[macgyvr64]

http://powerpage.org/story.lasso?newsID=10920

If this is true, these PowerBooks will be great for gaming and graphics. I hope they bump them to 1 GHz, add Bluetooth and FW800. Not that I have anything that uses these technologies yet, I'd like to be ready for it. I checked out ATI's site, and the minimum chip witha 128 bit data path does feature 64 MB of VRAM. This is a Good Thing.

...as I type this from my falling-apart 233 MHz/128 MB Wallstreet running 10.2.5...

[k2director]

Well, one thing's for sure: you deserve some kind of medal for running 10.2.5 on a 233 Mhz Wallstreet! Way to squeeze every last drop out of your hardware!

As for the rumor, it seems a bit sketchy: just some guy writing into PowerPage saying "a good friend" works at Apple and told him so. Might be true, but it's not the most inspiring of sources...

I can't decide if May is too early for a 15" update. Perhaps Apple plans on staggering PB introductions...ie, 12"/17" intros, and then a couple months later, a 15" intro, and then a couple more months another 12"/17" update, etc. Gives people waiting to spend money more opportunities to buy a new product. On the other hand, might reduce some economies of scale, etc.

Hmmmm....

[HasanDaddy]

would the Radeon make video editing any better, or is it simply for gamers?

THANKS

[t_hah]

How big of a difference in graphics speed would the 9600 mean, over the current 9000, or 7500s?


Edit: After some research -

http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=NDQ2LDI=


t

[macgyvr64]

Wow, that thing is a monster!

"We can confirm that Mac OS X 10.2.6 is in the wild, with build 6L54 having been seeded recently. The update is roughly 4MB and growing with each build, and updates the following technologies:

Address Book, Graphics, Quartz Extreme, Printing, OpenGL, PC Cards, USB Hub Compatibility, Unreal Tournament 2003 compatibility, Mail, and Security Updates.

New drivers for ATi Radeon 9700, Radeon 9600 Mobility, and GeForce FX are also reportedly slated for future builds, in the 6L60 family."

I'm expecting the 15'' PowerBook to be updated shortly after this update.

[Commodus]

What I'm hoping for is that the PowerBook lineup goes to PPC 7457 chips (the ones with true DDR system buses and such). They might need to, if the current CPUs (PPC 7455) generate too much heat!

Here's what I'd like to see in the PowerBook lineup if there is indeed a revision sometime in late spring or summer (forgive me if you've seen this before). Note that I'm not including things in the list which would be common across all models, like Bluetooth:

12" PowerBook

- 1 GHz G4 (PPC 970? Not likely, but I wouldn't rule it out)
- 266 MHz DDR system bus (133 MHz actual)
- 256 MB DDR266 system memory
- 32 MB GeForce FX 5200 Go video
- 60 and 80 GB hard disk options
- Combo or Superdrive options

15" PowerBook

- 1 GHz G4
- 333 MHz DDR system bus (167 MHz actual)
- 256 MB DDR333 system memory
- 64 MB Mobility Radeon 9600 video
- 60 or 80 GB hard disk options
- Combo or Superdrive
- Airport Extreme card included

17" PowerBook

- 1.25 GHz G4
- 333 MHz DDR system bus
- 512 MB DDR333 system memory
- 64 MB GeForce FX 5600 Go video
- 80 GB hard disk
- Superdrive
- Airport Extreme card included


The specs have a lot of "ifs" in them (if Apple gets 80 GB hard drives in time, if they get PPC 7457 chips, etc.), but to me it seems plausible. I know that these specs would make a lot of people reconsider getting a desktop as their next update... "year of the notebook" indeed.

And yes, I know that there's no mention of L3 cache. That's deliberate, because I believe that it either won't be included at all (as the DDR bus more than compensates), or that it'll be identical to what we have already.

[acadian]

Well, mid May is not that far off..... If indeed the 15 Al makes an appearance at that time it would seem plausible that Apple would throw an update, even if minor, to the 17". Why would incorporate a faster video system into the mid range portable and leave the top end untouched. 1.25 Ghz would be nice, but even if they just threw the 9600 into the 17" I would probably be motivated just enough at that point to snatch one up. My only real hopw would be that they already have them in the pipeline at announcement. Couldnt bear a 3-4 week wait.

[smelias]

Originally posted by Commodus:
What I'm hoping for is that the PowerBook lineup goes to PPC 7457 chips (the ones with true DDR system buses and such). They might need to, if the current CPUs (PPC 7455) generate too much heat!

Here's what I'd like to see in the PowerBook lineup if there is indeed a revision sometime in late spring or summer (forgive me if you've seen this before). Note that I'm not including things in the list which would be common across all models, like Bluetooth:

12" PowerBook

- 1 GHz G4 (PPC 970? Not likely, but I wouldn't rule it out)
- 266 MHz DDR system bus (133 MHz actual)
- 256 MB DDR266 system memory
- 32 MB GeForce FX 5200 Go video
- 60 and 80 GB hard disk options
- Combo or Superdrive options

15" PowerBook

- 1 GHz G4
- 333 MHz DDR system bus (167 MHz actual)
- 256 MB DDR333 system memory
- 64 MB Mobility Radeon 9600 video
- 60 or 80 GB hard disk options
- Combo or Superdrive
- Airport Extreme card included

17" PowerBook

- 1.25 GHz G4
- 333 MHz DDR system bus
- 512 MB DDR333 system memory
- 64 MB GeForce FX 5600 Go video
- 80 GB hard disk
- Superdrive
- Airport Extreme card included


The specs have a lot of "ifs" in them (if Apple gets 80 GB hard drives in time, if they get PPC 7457 chips, etc.), but to me it seems plausible. I know that these specs would make a lot of people reconsider getting a desktop as their next update... "year of the notebook" indeed.

And yes, I know that there's no mention of L3 cache. That's deliberate, because I believe that it either won't be included at all (as the DDR bus more than compensates), or that it'll be identical to what we have already.

Very well put. For the most part, you hit it on the nose as far as how these products will be released. We all know that Apple is incrementaly increasing their MHZ so that they have some new product to release every 6-9 months. Unfortunately, since Motorola can't seem to substancialy increase the Mhz on their chips according to that schedule, Apple has to release already existing chips by 133 mhz increments. I am quite sure that Apple could have released a 1.2Ghz 17", but chose not to so that rev b comes alsong, they can release it at 1.2Ghz and the 15.2" at 1 Ghz. What I am hoping is that they release a 1.4 Ghz 17", 1.2 Ghz 15.2", and a 1Ghz 12". BTW, I also hope that they put 1MB of L3 Cache on the 12" and 2MB on the 15" and 17". I do not believe that the DDR Ram will compensate for the lack of the L3 cache.

[macgyvr64]

I just hope the new 15 is within my $2500 budget for a PowerBook :-/

[tgrundke]

The main selling point of the 17" PowerBook is the screen. This is not intended to be a volume product, as witnessed by the immense backlog of product.

The rumored new 15.4" PowerBook with a faster processor and better video should not reduce 17" PowerBook sales all that much since (again), the main selling point of the 17" is the screen size.

Once the backlog of 17" PowerBooks is cleared, sales should naturally drop off as they usually do for Apple's 'boutique' products. The company will then need a revamped midrange model to pick up the volume slack.

My hope is that we'll see the 15.4" model introduced at current price points ($2299-$2799) and an eventual reduction of price on the 17" to $3099.

I also think that once general component prices come down in price we're either going to see increasing overlap with the iBook/PowerBook range, or a complete re-vamp of Apple's notebook offerings. As we're already seeing, the 12" PowerBook is causing a bit of cannibalization from the iBook lineup.

I agree that with process speeds relatively stalled for Apple at the moment, they need to compensate with a significant video boost and subsystem overhaul.

Originally posted by acadian:
Well, mid May is not that far off..... If indeed the 15 Al makes an appearance at that time it would seem plausible that Apple would throw an update, even if minor, to the 17". Why would incorporate a faster video system into the mid range portable and leave the top end untouched. 1.25 Ghz would be nice, but even if they just threw the 9600 into the 17" I would probably be motivated just enough at that point to snatch one up. My only real hopw would be that they already have them in the pipeline at announcement. Couldnt bear a 3-4 week wait.

[Eug]

To be honest, that article sound like bull to me.

[Dave Hagan]

Eug,

I agree. Bull.

[ae86_16v]

Originally posted by tgrundke:

My hope is that we'll see the 15.4" model introduced at current price points ($2299-$2799) and an eventual reduction of price on the 17" to $3099.

Right now all the PowerBooks are spaced at $500 increments.

[RMXO]

Originally posted by smelias:
Very well put. For the most part, you hit it on the nose as far as how these products will be released. We all know that Apple is incrementaly increasing their MHZ so that they have some new product to release every 6-9 months. Unfortunately, since Motorola can't seem to substancialy increase the Mhz on their chips according to that schedule, Apple has to release already existing chips by 133 mhz increments. I am quite sure that Apple could have released a 1.2Ghz 17", but chose not to so that rev b comes alsong, they can release it at 1.2Ghz and the 15.2" at 1 Ghz. What I am hoping is that they release a 1.4 Ghz 17", 1.2 Ghz 15.2", and a 1Ghz 12". BTW, I also hope that they put 1MB of L3 Cache on the 12" and 2MB on the 15" and 17". I do not believe that the DDR Ram will compensate for the lack of the L3 cache.

i actually think Apple would do something like you stated for their next revision. would be sweet if they did.

12" PB at 1Ghz
15" PB at 1.25GhZ
17" PB at 1.4Ghz

This way the 17" stays at being the king & the 15" doesnt factor in the sales of the 17". just like saying if you want power in your laptop then the 17" would be your choice.

[macgyvr64]

So you all think the new 15's will be at about $2299/2399?

[power142]

If any of you have seen the size of the copper heatsink on the 1.42GHz Powermacs, you'd agree that this was wishful thinking - that thing ain't ever going in a Powerbook....

[macgyvr64]

This is the 9600 MOBILITY chip. It's made specifically for notebook machines. This isn't a 9700 AGP monster card, lol