[fisherKing]

as a 12" powerbook user (1.33g alubook), i'm both disappointed and relieved.

disappointed because i'd hoped for at least a speed bump, maybe a better screen, and the backlit keyboard.

but relieved because i can put my credit card away, and am good until next years intel books.

still, the 17" is nice; just not what i want, at all.

wish apple would respect the powerbooks equally; ie some of us want a small portable mac, but would like speed, power, better features.

until next year....

[Randman]

Anyone who was expecting something major hasn't been reading the news. With the Mactels less than a year away, this bump is fine to hold the line until the new models come.

[starman]

This is a pathetic upgrade.

The screen isn't 1920x1200. Why not? You can get 1920x1200 on a Dell, and it costs $1200 less.

No dual-layer DVD burner either.

Overall, I'm not impressed. Maybe things will seem more even when the Intel machines are released, but for now, I'm disappointed.

Mike

[starman]

Originally Posted by Randman

Anyone who was expecting something major hasn't been reading the news. With the Mactels less than a year away, this bump is fine to hold the line until the new models come.

I disagree. I think they needed something big or else people WILL wait. You don't want people to wait, you want people to say "ooh, I want that...forget about next year". Instead, it's "oh, that's crap. I'll get one next year".

Mike

[Thain Esh Kelch]

Have you ever tried reading anything on a 1900x1200 17" screen?

[Randman]

Exactly. Many people will wait. If you need a 15 or 17 right now, the update isn't bad but nothing to break the bank over. If anything, this leads me to think that the Mactel PBs will be among the first releases next year.

[DKeithA]

I was SO impressed with the updates today that I just bought a 12" iBook. Screw the PowerBooks until Apple gets their act together. I'm keeping my money.

[aplmd]

82 days until MWSF.... may there be something better.... last year (they year of the powerbook per apple) and this year (year of high definition) have been pretty poor years. No front bus upgrade, no improved video card. Only 512 Mb of RAM. No L3 cache. These are all the areas that Mac could have improved on, even if they couldn't do anything with the processor.

[mdc]

Originally Posted by starman

This is a pathetic upgrade.

. . .

No dual-layer DVD burner either.

. . .

Mike

Slot-load 8x SuperDrive (DVD+R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)

from the powerbook page
DVD Burning Across the Line

It’s easy to warm up to the SuperDrive-equipped PowerBook G4 computers. With fast DVD burning on every system — and double-layer burning on the new 15- and 17-inch models — you’ll quickly discover new ways to package your data and your media. Extremely versatile, the slot-loading SuperDrive works hand-in-hand with Mac OS X, so you can burn data CDs, music CDs and DVDs — right from the desktop.

[alphasubzero949]

Originally Posted by starman

This is a pathetic upgrade.

The screen isn't 1920x1200. Why not? You can get 1920x1200 on a Dell, and it costs $1200 less.

No dual-layer DVD burner either.

Overall, I'm not impressed. Maybe things will seem more even when the Intel machines are released, but for now, I'm disappointed.

Mike

I thought I read somewhere that these drives did support dual-layer. I may be wrong.

Either way, this is indeed a crappy "upgrade." What bugs me more is the price considering the age of the CPU and GPU.

Might as well hang on to your existing PB and upgrade your HD, optical drive, and memory and call it a day. My Rev. A is still getting the job done considering its age (three displays and three batteries later).

PS **** you Apple for setting the bar for Aperture at 1.25 GHz!

[elfer]

Well I have been waiting for a new PB to replace my 1Gig PB 17" for quite some time now.
I was full of anticipation, and really was hoping for a 2Gig PB.

Well, as we know now, no such luck. I still ordered one, since I have the feeling that this is the "last" PB before the Intel's come out. It's a good upgrade (I think) for where I am coming from, and should provide me enough horsepower to get my stuff done. My 1Gig is a bit long in the tooth, so here's hoping that this new PB will last me a while.

Btw, I saw the faster memory, but did the bus speed get a speed bump or is all the same?

elfer

[aristobrat]

So apparently you're Rev. A isn't getting the job done when it comes to Aperture, eh?

[fisherKing]

Originally Posted by DKeithA

I was SO impressed with the updates today that I just bought a 12" iBook. Screw the PowerBooks until Apple gets their act together. I'm keeping my money.

uh...isnt buying an ibook giving your $ to apple?



a little later on, i'm more pissed than disappointed.
why can't i have a 12" pb with a better screen, and backlit keys?

i feel like a second-class apple user...

[twong]

Originally Posted by DKeithA

I was SO impressed with the updates today that I just bought a 12" iBook. Screw the PowerBooks until Apple gets their act together. I'm keeping my money.

While I was also unimpressed with the PowerBook updates, I will also be purchasing a 12" iBook tomorrow, but for different reasons.

I NEED to buy a new laptop cause my Pismo's LCD color is off and the screen backlight flickers on and off occasionally - I don't expect the LCD to last much longer. I will buy an iBook as a replacement. I wish I could hold out until the Mactel PB's but I can't.

If not for the coming Mactel PowerBooks, I would buy a 12" PB. However,I know that I will buy a Rev. A or Rev. B Mactel Powerbook (if it is a new form factor) and do not want to put in an additional $500 investment for a PB over an iBook tomorrow when I know that I will be trying to resell it in 18-24 months.

The 12" iBook will do everything I need it to do and more. The only thing that I'd rather have in the 12" PB is the SuperDrive.

[alphasubzero949]

Originally Posted by aristobrat

So apparently you're Rev. A isn't getting the job done when it comes to Aperture, eh?

Yup, by a whole 250 MHz.

[madmanXwater]

The PowerBook was just what has been predicted and nothing more. Apple just can't get a G5 in that little case, and the little case is one of the PowerBook's biggest "features". Next year, the Intel CPU should fit very nice!

On the good side, Apple did drop the price of the 17" $400.00 here in Canada, so that performance/value stuff I've been ranting about has become a little better!

Mike
(Sticking with my HP zd8225 until Intel PowerBooks rock!)

[DKeithA]

Originally Posted by fisherKing

uh...isnt buying an ibook giving your $ to apple?

I'll rephrase: I'm keeping the EXTRA money I would have spent on a new PowerBook.

[ChrisF]

Originally Posted by alphasubzero949

Yup, by a whole 250 MHz.

It's not really the processor that's the problem- you need a Powerbook with a Core Image compatible video card.

[albook]

I'm not impressed!
This was most probably the last PowerBook G4 update ever and this was all they could manage.

I was hoping for a speed-bumped 12", with a graphic card that supports the 30" ACD.
Seems like I might hold back my money for the Intel Powered PowerBooks sometimes next year. Good thing they lowered the 23 and 30" ACD prices though.

[power142]

So would anyone in the know mind explaining to me what the deal is with PC2-4200 running at 333MHz? I'm assuming the G4 memory bus is the same 167MHz as in my Rev. A 17" @ 1GHz, no?

I do like the sound of the screen resolution bump, subtle but not painful. 1900x1200 is fine on a 23" screen, but too much for 17". Alas, I was considering dropping $$$ on a final PowerPC Powerbook, but with this update I think it'll be a no-go.

[alphasubzero949]

Originally Posted by ChrisF

It's not really the processor that's the problem- you need a Powerbook with a Core Image compatible video card.

I thought my PB supported Core Image?

It does ripples in Dashboard.

[TFunkadelic]

quit bitching about it. Apple isn't making you buy anything.

[mrmister]

Well, this is a terrible update after 10 months, or however incredibly long it has been. the bus is the same, the speed is the same--it's just price cuts and whatever improvements could be made w/o changing the motherboard, though I'd think DDR RAM would require some changes--but this PB is using that RAM not for speed, but power savings.

My tricked out 15" from May 2004 is just about the same as what they are serving up now, 17 months later.

Thank God we're moving to Intel.

[urrl78]

Right about now my money is burning a hole in my pocket....for a Sony S series laptop.
That about says it all for the Apple laptop upgrades. However if I only had a 1 Ghz Powerbook like some I would think the upgrade would be a pretty good choice. I would love to have the knowladge to do a major operation on my 1.5 Ghz 17" as far as where to get a max speed, max GB HD and DL optical go. That would be nice; then I could forget about the Sony...

[Sakino]

Originally Posted by madmanXwater

The PowerBook was just what has been predicted and nothing more. Apple just can't get a G5 in that little case, and the little case is one of the PowerBook's biggest "features". Next year, the Intel CPU should fit very nice!

On the good side, Apple did drop the price of the 17" $400.00 here in Canada, so that performance/value stuff I've been ranting about has become a little better!

Mike
(Sticking with my HP zd8225 until Intel PowerBooks rock!)

I agreee with you, if you really want a g5 in the powerbooks you basically are asking for a tank. Take the current powerbook models and times them by two, then u can fit a g5 under the hood. And you thought REV A AL PBs were hot.

[chme6583]

If they lowered the price another $500, I would have been happy with the update. The PB is simply not worth the price, I don't care what anyone says.

[chme6583]

The picture at the Apple store of the "new" (lol) PB is pretty cool.

[Sakino]

Go price me a laptop with all the options that the current powerbook offers, then get back to me. I'm talking about quality laptop makers not some cheap ****.

[stevesnj]

Im waiting for the Mobile Intel Macs. This will be a poor seller to those privy enough to know whats going on. But Apple needs to make improvements for those wanting them and their shareholders to keep them happy.

[TAZ]

All in all its a pretty crappy upgrade, but then there probably wasnt much they could have done that could have been considered value added. Why invest time and resources in a system that you know is dead for lack of a better term. I'd like to think that they are investing theri resources and time into getting the MacTel PB's on line ASAFP. Maybe since they only did so little for the curernt crop, it means they are closer to getting the new units out and though this was enough to tinde people over till the new year.

[tracemhunter]

well im kind of pissed but i had this coming. i bought my 15" powerbook with some upgrades a couple of months ago for around 2500 after the education discount. now all that stuff is standard for 2k. i do have 1gb ram but that is the only thing going. i am sure this was just to hold people off until they can throw the mactels out there.

[iomatic]

I really don't get all the whining; for those of us in the upgrade cycle, it's a pleasant surprise. For those who weren't buying, you're not buying now anyway, so who really cares to hear your complainin'? Meh, I'm happy with the upgrades; I suppose I could just get the earlier version for the same amount of money—oh I think not! It's an improvement. Yeah, it works for me. (Too bad about the 12" though, RIP.)

Just sayin'.

[volcano]

You'll be waiting a long[er] time for an Intel Powerbook, though. Like Apple said, they're going to transition the "consumer" computers first (iBook, Mac Mini, perhaps iMac?) before they even touch a professional Power-series computer in their lineup.

Power Macs won't see an Intel processor until 2007, right? At that rate, you'll be waiting at least until the end of 2006 or the first few months of 2007 before you see a Intel chip in a Powerbook.

Apple has to do at least 1 more 'significant' upgrade to this line of laptops or they will sink like lead within the next year, in regards to sales. They just don't have the oomph that pro's need.

Albeit, this will make the iBook even more popular. I was thinking my 1.33GHz 12" iBook would be obsolete as of today. On the contrary, it's still the best purchase I've made all year.. and it's still a better value overall when compared to the lackluster features of the 12" Powerbook.

[schuey100]

I purchased a new 17" PB 2 months ago. Well actually I purchased 8 because the first 7 were faulty (bad batch apparently)

Anyways, I'm pretty relieved. I was dreading a major update. I don't feel bad at all

[seattlemaclover]

Originally Posted by aplmd

82 days until MWSF.... may there be something better.... last year (they year of the powerbook per apple) and this year (year of high definition) have been pretty poor years. No front bus upgrade, no improved video card. Only 512 Mb of RAM. No L3 cache. These are all the areas that Mac could have improved on, even if they couldn't do anything with the processor.

Correction, there are 84 days until the Macworld Keynote. Not that anyone is counting or anything...

[alphasubzero949]

Originally Posted by TFunkadelic

quit bitching about it. Apple isn't making you buy anything.

Spoken like a true Apple fanboy.

[alphasubzero949]

Originally Posted by volcano

You'll be waiting a long[er] time for an Intel Powerbook, though. Like Apple said, they're going to transition the "consumer" computers first (iBook, Mac Mini, perhaps iMac?) before they even touch a professional Power-series computer in their lineup.

Power Macs won't see an Intel processor until 2007, right? At that rate, you'll be waiting at least until the end of 2006 or the first few months of 2007 before you see a Intel chip in a Powerbook.

Apple has to do at least 1 more 'significant' upgrade to this line of laptops or they will sink like lead within the next year, in regards to sales. They just don't have the oomph that pro's need.

Albeit, this will make the iBook even more popular. I was thinking my 1.33GHz 12" iBook would be obsolete as of today. On the contrary, it's still the best purchase I've made all year.. and it's still a better value overall when compared to the lackluster features of the 12" Powerbook.

If anything, Apple will be more than likely replacing all models with a G4 in them (yes, including the PowerBook) for ones with Intels. The G5s are less likely to see the updates as they already have "good enough" power.

[siflippant]

Throughout all the debating that has raged on these boards in recent months concerning the future of the Powerbooks... if there will there be a g5, or will they go dual core g4's? Will Apple even jump ahead of WWDC '06 and release Intel Powerbooks now?

On this topic, Randman IS the voice of reason...

[Daniel Bayer]

I have had my 1.33 GHZ, 17 inch, 7200 rpm drive PBG4 for 25 months now. Aside from some key wear, it is in flawless condition. Even waited until last month to do the screen replacement due to white spots.

So it looks like I am going to have this great machine for another year or so since the most they can bump the speed up is a paltry 340MHZ in two years.

This is a non-update for the PB. Good thing the new Dual core's and Aperature stole the show, This has to be the slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww w w w w w w w w w w w w est update cycle of any Apple product to date.

The windows crowd is going to have a field day with this one.

LOVE my almost up to date 1.33!!!

[toneloco28]

Originally Posted by volcano

You'll be waiting a long[er] time for an Intel Powerbook, though. Like Apple said, they're going to transition the "consumer" computers first (iBook, Mac Mini, perhaps iMac?) before they even touch a professional Power-series computer in their lineup.

Power Macs won't see an Intel processor until 2007, right? At that rate, you'll be waiting at least until the end of 2006 or the first few months of 2007 before you see a Intel chip in a Powerbook.

Apple has to do at least 1 more 'significant' upgrade to this line of laptops or they will sink like lead within the next year, in regards to sales. They just don't have the oomph that pro's need.

Albeit, this will make the iBook even more popular. I was thinking my 1.33GHz 12" iBook would be obsolete as of today. On the contrary, it's still the best purchase I've made all year.. and it's still a better value overall when compared to the lackluster features of the 12" Powerbook.

AAARRGGh!! ....Would people please stop posting this inaccuracy. Apple has never once said in what discernable order they are going to transition the machines. People have extrapolated from a Cnet comment, and turned this into fact. It stands to reason that the powermac, and iMac would have a little breathing room for the forseeable future since they have g5's. In case anyone hasn't noticed the powerbooks aren't "pro" machines. Their name may suggest otherwise, but thats about the only thing pro about them.

It would behoove Apple to transition the powerbook as soon as possible. We saw Steve demo photoshop running on a 3.6ghz pentium 4, which will get slaughtered by next years dual core pentium m, and it looked pretty fast to me to be running in emulation. The sheer performance boost made possible by the architecture change will negate most people's arguments about non-native software. Just imho.

[reemas]

my current 1.67 will be fine until the 2nd or 3rd gen of intel pb's. i think those who own a fairly recent pb, 1.5ghz and up are in the best position. buying a 2nd or 3rd gen intel pb, will be the real deal.

[chme6583]

Why is anyone buying this pre-historic piece of crap? This is a very, very outdated machine. Nobody "needs" a laptop that bad. I can not believe people waste $2000 so easily.

If someone else is paying for this machine, good for you. Otherwise, just wait. Six to twelve months will not kill you.

[iomatic]

Time= money. If I can get my rendering done faster... It's already paid for itse... OH HELL never mind. BAH, you don't care! I'm not even going to bother explaining.

Why are you bothering to post? I'm excited to replace my machine, get more screen real-estate (I'm moving up from a paltry 12" 1.33GHz here to a nice new 15").

Bah. Ya just don't get it.

[Kenstee]

I don't know what you guys are all excited about with the first Mactel PBs. Heck, Yonah isn't even out and its being talked about in the past tense already. Given what we know why anyone would even consider getting a Yonah PB is a mystery to me.

OTOH, Intel sounds like they've got some great stuff ramping up. But, it sure ain't gonna be in the first or even second generation of Mactel PBs.

http://www.digitimes.com/mobos/a20051018PR201.html

Between this and the initial lack of native apps I'll be sittin' this transition out for awhile.

[Moon Potato]

Originally Posted by TFunkadelic

quit bitching about it. Apple isn't making you buy anything.

No, but my school and my internship are.

There's no good excuse for not upgrading the CPU and GPU... even if prices went up, I would love to have a powerbook that won't feel like a miserable piece of outdated crap once HD video becomes more mainstream.

[justinkim]

Well, all I can say is that I'm going to hold on to my 1GHz TiBook for a while longer. The current machines just aren't enough of a boost to be worth upgrading to, I think. It's worth waiting those ~80 days to MWSF to see what shows.

[jaydon34]

Power who.... get an ibook or wait for the mactels to be released

[jhogarty]

Can anyone identify any other Laptop that has the same specs, or exceeds those specs, of a new Powerbook 17"? I've looked quickly at Dell and Toshiba. Aside from a slightly faster processor, I don't see any real advantage. Plus they don't run OS X, so uh, what's the point?

J.

[inkhead]

I just bought the new powerbook 15" the resolution is much much better! bought I actually walked into the Apple Store in Los Angeles, where they had just got a shipment and bought one :-) !!!

[starman]

Originally Posted by jhogarty

Can anyone identify any other Laptop that has the same specs, or exceeds those specs, of a new Powerbook 17"? I've looked quickly at Dell and Toshiba. Aside from a slightly faster processor, I don't see any real advantage. Plus they don't run OS X, so uh, what's the point?

J.

The $1200 difference wasn't a factor??

I bought a Dell the other day. I'm sick and tired of waiting for a G5 and/or Intel laptop from Apple.

Why did I buy the Dell?

Price
17" at TRUE HD resolution (1920x1200)
Dual-layer DVD burner
Much better 802.11g range than my Powerbook
Much faster processor (come on, a G4 POWERbook? no)

Believe me, I love my PB, but it's time I sell it and wait for the Mactels.

Mike