[pathman]

Hi,

I currently have a PowerMac G4 Dual Processor 867 MHz MDD and am considering getting the Rev. B 12" Powerbook 1 GHz and would like to get opinions from you guys regarding *real* world differences between the two.

My PowerMac is upstairs in my study, so that limits my use of it to only when I'm upstairs. When downstairs, I'm forced to use my wife's PeeCee on the wireless network, but it's just not the same as using a Mac.

Thus, my plan is to get the 12" PB and keep it plugged into my 17" flat-panel monitor when upstairs. When downstairs, I can use it wirelessly via AE. I'm considering the 12" over the 15" b/c I actually want the smallest notebook I can get. I don't need the 15" screen b/c the PB will be plugged into my monitor when I'm using it as a desktop.

Now, I realize that there will be a lot of theoretical speed differences b/w the dual 867 and the 12" PB (I've checked out xbench scores for the two types of systems already), but what I'd like to know is what would the *real world* speed differences be like, assuming equal amounts of RAM in both systems.

Here's what I've thought about already:

-dual 867 has 256 L2 cache and 1 MB L3 cache vs. PB 12" with 512 L2 and no L3
-dual 867 has, of course, dual 867 MHz processors vs. PB 12" with solo 1 GHz
-dual 867 has 7200 rpm hard drive vs. PB 12" with 4200 rpm hard drive
-I believe that both the video cards are essentially the same (32 MB, etc.)
-dual 867 has USB 1.1 vs. PB 12" with USB 2.0

My uses are web browsing, email, word, excel, powerpoint, iTunes, iPhoto, very light gaming (stuff like Snood, not UT2003). I also run OS X full-time and realize that it takes advantage of the dual processor system.

So, anyway, any thoughts about changing to the PB 12" would be greatly appreciated.

[dennis88]

The L2 cache is much more important than the L3 cache, as you can see in the benchmarks of the new powerbook's.
And the 12"pb has 512kb L2 cache vs 256kb L2 cache and 1mb L3 cache.
In tests you can see that the 1ghz cpu in the new AL 15" is faster than the 1ghz cpu in the Titanium 15".
And since the 12" uses the same 1ghz as the new 1ghz AL 15", it should be faster than the previous 1ghz 15"Ti, when it comes to cpu tasks.

I think you will be very satisfied with the performance of the new 12".

[m b b]

All I can really comment on is the cache issue. I went from a 800Mhz Ti with 256k L2 and 1MB L3 to a 1GHz 12" with 512k L2. The speed increase was substantial. I would not worry about the lack of L3 on the 12".

For your relatively light use I don't think you would have any problems with the speed on the PB.

[pinkoos]

I've been considering almost the exact same thing. It seems from what people say, the difference won't be too much.

Thanks.

[Agent69]

Originally posted by pathman:
I currently have a PowerMac G4 Dual Processor 867 MHz MDD and am considering getting the Rev. B 12" Powerbook 1 GHz and would like to get opinions from you guys regarding *real* world differences between the two.

About 35 pounds.