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mcaswell · Jan 15, 2003, 09:20 PM

A few months ago (actually, when the 867 and 1ghz machines were announced), I passed my 667 (the original DVD-only model) down to a coworker and bought a new 667dvi. I am extremely pleased with this machine... unlike the previous 667, this one's fan rarely comes on unless I'm doing heavy duty Photoshop work, playing a game, etc.

Well, my wife informed me a few days ago that she'd like to replace her worn and aging Pismo, and was wondering if I'd be upgrading to a newer machine any time soon so she could have my "old" one. Though I'm perfectly happy with the 667dvi, I began thinking about getting a 1ghz/Superdrive model. Unfortunately, I started reading through recent posts here, and it seems like the vast majority of 1ghz owners are not very pleased with these machines. Having experienced my previous 667's blow-dryer mode, I am particularly concerned about the fan noise.

A low-speed fan that is always on, such as has been reported here, probably wouldn't bother me. But I don't want to deal with a Harrier jumpjet on my desk.

Do the fans on these machines really come on full-blast with just a light CPU load as has been reported here? Or are these just a handful of isolated cases, with the vast majority of 1ghz TiBooks not exhibiting this behavior?

I'm happy enough with my current laptop so as to not feel anxious to get a faster one. The Superdrive would be nice, but is not a necessity since I've already got one in my desktop machine. I could always just pick up an iBook (or a leftover 667dvi) for my wife. But then again, I wouldn't mind upgrading if the 1ghz was tolerable.

Advice please?

--Mike

photoeditor · Jan 15, 2003, 09:38 PM

It depends on where you'll use the computer. The fan noise is not irritating in an office setting (in this case, an enclosed office with a door in an academic building), where you have the hum of office building forced air and a few other things in the background. It can get irritating at home, where things are quieter. The situation is at its worst when you're installing software, with the AC power coming in and both fans running at once. The computer also seems to stay cooler on Formica or on a hollow core desk than it does on a wooden one. But under no circumstances is it as loud as my digital audio G4/466 tower.

Unfortunately, the fans do have the tonal quality of hair dryers if not the volume and they stay on for a while when they come on. If you've just gone through a software installing session, they probably won't switch off until you switch off the computer.

There is a trade off here; the Gigabook is noisier than the 800 DVI as far as I was able to tell from my limited exposure to the 800, but it runs cooler.

SOLIDAge · Jan 15, 2003, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by mcaswell:
A few months ago (actually, when the 867 and 1ghz machines were announced), I passed my 667 (the original DVD-only model) down to a coworker and bought a new 667dvi. I am extremely pleased with this machine... unlike the previous 667, this one's fan rarely comes on unless I'm doing heavy duty Photoshop work, playing a game, etc.

Well, my wife informed me a few days ago that she'd like to replace her worn and aging Pismo, and was wondering if I'd be upgrading to a newer machine any time soon so she could have my "old" one. Though I'm perfectly happy with the 667dvi, I began thinking about getting a 1ghz/Superdrive model. Unfortunately, I started reading through recent posts here, and it seems like the vast majority of 1ghz owners are not very pleased with these machines. Having experienced my previous 667's blow-dryer mode, I am particularly concerned about the fan noise.

A low-speed fan that is always on, such as has been reported here, probably wouldn't bother me. But I don't want to deal with a Harrier jumpjet on my desk.

Do the fans on these machines really come on full-blast with just a light CPU load as has been reported here? Or are these just a handful of isolated cases, with the vast majority of 1ghz TiBooks not exhibiting this behavior?

I'm happy enough with my current laptop so as to not feel anxious to get a faster one. The Superdrive would be nice, but is not a necessity since I've already got one in my desktop machine. I could always just pick up an iBook (or a leftover 667dvi) for my wife. But then again, I wouldn't mind upgrading if the 1ghz was tolerable.

Advice please?

--Mike

buy my Ti 400
very rarely do i hear the fan and when i do(usually when its on my lap for along time, with a blanket or heavy clothing), its not loud at all

davidflas · Jan 15, 2003, 09:58 PM

I recently upgraded to a 15" 1Ghz SD PB from a G4/466 digital audio tower, and I don't find the fans to be bad at all. Do I notice them? Of course, but I love this machine. I may never go back to a desktop computer again.

PoisonTooth · Jan 15, 2003, 10:03 PM

My 15" TiBook has been fine, all the way around. Love it.

schwank · Jan 15, 2003, 10:14 PM

Yes, my fan comes on all the time but I dont find it anoying. Im a Digital design student, last night I was running cinema 4d, director, flash, photoshop, illustrator, dreamweaver, internet explorer, entourage, fire and iTunes without a skip or stutter. itsI have the 1GHZ, with a gig of ram... if you need some power, get the book., I dont regret it a bit (I upgraded from a 500mhz pismo)

seanyepez · Jan 15, 2003, 10:16 PM

I love my 1-gigahertz TiBook.

The problems were only limited to the early units. My computer is silent (apart from the hard disk which isn't that loud in the first place) unless I'm playing games or doing DV. Browsing doesn't normally make the fans kick in unless I'm using iChat actively in the background and charging my battery at the same time.

dvd · Jan 15, 2003, 11:38 PM

hmmm my 667mhz dvi's fan is really loud. =[ It doesnt turn on when i have browser, adium, itunes on. It turns on more than i would expect.

duanegossett · Jan 15, 2003, 11:57 PM

I just bought an Apple-refurb 667 DVI, and I absolutely love it- Perfect screen, not a scratch anywhere, just like new. I have only heard the fan once, when I was installing some software, and it was barely audible then.

craigthomas · Jan 16, 2003, 12:56 AM

I wouldn't trade my SDTi for any computer...even the new 17" (and yes I've seen them). Fan is no problem what so ever, I rarely hear it. And when I do hear it, it's nothing but a little hum. This is my 3rd TiBook and is definately the best Mac I have ever owned. So, if you want one now, this is a sweet system.

I work in a building with many small offices, and two of my office neighbors liked my setup so much they jumped off of OS 9 and bought the the SDTi running X. Never have I heard them complain about fan noise. Like Sean said, the noise must have been in the earlier models. And you will definately notice the speed difference from your 667. Snappy!

MarkLT1 · Jan 16, 2003, 01:01 AM

Originally posted by duanegossett:
I just bought an Apple-refurb 667 DVI, and I absolutely love it- Perfect screen, not a scratch anywhere, just like new. I have only heard the fan once, when I was installing some software, and it was barely audible then.

I have a 1ghz SD TiBook, and have one of the early revisions, with the "noisy" fans.. I put noisy in quotes, because I dont know if 1) people are much more sensitive then I am, or 2) mine happens to be a rare case without this problem. My first fan is on probably ~70% of the time, however it is barely perceptible. When the second fan comes in, its a bit louder, but it still isnt terrible.. the second fan rarely comes on.

Other then that, I LOVE this machine. I have a dual Xeon 2.6ghz machine, with 2 gigs of RAM running linux, that I use to do calculations. With Apple's new X11 (and XDarwin before that) I am ALWAYS on my Powerbook. I'd much rather sit in my futon, running calcs, then at my desk.. I barely even need my 19" monitor any more!

The only problem I have run into is that my latch broke (it stopped retracting). I have a big presentation to give this week, then after that, Apple is going to take it in to fix the latch. No biggie.

-Mark

squish · Jan 16, 2003, 01:14 AM

Will the 1Ghz/SD Tibook be quiet if I run it in 667 mode AND elavate the backside? I need to know.

CyberPet · Jan 16, 2003, 01:23 AM

Originally posted by squish:
Will the 1Ghz/SD Tibook be quiet if I run it in 667 mode AND elavate the backside? I need to know.

If the Powerbook has no fan problem (like mine, but it's being taken care of now) it shouldn't be running much, if at all, if you are running on battery instead of AC and keep a good airflow around it. On heavy work, the secondary fan will kick in.

I'm using a loaner (667MHz) right now while my 1GHz Superdrive (15") is being repaired and the primary fan on this loaner is as loud as the secondary fan (louder fan) is on the 1GHz Powerbook. The primary fan on the 1GHz is like a whisper, hardly noticable. The secondary fan on the 667MHz is horrible though, sounds like a hair blower.

So if you want a silent Powerbook of a recent model, the 1GHz should be an option compared to for instance the 667MHz version.

Over Achiever · Jan 16, 2003, 01:24 AM

For elevating the back side, I highly recommend the Tote and Tilt handle from cyber3.

And from what I've heard, the fans run less.

sworthy · Jan 16, 2003, 04:02 AM

mine too is virtually silent. Light fan when plugged in, but barely noticable even in silent room. I love it, and wouldn't trade it for the new models, regardless of cost.

seanyepez · Jan 16, 2003, 06:34 AM

If you want to wait until new 15-inch PowerBooks come out in a few months, either an 800-megahertz G3 or 500-megahertz G4 from PowerLogix would work well to extend the life of your Pismo. It might not be in perfect cosmetic condition, but it could function as a server of sorts once you're completely done with it.

issa · Jan 16, 2003, 07:44 AM

I have been recharging the battery of my 1GHz TiBook for the past hour as I surf the web and write mail. Neither fan is running. Granted, my room is quite cool and I have the rear slightly elevated on my hi-tech solution of thick erasers under the back rubber bumpers.

To answer your query more directly, whether running on AC or battery, the 1st fan rarely comes on under light CPU load and when not doing anything with the DVD/CD-RW combo drive. And, when it does kick in, it creates only a low hum that even this fan of absolutely silent computing can easily tolerate. That's even at 2:00 in the morning in a quiet room.

When doing work that pushes the CPU and/or combo drive heavily, the 1st fan does run a fair amount of the time. Again, it's hardly disturbing. As a trivial aside, that fan (technically "blower") is rated by the maker at 19 decibels. The second fan kicks in for short periods when running the machine hard, but it is still quieter than the fan on my 500MHz Rev.A TiBook.

Overall, my early-production* 1GHz TiBook has performed better over the past two months than any of the nine PowerBook models or dozen or so desktop Macs I have owned to date. I am extremely satisfied with it.

(*Mine was delivered a week or so after the model was announced.)

claughery · Jan 16, 2003, 08:41 AM

No doubt I love my 1ghz Ti!!! The speed is wonderful, display great, graphics awesome!!!! I did order the 12 inch too for a more mobile computer, But the gig Ti is the best!!!

mahoney2 · Jan 16, 2003, 09:58 AM

I just did the same thing. Getting rid of my Pismo and gettin a TiBook 1 ghz. Shipped last nite, can't wait til tommorow

azark · Jan 16, 2003, 10:05 AM

I won't trade my Ti-GHz for any computer!

Fans come and go quickly when they should. It's better than with my TI-550 IMHO.

GoDucks · Jan 16, 2003, 10:10 AM

I've has my 1Ghz SD TiBook for about 3 weeks now. It's my 4th Mac and is by far the best computer I've ever owned. I almost never hear the fan unless I'm burning a CD, etc. and cannot get over the increase in speed from my lasy machine (800 Mhz iMac with Superdrive.)

I bout the week before MacWorld because I needed the machine and even with the two new models, would buy the same computer today. I think that the fan was only an issue on some of the early models because I almost never hear mine...

mcaswell · Jan 16, 2003, 10:23 AM

Thanks for all the replies... these reports make my decision much more difficult (would have been much easier hearing from dozens of 1ghz owners screaming about how much they hate these machines!).

--Mike

issa · Jan 16, 2003, 10:40 AM

Okay Mike. Now that we have the knife in, let's twist it around a bit. Apple has sold about 100,000 units of the latest TiBook. We surely have hundreds if not over a thousand users of the GigaBook lurking on this forum. Of these, maybe a half dozen or dozen people expressed real problems with the model as they first received it. Balance in the fact that people are more likely to write on a forum when they have problems or complaints to air, and you come out with a very small percentage of users who were dissatisfied with the way their machines arrived. True enough, a few had their machines replaced as DOA units, and at least one sweet member from Sweden is waiting on a proper repair or replacement. Surely these numbers represent a failure rate that's no higher (if not lower than) on any other model or generation we've seen to date. (I'd venture that's safe to say even in reference to computers from other makers as well.)

That decision getting even harder now?

squish · Jan 16, 2003, 12:30 PM

I've has my 1Ghz SD TiBook for about 3 weeks now. It's my 4th Mac and is by far the best computer I've ever owned. I almost never hear the fan unless I'm burning a CD, etc. and cannot get over the increase in speed from my lasy machine (800 Mhz iMac with Superdrive.)

I'm at school right now using a iMac/SD. How much greater is the performance?? I'm curious cuz this thing is pretty fast.

Eug · Jan 16, 2003, 12:37 PM

Originally posted by squish:
I'm at school right now using a iMac/SD. How much greater is the performance?? I'm curious cuz this thing is pretty fast.

In some ways the iMac 800 is faster. Not surprising since it uses a 7200 rpm desktop hard drive. Loading apps and lots of files will really make a TiBook feel slow compared to an iMac 800.

OTOH, I've used 1.6 GHz P4 laptops that seem very slow compared to the TiBook, presumably because they had lower-end and heavily fragmented 4200 rpm 30 GB drives than my 60 GB Fujitsu TiBook. However, for certain things not involving disk access, the P4 might be significantly faster.

alisonc · Jan 16, 2003, 01:59 PM

I have a 1Ghz Ti (first batch) whose right fan runs 80% of the time and whose rear fan runs when more than a few apps are open but shuts off after a while. It annoyed me at first, because my 667 DVI had been completely silent except for the rear fan which came on when running Photoshop.

I really have no idea if my fans are "loud" or not. I hear them come on but don't always notice when they go off. Otherwise the machine is absolutely perfect, with no dead pixels (my 667 had one) and no paint problems so far.

However, as much as I like my Ti, I have to say that I'd recommend waiting until Apple comes out with an aluminum 15" with all the new goodies (backlit keyboard, bluetooth, etc.). It seems pretty obvious that this will happen within a few months. If I'd known I would have waited. The new design is so much cooler.

One last thing: I got a Tote n Tilt handle/elevator and the fans seems to run a little less. plus I can carry my PB easily to and fro.

banana · Jan 16, 2003, 07:37 PM

Just upgraded myself from the 667 w/burner to a 1 gig w/superdrive. It seems faster, higher screen rez, and about as noisy as the other one. honestly the noise never bothered me...

mcaswell · Jan 16, 2003, 11:18 PM

Originally posted by issa:
Okay Mike. Now that we have the knife in, let's twist it around a bit.

Ok, ok! You win! I picked one up today. Though I'm still recovering from the pain of writing a $3,000 check, I'm very pleased with the machine so far.

You guys were right about the fan issue... the right hand side fan seems to run most of the time, but I can't hear it (well, at least not here in my office with other stuff running). During an hour or so of copying gigabytes of files from the 667dvi, the rear fan never turned on. It wasn't until I puposely tried to push the machine by running iTunes visuals (100% CPU usage) that this fan turned on, and even then it didn't sound any louder than a typical laptop hard drive. I'm currently burning a DVD in the background as I type this, and have still not hear the rear fan go into full-speed mode.

I'm sad to part with my 667dvi, but at least it's going to my wife.

Thanks again for the help.

--Mike