To owners of the 14" iBook G4...

MUCKYFINGERS · Jul 21, 2005

Is this laptop too heavy to lug around in, say, a backpack everyday? I'm planning to get it when I go back to college again next year, and I was wondering how it holds up. I can't stand the 12" iBook G4's display, so getting that one for portability isn't an option at this point =P Thanks!

iSaint · Jul 21, 2005

It's heavy, but your young and you can handle it! Seriously a pack of books and the iBook makes for a heavy load. But it's a tough computer and does well in portability. I never turn mine off, just close it and it goes to sleep. I know the PB is a wonderful machine and is much lighter. I'm curious if the iBook updates are any lighter machines.

Chundles · Jul 21, 2005

What's wrong with the 12" display if you don't mind me asking?

I often take my 12" to uni with admittedly very little in the way of books and it's easy to carry around, I think an extra 500g wouldn't make too much of a difference.

It's tough as nails too, I don't have a sleeve or anything like that, just a little padded section in the backpack and my iBook's been from Vancouver, throughout the Rockies, across Canada to Halifax, from Boston through New York and LA back to Sydney all in the backpack and it's running like a little champion - just a few "cosmetic" (read annoying but not unforeseen) scratches on the case.

You'll get better battery life out of the 14" but in terms of the display - I think it looks a bit fuzzy compared to the 12" due to the size of the pixels. It's a physically bigger display but the res is the same so you don't get any extra information on the screen. My 12" looks really sharp but damn I'd love a 15" PowerBook (don't need it of course but hey? you need goals)

20rogersc · Jul 21, 2005

I'm planning to take my iBook 14" with me to college next year. As long as you have a good sturdy bag, the weight won't be an issue. I love my iBook, and would never consider getting a 12" instead.

Anyway your young, why should a little weight hurt you!!

::20ROGERSC::

wordmunger · Jul 21, 2005

I have the 14-incher and I carry it around quite a bit. One key, I've found, is not to overdo it on the case for the iBook. I have just a regular backpack with a sleeve for the computer and it does just fine. It's really not that heavy, and with the long battery life, I usually don't carry the AC adapter, which makes a big difference.

The other thing is just to keep your backpack clean -- make sure you're not lugging around a bunch of extra stuff that you really don't need. If you pare down to only the essentials, you'll find you have plenty of room for your 14-incher.

Artful Dodger · Jul 21, 2005

I don't think the 14" is to heavy for your needs but then again it's light compaired to having to carry two art history books and painting supplies for my classes

beige matchbox · Jul 21, 2005

Meh, you younguns don't know how good you have it!

My old 300Mhz iBook weighed more than my current 15in Powerbook! and only had a 12in screen

I'd say you shouldn't have any problems with a 14in iBook, but, if you don't need the slight extra performance i'd really think about the 12in, just seems like a better deal if your planning to carry it around every day

wide · Jul 21, 2005

the 14" iBook is also much easier to crack in the area near the speakers, on either side of the keyboard. one punch and it'll give...

aquajet · Jul 21, 2005

wide said:
the 14" iBook is also much easier to crack in the area near the speakers, on either side of the keyboard. one punch and it'll give...

Well, that's interesting. Did you punch the 12" and 14" to see which one breaks first?

ITASOR · Jul 21, 2005

I think it's too heavy. My 14" is a G3 though, so it might be heavier...

hob · Jul 21, 2005

aquajet said:
Well, that's interesting. Did you punch the 12" and 14" to see which one breaks first?

Shhh! The first rule of iBook fight club is that you do not talk about iBook fight club!

The second rule is... hmm, what was it again?

Anyway, personally I've never seen the point of the 14" screen, would any of you 14"ers care to point it out to me? Ok, so the processor's a teeny weeny bit faster, but the screen is the same resolution... It's bulkier and heavier...

xli_ne · Jul 21, 2005

hob said:
Shhh! The first rule of iBook fight club is that you do not talk about iBook fight club!

The second rule is... hmm, what was it again?

Anyway, personally I've never seen the point of the 14" screen, would any of you 14"ers care to point it out to me? Ok, so the processor's a teeny weeny bit faster, but the screen is the same resolution... It's bulkier and heavier...

superdrive

ITASOR · Jul 21, 2005

xli_ne said:
superdrive

The superdrive is slow and outdated anyway. Just get an external FW one.

MUCKYFINGERS · Jul 21, 2005

Chundles said:
What's wrong with the 12" display if you don't mind me asking?

I often take my 12" to uni with admittedly very little in the way of books and it's easy to carry around, I think an extra 500g wouldn't make too much of a difference.

It's tough as nails too, I don't have a sleeve or anything like that, just a little padded section in the backpack and my iBook's been from Vancouver, throughout the Rockies, across Canada to Halifax, from Boston through New York and LA back to Sydney all in the backpack and it's running like a little champion - just a few "cosmetic" (read annoying but not unforeseen) scratches on the case.

You'll get better battery life out of the 14" but in terms of the display - I think it looks a bit fuzzy compared to the 12" due to the size of the pixels. It's a physically bigger display but the res is the same so you don't get any extra information on the screen. My 12" looks really sharp but damn I'd love a 15" PowerBook (don't need it of course but hey? you need goals)

12" display hurts my eyes a bit and I still want to keep my good eyes (i.e. I don't wear glasses and everyone else in my family does).

QCassidy352 · Jul 21, 2005

the 14" is what, one pound more than the 12"? People exaggerate the difference...

shadowmoses · Jul 21, 2005

The 14 is still lighter than the majority of other laptops these days and therefore it is fine to ug around so long as your bag is not full of other ehavy text books...

ShadOW

Sam I Am · Jul 21, 2005

My 14"er just came yesterday, and I think it's a perfect compromise of size and weight. The 14" screen looks great, and it's a lot better for watching movies!

aquajet · Jul 23, 2005

hob said:
Shhh! The first rule of iBook fight club is that you do not talk about iBook fight club!

The second rule is... hmm, what was it again?

Anyway, personally I've never seen the point of the 14" screen, would any of you 14"ers care to point it out to me? Ok, so the processor's a teeny weeny bit faster, but the screen is the same resolution... It's bulkier and heavier...

2. You do not talk about iBook fight club
3. You DO NOT talk about iBook fight club

I used to have a 14", certainly better to look at than my current machine. Of course I'm terribly farsighted.

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To owners of the 14" iBook G4...

MUCKYFINGERS

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iSaint

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Chundles

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20rogersc

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wordmunger

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Artful Dodger

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beige matchbox

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wide

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aquajet

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ITASOR

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hob

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xli_ne

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ITASOR

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MUCKYFINGERS

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QCassidy352

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shadowmoses

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Sam I Am

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