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smeagol222 · Sep 10, 2006, 06:20 AM

Hi,

I'm wondering whether to get a Macbook 2.0ghz or a Powerbook 1.5ghz. I want a small well designed laptop primarily using programs such as coreldraw, photoshop and dreamweaver. I've heard a lot of bad stuff about the new Intel based Macbook. These include:

-photoshop running slow as on macbook (worse than a slower powerbook g4)
-some kind of emulator thing called rosetta (i know it translates from powerpc app to intel chip... but why arrrggh)
-only specific program updates (from Adobe) to fix intel compatability problems

my conclusion is--- does all the software so far (DESIGNED FOR POWERPC) processors run like sloooooooww in the Intel based macs (Macbooks)??? i was so keen to get one now im put off big time- i dont want to have to boot windows xp on my mac everytime i need to use a productive program (not iTunes, iLife bla bla etc etc) the whole reason i wanna mac is so i can run OS X!!

what does everyone think? it seems that i might as well get a PC laptop or a powerbook

thanks for any help

harrisjamieh · Sep 10, 2006, 06:33 AM

1) Yes, *at the moment*, photoshop runs slower on an Intel Mac than on a comparable PowerPC based Mac. However, the G4 powerbook, especially the 12", its SUCH old technology, that the MacBook will be slightly faster, if not quite a bit faster, than the PowerBook, when using programs such as Photoshop that are currently not designed to run on Intel.

2) The *some kind of emulation thing* is a GREAT thing! Not a bad thing as you seem to make out. Rosetta allows PowerPC applications to run on Intel Macs, albeit slower than normal. This is an amazing piece of software, and without it, the Intel Macs would be no where near as useful until all apps are made universal.

3) Adobe Photoshop CS3 is due in spring 2007. This will be a universal application, and will run VERY fast on the MacBook... at least 2-3 times faster than the program will run on the 12" PowerBook, whose technology is at least 4 years old.

4) Yes, PPC based software will run slower on the MacBook than programs designed for Intel. However most programs are now universal, and will run full speed on Intel

smeagol222 · Sep 10, 2006, 07:05 AM

hmm..... so macbooks will become more useful as time goes by. im guessing that there isnt much os x software that is universal- is there somewhere there is a list? rosettas is good it just seems that if its going to take 1year for most of the productive software (photoshop, dreamweaver, coreldraw, indesign, final cut pro- correct me if some of these are already universal)........then shouldnt i just get a powerbook 12" 1.5ghz w/ 1gig ram and it will run all the os x powerpc programs faster than the macbook? cause wont the munfactures just release universal software whenever they feel liek it- or if at all now there's bootcamp.....

*sigh* i dunno, the joy of the glossy cute macbook with remote for entertainment excitement has partly gone.....

thanks.........

analogika · Sep 10, 2006, 08:13 AM

Actually, most major applications have been converted except for the Adobe ones, and Microsoft Office.

check out Apple's list:

Macintosh Products Guide | Universal Applications

analogika · Sep 10, 2006, 08:14 AM

dp.

AHDuke99 · Sep 10, 2006, 08:01 PM

dear friend,

have no fear, as it must be satan that has filled your mind with these vile thoughts of getting a 12" PB over a new macbook. why would you ever do such a thing? friend, apps can only get faster on the new macbook duo in the future, as more developers optimize their apps for intel, but the 12" PB will just get slower and more outdated as those developers drop PPC support entirely. DO what the Lord would want you to go and get a Macbook, invest in newer technology, and stop whining so much about rosetta. it's a give from above. without it, most people would be afraid to buy an intel mac, much like the beginning of the OS X transition was like. however, with rosettas help, we have been able to make the transisiton smoothly and error free. high five to rosetta!

spencers · Sep 11, 2006, 01:18 AM

still waiting on photoshop, m$ office, and dreamweaver...

have to boot into windows if I'm in a hurry and lack patience with osx.

analogika · Sep 11, 2006, 05:19 AM

Parallels would do nicely in that case.

Dillon-K · Sep 12, 2006, 12:08 AM

Well can you just wait till more apps get universal?! Buying a 12" PowerBook at this stage just seems a dumb move... and I'm telling you even with Rosetta, everything is fast on my BlackBook... and all this talk of problems with MacBooks are only a few cases that get overdramatized. It would be foolish to buy a PowerBook now unless you are really in a money-struggle... And although rosetta apps may run slower, wait till you see how fast the universal stuff is... I just exported a ton of video to .mov files faster than I would have ever thought possible on a notebook... snap out of it man, get the MacBook.

smeagol222 · Sep 12, 2006, 04:02 AM

thanks everyone- im convinced, im getting a macbook. only 1 thing- which one? im really not too fussed about games and i really want a macbook that is small for a main thing.

basically im tossing up between a white macbook 2.0ghz w/ 1gig ram or macbook pro 2.0ghz 512mb ram. i only real difference i can see is the VIDEO CARD in the MB Pro. i wonder how much difference this will make... hmmm

thanks for any help