Apple's latest PowerBook boasts high clock speeds and quality graphics performance, but under the hood the architecture is starting to look distinctly creaky.
The latest iteration of the popular PowerBook G4 boasts a processor clocked at 800MHz (up from 667MHz), more powerful graphics and more storage while keeping to roughly the same price. That's the good news. But Apple's system architecture is showing some age; will a simple speed bump be enough?
Better Graphics, More Storage
With the release of this beefed-up PowerBook G4, the 500MHz model has been dropped from the line-up. So there are now three models on offer: The 667MHz version (starting at AU$5,795), and two 800MHz versions differing only in memory and hard disk size.
The version we evaluated was the lower of the two 800MHz versions, featuring 512MB of memory and a 40GB hard disk, priced at AU$7,395. The pricier AU$8,745 version comes with 1GB of memory and a 60GB hard disk. Besides the upscaled processor, the entire line now comes equipped with the ATI Radeon 7500 graphics card with 32MB of DDR video memory. Coupled with the faster processor, this graphics card should handle 3D games and rendering jobs without too much drama.
DVD playback was also brilliant; it was silky-smooth while the top-notch LCD was bright, crisp and viewable from a wide angle.
3D Power to go
In our unofficial MacQuake III Arena tests, Demo 1 at 1024x768 pixel resolution ran at over 50 frames a second, which is a playable rate. In fact, playing at anything lower than 2048x1356 pixels, which gives a shuddering 25 fps, is workable.
You could argue that the PowerBook G4 is expensive, but we don't think so. You could certainly pay a more for some thin-and-light business-class ThinkPads, HP Omnibooks and Toshiba Tecras that have only 15-inch screens (compared with the PowerBook's 15.2 inches).
A Bus That Takes Longer; and Where's the USB 2.0?
However, we do have some beefs. Apple's system bus--the speed at which data moves between memory and the processor--is still stuck at 133MHz. Slow SDRAM memory is also still in use. Elsewhere, others have moved on to DDR and RDRAM modules, ans system buses are set to hit 533MHz soon. Do numbers matter? If Apple's arguments are to be believed, maybe not. But hardware changes must come, and come soon.
And since Apple invented FireWire (IEE1394) it will stick staunchly by it. But Apple users may get left behind as the Wintel juggernaut prepares to embrace USB 2.0. Soon, most cameras, scanners and external drives will come with it. The USB 1.1 ports on the PowerBook G4 could have been uprated to 2.0 standard to supplement the FireWire ports; it's too bad Apple took an uncharacteristically stodgy approach to this issue. The underside of the notebook did get quite hot during use. More cooling fans needed perhaps? Multimedia overlords will also chafe at the lack of digital audio inputs and outputs.
Simple to set up and use
The new PowerBook comes equipped with both Mac OS 9.2.1 and Mac OS X 10.1. Each operating system requires using a pleasing, graphical setup assistant. Once the laptop is up and running, Apple's generous help menus and a nicely illustrated Getting Started guide with more than 100 pages will take you the rest of the way.
The big, brilliant, 15.2-inch LCD is exceptionally crisp, with an almost complete freedom from color or brightness shifts. Two stereo speakers, located at each end of the unit, provide merely decent sound. The mike is situated beneath the left speaker grill.
Same ol', same ol'...Beyond the keyboard and ventilation refinements, the rest of the package is nearly the same as the previous model. The left side has a lone Type I/Type II PC Card and CardBus slot. There's a headphone jack, but you must use one of the twin USB ports (at the rear) for audio input. Also missing is the expansion-bay slot that adorned older PowerBooks. If you want an extra drive, prepare to deal with an added appendage on your travels.
The rear drop-down cover includes a single FireWire port, a 10/100/1000BaseT Ethernet port (up from 10/100BaseT in the previous model), the enlarged cooling vent, a VGA monitor port, an S-Video port, a reset button, a 56K internal modem port, and an IrDA (infrared) port. While you can hook up a regular analog display for an extended desktop (or to mirror the PowerBook's display), the built-in connection scheme won't support Apple's own monitors, which use a proprietary digital connection scheme called ADC.
(Editor's note: The specifications and benchmarks below refer to the 667MHz PowerBook G4.)
Good battery life
Apple rates the PowerBook G4's battery life at up to 5 hours, but that assumes very few demands on the hardware. In contrast, when we ran a DVD movie full bore, we managed to eke out 2 hours and 33 minutes. But this is actually better than Apple's estimate of 1 hour, 54 minutes for DVD playback.
Although the iBook, with a 600MHz G3, and the PowerBook, with a 667MHz G4, seem closely matched, the G4's Velocity Engine, a vector-processing unit, plus its 133MHz system bus (compared to 100MHz on the iBook) prove the deciding factors in CNET Labs' benchmark tests. Testing applications, including Adobe Photoshop 6.0.1, iTunes 2.0.1, and iMovie 2.1.1, are optimized for the Velocity Engine. For the majority of software not tweaked to take advantage of this feature, however, performance would likely be much closer. The ATI Mobility Radeon chip also excels in our Quake III Arena tests when compared to the iBook's performance.
Good support; average warranty
Apple sticks with its so-so warranty: one year on parts and labor and 30 days telephone technical support. Apple's Web site is nicely stocked with FAQs, knowledge-base and software updates, and discussion forums.
A seductive desktop replacement
Apple has tweaked a winning formula and made it even better. If you want a business notebook absolutely brimming with class, the Titanium PowerBook G4 is a worthy replacement for a desktop computer.
Apple PowerBook G4
Company: Apple Australia
Price: From AU$5,795
Distributor: Apple
Phone: 13 36 22
6%
3%
