Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

sworthy · Oct 5, 2003, 08:37 PM

I'm coming from a 15" 1GHz Ti maxed out. I got the 12" and a 15 lcd instead, portability and screensize! Some of my points are simply Ti vs Al, but most are about the specific machines.

First the negatives:

The screen is definitely not as crisp as my Ti. I would liken it to be much more like an iBook's screen, though slightly better.

Less RAM. I still need to pop in a 512 stick (so only 256 right now) but the 768 vs 1024 makes a difference.

Now on to the positives:

So much quieter than my Ti, I was using it on my lap for an hour and a half or so, and the fan just came on at the end, but was hardly noticible, unlike my loud Ti fan.

Longer battery life. I'm consistantly getting around 4hrs. My Ti got 2.5 or so.

Overall build construction is amazing. The other Als are probably similar, but compared to the Ti this thing is a tank. One hand screen opening and a solid "thunk" when closed. Like a dream.

The keyboard is awesome. Much better than the flimsy Ti.

It gets warm (especially under the left hand), but is roughly the same temp as my Ti was, maybe a little less.

Speed seems to be about the same when only using one app, but again I am comparing a machine w/ 256mb of RAM w/ my Ti that had 1 GB of RAM. You definitely want more than the base RAM. So I can't really compare performance, though theoretically it should be slightly faster than the Ti.

Let me just say that I'm loving this! The dvi out is what makes it a perfect machine. 12" is perfect for using a laptop on the go, or in the other room, etc. Just hook it up to a crt or lcd when you're at your desk. And I don't feel like I'm going to break it all the time and if someone else uses my computer I don't have to feel like their going to somehow do some damage.

Of course I also get the other benefits of usb 2, built in bluetooth, AE, and better AE reception.

Any other questions about the two machines?

h00ligan · Oct 5, 2003, 09:04 PM

yes, i am still thinking about switching to a 12" rev b.. but then i see the 15" alubook and want it.. but not with all the problems.. then i think.. screw prtability...get the 17"! i can't make up my mind.

I really need to wait and see if i move into manhattan, whcih i probably am, then i will rock a 12, cuz i will be taking down to coffee shops,, etc.. since god knows my 500sq ft $1500 a month apt is going to get real cramped, real fast.

god rent here sucks.

jewing80 · Oct 5, 2003, 09:48 PM

This is just the post I've been waiting for!

It took me nearly a week of weighing the pros and cons of the 12" Al and the Ti back in March before I could make a decision. In the end the noticeable performance difference along with the lack of DVI and a weak video card lead to me to purchase the Ti instead of the 12 inch. In August I really started to notice the bulk of the Ti while traveling; this combined with a less than sturdy feel, made me look again at the 12."

However in the end I couldn't look past the deficiencies in performance nor the highly publicized heat issues. When the announcement was finally made I knew right away I wouldn't be "upgrading" to the new 15 Al, it was bigger and heavier both of which I was trying to get away from. I decided to save the money and just max out my Ti. I ran into problems with my 7200 rpm drive (a noticeable vibration under the left palm rest) so I had to downgrade back to the 4200 rpm drive.

Fast forward to today, I was at the Apple store in Costa Mesa and I finally got my hands on one of the Revision B 12" machines. Even with 256 megs of RAM it posted an Xbench score of 86.3, a full point better than my 1 GHz Ti with 1 gig of RAM! Had they had any in stock I would have bought one on the spot. Luckily they didn't (I really need a bigger hard-drive than 40 gigs.) As soon as Panther is release I will be ordering a 12" Superdrive with a 60 gig hard-drive!

My only question is regarding gaming. How noticeable is the difference between the performance of the Radeon 9000 64MB and the Geforce FX 5200 with 32MB?

MrForgetable · Oct 5, 2003, 09:48 PM

Does it wobble?

sworthy · Oct 5, 2003, 10:37 PM

I don't really do much gaming so I wouldn't be a good one to answer that, I figure it's not too much of a downgrade, but it probably won't measure up to the 9000. I know I've heard others that have done gaming on the 12 Rev B and have been impressed (especially compared to the Rev A's).

And no, it doesn't wobble.

TheIceMan · Oct 5, 2003, 10:45 PM

Originally posted by h00ligan:
yes, i am still thinking about switching to a 12" rev b.. but then i see the 15" alubook and want it.. but not with all the problems..

You took the words right out of my mouth! Man, this is harder than I thought. I currently have the 15" 667 Ti. It has served me well, but as the newer, sleeker, nicer 12" & 15" AL come out I become more and more tempted with each passing day. Man, I wish Apple had a 13", that to me, would be perfect (sorry, I digress).

AC Rempt · Oct 5, 2003, 10:59 PM

I went from a Ti 800 to a Rev B 12 Al, and I think the screen is sharper and the speed considerably faster on the 12 than the Ti. I also love the lighter weight and smaller dimensions. I take the machine to work every day, and the lighter load is fantastic.

jetta_gt · Oct 6, 2003, 12:37 AM

IceMan,

You are so right, as dumb as it sounds, a 13 inch PB would be just right for me, I love the size and durability of my iBook, but would little a LITTLE more screen real estate, bluetooth, and DVI out...

and 13" PB would be perfect, but i understand, Apple can only have SO many models... I will probably end up getting the 15"...

Corinthian · Oct 6, 2003, 03:11 AM

Then I would be those who would go for the Ti in that case. I don't like the graphics card of Al 12", it just cannot meet the standard of the day, with 32MB DDR being too little, right?

Another point is sleekness. I acknowledge that Al 12" is smaller and considerably lighter as well, but I think Ti 15" offers a finer case and a wider screen, which makes me don't really like a G4 PowerBook. Furthermore, the design of Aluminium case doesn't look good at all, and a 15" Al is even heavier than a 15" Ti. If you are aiming at a 15" Ti with a 1GHz chip, then why don't you just go for it, and the price is more affordable as well...

Maflynn · Oct 6, 2003, 06:31 AM

I have a nearly perfect 15" alu, so I'm not sure if I'm in the minority or majority. The only issue is a slight feedback noise in the speakers. If you think the 15" suits your needs the best, I'd recommend it.

Good Luck
Mike

ligux · Oct 6, 2003, 01:31 PM

Originally posted by sworthy:

Any other questions about the two machines? [/B]

Please if Ti stands for Titanium (hope I am right)
and Al for aluminium (so in here)
which one is latest 12"?

Sorry if it sounds nonsense but I am not well informed

all2ofme · Oct 6, 2003, 02:29 PM

Not certain that I'll be answering the question you've asked here, but here goes.

The first G4 Powerbooks were all Titanium (Ti) and all had 15.2" size screens.

The more recent models were the 12" and 17" Aluminium (Al) Powerbooks. The 15" Titanium was still in production until recently when all three (12", 15" and 17") were replaced with new models.

All of these new models are aluminium. The latest 12" is 1GHz, the older one being 867MHz.

Hope that helps.

Originally posted by ligux:
Please if Ti stands for Titanium (hope I am right)
and Al for aluminium (so in here)
which one is latest 12"?

Sorry if it sounds nonsense but I am not well informed