Quite Possibly the World's Best Laptop
Written: Oct 06 '01
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Pros: Sleek styling, power, battery life, OS X....the list goes on and on
Cons: Price, heat
The Bottom Line: Its looks, its speed, its sleekness, its light weight....all combine to make the Powerbook G4 the best laptop on the market. Sure its expensive, but the best always is.
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| kam61799's Full Review: Apple PowerBook G4 (M8362LL/A) Mac Notebook |
With this laptop you get everything, are forced to take the most minimal sacrifices for not being tied to a desk, and have the pleasure of using a machine as well designed as it is engineered and constructed. I'm racking my brains to find good criticisms of this machine and while I would love it if it could burn cds, play graphics intensive viedo games at amazingly high frame rates, ground coffe beans, put my duaghter to bed at night, and serve to replace every single electronic appliance I have ever, or will ever, own I am more than blown over by the things that it does do.
If you would take a sec to look at some of my other reviews it would become clearly evident that I have been a staunch Windows user in the past. In fact, the Powerbook G4 Titanium is the fist Apple computer I have used since the Apple IIe back in the glory days of day school. I consider myself a poweruser when it comes to both Windows 9.x and NT, so you have to understand the prospect of learning how to cope with a completely new OS seriously took away from my initail enthusiasim for this machine. I have loved my assorted Toshibas, Dells, and IBM laptops of the last couple of years; I'm not one of those people who sees in the Apple corporation anything more than a for-profit business enterprise out to make a buck.
So there I was, happy in my Mircosoft world, excited about the new Toshiba Tecra 9000 that I had heard rumors about being due in a couple of months (currently on the market), and giving no more thought to Mac computing world than I would to my own mortality. The Powerbook G4 changed all of that.
I had noticed the Powerbook G3 before (in its final incantation, code named "Pismo"), it was a good looking machine but I gave it a passing glance and moved on firmly into PC territory. With the G4, however, I was stuck. Anyone would be lying if they didn't say the first thing that drew them to this machine were its looks. Running the risk of being superficial, a crime for which I am most certainly guilty, I will state that the way a laptop (or any other piece of computer or consumer electronic equipment) looks is very important to me. I will not use a machine that is aesthetically unpleasing to me even if it represents the best performance/cost ratio among the pack....I have always been a sucker for a looker. And this is exactly what this computer is. Months later I am still amazed at how thin this full featureed, desktop-replacement computer is. The thinness and unique footprint (slightly wider than most notebooks and a little less deep) of the PB G4 act to do more than make it look "cool". The 5.3 lbs heft is dense and titly packed into the unit; the result is a machine that feels very sturdy and transportable. The Titanium of the shell also comes into play here. It gives the PB G4 a aura of elegance while imparting a strong sense of strength. I can't stress this effect enough. Think of it this way: imagine a Mercedes S500 built with that rubbery-feeling, dent-resistent, fiberglass-polymer-god knows what combination they use to make Saturns. It just wouldn't work and the idea of luxury that the former car posses would be lost. In this same way the Ti opens up a new chapter of portable computing in that it introduces onto the market a machine that shifts the standards of quality for the entire segment. This computer truly does represent a paradigmn shift and I haven't even started talking about what it can do once you turn the power on.
Features and Functionality
The Ti has the usual complement of ports cleverly concealed behind a titanium door at the back of the machine; included are two usb, one firewire, ethernet (RJ-45), modem, monitor, and S-video out ports. Granted, there are none of the old familar ports that have been grouped together as "legacy" (parallel, serial, OS/2) but I have found that I really don't miss these connection choices as much as I first thought I would. Also located at the back of the machine (but not under the "door") are the infrared window and the power in port. On the left side of the machine is a single PC card slot that can accept one type I or type II PC card, a headphone jack and and the Airport antenna window (for Apple's 802.11b wireless networking solution for which the Ti comes ready, pending the simple internal install of a $99 Airport card) which is nothing more than a slightly differentiated slit. On the front of the machine is the sceen/lid release key (which is solid metal and has a great tactile feel) and the slot loading DVD-ROM drive which accepts discs just like the cd player in your car. On the left side of the computer another Airport antenna slit is located (these slits are covered over by an opaque plastic that lies flush with the computers enclosure), a stylish looking vent for heat transfer from the DVD drive, and a cable lock port that allows you to attach a standard notebook cable lock and secure the computer from theft. On the bottom of the computer you will find the battery release latch that works with a gentle slide to pop out the square shaped battery that actually forms a little less than a quarter of the bottom panel (in that thee is no lid or cover from under which the battery slide out, but rather the bottom of the battery forms the bottom of the computer). On the battery itseld are a series of indicator lights and a small metal button that serves to activate the lights and indicate how much charge is left. This feature comes in hand when the machine is off and you want to know in a flash whether you will have enough power left to get you through the next meeting.
The top of the computer (back of the screen) is completely bare save for the white apple logo that tastefully "glows" while the machine is on. When you open the screen you fist notice how well the screen pops up from the latch and you will be impressed by how sturdy the screen hinges feel as you move the screen into position (in fact, for the fist few weeks I had it it was a little difficult to move the screen up). The keyboard is set back behind genorous wrist rests and is one of the better laptop keyboards I have ever used. The trackpad (located in the center of the large wrist rest area) is large, responsive, and colored to match the rest of the exterior. It has a single button which is integrated into its design, meaning it fits as part of the trackpad, not as a seperate disruption of the unmolested titanium, and which clicks with a very deep and satisfying feel. Also located here are the two speakers, on either side of the keyboard and consisting of sets of machine drilled holes, and the power button, which is also metal (aluminum I think) and rounds out the attention to detail this computer exudes. The screen itself is a wonder at 15.2 inches and with its wider than normal format. It dosn't take any getting used to and before long standard 3:2 aspect ratio (square) screens will look weird to you. Directly under the screen, which is bordered by such a thin strip of titanium that it almost gives the impression of floating in the space before your eyes, is the second product moniker; this time the words "Powerbook G4" in a small type and hardly noticable gray paint. Under this is the computer's only indicator light which pulses white while the machine is in "sleep" mode.
Performance, Productivity, and Pleasure
Okay, now to actually turning the machine on. I have only run Mac OS X and OS 10.1 on the Powerbook and I have been throughly impressed with the speed at which tasks, ranging from the everyday to the processor intenvise, are completed. I have the 500mHz model (the other current option being a 400 mHz model) with 348 mb of RAM (the total for the machine is an amazing 1 gig) and a 20gig harddrive. Programs start virtually instantaneously, the operating system is functional, easy to look at, well organized, and very stable. I have not yet found the machine to start feeling sluggish as I fun multiple programs (a benefit of Mac OS X's highly touted pre-emptive multi-tasking and protected memory features, no doubt) and never feel the need for a reboot (a constant annoyance in Win 9.x). If learning to use the Mac OS is what is keeping you away from this machine don' t let it. OS X is new even for expierenced Mac users (just like Windows XP will be for experienced Windows users) and the small investment of time you will have to make in learning to use the operating system will more than be returned in the benefits you will derive from it.
One thing all Windows users are afraid off when considering going over to the Mac side is the issue of software availability and compatibility. Anyone who is familar with the two seperate platforms (Mac and Windows) will tell you that this is not really an issue. All the major programs that are the staple of the PC world are available in Mac form; and those rare, specialized PC only programs can still be run on Mac systems through the use of a PC emulater program like Virtual PC. Compatibilty of software formats seem a bit tricky but it isn't an issue at all; consider that fact that the best productivity suite for the Mac is Microsoft Office, plus the fact that software architects realize that everyone works in the same world and has a need to be able to work togeher.
Another issue that effects Windows users looking across the divide at the Mac world is the difference in process speed or mHz. This top of the line Apple laptop (with its PowerPC G4 chip built by Motarolla and IBM) runs at 500 mHz, while Intel's latest mobile Pentium III's race at around 1.2 gHz. Thats a notable difference but like most things the truth is not reflected in the numbers. Overall system performance is a measure of many different factors, the most important of them being the actual chip architecture (quantified in measures such as the backside bus or level two cache), but for our present purposes it suffices to say that the 500 mHz PB Ti compares speed wise to a mobile PIII running at 1gHz (and I am being conservative). In certain tasks like graphics editing (for which the G4 chip is optimized) this machine will out perform desktop systems running Intel Pentium III and 4 processors at well over twice the registered clock (mHz) speed. In every day tasks (web surfing, word processing, business productivity, etc.) the power and speed this machine has is completely overkill.
Complaints, Faults, etc.
It is hard to find things wrong with the Ti Powerbook but a true perfectionist is never 100% happy and when it comes to my laptop I do operate by a pretty lofty set of ideals. First and foremost: this computer does run a little hot. The Titanium from which the case is constructed is designed to act like a heat sink, transfering heat away from the processor. The laptop does have a fan (located at the rear) that comes on when necessary and that I don't find too loud or distracting. You definalty won't find it comfortable to use this computer on your bare legs during a hot day, but over pants, or in a cool room, this is not a problem. Another complaint that is often made is the the systems graphics subsystem which is composes of the ATI Rage Mobility 128 graphics chip with only 8mb of dedicated memory. This is an industry standard card that has been a fixture in most top line notebooks for the last couple of year, but it does not compare with the newer cards and larger amounts of video memory available in some of the latest offerings from Dell and Toshiba. What is the actual significance of this? While graphics performance does effect overall system performacne, the only way in which the difference between the Powerbooks graphics subsystem and those of the newest 8lbs laptops containing the GeForce to Go graphics card will be noticed is while playing graphics intensive video games. The reason I can say this is because the ATI card (and its 8 mb of dedicated video memory) is still an industry standard on notebooks (from IBM, Dell, HP, and Toshiba) geared towards the business and professional customer. Dvd playback is not effected, as the Ti PB play movies flawlessly and with striking detail; and few people would disagree that this is definately the world's best laptop when it comes to multimedia uses such as digital video editing. It would be wrong to sum up complaints about a portable computer without mentioning the issue of battery life. Apple claims 5 hours of life. This more than anything else is what causes my frustration. For once I would like to see a computer manufacturer live up to their claims in the department of battery life. The best I can squeeze out of this machine (utilizing the slighly abbreviated energy saver control options in Mac OS 10.1; one of my few complaints agains the operating system) is 3 and a half hours, with a couple of mintues going either way. Runnig the mahcine at full blast (watching a dvd with the sound turned up and the screen set to full brightness, for instance) lasts for about 2 hours and 15 minutes.
If you have made it this far and are still not convinced that you need to run out and buy a Powerbook G4 right now than well, I don't know what more I can say. Between work and personal indulgence I have run through quite a number of laptops and this is, by far, the best one I have ever used. This is truly the top of the line when it comes to a portable computer; just like a Sony Trinitron television in your entertainment system, or a Porshe parked in your garage, there is no better laptop you could be lugging around in your bag. Not only does it have the looks and the feel, the performance and the power, but it accomplishes something I think most manufacturers have missed on.
Apple has made a full featured machine (meaning including optical drive) that rivals the sub-compact or thin-and-light notebooks (ones that have smaller screens, weigh under 4lbs, and have no optical drive) in ease of transport. Sure, this computer weighs 5.3 pounds while the Toshiba Protege or Sony Viao R505 are both just barely over three pounds, but I don't see weight as the only factor hear. Consider the issue this way: when you have a laptop packed up in a big, protective case (a shoulder-strap computer bag) is there really an appreciable difference in a couple of pounds? Where every ounce is felt is in those little moves; from the office to the board room, from the den to the bedroom; where it is just the computer in your hands (or at the most in a protective sleeve case). Even in these situations the Powerbook makes up for its slight heft (just 5.3 lbs, again) because of its thinness and case rigidity. The computer feels so solid you think nothing of carrying it in one hand like a paper notebook or portforlio and this alone leaves me convinced that I have an ultraportable computer with a 15.2 inch widescreen and dvd-rom drive and that those people with their 3.4lbs "feather-light" computers with 12.1 inch screens, lack of optical drive, and generally compromised processor performance havn't really caught any benefit through their sacrifices.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 3000
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor: PowerPC G4
Processor speed: 401-500
Screen Size: Greater than 15
RAM: More than 256
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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kam61799
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Reviews written: 27
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