As you know, most rumor sites, as well as The PowerBook Zone predicted that two classes of machine would debut at Seybold San Francisco yesterday. Though all three prebuilt configurations may seem the same, there's really a large difference. Quite simply, they're different machines with the same case. The 400 MHz model with PCI graphics is Yikes!, while the upper two 450 and 500 MHz units are SawTooth. Just what are the differences in SawTooth and Yikes!?

SawTooth

• SawTooth comes in 450/500 MHz units prebuilt and built-to-order
• SawTooth has AGP based graphics
• SawTooth has 1.5 GB RAM capacity
• SawTooth has 800 MB/sec memory bandwith
• SawTooth has Ultra ATA/66
• SawTooth has DVD/DVD-RAM standard
• SawTooth has a Zip (prebuilt)
• SawTooth has 3 FireWire ports (1 internal)
• SawTooth has 2 12 Mbit USB busses
• SawTooth has AirPort capability, antennas in the handles
• SawTooth can have an Apple Cinema Display

Yikes!

• Yikes! comes in 400 MHz prebuilt, and 400/450 MHz built-to-order
• Yikes! has PCI based graphics
• Yikes! has 1 GB RAM capacity
• Yikes! has 400 MB/sec memory bandwith
• Yikes! has Ultra ATA/33
• Yikes! has CD-ROM standard
• Yikes! has no Zip (prebuilt)
• Yikes! has two FireWire ports (none internal)
• Yikes! has 1 12 Mbit USB bus
• Yikes! has no AirPort capability, no antennas built-in
• Yikes! cannot run an Apple Cinema Display

With this information, you can clearly see the difference between the 400 MHz prebuilt untis and the 450/500 MHz prebuilt units. Identically configured built-to-order 450 MHz machines, one Yikes! and one SawTooth, cost about 400 dollars more, so the options you see above that are different that are on the motherboard, like AirPort capability, extra USB busses, various faster busses, and capacities cost about 400 dollars more. Basically, SawTooth's motherboard costs that much more than Yikes!. True to all the rumors, Yikes! is shipping now, while SawTooth is about three weeks off for 450 MHz, and about three weeks more for 500 MHz, at Apple's current estimated dates.

Yikes! is basically a Yosemite Blue and White machine with a new case and a G4 for a great price. SawTooth is a little more pricey, but still offers totally redesigned architecture, faster G4s, and great performance for the dollar.

Back to the main page for the rest of today's PowerBook news.

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