[nagromme]

OK... been using my 15.2" AlBook (1.25) for a few months now... thought I'd share a review. I loved the other sizes too, but opted for the happy medium. (I couldn't wait for a G5.)

I normally don't buy the first version of anything, but I had high hopes that this machine would have a bright, good enough screen that I could abandon my eMac, and that 3D performance would handle some newer games that the eMac (700) strains to run. I was also hoping that it would be relatively well-made and durable, since Apple had the 12" and 17" for practice.

This machine has far exceeded my expectations.

Speed:

Speed for everything from Photoshop to Folding@Home to OpenGL games (UT, Descent 3) in Classic to UT2k3 Demo is fantastic. Subjective of course--I'm sure I'd appreciate a dual G5 too!

I can even run UT2k3 BR-Anubis loaded with bots and details maxed, at FULL native 1280x854 widescreen--and keep decent usable framerates. My eMac was a slideshow. When games run with black bars at the sides it's hardly noticeable, but I'm surprised at how many games (like AvP, Giants, UT, UT2k3) WILL run at full widescreen res, either out of the box or with a minimal hack. And gaming on TV is great: I recommend 800x600 (or 640x480 if you have AA maybe), No Overscan, Best for Video.

Screen:

Amazing. Bright, great color, and completely readable from ANY angle. There's a brownish "dulling" if you get far to the sides, and brightest whites darken if you look down from high above. But even at those extremes text is readable and color does not shift much. you need not fear whether other people can see what you are presenting. If they can see the screen... they can see the screen! (In stores, I found the 15.2" just a bit brighter than the 17", and much brighter than the 12".) The screen really would be TOO bright in a dim room, which is why the auto-dimming light-sensing screen is not just a gimmick.

NO dead pixels. No "white spots." (I bought after Apple fixed that issue some were having.)

Watching DVDs is great--I have the FULL WIDTH OF A 17" CRT. Watching DVDs using the TV-out is even better. Set your screen to 640x480 and you will NOT, in my experience, even see the interlacing artifacts normally common to computer DVD playback. Playback to TV is fully as good as from my DVD deck. Now I just need a BT remote control, or a BT mouse with buttons to assign!

Keyboard:

Keys feel firm and great. Keyboard lighting is just too cool--very visible in a really dark room, which is the only time you need it anyway. Two little criticisms: 1) the keys should always be fully on or fully off. In-between is never useful in actual practice. There's a button right on the keyboard to brighten the keys, but it would be nice to have it done automatically more of the time. (There's a plist hack to do this actually, but it wasn't worth it to me to mess with.) 2) The F keys get less light: one optic band instead of two, I think.

The keys do not touch the screen, even if you squeeze the screen. The way the lid closes with a gap seems odd at first, but it is effective.

For the first week I thought the keys were mis-printed with a slight backslant! They aren't, but I was SO used to keyboards with italic characters that the non-italic labels (which are very classy) created a backslant illusion for me at first.

Trackpad:

Great--so good (and big) that I have been using my laptop for months and only JUST NOW bothered to plug in one of my many mice! The clicker is metal, but no sharp edges. (I used to think laptops needed two buttons for FPS games: where you need to easily hit one OR both buttons at once. That's not true: your thumb CAN'T effectively use two trackpad buttons in different combinations quickly in battle. So instead, I quickly got used to using my left pinky on left-Shift as my alt-fire--and I'd use the same even if I DID have two clickers. Sure a mouse is better, but I played a lot of LAN games over the holidays with the trackpad and did just fine.) Also--I don't hit the trackpad by accident when typing, like I did with my Lombard PBG3.

Construction:

Rock solid. I really expected this thin machine to be fragile. I was sure it couldn't be as strong as my Lombard which has survived abused for years. But the AlBook is NOT fragile. It has no give or flex/play and feels like a single solid (but lightweight) block of metal. I pick it up from one side, squeeze it on the latch edge, etc... and I have no inclination to worry. It is MORE solid--and more evenly built--than my Lombard, which is saying something. There is a slight unevenness to the screen gap IF you look--but I found other laptops to be even MORE uneven once I bothered to look. The perfect clean lines of a Mac make you look for things like that I think. Two minor criticisms: 1) Cardbus cards stick out more than they do on a Lombard. Just a tiny bit, maybe 1 mm, but it annoys me. And 2) The TV-out and audio-out ports are far from each other--which makes the cables look messier when presenting to TV I know... I did say minor!

The thin screen is also very strong. I can push HARD on the back and see ZERO effect on the screen. The hinge holds the screen firmly at any angle without flopping. The "magic latch" closes/opens effortlessly and holds tight--the play in the latch is noticeable but not a problem.

The feet do not come off. If anyone has broken the feet off an AlBook, either they REALLY tried or else Apple improved something when they got to mine. The feet are smooth and don't "catch" on surfaces, they are very hard and strong, and they are not attached with glue. All good. My old Lombard lost feet.

The slot-load drive is very slick too. I'd never want a fragile tray-loader again. Tip: you must HOLD down the Eject button a moment. This is good--it prevents accidental ejection--but if you hit Eject quickly you'll think your Mac is ignoring you.

Finish:

The anodized Al finish is amazingly durable. I have NOT babied the surface like I meant to--I have smacked metal cable ends against it, dragged metal coat-snaps along the palm-rest, banged the case into table corners, ground it along gritty table-tops, and just generally been careless because the thing feels so solid. Scratches do not appear easily--many impacts leave no trace--but they can happen if you are careless. As a result, I have gotten many scratches. And EVERY ONE has rubbed out with a finger and maybe a drop of water. My case looks brand new, and will clearly look pretty much the same for years. I'm sure there are things like diamond that can scratch this, but most things can't--so scratches are generally a deposit of the other object drawn on the laptop like a pencil. This is THE material for a laptop, I'm convinced. FAR better than plastic or any kind of painted surface.

I always thought the Al looked grey and dull in pictures (I'm a fan of Apple white). In person, though, the Al is bright and silvery and draws admiring comments from the most unlikely sources.

The grey plastic edge-bumpers are quite durable too--but so thin you don't really notice them anyway.

Communications:

Modem-on-hold (V.92) is the greatest thing since sliced bread. I can be online AND get calls for much less than the cost of broadband (which I shy away from for now, having been burned by awful service). I wish there was an audible ring when a call comes in, and not just a dialog, but maybe I'm missing something. Anyway, it's really smoothly handled, with an on-screen countdown to tell you how long you can keep talking without dropping the 'net connection. And Internet Connect has a menu command to place an outgoing call while online--something I wish was in the menu icon.

How's the wireless? I wish I knew! I won't get a BT mouse until there is more selection (a small, multi-button, BT TRAVEL mouse, please), and I won't get base station until AirPort has V.92 or I take the time to select a cheaper alternative. It's not a priority for me--and I don't have public access points near me to test.

Heat and noise:

This machine is virtually silent. I was ready for it to be louder than my Lombard. It is quieter! Some HD chatter and little sounds like that, but no constant HD whine. The exception is when you run the machine hard--like F@H or 3D gaming. A whirring fan comes on then--noticeable but NOT loud and not a problem.

The optical drive is not outrageously loud either--although an off-balance disc will buzz as expected.

This machine gets hot on the bottom--but hardly more so than my old Lombard. And it cools down quickly when lifted off your lap or put to sleep. Not that I have to lift it--it never gets hot enough to bother me when wearing pants. Heat is almost all at the rear edge--the palmrests never get more than a little warm.

Sound:

Tiny speakers. Don't expect much from an ultrathin laptop. Not much better than my Lombard--which means: just fine for some casual music or gaming, but it ain't no home theater! There's a third "midrange" speaker under the keys, and I wondered if that would hurt stereo separation. Nope--the stereo separation is the one factor I find noticeably very good about this laptop's sound. BTW, boosting the bass (and dropping the pre-amp) in iTunes improves the sound a lot, although you lose volume. It's good for music while you work. (Sound output to my stereo is great of course.)

(Why doesn't Apple put flat-panel speakers into a laptop? I know they have some thickness, especially with a grille over them, but still, it sounds like a way to get bigger sound.)

Continued below:

[nagromme]

More:

Portability:

Everyone comments on how thin it is, and it feels much lighter than my Lombard. I know it's just a fraction of a pound different, but it's welcome. The 15.2" is easily portable. And the charger is GREAT. One little white brick with ONE--not two (unless you want two)--cables that wrap onto pop-out hooks. And the charger's outlet prongs retract. This is a huge factor and making it a joy to carry the PowerBook from place to place. Other laptop chargers--including from Apple--have always aggravated me to no end with their cable clutter or sheer bulk.

Price:

I got a great deal from MacConnection.com. For a couple bucks LESS than Apple's MSRP, I got a 1.25 AlBook with:

* RAM upgraded to 1 GB, AND free installation, AND the original .5 GB nicely packaged in the box, as a spare or to sell.

* Free Fellowes cable combination lock (with plastic bumpers that don't scratch--to which I added a rubber band too).

* Free Body Glove Messenger bag (a very big and fancy bag with tons of compartments and good protection--but some awkward aspects too such as not being able to stand up freely).

* Free Epson multifunction printer/scanner/copier

There were other deals I could have gotten too, on MS Office etc., but I wasn't interested.

Conclusion:

I bought my 3rd Mac ever because I needed it for a long trip. It turned out to be the best laptop on the planet.

The "squeaky wheel syndrome" (people posting if they have a problem, not if they don't), combined with a certain number of early PowerBooks with an acknowledged "white spot" problem, led me to hesitate about the middle PowerBook. I almost got the 17" or the 12" or even an iBook. But Apple fixed the problem (and I know from my S/N that mine was made after the fix) and I would recommend this laptop to anyone without hesitation. Although a speed boost may be on the way, if you can be patient!

Any questions? Ask away.

[pat++]

If I read your comments once again, I will probably be obliged to run to the nearest Apple store to get one

[pete]

I'm just curious when the fix was?

[gif32]

Wow you certainly make me feel better about my purchase Thanks for the detailed review.

A quick command-f for the word "battery" turned up no results in this thread. That seems to be the big point missing from your review.

I personally am on my second battery and still find it pales in comparison to other notebooks, especially other Macs.

Care to evaluate your experience?

-gif

[iREZ]

my eyes hurt

[dantley]

I just got back from the Apple Store. I am now the proud owner of a Aluminum PowerBook. I got the 1.25ghz. I just started Software update. My TiBook is going up in eBay tonight!

[toshigen]

must... resist... temptation...

must... wait... for.... G5....



Nice, well written review.

[nagromme]

Battery--good question. I have never run out

I think I have gone close to 2 hours with a fair amount still left on the meter, so I'd GUESS 2-3 hours of "middle" use. (In other words, a mix of things rather than, say, non-stop OpenGL gaming.) But I haven't taken the time to formally test it. And if I did, it would be subjective since my usage wouldn't match anyone else's.

FWIW My meter now shows 1.5 hours for HEAVY use: CPU at full speed, maxed out 100% by Folding@Home, screen fully bright, etc.

The meter isn't gospel, but it hasn't let me down yet. My usage just doesn't demand 5 hours away from an outlet.

Screen fix--I think the models that were AFTER the white-spot change were made starting last November or so. Someone else probably knows. But look at your serial number. According to people on this forum, a 15" PB with a number V7342... or higher is after the fix. Laptops made before that may be fine, too--and this is just what I've been told!

[iomatic]

For a remote control, try Salling Clicker.

Use it in conjunction with a Sony Ericsson T610/T616 (or even a Palm Tungsten) and you've got yourself a remote, besides much more. Also, see the Proximity Sync scripts available...this is what technology is all about!

[saranwarp]

I must agree...I got my 15" AlBook for Christmas (the older 1Ghz, non-backlit keyboard version, sadly -- it was either new 15" or old 15" plus 20gb iPod, I went for the latter) and it's been incredible. The only semi-problem has been a slight darkening of the pixels on the bottom left and right corners of the screen, but that doesn't bother me much. Screenwise, pretty much anything would be better compared to my (very) old Thinkpad. I expected to want to replace my 867 Mhz G4 desktop when I go back to school this fall, but barring the appearance of white spots it looks like this will serve as my all-purpose computer. It's the best Xmas present I've gotten in a long time =)

[jindrich]

very nice review.

i bought my alu15 in november. had white spots and uneven illumination. my screen got changed in january and new uneven illumination. the guys that changed the screen didnt assemble the computer properly and now the trackpad surface is misaligned, and both the kb and trakp button stand higher that thy should be. pLus, they forced the chassis and it has a bump just where the superdrive is and the door is curved.

besides, my right speaker seems to hardly sound at all. the left one is 5 times louder (is it because the 3rd speaker is on the left side??? can you copmment on this?).
i get the folder with a question mark for 2 seconds whenever i boot (never turn it off, i have it ALWAYS on sleep).
The superdrive copies data at x8 to the HD (but sucessfully burns cds at x16, how odd is that), and rejects some 15-40 percent of DVD movies.

that's the bad part. i hope i get my computer fixed. In fact, i hope to get a NEW one instead, i didnt pay for a refurbished model. My alu was initally marked DOA, but i took it because i urgently needed it for travelling,

Hovewer, aside the problems i have with mine, i can confirm what nagromme says it's true.
This is the best laptop ever. Just put 1GB ram, and you're done. It's FAST and stable. light and durable. The wireless thing is a delight. as the lighted kb is. i get 3 hours of battery time. the aluminium IS very durable and dependable. It only gets hot (60 celsius degrees) if you do some hevay number crunching, or use the cd-dvd while charging battery on its on bedsheet without ventilation (using the suprive heavily). i dont think i have heard the fan more than twice. in a completely quiet room i can hear the hd spining, but i think only since my alu was "repaired".

if you're on the market for a laptop, get the alu (just make sure you get a good one)

[galaga]

Thanks for the review nagromme I am still in a dilemma about buying a 15" albook. I really want one and I sort of need one (g4 desktop 400mhz at the moment). I'm glad that most of the problems like the white spots seem to be fixed- but the idea of a warped lcd isn't nice. I've seen a new albook and the gap between the lid and the base was about 1 - 1.5 mm on either side- big enough to fit a 5 pence coin (same size as a nickel?) into I wonder if there is any way to fix this like replacing the little rubber lid pads with bigger ones like the feet from the bottom? I don't know. My only other option is to shell out some extra �� for the 17" which is slightly larger than I need but presumably has no lid gap. It's so difficult to make a decision.

[galaga]

I just found this... http://radtech.us/Products/Wildeepz.aspx. Maybe these could help. I also found a post on another forum saying that the lid gap in the 15" albook is intentional, to address the keyboard printing onto the screen issue. I'm skeptical though.

[Chemmy]

Originally posted by saranwarp:
I must agree...I got my 15" AlBook for Christmas (the older 1Ghz, non-backlit keyboard version, sadly -- it was either new 15" or old 15" plus 20gb iPod, I went for the latter)

Uhm, all 15" AlBooks are the same age.

I got my 1.25ghz 15" AlBook in September.

[nagromme]

Re the screen gap: it is intentional and it doesn't look bad or odd. It seems odd mechanically if you think about it, and although it keeps the screen off the keys and helps the latch connect effortlessly, I do think it could have been done differently. As it is, if you squeeze the front of the closed 'Book, you feel the screen hinge shut a little more. Not because anything is loose or weak, but because it's meant to be held "almost closed" by a spring. When you do push the gap closed, bumpers stop the screen from touching the keys anyway. I guess the way I'd sum it up is, intentional the gap FEELs odd when you grab the front edge, but it doesn't LOOK odd--and it has no negative impact.

Now, the issue of curvature is another matter: my AlBook and every one I have seen has a very slight warp to the lid: lower by the latch, higher at the corners. It's so slight that I CANNOT see any curve when the book is open, or detect any curve to the top casing. It would have to be greater for me to think it's a defect (and some may well have had that problem). It is not something most people would notice UNLESS someone told them to look for it. And most importantly: 1.) It does NOT curve the CD panel itself--or if it does it's undetectable. 2.) The curve is rigid--you cannot flex the lid even a little bit. So that's my experience. Like the gap, I'd say it's odd but harmless. Unlike the gap, you might never notice it--at least on mine, it's VERY slight. So slight that other laptops have much worse curving and uneven gaps, but since they don't have the PowerBook's precise, clean lines, you don't even notice or care. Apple's excellent design inspires pickiness, in myself included! (Your mileage may vary--I've heard of worse warping and of zero warping. And I've heard of the 17" being affected too.)

(And wow mallorca, how frustrating! I'd gently but firmly take the matter higher and insist on a new 'Book.)

[jstein]

Great review nagromme,
I received my 15-inch Alpb about a week and a half ago. Although, initally I wanted a 17-inch Rev B model and was upset because that more than likely with all of the software I was going to have to purchase. Final Cut Pro, Photo Shop, Pro Tools, Mac Office, sooner or later Virutal PC, Final Draft, etc etc there would be no way that I could afford the 17-inch. Well, so far things are great, I could not be happier with my machine for the 15-inch has some power. I agree with everyting in your review.

I was wondering have you tried the download for the battery update and if so what was your increase battery life?

To anyone who wants to purchase a 15-inch powerbook do not wait go ahead a purchase you will not be dissappointed.......

[saranwarp]

Chemmy, didn't realize that. Thanks

[dukefrisbee]

A great review...thanks for taking the time.

I have had the 1.25g 15" AL for about a month or so, and love it. I would agree with about 95% of everything you commented on. I've noticed a few things about mine that might be different than your observations. I think the lid could covey a bit more solidity, I am nervous picking it up with 1 hand. There is a fair amount of flex as is evidenced by the lid popping open from time to time. It doesn't really bother me much, perhaps it's functional, but there is about 1/16 to 1/8" gap on both sides. We ordered 3 and all of them have this. Battery life is only so so. Not an issue with me but I think most frequent travelers need more than 2 hours of consistent battery life. I think you could stretch it longer but I wouldn't count on more if you are using wireless and/or a cd.

About the only significant disappointment I have is the trackpad - I was very surprise you seem to love it. It must either be me or my particular PB because this is the single most difficult to use pointing device I've ever used. It's unusable if you enable input while typeing or tap-click unless the PB positioned well below your hands. Even the slightest accidental touch bounces you out of typeing. Also, I find it very difficult to navigate with extreme accuracy. I don't know whether it's heat or pressure sensitive but it's very inconsistent as far as motion and acceleration. I find myself drying my finger constantly to make sure it's bone dry or it doesn't work quite right. Going back and for between a pc notebook and the PB, I think the problem is that my Compaq's touchpad is less sophisticated and simple detects movement across the pad or not. A light touch or heavy pressure makes no difference. I really have a problem with this and generally use a mouse. That minor bitching aside, this is fantastic, beautiful piece of technology that is a joy to use. I have both IBM and Compaq laptops at home as well as a desktop pc and this is the one I reach for 90% of the time.

[nagromme]

I definitely find the trackpad to be superior. (I don't use tap-click because I rest my hand on the pad sometimes--it's not a good choice for me.) Have you played with the speed settings?

And there's zero flex to the screen. I'm not saying I'd pick ANY laptop up by the open screen, but I would (and do) pick this laptop up by one hand from the base, or when closed.

[typoon]

Great review. I ended up getting the 12. the screen is fine for me. Not too dim. I believe they fixed the white spots in December sometime. From what I understand the screen porblem was fixed on all models after Dec 6th.

[pete]

I think the trackpad on the 15 albook is superior to the tibook. The slightly raised button and slightly recessed trackpad prevents you from crossing over the border with your thumb as was so common with the tibook. I used to always do that because there was no clear indicator where the button ends and the pad begins. When you have the tip of your thumb touching the trackpad at the same time as your other finger, it causes erratic, uncontrollable cursor behavior.

Of course I seldom use the trackpad since I bring my logitech trackball everywhere...just wish they could come out with a bluetooth one soon.


I definitely agree that battery life could be better.
I get about 2.5 hours with normal use. Old pismo g3 got about 3.45..that would be nice. But of course this is totally different beast. They could have include a bigger battery though (but then more weight...)

[tdvorak]

I have had my Aluminum (1.25) 15 inch for about a month now. I agree with the original poster. It's a really great machine. Much better than my TiBook. I am glad I decided not to wait for the G5s.