W hile rumors swirled that Apple would be releasing new 800 MHz PowerBook G4s (TiBooks), the rumors were off. By a day. Along with the new eMac, Apple introduced new TiBook models today. The new models will ship at 667 MHz and 800MHz, but also feature other improvements such as higher resolution and 1 MB of L3 cache. The units sport the same size display at 15.2", but offer a resolution of 1200 x 854, a 23% improvement in screen real estate. Lastly, the new units come with a higher price tag than their predecessors, with the 667 MHz model being priced at US$2499, and the 800 MHz unit being priced at US$3199. The new models are available immediately.
Other tech specs of note:
- A DVI port for connecting to DVI displays, along with a DVI to VGA adapter for connecting to non-Apple branded displays.
- The return of an audio-in port
- The 667 MHz model features L3 cache speeds of 2.5 GBps (data throughput), while the 800 MHz unit features 3.2 GBps for its L3 cache
- Both units feature 133 MHz system bus. The 550 MHz and 667 MHz models that they replace had a 100 MHz and a 133 MHz system bus, respectively
- Both models feature new video cards, the TI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics processor with AGP 4X support and 32MB of fast DDR video memory. The models they replace have only an AGP 16 MB Rage 128 Mobility graphics card
The press release from Apple:
Apple® today introduced the new Titanium PowerBook® G4 line featuring an all-new, high-resolution display, faster PowerPC G4 processors, the industryis first integrated Digital Visual Interface (DVI) port and the industryis only integrated Gigabit Ethernet in a notebook.
The new 15.2-inch mega-wide display features an enhanced resolution of 1280-by-854 pixels, 23 percent more than previous models, along with higher brightness and better color saturation. Faster PowerPC G4 processors up to 800 MHz and the addition of a 1MB of level 3 cache boost performance for demanding applications like Final Cut Pro™ and Photoshop. And, the new integrated Digital Visual Interface (DVI) port for analog and digital video output enables a pure digital connection to Appleis award-winning line of flat-panel displays and the new generation of DVI-equipped digital projectors.
"The industryis best Pro notebook just got better," said Steve Jobs, Appleis CEO. "The new Titanium PowerBook G4is new high-res display is the best ever offered in a notebook, its industry-first integrated DVI port enables a pure digital connection to Apple flat-panel displays and DVI-equipped digital projectors, and its industry-first integrated Gigabit Ethernet is up to 10 times faster than any other notebook."
The new Apple DVI to ADC Adapter allows customers of the new PowerBook G4 to easily connect to Appleis award-winning line-up of all digital flat-panel displays that feature the innovative Apple Display Connector (ADC), including the stunning new 23-inch Cinema HD Display. Appleis DVI to ADC Adapter carries the pure digital video signal, USB data and power over a single cable, simplifying setup and minimizing cable clutter on the desktop. The adapter also provides the ability to add a second Apple flat-panel display to selected Power Mac G4 configurations, including models with the new NVIDIA GeForce Titanium graphics processor.
The new PowerBook G4 includes fast PowerPC G4 processors with Velocity Engine running at up to 800 MHz, a high-speed L3 cache of 1MB of Double Data Rate (DDR) SDRAM and a 133 MHz system bus on all models. With its new performance architecture, the 800 MHz PowerBook outperforms a 1.7-GHz Pentium 4-based notebook system on average by 33 percent*. For superior graphics performance, the new PowerBook G4 line also includes the ATI Mobility Radeon 7500 graphics processor with AGP 4X support and 32MB of fast DDR video memory.
Setting the standard for mobile communications, the Titanium PowerBook G4 offers built-in Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000BASE-T) and a 56K modem. All PowerBook models feature built-in antennas and an AirPort™ Card slot for 802.11-based AirPort wireless communications at up to 11 megabits per second; the 800 MHz model comes with an AirPort Card pre-installed.
All PowerBook G4 notebooks include FireWire® and USB ports along with Appleis award-winning suite of digital lifestyle software, including iPhoto™ for managing and sharing digital photographs, iMovie™ 2 for creating digital movies and iTunes™ 2 for creating a digital music library.
The new Titanium PowerBook G4 also features:
- 1-inch thick Titanium design weighing just 5.4 pounds**;
- 256MB or 512MB SDRAM, expandable to 1GB;
- a slot-loading Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW);
- 30GB or 40GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drives standard, with up to 60GB optional;
- up to five hours of battery life on one Lithium-ion battery;
- DVI, DVI to VGA adapter, S-video, USB, FireWire, audio line-in and audio line-out ports;
- new Mac OS X version 10.1.4, as well as Mac OS 9.2.2.; and
- a small, lightweight power adapter.
The 667 MHz PowerBook G4 is available for a suggested retail price of $2,499 (US) and includes:
- 256MB SDRAM;
- 30GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive; and
- AirPort ready with integrated antennas and card slot.
The 800 MHz PowerBook G4 is available for a suggested retail price of $3,199 (US) and includes:
- 512MB SDRAM;
- 40GB Ultra ATA/66 hard drive; and
- built-in AirPort Card with integrated antennas.
* Based on commonly used actions in Adobe Photoshop 7.0.
** Weight includes battery and optical drive, and varies by configuration and manufacturing process.
You can find more information on the new TiBooks at Appleis Web site. They are available from the online Apple Store immediately. Join in on the discussion on the new TiBooks in our forums.