10-27-2007, 08:56 PM

Why is it that the PowerBook's (or any Mac with the G4 or earlier processors) do not play HD content well? Is it just the design difference between the Intel and the G4 architecture? It's frustrating to me because MacBook Pro's are just out of my price limit for a Christmas present but the PowerBook's don't handle HD content like I wish they did. (ie when viewing said content, it lurches and jerks around). Cause if I recall correctly, PowerBook's have the same amount of VRAM and similar cards as MacBook Pros, but I could be wrong. I'd just like to gain some clarity on this. Thanks!

10-27-2007, 10:13 PM

It's pretty simple: the G4 is a dramatically less powerful chip than a Core (2) Duo, or even a G5. There's no way around it. Three-year-old notebooks generally aren't up to playing HD content.