Apple Rolls Out Updated PowerBook G4's

Apple Rolls Out Updated PowerBook G4's

Today Apple quietly released an updated lineup of PowerBooks. This was not much of a surprise, as rumors of the release have been circulating for weeks. What did come as a surprise however were some of the "little extras" that are offered this time around.

What's HOT:

Let's first look at the expected enhancements for this update.

1. Processor speedbumps: the new lineup has jumped up to 1.5GHz (12") to 1.67GHz (17"). This is a nice, but minimal speedboost.

2. Intergrated Bluetooth 2.0 standard. This new version promises 3X the speed of Bluetooth 1.0 and considerable power savings.

3. 5400 rpm hard drives standard. This is a nice performance booster, however the faster drives will generate a bit more heat and demand more battery power.

And for the surprises...

4. All models have feature a new "Solid-state trackpad provides precise cursor control; supports tap, double-tap, drag and scrolling capabilities." This is a nice addition that is long overdue on Apple laptops.

5. All models ship with 512MB RAM minimum. Okay, for the price of a PowerBook, this should have been done on the Spring '04 revision.

6. All PB hard drives now have a"Sudden Motion Sensor" to lockyour drive inposition in any case of shock to the system while it is running (i.e. bumping the corner of your machine while working or the unthinkable.. a drop to the floor - happened to a friend of mine with his 15"-UGG). This is a clever feature that will help to protect data should an unexpected mishap occur.

7. A price drop of $100. I'll take it!

What's NOT:

1. Boo. Hiss. Where the hell are the G5's? Even with the spiffy speed bump and faster hard drive, the PowerBook is somewhat crippled by an agingprocessor that is limited by its modest 167 MHz systembus.

The new G5 processor opens up a can of whoop-ass with its spectacular 600-900 MHz sytem bus and 64-bit architecture, jetting ahead 450MHz faster than even the latest Intel 875 chipset, which sputters out at 800MHz!

2. Oh no... Not the same low-res displays again. Apple has not increased display resolution on the PowerBooks this time around. We are sure to see that change on the next rollout right? G5's? Please?!

Our Advice

Easy there cowboy (or cowgirl). If you are in need of an awesome overall fantastic notebook, go for the new model. Despite my complaining, this is still an outstanding and beautiful machine. But if you are simply wanting to update your current aluminum PowerBook, we suggest you keep your wallet secured. If you are not in immediate need and can wait 6 months, you are sure to get the best bang for the buck upon the arrival of the PB G5 lineup that may surface as early as July. Besides, you don't even get Tiger OS X 10.4 if you buy now. Our thoughts... Wait, wait, wait... The G5's will be coming soon.

For more information, go directly to Apple's Website: apple.com

Barry J. Doyle

 

Yeah, the lack of high res options seems really odd for Apple. I do like the HDD speed bump though. I'd really like to see more abandon the 4200 RPM drives.

Editor in Chief http://www.bargainPDA.com and http://www.SPOTstop.com

 

Agreed. Technically the 15" model display resolution is 1280x854, however that is basically the same as 1024x768 with additional pixles to compensate for the widescreen format. For the money you gotta shell out on a PowerBook, the displays should be better.

Barry J. Doyle
Editor in Chief
TabletPCReviewSpot.com
www.tabletpcreviewspot.com

 

2. Oh no... Not the same low-res displays again. Apple has not increased display resolution on the PowerBooks this time around. We are sure to see that change on the next rollout right? G5's? Please?!

i gotta say, when i play with any of the 15" Powerbooks that 3 of my friends own, i'm completely flabbergasted that the res doesn't go any higher than 1024x768. what a waste. understandable on the 12" ibook and powerbook that my other 2 friends have, but in a 15" model? unforgivable.

 

Doesn't really appear to be that much of an improvement.

Dell Inspiron 8600:
* 1.6 Ghz Pentium M * 1024 MB DDR SDRAM * 60 GB 7200 RPM HDD * 15.4" WSXGA+ * Internal Bluetooth * Intel Pro/Wireless 2200 * 4x CD/DVD Burner (DVD+/-RW) * ATI Mobility Radeon 9600 Pro Turbo 128 MB * Win XP Pro SP2 *

* Apple 17" PowerBook G4 * 14" Toshiba Tecra 8000 * Apple 14" iBook G4 *

 

I agree this is not a huge improvement, but some nice to haves on that list definitely. Besides, at least when the G5 does see the light of day it'll seem like a quantum leap forward for the PowerBook speed [ ]

thanks for the update on these new notebooks Barry.

 

For me however, as a student who needs a new computer, its perfect timing. And with the 100 price drop, I can actually afford it!

 

Hey, that's great for you. Once you get it, please post and let us know how you like the new trackpad and other features!

Barry J. Doyle
Editor in Chief
TabletPCReviewSpot.com
www.tabletpcreviewspot.com

 

Have an iBook, love it. However, with tese new line of powerbooks, I'm surprised Apple didn't put in the "Xbrite-like" screen the way Sony, Fujitsu, and now even HP have. Weak...

 

<blockquote id='quote'> quote:<hr height='1' noshade id='quote'>Originally posted by soulreaver99

 

"Who needs Xbrite-like when you hook your PB to Apple Cinema HD 30" Display?"

Those of us without the $$jing$$ for an Apple Cinema HD 30" Display![ ]

 

LOL!

Barry J. Doyle
Editor in Chief
TabletPCReviewSpot.com
www.tabletpcreviewspot.com

 

Yeah, I definitly will. This site helped me a lot when i started doing the research for a new notebook.

The reasons I picked this computer over cheaper 14" ibook:

As a moderate gamer, (mostly warcraft three) 64 mb video memory is much better than 32.

512 standard > 256 standard. Is it worth it to upgrade to 768?

processor speed wont really make that much of a difference

5400 rpm hard drive instead of 4200

I think the apple screens are just as good, if not better than the xbrite, ultrasharp etc... I have a dell ultrasharp moniter and from my experiences at the apple store the apples screen is just better.

Besides... The powerbooks just look so cool. As a student, that means a lot to me.
first mac for me!

(sry if this is in the wrong spot...) im new to forums

 

why apple won't put in a higher resolution screen: (taken from http://www.apple.com/displays/technology.html)

"The quality of the pixels you see impacts how you use your computer. After years of experience, Apple engineers have discovered the ideal resolution to display both sharp text and graphics — a pixel density of about 100 pixels per inch (ppi). Other vendors may offer a larger monitor, but with less resolution, so you end up with fewer pixels, or a smaller monitor with a high resolution that causes eyestrain and headaches. Apple’s balanced 100 pixels per inch format is optimized for images, yet allows you to easily work with text in email, Safari and sophisticated type treatments in layouts."