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Powerbook buying advice needed. 15" superdrive vs. 15" ultimate

T

tortfeasor

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Ok... I am going to buy a PB this week if/when my local (michigan ave) Apple store gets units back in stock. I am debating between the stock 15" superdrive system and the ultimate 15" pb system (as called by the apple store - It has 1 gig mem, 128 meg vid card, 5400rpm HD).

There is a $500 price difference between them, do you guys think the real world performance difference is worth the $500? I want something a bit more future proof than not, and that is what is pushing me towards spending the extra money. With the educational discount, the ultimate clocks in at $2799.

Opinions? I plan to use the system for school with some light gaming, light vid editing, and the rare VPC 7 use.

Thanks in advance!
 
edesignuk said:
If you don't NEED it at the end of this week, then wait! Updates should be right round the corner.
Click to expand...

I should have prefaced my question by asking everyone to assume updates are not coming. Updates have been right around the corner for 3 weeks now and I need to buy something within the next week. So, I would appreciate advice based entirely on what is CURRENTLY available.

Thanks.
 
tortfeasor said:
Ok... I am going to buy a PB this week if/when my local (michigan ave) Apple store gets units back in stock. I am debating between the stock 15" superdrive system and the ultimate 15" pb system (as called by the apple store - It has 1 gig mem, 128 meg vid card, 5400rpm HD).

There is a $500 price difference between them, do you guys think the real world performance difference is worth the $500? I want something a bit more future proof than not, and that is what is pushing me towards spending the extra money. With the educational discount, the ultimate clocks in at $2799.

Opinions? I plan to use the system for school with some light gaming, light vid editing, and the rare VPC 7 use.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Do yourself a favor and buy the best you can afford. The video memory will come in handing for the gaming and video editing, the faster hard drive means you won't spend as much time loading programs or reading video files, and larger memory means faster performance due to less time swapping to and from your hard drive, which can now do it's regular job of reading and writing files without that added stress.

I have everything but the faster hard drive, and I wish I'd upgraded that at purchase time since my system was already BTO and I'd upgraded everything else already. I am deliriously happy with my system, though.


Anne Marie
 
tortfeasor said:
I should have prefaced my question by asking everyone to assume updates are not coming. Updates have been right around the corner for 3 weeks now and I need to buy something within the next week. So, I would appreciate advice based entirely on what is CURRENTLY available.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

You will be sorry if you buy a PB now and updates comeout on Tuesday. But it's your money. 🙄
 
sjpetry said:
You will be sorry if you buy a PB now and updates come out on Tuesday.
Click to expand...

Uh, we've been waiting for this "Tuesday" for a very long time now. Is there any concrete info that suggests that it could be a "Tuesday" in the very, very near future? 😎
 
0s and 1s said:
Uh, we've been waiting for this "Tuesday" for a very long time now. Is there any concrete info that suggests that it could be a "Tuesday" in the very, very near future? 😎
Click to expand...
Most Apple Stores are out of PBs which means that they are getting ready for something new.
 
tortfeasor said:
No... it just means demand has outstripped supply.
Click to expand...

Yes... Because Apple is dramatically reducing the supply of current Powerbooks. The current pipeline is squeezing shut as the new pipeline is being prepared. By now, they've probably stopped manufacturing current Powerbooks and are bringing up the new supply chain for the new models.

This is EXACTLY what happened last year, around March, before the April 19th announcement of the current revision of Powerbook.

If they are stuck with excess current Powerbook inventory when they announce new models, they'll have to sell them at a reduced price compared to the new version - most likely at cost, or at a loss. They'd rather get the higher margins on the newer PB then lose their already razor thin margins discounting the current PB.

I know it's hard, but you won't regret the wait when they finally announce. Borrow or rent if you must, but to buy now is to give in. Last year, my money was burning a HUGE hole in my wallet I wanted a new Apple laptop so badly, but I was patient, I waited, and I was rewarded.

I ordered it the day they were announced, April 19th, and didn't receive my BTO Apple until April 30th. I checked the status 30 times a day. I was rabid. When it arrived, all perfect and new in its sublimely simple yet sophisticated packaging, all was forgiven.


Anne Marie
 
XIII said:
Arrrr... What a nice story. 🙂
Click to expand...

Yup, and the lady speaks pure common sense. My current Rev.C goes to its new owner either tomorrow or Monday, and the cash will be burning a hole in my pocket (and I frighteningly weak will!!!) but u will resist going out and getting another Rev.C with superdrive and wait to see what happens in the next 2 weeks.
If I gave in now, the obvious thing would happen - the last G4 revisions would be announced (because it isn't going to be a G5 folks) and it would have a higher spec for less cash. And I'd feel like I'd cheated myself.

If worst comes to worst I'll used a carp Dell laptop from work, but I can and will wait to see what happens in Feb.... so I'll be drawing sense from Anne Marie's tale of willpower!
 
How about you just wait till tuesday with no expectation of a new PB, then you're within the 14 day return period if something happens in the next two weeks?
Or, even if you get something at the end of this week, Apple usually changes orders for things a couple days ahead of the release.
 
Get the stock Superdrive model because you can always upgrade the RAM and HDD. I know how that will be more expensive later, but still... Probably isn't even worth the upgrade money. But then who am I to speak, I maxed mine out 😀 Maybe if I had a stock PB to compare mine to, it would be interesting to see if mine is much faster.
 
In my opinion, unless Apple does a major update (i.e. Powerbook G5 or 500+ increase in Mhz) then I dont think you will be disappointed if you buy the ultimate model now. I bought my 1.25 about a week before they got bumped to 1.33. I was a little bummed but I realized that the speed change (and other changes) really didnt make that much of a difference. If you need a computer now, then get the best you can afford now and dont worry about what comes out tomorrow.
 
Umm, you know what, dont buy the ram from apple.

Upgrade to 512mb with one sodimm, and buy a third party 512mb or 1gb stick of ram. It will end up being much cheaper then going with apple. Probablly save you like $200. Also, the 5400rpm drive will definetly be a big difference in performance, and so will the 128mb radeon if you plan on running games at the Powerbooks full resolution.
 
Most rumours sites say that the updated powerbooks will have stock 5,400 rpm hard disks across the board.

If I were in the market for a new powerbook right now I think I'd want to hang on a little while to see if this is indeed the case.
 
spasticmutant said:
The current pipeline is squeezing shut as the new pipeline is being prepared.
Click to expand...

Excellent post, but horrible imagery there.

Bah! Roll on new PowerBooks. With all this fanfare, please GOD it has to be more than ThinkSecret predict. For once, please LET THEM BE WRONG!
 
Piarco75 said:
Yup, and the lady speaks pure common sense. My current Rev.C goes to its new owner either tomorrow or Monday, and the cash will be burning a hole in my pocket (and I frighteningly weak will!!!) but u will resist going out and getting another Rev.C with superdrive and wait to see what happens in the next 2 weeks.
If I gave in now, the obvious thing would happen - the last G4 revisions would be announced (because it isn't going to be a G5 folks) and it would have a higher spec for less cash. And I'd feel like I'd cheated myself.

If worst comes to worst I'll used a carp Dell laptop from work, but I can and will wait to see what happens in Feb.... so I'll be drawing sense from Anne Marie's tale of willpower!
Click to expand...

Same here. Just shipped my 17" rev. C PB to it's new owner this past week and I'll be biting the bullet and waiting... hopefully for an updated, less expensive 15" Powerbook. The supposed price drops are more motivation to wait for me, but if you can't, then do some price searching on the internet. Many current models have been discounted considerably.
 
PieMac said:
Same here. Just shipped my 17" rev. C PB to it's new owner this past week and I'll be biting the bullet and waiting... hopefully for an updated, less expensive 15" Powerbook. The supposed price drops are more motivation to wait for me, but if you can't, then do some price searching on the internet. Many current models have been discounted considerably.
Click to expand...

I thought I was so clever. I sold my Rev C 12" PowerBook on December 16th for £920... and have been watching the news ever since... do you KNOW HOW MANY TUESDAYS there have been since then ;-)

Floop (he who exists with a POS Dell 2.66GHZ Celeron BEHEMOTH until the next update)
 
Floop said:
I thought I was so clever. I sold my Rev C 12" PowerBook on December 16th for £920... and have been watching the news ever since... do you KNOW HOW MANY TUESDAYS there have been since then ;-)

Floop (he who exists with a POS Dell 2.66GHZ Celeron BEHEMOTH until the next update)
Click to expand...

Well, when they do come out...which will be any day now, of course 😉
...you will be patting yourself on the back for being smart and selling when you could get top dollar. That's the reason I went ahead and sold mine. Of course, I've been counting the days since and it's not even been a week yet! 🙄

But a PC...ugh! At least I can take solace in that I have the use of my other half's 15" 700mhz flat panel iMac...and the next time I start to complain about anything, I'll remind myself that it could be worse!
 
tortfeasor said:
Ok... I am going to buy a PB this week if/when my local (michigan ave) Apple store gets units back in stock. I am debating between the stock 15" superdrive system and the ultimate 15" pb system (as called by the apple store - It has 1 gig mem, 128 meg vid card, 5400rpm HD).

There is a $500 price difference between them, do you guys think the real world performance difference is worth the $500? I want something a bit more future proof than not, and that is what is pushing me towards spending the extra money. With the educational discount, the ultimate clocks in at $2799.

Opinions? I plan to use the system for school with some light gaming, light vid editing, and the rare VPC 7 use.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Buy the cheaper model. Any difference between the two will only be noticed if you put them side by side. You will only have 1 laptop, so you will have no side by side comparison. You WILL, however, notice a $500 hole in your wallet.

Save the money now, because it will mean less money lost down the road when you sell to upgrade.

Regards,
Steven
 
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