Serious Problems-Must Decide Soon-Processor Decions Too

pcuserx · Apr 3, 2003

In February for my birthday I bought a 700 mhz brand new iBook from my local reseller via loan. After a week I got pissed at the small screen and returned it for an eMac without thinking first. Now I'm jealous of all the stuff laptops can do and am thinking about switching again but buying a cheap monitor as well. Problem is if I return it now there is no way I could possibly return it again, and I'm not sure how I'd feel being stuck if it didn't work out.

I'm a student in highschool and I don't really have a need for portability. It'd be nice to be able to do work outside or while watching television or in bed as well as taking it to do work in Chapter's or when I go to my father's hosue (who already has a pc desktop there) but it's not like i have a need to take it places.

I am also unsure about the G3 and the ibook's inability to upgrade. Will the next os work on g3? What about the os in 4 years? Will any games work on G3 in a year or two? Even with 640 ram?

So to recap:
-I use computer for 3-5 hours a day
-I don't have a NEED for portability
-I will not get a new computer for 4 years
-I will want to run the latest os and play at least some games at decent speeds all this time

Would you recommend I switch back to an iBook? Or stick with eMac? Sorry to bother you, thanks for your time in reading and replying.

MacAztec · Apr 3, 2003

My advice

Return the emac, and spend a little more cash and get a powermac.

If you can return the emac for $, do it and get a used powermac somewhere. That would be best.

NavyIntel007 · Apr 3, 2003

Stick with the eMac.

I rarely take my iBook anywhere. The portability is nice, but you won't miss it with the extra speed.

By the way 300th post.

FelixDerKater · Apr 4, 2003

Wait for the updated 15" PowerBooks, and get one of the last generation models. They have a 64MB video card which will barely cut it in games now. In two or three years, a 64MB video card willbe nearly worthless, so you definitely don't want to go with an outdated 32MB card in an iBook.

benixau · Apr 4, 2003

Re: My advice

Originally posted by MacAztec
Return the emac, and spend a little more cash and get a powermac.

If you can return the emac for $, do it and get a used powermac somewhere. That would be best.

The Shadow · Apr 5, 2003

Re: My advice

Originally posted by MacAztec
Return the emac, and spend a little more cash and get a powermac.

If you can return the emac for $, do it and get a used powermac somewhere. That would be best.

This is definitely the way to go. Even the old G4 processors like my G4 533 PM runs rings around the latest G3s - no competition.

I can do anything easily on my 2 year old G4 533. Whereas the latest iBooks still really struggle to run even, for example, Virtual PC or Photoshop at a usable speed.

Make sure you really look around for a good price though. They're easy to find, but there are a lot of people that will try to sell old stuff at almost new prices.

Good luck!

pcuserx · Apr 5, 2003

Ok, on ebay I found someone in my city willing to do a trade.

I'd give him my brand new emac and $300-400 Canadian for a 1 year old 700 mhz 14" combo drive iBook. Good deal?

Chaszmyr · Apr 5, 2003

If its gonna be that long until you get a new computer then stick with the emac, better to have a G4 for that long than a G3. But also, prices do keep coming down, you might get a new computer sooner than you think

pilotgi · Apr 5, 2003

I'd give him my brand new emac and $300-400 Canadian for a 1 year old 700 mhz 14" combo drive iBook. Good deal?

I don't think that's a good deal. The 700 Mhz iBook only has 16 MB vram and the screen resolution is the same as the 12" model.

If you say you don't need portability, why trade for a laptop again? I also disagree the with the previous poster who said the G4 533 is faster than a G3. I'm betting my 800 Mhz iBook is faster than the G4 533 in everything except apps that use Altivec.

crazzyeddie · Apr 5, 2003

Bottom Line: If this computer needs to last for 4 years, get a PowerMac. Laptops are not upgradeable, nor are the eMacs. In the powermac, is it easy to add optical drives, loads of RAM, multiple hard drives, and processor upgrades will probably be available.

For speed and long life, go for the PowerMac.

And dont buy an iBook if it needs to last for even 2 years. In fact, dont buy a G3 if it needs to last very long. There is nothing wrong with the G3, but alot of apps are starting to require it (like iDVD does).

macphoria · Apr 5, 2003

Stick with eMac. eMac with G4 processor will last you much longer than iBook with G3 processor.

cb911 · Apr 6, 2003

definitely stick wiht the eMac if you want to keep your computer for more than a year and a half. you will get WAY more long term usage out of a G4.

Search

Search

Serious Problems-Must Decide Soon-Processor Decions Too

pcuserx

macrumors member

MacAztec

macrumors 68040

NavyIntel007

macrumors 65816

FelixDerKater

macrumors 68040

benixau

macrumors 65816

The Shadow

macrumors regular

pcuserx

macrumors member

Chaszmyr

macrumors 601

pilotgi

macrumors regular

crazzyeddie

macrumors 68030

macphoria

macrumors 6502a

cb911

macrumors 601

Our Staff