[MHerberg]

I just picked up a new 15-inch 1GHz Aluminum Powerbook G4 and I ran Xbench on it. I was shocked to find that I could jump from approximately 85 to 100 by switching the processor performance from Automatic to Highest.

Now if this was going to be my computer, I would have no problem switching this setting occasionly based on the work I'm doing.

However the computer is for my girlfriend, who is a switcher, and therefore I want her experience to be the best it can be. Trying to explain the setting seems like it would be confusing.

Most of her time will be spent using the computer for email and Microsoft Word. However, she is planning on learning Final Cut Express/Pro on the computer as she plans on entering the film industry, so performance in important. On the flipside she is a teacher and so may want to bring the computer to work to show a Keynote presentation.

For anyone familiar with the setting, what are the tradeoffs? Specifically, will the machine get much hotter when in "Highest" and how will battery life be affected?

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[C-Bear]

Seems as though if this is going to be her computer, she'll want to learn the basics of administering it. Switching processor settings is pretty simple, and opens up the fairly intuitive and easy to master world of choosing one's System Preferences.

Honestly, my advice is that she learn to navigate the OS, since it sounds like she'll be using the thing a good bit. Figure that knowing her computer and being able to use it for her own purposes without having to rely on you for everything will be a lot more satisfying than avoiding the initial trouble of learning some new tricks.

[anaphora68]

Don't go down the road of not telling your girlfriend how to adminstrate her own computer, could get messy if ya know what I mean.

It's something she has to learn about. I would just leave it cranked to highest unless you're going to be operating off of AC power all the time.