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You are here: MacNN Forums > Hardware - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Mac Notebooks > 12" 1 GHz PowerBook...I'm impressed :)

12" 1 GHz PowerBook...I'm impressed :)
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TheIceMan
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Oct 29, 2003, 11:34 PM
 
Since selling my Ti 667 PowerBook last week, I've been going through "withdrawal." I don't have enough money right now to get what I want (12" SuperDrive) until I get a full-time job (hopefully very soon).

Anyways, I was considering getting the new 12" G4 iBook. But after comparing and studying the constructions and configurations of the 12" iBook and 12" PowerBook, there was no question in my mind that for me, the PowerBook is the better choice.

I was at the Apple store for 2 hours just messing with the PowerBook. To my very pleasant surprise, the fan had been ON a good portion of the time. BUT it was sooo QUIET that I could barely hear it. I had to literally put my ears onto the wristpad area to hear the fan. This is GOOD NEWS #1.

And of course this leads to my next praise-the non heat issue. The Rev. B 12" PB has remedied the horrible heat issue that its earlier brother (Rev.A) had. The wristpad was merely WARM. When trying to listen to the super quiet fan, I placed the left side of my face ONTO the wristpad. Never did it get too warm or hot to where I would get burn. This is GOOD NEWS #2.

The model I tested was the 1GHz, 512RAM, SuperDrive. Whoever had it before me launched every apps imaginable, about 9 including some of the more CPU-intensive ones like PhotoShop. I must say, compared to my old Ti 667 PB, this thing was quick (didn't wanna say sn*ppy, hehehe).

Call me crazy, but I'm gonna hold off til Jan. 2004 MacWorld to get the 12" PowerBook. I have this gut feeling that Jobs has something good up his sleeve.
     
popstand
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Oct 29, 2003, 11:48 PM
 
Bad News #1: The fan has a variable speed. At full speed it still sounds like a dustbuster.
     
AssassyN
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Oct 29, 2003, 11:51 PM
 
Sounds good man...your points sound just like my impressions of the machine.
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waxcrash
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Oct 30, 2003, 12:06 AM
 
Originally posted by TheIceMan:
�I was at the Apple store for 2 hours just messing with the PowerBook. To my very pleasant surprise, the fan had been ON a good portion of the time. BUT it was sooo QUIET that I could barely hear it. I had to literally put my ears onto the wristpad area to hear the fan�
You also have to consider the ambient noise in the store that drowns out the fan noise. Put that computer in a quiet room and I guarantee you'll hear the fan standing a few feet away.
     
TheIceMan  (op)
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Oct 30, 2003, 12:20 AM
 
popstand and waxcrash:

Point well-taken. I realize the Apple store had other surrounding noises. But this fan was quiet. I'm basing this degree of quietness to my Ti 667 fan, which came on often and loud. I'm not sure if it was going full speed thus activating the loudest fan. But my guess is that, even at its loudest, it would still be quieter than my old Ti 667. Then again YMMV.


AssassyN: You gave a very thorough review of the Rev.B, what was your impression regarding its fan - how often, how loud? Thanks.
     
nagromme
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Oct 30, 2003, 12:33 AM
 
I've considered ever option, and the iBook tempted me too, but I think I'm buying a 12" SuperDrive as soon as there's some useful rebate or promo available. (I'm leaning towards BTO to get the 60 HD upgrade for $25.) I run my eMac at 12.1" 1024x768 now to get used to it

I have some advice for you, though.

DO NOT BE PUTTING YOUR FACE ON A PUBLIC COMPUTER... who knows what you'll catch
nagromme
     
TheIceMan  (op)
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Oct 30, 2003, 12:35 AM
 
Originally posted by nagromme:
DO NOT BE PUTTING YOUR FACE ON A PUBLIC COMPUTER... who knows what you'll catch
ROTFL! True. Don't worry, I only placed my left cheek.
     
popstand
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Oct 30, 2003, 12:48 AM
 
Hey,
I should qualify my previous statement, by mentioning that I actually own one of the new 12"ers, and I love it. It's just right, and with Panther and expos� the limited screen size is much less of an issue. The fan blows hard (literally not figuratively) when running processor intensive applications or burning CDs. When playing WCIII it runs continuously, for example. It also can get pretty toasty under these circumstances, but that's to be expected, it's got an aluminum case after all. What it doesn't do, is just get hot for no reason while it's just sitting there. I compared the new 12" to the old at a CompUSA, and the old one seems to be hot ALL the time, while the new one only cooks when it's really being taxed. Definitely buy one, they're sweet!
     
TheIceMan  (op)
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Oct 30, 2003, 01:35 AM
 
Originally posted by popstand:
...The fan blows hard when running processor intensive applications or burning CDs. ...It also can get pretty toasty under these circumstances...
I'm confused, based on the review given by AssassyN, he said that it never became "toasty" or hot, only warm. I'm also concerned about the loudness and frequency of the FAN. I was under the impression that the fan did not come on often and it was not loud. Can other owners of the 12" 1GHz, Rev. B PowerBooks confirm this please?
     
AssassyN
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Oct 30, 2003, 01:46 AM
 
I never heard my Rev. B's fan come on, even when transferring files in from Ethernet and Firewire at the same time AND using the ComboDrive.

And under all that stress, it was merely warm.
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madmacgames
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Oct 30, 2003, 01:59 AM
 
I recently got a 12" Powerbook (not sure if Rev A or B .. dunno how to tell); 1Ghz 512Ram Superdrive model and the right side of the wrist pad never gets warm, and the left side only ever gets slightly warm (never hot).

This is a pretty quiet notebook. Only the superdrive is loud (thought it was gonna scratch the crap outta my CD when I 1st put one in). Every once in awhile, the fan will kick up speed and becomes pretty audible, but it doesn't last very long and as fans go, its a pretty smooth sounding fan (not annoying, to me anyways... I've heard alot worse sounding.. ALOT)... someone told me when that happens its the fan on graphics chipset that is kicking in. Dunno but it does sounds like its coming from around the area of the internal mic close to where the graphic chipset would be and not from the CPU fan near the left wristpad.
( Last edited by madmacgames; Oct 30, 2003 at 02:10 AM. )
     
popstand
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Oct 30, 2003, 02:02 AM
 
I seem to remember reading posts about the 867 powerbooks being inconsistently hot between users. Maybe the same is true for the new models and I am just one of the unlucky owners of a hot one. All I can say is that using the superdrive causes the fan to come on full blast after only a short while, and major file transfers result in the same outcome, accompanied by heat on the left wrist pad. I currently am running 10.2.8, so we'll have to see if Panther makes a difference. I'd be interested to hear from other 12" owners regarding their own experiences.
     
cal4ever
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Oct 30, 2003, 03:47 AM
 
I thought my first post would be about something different (I don't know, maybe something grand), but here goes. I figure I should stop being a lurker and actually contribute.

As for the fan "noise." I use my laptop all day (for classes) and when I get home, I turn it on immediately. My 12'' pb is practically on all day long.

I do notice the fan. It's not loud, but you can definately hear it. It's as easy to notice as it is to ignore. If you put some music on, or turn on the tv, you will hardly notice the fan.

My pb's fan seems to turn on after the pb has been on for at least 5 hours or so. (Considering I usually just use Safari, iChat and Word.) After about 5 hours of use, the fan goes on and off quite frequently. However, the fan doesn't seem to run as frequently when i use the pb for less than 5 hours.

As for heat, I don't find the wrist rests warm at all. However, the bottom of the pb can definately get more than a little warm.

Btw, I have the newer 12'' pb. I just switched recently, so I'm not familiar with all the terms yet.
     
TheIceMan  (op)
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Oct 30, 2003, 04:15 AM
 
cal4ever: Thanks for the post. Now 5 hours of use until the fan comes on seems pretty reasonable to me for the Rev.B 12" PowerBook.
     
desillusion.com
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Oct 30, 2003, 04:49 AM
 
i'm also a happy owner of a 12" rev b.

my experience is that if you just use it for surfing & typing, the fan will hardly come on. though when you're photoshopping a lot, accessing the hard drive frequently or pushing the cpu & graphics real hard (like when playing 3d-intensive games) the fan DOES come on and actually gets pretty loud...


i recommend y'all check out "temperature monitor" from versiontracker.com to determine at what temperature you fan comes on.. my 12" usually runs at around 40-45 degrees celcius, but can heat up to more than 60 when playing games. the fan usually kicks on at around 50.
finally here and absolutely flawless:
powerbook 12" 1ghz rev b combo 768 mb ram bt-mouse
     
Amorya
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Oct 30, 2003, 09:54 AM
 
Originally posted by waxcrash:
You also have to consider the ambient noise in the store that drowns out the fan noise. Put that computer in a quiet room and I guarantee you'll hear the fan standing a few feet away.
The fan on my Al 12" is quieter than the hard disk on my Pismo.

Amorya
What the nerd community most often fail to realize is that all features aren't equal. A well implemented and well integrated feature in a convenient interface is worth way more than the same feature implemented crappy, or accessed through a annoying interface.
     
Macbear
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Oct 30, 2003, 11:55 AM
 
I've had my 12" Powerbook now for two days. The wrist rests do get warm, the left more than the right. It has never gotten "hot". It does get a little toasty if I'm using in directly on my lap, but that's understandable.

So far, the fan has come on only when burning or watching DVD's. Just doing stuff like surfing and checking email, it's never on.

When is does come on, I find it very quiet. In fact, I really have to be right beside it to hear it, even in a quiet room.

So far, I think it's well worth the purchase price. And the fact that it came preloaded with Panther was a very pleasant surprise too.
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TheIceMan  (op)
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Oct 30, 2003, 01:05 PM
 
Originally posted by Macbear:
I've had my 12" Powerbook now for two days...So far, the fan has come on only when burning or watching DVD's. Just doing stuff like surfing and checking email, it's never on.

When it does come on, I find it very quiet.
In fact, I really have to be right beside it to hear it, even in a quiet room.
Thanks Macbear. This is what I was hoping for...that the fan only comes on when doing CPU-intensive things BUT when it came on that it was quiet.
     
popstand
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Oct 30, 2003, 02:07 PM
 
Originally posted by desillusion.com:
i recommend y'all check out "temperature monitor" from versiontracker.com to determine at what temperature you fan comes on.. my 12" usually runs at around 40-45 degrees celcius, but can heat up to more than 60 when playing games. the fan usually kicks on at around 50.
I've done this as well, and have gotten similar results. Right now, just surfing the web, and my CPU is at 36 degrees celsius. Games and heavy photoshop use kick it up into the 55-60 range. What exactly are you going to use it for. Like most posters have noted, under regular use like word processing, web-surfing, whatever, the fan doesn't come on at all. When it first comes on it is very, very quiet. However, as processor use increases, like when you are editing video, the fan increases in speed. I have detected three speeds, low-quiet, medium-possible to hear from a distance but not annoying at all, and finally high-dustbuster.
     
desillusion.com
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Oct 30, 2003, 02:32 PM
 
actually, there are at least 5 different speeds, if not more..
i'd list them like that:
very low - unhearable
low - hearable only when you put your ear on your pbook
middle - noticeable, but not annoying
high - loud, but still acceptable compared to other laptops
very high - dustbuster

when surfing/typing, the fan is either off or at very low speed. when you do some heavy harddrive-access or work with photoshop for a while, it's changes between low and middle speed. when you play games like quake or unreal which really suck out your cpu & graphics, the fan will run at high or very high speed.

i believe the fan has even more speed-steps, but this is just what you can determine from using your ears =)

note that it takes much more time for the pbook to cool down than to heat up. so, when you quit playing games, the fan will still be on high speed untill the temperature drops again.

i have a 2year-old pc notebook for comparison which has a pentium 3 on board. it's fan is way louder than the fan of the powerbook, even when it's at full speed.
finally here and absolutely flawless:
powerbook 12" 1ghz rev b combo 768 mb ram bt-mouse
     
fraeone
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Oct 30, 2003, 03:41 PM
 
If there is a laptop out there that doesn't sound like a dustbuster when playing 3D games, let me know My Dell laptop fan seems to come on if I let the screen brightness get above 30% or so, and it seems to be using the LPT1 printer port as a heatsink, because it gets burning hot.

The good news is that I'm selling this thing in the next week or so to upgrade to a 12" PB.
     
   
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