A Laptop Superstar is Born
Written: Aug 26 '01 (Updated Aug 28 '01)
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Pros: Superb screen; blazing performance; small and lightweight; unmatched style
Cons: Scratches easily; screen can get dirtied by keyboard
The Bottom Line: The Titanium G4 offers a rare combination of power and style and with the proper care, will provide its owner with years of service as a desktop replacement.
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| gadgetman2001's Full Review: Apple PowerBook G4 15.2 in. (M8362LL/A) Mac Notebo... |
The Price is Right, The Time is Now
With the recent (8/01) price drops on Apple's Titanium Powerbooks, the time has never been better to get your hands on one of these sleek metallic beauties. I've had mine for over four months, and I've grown to appreciate having one of the fastest, most elegant computing machines on earth available at my side no matter if I'm at the desk, reading in a chair, in bed or on the road.
Who Really Needs this Machine?
Of course I think everyone needs something like the Titanium G4, a high-performance work of art that is up to almost anything you throw at it -- all the way from word processing to ripping MP3s to digital video editing. But even at $2,199 for the 400 mghz model, the Titanium Powerbook represents a substantial investment -- so who should buy it?
-- anyone using PhotoShop who would benefit from the Titanium's enormous w i d e screen.
-- anyone creating websites with tools such as Macromedia DreamWeaver: with all the pallets and controls in a program such as this, the Titanium's screen size is a virtual requirement.
-- anyone with a digital video camera who wants to edit their movies "on the fly" while traveling or on vacation.
-- anyone wanting a true desktop replacement: the Titanium PowerBook can truly serve as a 24/7 computer for home, work and travel.
Who Doesn't Need a Titanium Powerbook?
If you only need something to do word processing on or surf the Web, you might be better served by Apple's line of iBook machines. They have a slower (but more battery friendly) G3 processor, a smaller (but extremely sharp) screen, and a more durable exterior than the Titanium Powerbook. But don't count on using an iBook for more than two years -- the small screen size and G3 processor will become bigger and bigger problems as OSX (Apple's next-generation operating system) becomes the defacto standard for running and operating a Macintosh.
The Inside Story: Titanium G4 Specs
-- The heartbeat of the Titanium G4 is provided (not surprisingly) by a G4 PowerPC processor manufactured by a partnership of Motorola and IBM. The base model comes with a chip running at 400Mhz and the top model runs at 500Mhz.
(A brief word about processor speeds on the Macintosh: the PowerPC processor line is optimized for performance, not merely the highest clock-rate [Mhz rating]. This means a 400Mhz G4 chip might have the performance of an 800Mhz Intel chip. This philosophical difference in design gives Intel the edge in raw chip speed, but not necessarily in overall system performance. And Motorola / IBM’s approach generally produces more efficient chips that run cooler and provide longer battery life.)
-- The screen is really the Titanium G4’s star attraction. Apple calls it as a “15.2 inch Megawide screen,” which seems to be a good description. It makes the Titanium look like a mini-widescreen television, and it comes in handy for 1) impressing onlookers, 2) viewing two pages simultaneously side-by-side, and 3) watching DVDs to distract yourself from screaming babies in economy class on SouthWest airlines.
-- Memory is available in either 128 megabyte or 256 megabyte configurations. I highly recommend going with 256 megabytes (or higher) as this is both extremely affordable right now and you’ll really appreciate having the extra memory for digital video, photoshop and running OSX and OS9 simultaneously (which they often will during the “transition” phase over the next year or two).
-- Hard drives are available in either 10, 20 or 30 gigabyte configurations. My unit has 10 gigabytes, which is too small for serious digital video use, but probably adequate for most other uses. If you’ve got a large collection of MP3 files you might consider at least the 20 gigabyte model to comfortably hold all your tunes. In any case, it’s quite simple to connect an external FireWire hard drive to increase your capacity, though you will lose a degree of portability going this route.
-- DVD-ROM with DVD Video playback is included in each model; this means you’ll be able to playback CD’s, CD-ROM, and DVD Videos. I’ve really enjoyed having the DVD playback capability on trips, it works flawlessly, and with the Titanium G4’s S-VHS output, you can play DVD’s back on any regular television equipped with S-VHS input.
-- Other specs include a 128 Rage Mobility card for speedy graphics, a fast built-in 10/100 Ethernet port for connecting to the Internet, a built-in 56K modem and phone jack for dialing up the internet, two USB ports and one FireWire port. The FireWire port is extremely fast an versatile and turns your Titanium G4 into a hub for practically any high-speed peripheral you can think of, from a digital video camera to a CD-ROM burner.
-- For video output, you’ll find a standard S-VHS port as well as a VGA port. Sound output is provided by two built-in speakers, or you can tap into a standard stereo miniplug output. And last but not least, the Titanium G4 includes a “PC-Card” slot which accepts industry standard expansion accessories like network cards.
-- Battery life is claimed to be 5-hours with the included rechargeable battery. In real life (as with most all manufacturers battery-life claims) you will get less – I get approximately four hours max, and it helps considerably if you turn the screen brightness down). Still, four hours is very good for a laptop, and generally long enough to get me through the task at hand (or a full-length DVD movie).
-- Airport capabilities are built-in, provided by an internal expansion slot. You merely purchase a $99 Airport card, and you have seamless built-in wireless access to any standard 80311.b wireless access point. In plain English, this means it will work seamlessly with both Apple’s own wireless Internet access equipment, as well as wireless equipment designed for the Windows / PC world.
A Few Minor Gripes
As great as the Titanium Powerbook is, it isn't totally perfect. After owning it a few weeks I noticed the keyboard has a tendency to press up against the LCD screen when the case is closed. In most cases this leaves tiny little black "specks" on the screen that can easily be wiped off. But in a few instances, the "speck" has been more of a mark that doesn't come off completely and leaves a tiny, microscopic pit on the screen. I've been told this problem was due to early production issues (I have a relatively early model) and this should not be a problem any longer. But the miraculously thin design of the Titanium almost guarantees that this might be a continuing problem, especially if you don't transport it carefully. Avoid putting any pressure on the sides of the machine as you carry it from place to place, as this will press the two halves together and cause a problem.
The second problem with my Titanium is a distressing tendency to become scratched. These are high-performance professional machines, not designed to be casually tossed into a backpack without any protection. Of this I am guilty (at least for a few weeks) and not surprisingly I have suffered from a few scratches to the case, on the top and the bottom. Also, the paint on the screen hinge can also scratch and fall off, which I plan on removing altogether as I like the bare "aluminum" look.
So what is the lesson of these two complaints? Treat your Titanium with kid gloves -- if absolute ruggedness is a paramount concern, perhaps you'd be better off with a less damage prone iBook.
A Few Months in the Life of My Titanium G4
I installed an AirPort wireless access card in my Titanium (a simple 5-minute operation). Through this I'm able to enjoy easy wireless Internet access in my apartment building, my parents' house, and a growing roster of coffee shops and other locations in Los Angeles. So having my Titanium G4 with me is like having a constant connection to the Internet.
I've been working on a digital video using Apple's included iMovie 2 software, so I purchased a 40 megabyte external FireWire hard drive to store the footage. If you are unfamiliar with this connection standard, suffice to say it is fast, easy and painless. I plug the FireWire hard drive into my Titanium, and it shows up on the desktop as an icon, plain and simple.
Same goes for my external Sony Firewire CDRW burner -- plug it in, launch Toast 5 CD burning software and --boom! -- I've got a 60 minute audio CD in under 7 minutes.
Overall I've yet to even scratch the surface of the Titanium G4s capabilities. Because of its large screen, fast processor and cutting-edge design, I know it will bring me many more years of service. I wanted a laptop I could unapologetically use as my only computer, and with the Titanium G4 I got that and more.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 2,399
Operating System: Macintosh
Processor: PowerPC G4
Processor speed: 401-500
RAM: 256
Internal Storage: DVD
Hard Drive (GB): 13-20
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Epinions.com ID:
gadgetman2001
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
Reviews written: 4
Trusted by: 3 members
About Me:
Gadgetman2001 is a writer, gadget freak and useability expert based in Los Angeles, California.
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