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Apple Archive

G3, G4, CPU Speed, Screen Size, and the Future of the iBook

- 2003.09.26

The new 15" PowerBook is available. It looks like a nice machine, and the upgrades given to the other PowerBooks look good, too, but now the iBooks are looking a bit long in tooth.

The iBooks are still based on a G3 processor, which is now almost six years old. They are the only Mac still based on this processor - but for most things they continue to be decent performers.

Apple's in a bit of a catch-22. If it keeps the G3 processor, the iBook is two generations behind the G5, and current iBook owners have little reason to upgrade to a newer model. If Apple upgrades the iBook to a G4, iBook sales would start cutting into PowerBook sales, and the 12" PowerBook and the iBook would end up being essentially the same machine.

Either way they go doesn't look so great.

I've read a couple rumors that the iBook will be upgraded shortly with a 500 MHz G4 and a 15" screen. While the 15" screen is perhaps a good idea, giving consumers a lower priced large screen laptop, moving to a 500 MHz G4 would be a mistake.

When I got my 400 MHz G4 at the beginning of 2001, it was a reasonable machine, albeit on the low end. 500 MHz was the top of the line then, first in the G4 desktops and later in the PowerBook G4.

But that was almost three years ago. Today, I'd consider 500 MHz slow, especially on a new computer.

If Apple were to launch a 500 MHz G4 iBook, it most likely wouldn't sell simply because a new 500 MHz machine would be considered slow by most computer shoppers. With cheap PC laptops running at over 1 GHz, who would consider a 500 MHz machine?

Even if Apple sold it very cheaply, I don't think it would be too popular.

Then there's the argument that there is no real difference between the G3 and the G4 except in applications designed to take advantage of the G4. If you see it this way, a 500 MHz G4 wouldn't be all that much faster than a 500 MHz G3; so a 500 MHz G4 iBook would actually be slower than the current iBook!

That reminds me of the PowerBook 5300, which was meant to be a faster alternative to the PB 190. Even though the 5300 had a PowerPC processor, the 190 ended up being faster with some things (especially older pre-PPC applications).

If Apple put the same speed G4 in the iBooks as in the low-end PowerBook, Apple would have to deal with oversupplies of 12" PowerBook G4s.

One option would be for Apple to offer a version of the older, 867 MHz 12" PowerBook G4 without Bluetooth and without an option for the SuperDrive. This would risk cutting into 12" PowerBook sales, and at the same time may not sell very well due to the low clock speed compared to other consumer laptops that are currently available.

Another option would be for Apple to continue on with the G3, and release a 15" version, giving those wanting a screen bigger than 14" a low cost option, along with boosting the clock speed. A 15" iBook could feature a 1.1 GHz G3 processor, ship with an AirPort card, and have a SuperDrive as a standard item. This would force those who need either a G4 processor or a SuperDrive to purchase a higher end PowerBook G4, while giving a lower cost option to those that don't need the extras.

While the G3 processor is showing its age, I think it may have enough life left in it to continue being used in the iBooks for a little while longer, and at this point keeping the G3 in the iBook seems to be the better of the two options.

Recent Apple Archive articles

iPods, notebooks, and other modern electronics more readily replaced than repaired, 12.07. Whether it's an intermittent failure or a broken display cable, more often than not it's cheaper to replace a broken electronics device than repair it.
Options for replacing your older iPod, 11.19. Whether you've run out of space on your old iPod or want features it doesn't have, here are your options in new and used iPods.
Could the $200 'green' PC with gOS Linux become a threat to Apple?, 11.14. The low cost, low power Everex desktop comes with a customized version of Ubuntu Linux, has a Mac-like Dock, and sells for $400 less than the Mac mini.
Leopard different, a bit buggy, but worth the upgrade, 11.02. Leopard on a Power Mac G4 and a MacBook Pro: It runs well on both computers, but each has some odd bugs, and some of the changes are a step backwards.
More in the Apple Archive index.

Links for the Day

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Recent Deals

Best iPod nano Deals, 11.25. Refurb 8 GB 4G nano, $99; new, $126; refurb 16 GB, $129; new, $150; new 5G/8 GB, $134.60; 16 GB, $161.12. Shipping included.
Best Classic Mac OS Deals, 11.25. System 6.0.8 floppies, $10; 7.1, $12; 7.5, $20; 7.6 $13; 8.1, $11; 8.5, $20; 8.6, $90; 9.0, $20; 9.2.2, $30.
Best 15" PowerBook G4 Deals, 11.25. Used 1 GHz Combo, $400; 1.5 GHz SuperDrive, $449; 1.67 GHz hi-res, $600.
Best G4 iMac Deals, 11.24. Used 15" 700 MHz CD-RW, $150; 800 MHz Combo, $229; 1 GHz, $289; 17" 1.25 GHz, $200; 20" 1.25 GHz, $509.
Best MacBook Air Deals, 11.24. Used from $899; refurb from $1,099; new 1.6 GHz/120 HD, $1,150 after rebate; 1.8/64 SSD, $1,150 a/r; 1.86/128 SSD, $1,350 a/r; 2.13/128 SSD, $1,694 a/r.
Best PowerBook G3 Deals, 11.24. Used 233 MHz WallStreet, $75; 266 MHz, $160; 400 MHz Lombard, $199; 400 MHz Pismo, $289; 500 MHz, $350.
Best 12" PowerBook G4 Deals, 11.23. Used 867 MHz SuperDrive, $348; 1 GHz Combo, $379; SD, $519; 1.33 GHz, $529; 1.5 GHz Combo, $549; SuperDrive, $609.
Best Mac Pro Deals, 11.23. Used 2.66 GHz 4-core, $1,300; 3.0 4-core. $1,919; refurb 2.66 4-core Nehalem, $2,149; 2.93, $2,549; 2.93 8-core, $4,999; new 2.26 8-core, $2,290.
Best Time Capsule and AirPort Deals, 11.23. Used 802.11g AirPort Extreme, $49; 500 GB Time Capsule, $150; new, $190; 1 TB dual-band, $280; 2 TB, $469; 802.11n AirPort Extreme, $170.
More deals in our archive.

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