PowerBook G4 550 vs iBook 600

ddma

ddma

The Most Stupid Member
Which is better/faster?

I am selling my iBook 600 and maybe buy a new PowerBook 550. Any idea?
 
While the iBook might be just a tad faster for normal tasks (because the clock speed is 50 MHz more, and MHz is an effective gauge of speed across G3 and G4 processors), the G4 will probably be better overall, especially if you use OS X and iApps, since all iApps are optimized for the G4 processor, and many other apps including Photoshop are.

Realistically, since 50 MHz isn't that much, I would spring for the Powerbook, especially since you get a wider screen and a slot-loading drive instead of a tray-loading one.
 
so, for the normal task without G4-velocity engine supports, G3/G4 are actually at the about speed?

i am also thinking of 667 PB if i can get an interest free installment plan.. will G4 667 faster than G3 600 alot?
 
Originally posted by ddma
so, for the normal task without G4-velocity engine supports, G3/G4 are actually at the about speed?

i am also thinking of 667 PB if i can get an interest free installment plan.. will G4 667 faster than G3 600 alot?
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Nope, a G3's Integer Unit is capable of three integer operations per clock cycle. A G4's IU is capable of 4 per clock cycle. So, assuming you're doing something that isn't sequential, the G4 will be faser.

Also, since OSX is optimized for the G4 I would expect to see general speed improvements all over the place.

It's hard to reccomend what machine to get without knowing what you plan to do with it. However, as a general rule of thumb I'd buy the faster machine.

Vanguard
 
My opinion is that the TiBook 550 model shouldn't even exist. It's not as good as the 600 iBook, as it's bigger, and is only a tad faster than it for a few hundred more. IMO you either get the 600 iBook or the 667 TiBook ;)
The TiBook 667 will be quite a bit faster than the iBook in OSX because of use of AltiVec.
 
Originally posted by vanguard

Nope, a G3's Integer Unit is capable of three integer operations per clock cycle. A G4's IU is capable of 4 per clock cycle. So, assuming you're doing something that isn't sequential, the G4 will be faser.
Click to expand...

Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks for clearing that up.
 
ddma - I would say either the 550 TI book or the 14inch ibook would be good choices. The 15inch ibook has a 100hmz bus which helps out. I wouldn't get a 12inch screen is I could help it. That is painfully small for my eyes. But I don't know what you need it for so it's hard to say. But if you can afford the TI 667, by all means get that! It rocks!

ksuther - sorry I disagree with your statements.

How is the 550TI a bad buy? :( Yeah it's $500 more than the 14inch ibook but you get G4, combo drive, Gigibase-T, 1GIG MAX ram, better video(16meg DDR) and let's not forget a 15.2 inch widescreen:D . It's also lighter and smaller. The iBooks's have G3, slower video, no 1000Base-T, MAX ram is 640MB, and smaller screens.

Also how do you figure the TI book is "bigger" than an ibook? A 12inch iBook is lighter by a 1/2 pound but you are comparing it to a 15.2 inch screen, smaller harddrive, etc....

iBook with 12.1-inch display
Size and weight:
Width: 11.2 inches (28.5 cm)
Depth: 9.06 inches (23.0 cm)
Thickness: 1.35 inches (3.4 cm)
Weight: 4.9 pounds (2.2 kg)
640MB MAX RAM
8MEG Video Mode

iBook with 14.1-inch display
Size and weight:
Width: 12.7 inches (32.3 cm)
Depth: 10.2 inches (25.9 cm)
Thickness: 1.35 inches (3.4 cm)
Weight: 5.99 pounds (2.7 kg)
640MB MAX RAM
8MEG Video Card

TI Books with 15.2-inch display:
Width: 13.4 inches (34.1 cm)
Depth: 9.5 inches (24.1 cm)
Height: 1.0 inch (2.6 cm)
Weight: 5.4 pounds (2.45 kg)
10/100/1000Base-T
1GIG MAX RAM
16MEG Video Card
 
Well, for me, I'd rather have myself a 600 iBook 12.1" and $500 spare towards a new DP GHz, but it's all a matter of opinion
Shrug, I have a TiBook 667 anyways, so they must be good :)
 
Originally posted by ksuther
My opinion is that the TiBook 550 model shouldn't even exist. It's not as good as the 600 iBook, as it's bigger, and is only a tad faster
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Only a tad faster? Both Fractal Carbon with Altivec Turned off and Apple Skidmarks tell me a VERY different story...also IIRC the iBook has no PCMCIA card, so if you ever want to attach something "strange" like for example a Apple Studio or Cinema Display to it, you are screwed. Last but not least, consider the difference in the graphics board (since OS X needs a lot of VRAM)
and I'd also say that a Gigabit Ethernet port might be a welcome feature in the future, since Gigabit switches are dropping in price from month to month...
 
Great for u guys opinion. i m thinking of a 667 one. i don't want just a little speed bump up from my ibook 600. instead, i will enjoy a intreset free instalment plan if my credit card application approved. the shop offer me a 1 slot of 512mb with the same retial price... that's good coz i have already 1 slot of 512 in my ibook. so i will hv 1gig of ram in total!!

sth i may still be concerned is that would there are new machines coming out in the MWTK?? anyway, i will buy the new machine after the show.
 
Btw, is it possible for me the attach an ext. LCD monitor with the new PowerBook for running Dual Monitor? I would like to connect a 15" or 17" LCD.
 
Originally posted by ddma
Btw, is it possible for me the attach an ext. LCD monitor with the new PowerBook for running Dual Monitor? I would like to connect a 15" or 17" LCD.
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
Originally posted by simX
Isn't it only video mirroring, though?
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The PowerBook supports dual head displays. The iBook only supports mirroring. That, I think, is a major sell for PowerBooks, especially for graphics professionals.

-B
 
Originally posted by ddma
Btw, is it possible for me the attach an ext. LCD monitor with the new PowerBook for running Dual Monitor? I would like to connect a 15" or 17" LCD.
Click to expand...

Good decision. The 667 not only gives you more MHz on the CPU but also a faster frontside bus!!!

You can run a dual monitor configuration, allthough out of the box, only with a VGA-adapter, so you need an LCD which has a VGA jacket or - like the expensive Sony displays - a converter from DVI to VGA. If you are planning on running an Apple Display with ADC, you have to get a PCMCIA card which handles this. Check the Dr. Bott page for closer information.
 
Cool!! Thanx all u guys and I think I am going to get the 667 model by the end of this month or early April... except what if there would be any new machines coming out around MacWorld Tokyo!

I will probably get a extra display after soon maybe a 17" Taiwanese brand LCD display would be cool!

:)
 
Also, the G4 is about 4 times faster than a G3 on pure floating point operations (number crunching, etc), so a 667 MHz G4 can be compared to a 2,668 GHz on this area. That's also what makes Macs faster than PCs on image editing and stuff like that.
 
Yes and no. The complex (aka floating point) unit actually isn't that much faster, but once the Altivec kicks in, it flies. The Altivec - to put it VERY simple - allows you to do a calculation four times in the same processor cycle...this is good in encoding, for example, or in graphic work, since here, you have to do apply the same algorithm to a whole bunch of pixels, so you can group four pixels into one Altivec instruction.

However, theoretically, if the CPU has to do different algorithms, the Altivec won't help.

But since more and more applications are altivec optimized, you really see the difference!
 
Yope, but the G4 is still four times faster than the G3 on altivec-optimized floating point operations ;)
Just compare test results on altivec optimized fractal generators on G3s and G4s, the G4 scores about exactly four times as high as the G3. So, on pure number crunching the G4 is four times faster, but that doesn't mean it's four times faster on html rendering, etc. It should be at least 33 % faster, though, because of it's four integer units, compared to the G3's three.
OK, I'm not a professor on this area, am I completely wrong? ;) :p
 
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