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Apple Updates iBook

Posted by pudge on from the now-with-optional-superdrive-ha-ha-just-kidding dept.

micq writes "After the PowerBook was updated with a faster processor at the end of April, the iBook was sure to follow. Apple announced today that the popular iBook line has been updated, upping it to a 700MHz G3. It's good to see they're still keeping the 12.1" models, which are of the few remaining small screen, ultra-portables..." They've also improved the video card to an ATI Mobility Radeon. Prices range from $1500 to $1800 for the 700MHz model (12" and 14"), and there's a 12"/600MHz model for $1200.

7 of 80 comments (clear)

  1. More L2 Cache by rgraham · · Score: 4, Informative

    Something that should help the revised iBook's speed beyond the 100MHz speed boost is the doubling of it's L2 cache to 512K from it's previous 256K.

  2. New graphics card supported by Quartz Extreme by peen · · Score: 3, Informative
    yey, the ATI Mobility Radeon graphics card that Apple have upgraded in these new iBooks is supported by Quartz Extreme which will be available in the next version of Mac OS X (see the bottom of page for which graphics cards are supported)

    If only I had the money for one of these I would probably buy the lowest spec or perhaps a new iMac? :D~

  3. 32mb recommended, 16mb supported... by 2nd+Post! · · Score: 5, Informative

    As long as it's a Radeon, on Apple's OS X page:
    http://www.apple.com/macosx/newversion/

    Near the bottom in grey.

    Anyway, you're saying the small form factor, the reasonable price, the excellent battery life, the full complement of ports and features, the Unixy OS, *and* it's future OS update isn't enough for you?

    Man, what do you want then?

    --

    GPL Deconstructed
  4. Re:Debian with IBook? by Yarn · · Score: 3, Informative

    For the old iBook: http://people.debian.org/~branden/ibook.html

    The TiBook setup is reportedly similar, I suspect that the new iBook will also be.

    --
    -Yarn - Rio Karma: Excellent
  5. Re:Do you really need 32mb VRAM at 1024x768? by 1g$man · · Score: 3, Informative

    It's not just gaming.

    Quartz double buffers every window in memory. QE will do the same thing, but using hardware to do it. So, not only are you storing 1024x768x32 (3MB) in memory for the screen, but every window to be accelerated will also need to be stored in memory. This will add up very quick in an environment like the Mac. 16MB will be pushing it after only a few windows are opened.

  6. This _is_ the Sahara by blakespot · · Score: 5, Informative
    The PowerPC 750FX (G3 Sahara) used in the new iBooks is quite a nimble little piece of silicon. It has double the L2 cache (512K) running at CPU speed. Also, the L1 data cache path to the bus interface and the L2 cache reload path to the L1 cache are 256-bits wide. 4x the size of those in previous PPC7xx CPU's. The chip is copper and made on a 0.13-micron process. Quite a few changes. A comment about same-clockspeed performance increases of this chip from Apple's press release:

    The new iBook runs up to 35 percent faster than previous models in CPU performance tests such as encoding a song from an audio CD into an MP3 file using iTunes(TM). iBook also now features a new video-out port that supports VGA output, as well as S-video and composite video with optional adapter.

    Quite a little performer. The G3 has some life in it yet. Check out IBM's spec sheet on the PowerPC 750FX Microprocessor.


    blakespot

    --
    -- Heisenberg may have slept here.
    iPod Hacks.com
  7. Re:underpowered by afantee · · Score: 3, Informative

    > As a former user of this machine, let me tell you that this computer (even after the speed-bump) is woefully underpowered if you intend to run OS X.

    Speed was an issue with my 500 MHz (66 MHz system bus) before OS X 10.1, but not any more.

    In fact, with OS X 10.1.4, the machine is fast for almost everything I do (surfing, programming, graphics, etc). IE is still slower on my iBook relative to an equivalent Wintel notebook, but I use OmniWeb most of the times.