think is going to crap out first? All of them may crap out first, but the generic is far more likely to do so.
I beleive your one suffering from HNS. meaning Higher Number Syndrome. You look at bigger numbers and think "Oh, it must be better!" don't you?
that is not always the case. The G5 is/(was when it was released) the fastest computer chip on the market. but how could that be at 1.8GHz? there are many factors that go into that that I don't have time to go into, but just remeber, bigger is not always better.
Go search online for Steve Jobs' "higher MHz myth" video... I forget what its called.
Interesting assumptions. I guess that is why we still own a 867mhz PB and an iMac 600mhz G3.
The FSB on the new PB has only slightly increased since my tiBook; compare that to the 800 mhz FSB of the HP I mentioned. Also, it comes with double the ram, the same HD, TV tuner built in, and more. I'm saying feature wise, and spec wise, the HP has a lot more to offer, not just processor speeds. You falsely assumed that I was only talking about Proc. Speed, then proceeded to argue that you have lots of experience because you've changed lots of HD, interesting. Yes it's obvious to everyone (or at least most) that the number before the proc. mhz isn't the only thing makes a computer powerful.
I'm sorry, but we are paying a lot more for the glowing Apple on the back of the screen than we want to admit and not our "quality" parts assembled in China and Taiwan. I like OS X much better than Windows, but it's the same arrogance that that your spouting that almost ruined Apple in the 90's
Open your eyes and let reality set in a bit. The PB IS BEHIND. That is my point. Apple set themselves apart with the iPod when everyone else had 64mb flash players and they came out with a 5gig beauty. They set theselves apart with the G5 Powermac, the iMac G5, and many other producst, including the PB models that I have. All I am am saying is that I am waiting for when they take the PRO laptops to the next level.
8)
That Radeon 9700 in the 15"/17" should be a big improvement too, BTW.
Originally posted by Mawsdz
[B]Interesting assumptions. I guess that is why we still own a 867mhz PB and an iMac 600mhz G3.
The FSB on the new PB has only slightly increased since my tiBook; compare that to the 800 mhz FSB of the HP I mentioned.
I agree the powerbook needs an FSB boost.
Also, it comes with double the ram, the same HD, TV tuner built in, and more.
have you been reading what i'm saying? it may come with more ram, but its low quality ram. Go to www.pricewatch.com and look at the prices of 1GB of ram. You can get like a gig of ram for under 100 bucks. but then again, you can spend almost 400 dollars on the exact same amount. why? quality. companys like Kingston and OSZ and other brands of memory spend a lot of money and effort into making their memory as good as it can be. they won't put bad chips on to their memory becuase they know it has more of a chance of failing than better chips.
[/Quote] I'm saying feature wise, and spec wise, the HP has a lot more to offer, not just processor speeds. You falsely assumed that I was only talking about Proc. Speed, then proceeded to argue that you have lots of experience because you've changed lots of HD, interesting. Yes it's obvious to everyone (or at least most) that the number before the proc. mhz isn't the only thing makes a computer powerful.
[/quote]
holy crap dude, read my last post. please read before fasely acuseing. and Yes, Changing a lot of Hraddrives does give me the right to know that HP is total crap. You can't expect to put a cheap harddrive in a computer and expect it to last. Harddrives are not the only thing I change, that was just the example I gave.
I'm sorry, but we are paying a lot more for the glowing Apple on the back of the screen than we want to admit and not our "quality" parts assembled in China and Taiwan.
what, just because it's made in China or Taiwan its not quality? did you see on the back it says "Design in california, assymbled in Taiwan".
where its made has no affect on the quality. America can make crap just like China can.
oh and do a price check. this isn't like in the 80s when a macintosh portable was 10 grand. do you know you can get an iBook for less than 1 grand now? did you know you can get a mac mini for 500? did you know you can get a G5 iMac for 1400? where is the over priceing? stop useing that iscuse people. those times are long gone, they left with the cube.
I like OS X much better than Windows, but it's the same arrogance that that your spouting that almost ruined Apple in the 90's
Arrogance? what arrogance? Apple puts quality parts in they're system. HP puts crap in they're system. its a fact.
I own 4 PCs and 2 macs. I use them all. I have to, I'm a "tech support" guy, I have to konw both inside and out.
Open your eyes and let reality set in a bit. The PB IS BEHIND. That is my point. Apple set themselves apart with the iPod when everyone else had 64mb flash players and they came out with a 5gig beauty. They set theselves apart with the G5 Powermac, the iMac G5, and many other producst, including the PB models that I have. All I am am saying is that I am waiting for when they take the PRO laptops to the next level.
I do not belive apple is behind. I believe their line is due an update, but I do not think they are behind. My powerbook is pleanty powerful for stuff I do (Video editing, (no not the little stuff. full quality HD) Graphic design, Web design, and audio editing among other things.)
Apple's strength is in controlling the hardware they use and building the software to maximize its stability and functionality. Oh, and of course they put it all together in best-of-breed designed enclosures. In achieving their quality objective, while maintaining their cash flow, Apple also uses slower memory and other components that are not cutting edge, or state-of-the-art, but are sufficiently proven to minimize reliability concerns. If Apple loses its quality experience reputation, it's dead.
This means that vendors who care less about quality can easily put together a system that's cheaper (Dell). It also means that other vendors can play a higher risk game by taking all the fastest, latest state-of-the-art hardware and throwing it into a box to claim the speed crown (Alienware, for gaming). Apple has never played in either of these games, although to listen to their marketing department you'd think otherwise.
The glue that ties together the hardware is the operating system. MacOS X's user interface, its tight integration with the hardware Apple chooses to use, and its industrial design state-of-the-art enclosures define the Mac experience. Thus, to me, singing the praises of any Windows-driven hardware configuration is beside the point. Sure, some of these systems may use better hardware. So what, if it's being driven by Windows?
Sure, I'd like Apple to push the hardware envelope a bit more to improve the user experience, but not at the price of system stability or reliability. And, not if it reduces their profit margins too much to generate the capital necessary to keep up the R&D to bring us better Macs in the future. Perhaps, if the iPods continue to sell well, and the Mac mini takes off, their cash flow will continue to improve enough that they feel better about including some newer technology quicker in their systems.
Concerning the latest PowerBook upgrades, they're perfectly timed for me. I'm more than ready to replace my aging 600MHz G3 14" iBook. I've been waiting patiently for the G5 PowerBook, and it's now pretty clear that that's not going to happen anytime soon. So, it's time to move on.
Sure, the current line of G4 Powerbooks are a stop-gap while waiting for the technology that will enable "G5-ish" Powerbooks. However - unless measuring raw speed - it is one helluva stop-gap. I.e. almost everything about the computer (design, battery life, gadgets, ports etc.) screems *buy*.
I do think Apple has made a wise move not to lower the price too much - this would actually have a negative impact on the PbG5 (many Pb-users would have recently upgraded + the PbG5 would look really expensive compared to the last revision PbG4).
That said, I (who eagerly awaits the coming of the PbG5) have just ordered a 17" 'book. I expect this computer to last until next january - when, hopefully, RevB of the PbG5 are shipping.
I'm currently waiting for 1.67Ghz, 15inch Rolls Royce
Viktor
Originally posted by bperkins
I am really torn. I have a 17" 1GHZ, and like everyone else want a G5. All the news point that it is a good ways off.
I really want to upgrade, but is the speed/option worth moving to the new ones??? I could wait for a G5 if it is coming late this year. But if it is going to be sometime in 06' then I would for sure by now.
Thoughts??
Try maxing out your memory, which should keep you happy until there is something down the line. It might be a G5 or a dual core G4 - no one really knows at this point. The problems is that Apple is not going to release a G5 PB until they are happy with it. I don't see a 3" high 10 pound 15" PB being in their plans.
Originally posted by bperkins
I am really torn. I have a 17" 1GHZ, and like everyone else want a G5. All the news point that it is a good ways off.
I really want to upgrade, but is the speed/option worth moving to the new ones??? I could wait for a G5 if it is coming late this year. But if it is going to be sometime in 06' then I would for sure by now.
Thoughts??
You do have a good machine right now. Do you have a lot of RAM? I don't see G5 Powerbooks in 2005. We'll have to wait until 2006 probably to see a lower power G5 chip.
However, we might see a dual-core G4 this year.
This newest release is pretty exciting though.
my thought is that this computer is going to need to last for 4 years of university and i'd rather have something that's been tested...apple must've ironed out most of the albook problems by now. i'd rather have a reliable computer than a faster, untested one. i know the current ones can run everything i could need - fcp, photoshop, indesign, traktor, etc - fast enough for me.
Originally posted by drsuse
going to get a 15" 1.67 in april hopefully. with any luck, tiger'll be out by then, too.
my thought is that this computer is going to need to last for 4 years of university and i'd rather have something that's been tested...apple must've ironed out most of the albook problems by now. i'd rather have a reliable computer than a faster, untested one. i know the current ones can run everything i could need - fcp, photoshop, indesign, traktor, etc - fast enough for me.
I think you're making a wise choice. Furthermore, if you look at benchmarks, these new Pbooks are very close to the imac G5s. In fact, the CPU alone results often beat the imac G5s, whatever that means.
I think that shows that the Pbook is really a fantastic mac.
Originally posted by Mawsdz
If you can wait, wait. That is always the best solution, don't buy until you have too. I just grabbed a Circuit City add and did a little comparison of PC Laptops to the current 17" Apple Flagship.
One can get an HP 17" with:
1gig of Ram
100 gig HD
P4 3.42 ghz/ 1mb L2 Cache / 800 mhz FSB
256 mb Graphics Card
802.11g
XP Media edition for 2200 bucks.
DVD Burner
Yeah, you get a Plastic PeeCee and all, but pound for pound (not literally) the powerbook only really stands out aesthetically. I don't believe Apple will let it stay that way for another year and a half. It may not be a "G5", but it will be a pretty smokin' dual core G4 with a sweet new design, 802.11n, dual layer burner, 6-8 hours of battery life. They'll be back on top soon.
That is like comparing a Rolse Royce to a ford, the ford sales guy shouts "WE HAVE HORSEPOWER - LOOK AT US FLY AT 130 MPH!!! (just dont lean on the body pannels lest you cave them in...)" Verses the Rolse Royce theory of "We have more than enough power for you, but that is not the most segnificant part of the car, have a glass of wine."
Now, you choose, a ford tarus with 500 horse power or a RR with 250, I know my pick...