[lars-man]

Hi,

I'm in the market for a new PowerBook. I could buy one of the new models with HD display but I'm afraid of getting one with display lines.

Another option is to get an "old" 1.67GHz model (with the lower screen resolution) with either 64MB or 128MB VRAM. I have an external 17" TFT display that I'm going to connect with the PowerBook. So might the extra VRAM really help? I don't wont the PowerBook to become sluggish when working with the external display. The older model would be a refurbished one, but I don't think that this is a deal, is it?

What do you recommend?


Regards, Lars

[mduell]

Do you play 3D games? Do you use Motion? Do you plan on connecting to a 30" display in the future? If so, get the 128MB.

17" LCDs don't have enough pixels (usually 1280x1024) to really put any strain on 64MB.

Also note that the new PowerBook models are not HD (1920*1080 or better), but rather higher than they used to be.

[lars-man]

Originally Posted by mduell

Do you play 3D games? Do you use Motion? Do you plan on connecting to a 30" display in the future?

No. No. Perhaps, if I get the money ;-) (but obviously not in the near future...)

Originally Posted by mduell

17" LCDs don't have enough pixels (usually 1280x1024) to really put any strain on 64MB.

Oh, I didn't know that... But what about starting Dashboard and using the nice effect that comes up when you launch a new widget for example? I really don't want the new machine to be sluggish at any time. I'm tired of this on my aging G4/400...

Regards, Lars

[pete]

Hi,

I recently bought a powerbook G4 1.67ghz from the previous generation. I initially thought it was going to have 128mb vram, but the guy I bought it from made a mistake and it only had 64mb. I'm using it now with an Apple Cinema Display 20" and everything works absolutely marvelously with no slow down at all. In fact, I've come to the conclusion that this is the ideal set up for me in terms of balancing mobility and comfort.

Anyway, unless you're doing very specific work with apps that require large amounts of vram, it seems like you won't notice the difference. On the other hand, if it's a $50 difference or something like that, why not just get the large amount? And then again, that is the argument that keeps pushing us to waste money on things we don't really really need.....
Good luck.

[mduell]

Originally Posted by lars-man

Oh, I didn't know that... But what about starting Dashboard and using the nice effect that comes up when you launch a new widget for example? I really don't want the new machine to be sluggish at any time. I'm tired of this on my aging G4/400...

I haven't used one to comment on the Dashboard effects. If you had anything bigger than a 17" external screen I'd say go for it. Since it's not that much more money you might as well go with it, espically since Apple is putting more and more work on the video card with each new revision of OSX (the included-but-not-activated Quartz 2D Extreme in Tiger will probably come alive in the next major release, wanting even more VRAM).

[mduell]

Originally Posted by pete

I recently bought a powerbook G4 1.67ghz from the previous generation. I initially thought it was going to have 128mb vram, but the guy I bought it from made a mistake and it only had 64mb. I'm using it now with an Apple Cinema Display 20" and everything works absolutely marvelously with no slow down at all.

Are you using both screens (PowerBook and Cinema) at the same time, or just the Cinema with the PowerBook closed?

[pete]

I've tried both, but normally I just use the cinema display since I don't need more space. But both ways worked perfectly.