Notebook for college [Archive]

nikeballa09

May 22, 2004, 04:31 PM

Hi, I am planning on switching to an apple for college. Personally I am tired of windows always crashing. My questions is what would u guys recommend I get. I'm on a budget so i can't spend too much. Right now I am looking at getting the 12in powerbook with 1.33ghz processor or a 14in ibook with the 1.2ghz processor because they are similar in price. I am going to major in business and will be doing mostly word processing and using a spreadsheet. Also I may be doing some web page design, and some work with photoshop.
Thanks for the help!

tekno_geek911

May 22, 2004, 04:33 PM

I think the 12" iBook 1GHz will suit your needs perfectly...The iBook's are allot more durable also.

GiantsFan

May 22, 2004, 04:39 PM

go for the ibook. you'll definately need Word and Excel for sure, maybe powerpoint to view lecture notes.

James Craner

May 22, 2004, 04:48 PM

If you are going to college and presumably attending lectures and bringing your notebook with you then I would suggest the iBooks as they have the longest battery life. The 14" iBook has the same screen resolution as the 12" iBook, so you could save yourself some cash and go for the 12". Don't forget to

1. Add extra Ram in your budget, as 512 Mb is considered the minimum to get good performance out of the OS.

2. You will be eligible for educational discount. I would suggest you max out on the HD, as the 30 Gb model on the 12" will fill up very quickly with those wonderful iLife Apps.

3. Budget for a copy of MS Office 2004 (student edition) you will find it useful if you are doing a business course, most of the spreadsheets you will be working with will be Excel based.

nikeballa09

May 22, 2004, 05:50 PM

Would you guys recommend getting the 3yr Apple Protcetion Plan or is that just a waste of money? Should I order ms office student and teacher edition when I order my computer or should I buy it from a store?
Thanks again!

OnceUGoMac

May 22, 2004, 07:10 PM

Get Apple Care! If you're getting a lapbook, especially get it. If i hadn't had Apple Care, i'd have a broken G3, but I now have a 800 G4 since they replaced the old one.

FuzzyBallz

May 22, 2004, 07:31 PM

Get the 12" iBook, and get it from you college computer/book store. Use the iBook for a year then decide for yourself whether you need apple care (1 year warranty's included w/ new Macs). iBook comes w/ Apple Works, but it's no MS Office. Get MS Office Student/Teacher Ed. from the book store too. The iBook comes w/ 256MB, get another 512MB stick from Crucial.com.

LaMerVipere

May 22, 2004, 08:12 PM

I'm graduating from high school this year as well, and I bought a Rev. A 12" iBook G4, but will be selling it this summer in time for college so that I can get a PowerBook. Before I aquired my iBook, I had a Rev A. 12" PowerBook G4, and I can say that hands down the PowerBook is the better machine.

You will spend a bit more, but you really can tell the difference when it's in your hands. The PowerBook is smaller and lighter and more powerful, and it leaves open the option to really get some great performance out of your machine if you ever decide you want to do more demanding work.

All this year, I've been taking a video production class, and convinced my close friend to switch to mac about the same time i got my iBook G4, and she got her 12" PowerBook G4, and we both were just as hard on our computers, throwing them into and out of our bookbags just wrapped in a towel or pillowcase at times, running around with them in the hallways, needing to do on-site editing, and of course using them at home, and her PowerBook has actually held up just as good as my iBook build wise, and definitely beats my iBook cosmetically. My iBook is full of scratches and shows dirt easily, her PowerBook looks brand new. (and no, it's not because I am just a dirty boy lol) The keyboard (space bar, enter key, the keys that get hit the most) along with my trackpad show very obvious wear and tear, as they have been worn down to a shiny smooth finish as opposed to the usual flat white.

I'll be selling my iBook G4 to get another PowerBook G4 for college (12" probably, but if i can, go for the 15") and I would advise u avoid the iBook and get the PowerBook as well. Of course, "performance wise" for just Word or spreadsheets the iBook G4 is fine, but the PowerBook is lighter, smaller, faster (especially when doing more processor intensive tasks if you ever need to use them), and built better, Hope this helps! :)

–LMV (Class of 2004)

crowdaddy

May 22, 2004, 08:40 PM

winwintoo

May 22, 2004, 08:57 PM

I would advise u avoid the iBook and get the PowerBook as well. Of course, "performance wise" for just Word or spreadsheets the iBook G4 is fine, but the PowerBook is lighter, smaller, faster (especially when doing more processor intensive tasks if you ever need to use them), and built better, Hope this helps! :)

–LMV (Class of 2004)

I'm in the process of moving my files from a G3 iBook to my new G4 PowerBook and I agree with LaMerVipere. I was happy with the iBook - it sure beat the bubble iMac I was using before, and I was intending to upgrade to a G4 iBook, but I saw this discontinued model PB in the store for such a good price, I couldn't pass it up. It's just a bit smaller, but the keyboard feels more solid, the trackpad is much more accurate and it just feels like a more solid machine.

Of course I've only had it for a couple of days and comparing a G4 to a G3 really isn't fair, but I think I made the right choice.

M

zulgand04

May 22, 2004, 09:21 PM

I am also going off to college, majoring in Computer Information Sciences which is in the bussness dept at Wnec. Im considering the 12" iBook, do u think this will do a good job covering my major or should i consider the 12"pb?

-Neal

1rottenapple

May 22, 2004, 11:49 PM

I love my ibook and I am in college. Hell, it is nice to be able to take your laptop to the library to do you essays. ALso, the battery is awesome! I can get five and a half hours with the battery settings set to provide the longest life :) That means means only a word processor running, and no itunes (that's why I have the ipod though).

edit: also, I bought mac:office at the student store. Microsoft has a deal with them and I got it for $75!!! TOtally made my day and save me from spending 125 at amazon.com.

nikeballa09

May 23, 2004, 12:37 AM

I have read that previous versions of the ibook have had prolems with the logic board. I would like to know if the newest versions may eventually show up with the same problem, what do u guys think the probability of this happening is?

FuzzyBallz

May 23, 2004, 12:57 AM

Apple just came out w/ updated iBooks and PBs last month. Unless you like to dip your notebook in water, there's no problem w/ the circuit reported.

alohafish

May 23, 2004, 04:38 AM

I'm also going off to college next year, and I wanted to get feedback on my computer plans.

I'm planning on getting the 12" powerbook with the superdrive. I thought the powerbook might be better than the iBook because it will become obsolete less quickly. I thought the superdrive was good also because it's a good way to backup my files. I figured it was about the same price as getting an extra hard drive. Plus, I can burn other things. Am I right in this thinking?

I realized that the 12" is pretty small, especially for page layout, which I use in journalism stuff. So, I was thinking that I'd buy an extra 15" monitor, which is actually less expensive than just buying the 15" monitor, even with an iCurve, keyboard and mouse.

How does this all sound to you guys?

winwintoo

May 23, 2004, 06:57 AM

I can get five and a half hours with the battery settings set to provide the longest life :)

Don't know what I'm doing wrong, but my iBook batter is only good for a few minutes. Even at it's peak, it was only good for about 1/2 an hour. Guess I should have complained, but I never ran it on the battery anyway so it didn't matter to me at the time.

I love this PowerBook. It just feels to much more stable. :) :) :)

m

nikeballa09

May 23, 2004, 04:51 PM

zulgand04

May 23, 2004, 05:12 PM

Do u guys think that apple is going to upgrade the 12in ibook or 12in powerbook before august or september? I would like to know because that is when I plan on purchasing an apple notebook for college.
Thanks!

Yeah thats the main thing im afraid of buyng one in aug then a month or 2 later brand new ones :(. Though as long as i get one i will be happy :)

-Neal

josepho

May 23, 2004, 05:30 PM

Yeah thats the main thing im afraid of buyng one in aug then a month or 2 later brand new ones :(. Though as long as i get one i will be happy :)

-Neal

Based on current update trends new ones may appear in October/November time. Whether or not they'll be G5 is another matter... When buying computing equipment there's never a good time to buy... there'll always be something new just round the corner. Guess you've just got to buy when you need it. Even if you get the ones which are on offer now you should be set for a good while with it!

zulgand04

May 23, 2004, 05:45 PM

Yeah goodpoint that theres never a good time to buy one. All i need to figure out is if i should get a ibook or go with a pc for my major, Computer Infirmation Systems. Now if VPC 7 is as good as the rumors are i'll def go with the ibook.

-Neal

Tommy!

May 23, 2004, 06:17 PM

I realized that the 12" is pretty small, especially for page layout, which I use in journalism stuff. So, I was thinking that I'd buy an extra 15" monitor, which is actually less expensive than just buying the 15" monitor, even with an iCurve, keyboard and mouse.

How does this all sound to you guys?

That would be a waste because the 12" power/i book has the same resolution of any external 15" monitor. I would get a 17" LCD or CRT display; that way you will be able to fit more on the screen instead of just having everything appear bigger

nikeballa09

May 23, 2004, 06:17 PM

How exactly does Virtual PC work? Do u guys recommend getting it?

Abstract

May 23, 2004, 06:27 PM

If you're doing graphics work of any sort, you may appreciate the larger size of the 14" iBook screen. The resolution between the 12" and 14" iBooks may be the same, but the screen itself is physically 2" larger, and you actually get longer battery life out of the 14 incher.

And the iBook is a perfectly suitable system that won't become "obsolete" any faster than the 12" PB. Look at how closely specced they are! They'll both become obsolete at the same time, technology-wise. Also, computers don't become obsolete unless they're no good to use for what you're doing anymore. In your cases, it sounds like both the iBook and PB are both good choices, and they will probably NEVER go obsolete for what you do. How can your computer become unsuitable for MS Office and a little bit of PS?

The one thing I love about my 12" PB is the keyboard. Its one of the best in the business. The iBook keyboard is a bit springy. However, the iBook has killer battery life, whereas my PB gets 3h30min if I set my screen brightness to a bit higher than half (or 5 notches below full brightness). That ain't bad, but that isn't anywhere near the iBook's life. Anyway, you may appreciate the 64MB of video RAM you get on the 12" PB, so that's just something to think about. Take advantage of your student discount, and don't write off the iBook as being inferior to the 12" PB. It isn't really worse. The aluminium casing is actually more fragile than the iBook's plastic. Notice how one of the first thing Mac'cers check for when they get their PB is screen and lid warping? You should never treat the PB as harshly as the iBook. The iBook should take more abuse, being a more durable plastic. Yes, maybe the PB be less scratched up, but it can't be as durable as the iBook when you consider what its made with.

It IS pretty, though. :)

zulgand04

May 23, 2004, 07:12 PM

How exactly does Virtual PC work? Do u guys recommend getting it?

VPC emulates a intel based processor on ur mac. Its a pretty good program if your not useing verey high demanding software, because all parts of the emulated system are useing your process or not your video card ect. So video games are def out. I have VPC 5 with winows xp running on my imac 700mhz, i usally use it for aol 9.0 and Visual Basic, Aol gives it a pretty good workout, its not so bad its not usable but its nothing like a real pc. It all depends on the software your gonna use it for and how pacient u are. Now VPC 7 is suposed to be out sometime this year and the rumors sofar are hardware based graphics and much improved performace. So VPC 7 looks like a good alternative. I hope thr rumors are true. Well i hope i helped you out with your question, i prolly did't explain it fully so anyone else fill in the holes lol.

-Neal

grapes911

May 23, 2004, 07:19 PM

Don't forget to check out the refurbished notebooks since you said you were on a budget.

Steven1621

May 23, 2004, 08:08 PM

get as much RAM as you can afford

crowdaddy

May 23, 2004, 08:14 PM

Are laptops really essential for college? For the same amount of money as a well equipped laptop you can get a dual 1.8G5...any thoughts on this for college?

dopefiend

May 23, 2004, 08:16 PM

Are laptops really essential for college?

Absolutely.

Or atleast where Im going.

Typing a paper in the lounge while talking to some hot honey that happens to have your same major....bam :p

LaMerVipere

May 23, 2004, 08:17 PM

Are laptops really essential for college? For the same amount of money as a well equipped laptop you can get a dual 1.8G5...any thoughts on this for college?

Laptops are essential for college. You can take them with you to class, to the library etc... that sort of portability in an educational setting can be invaluable.

kidA

May 23, 2004, 08:56 PM

laptops aren't essential in college, but desktops are practically useless. around here, they have lots of computer labs, but you still end up waiting in line for an hour and a half towards the end of the semester. the problem with a desktop at home is that it's noisy at home--roommates, music, tv, etc. it's a lot better if you can go the library where it's quiet and have the comfort of using your own computer and not a lab machine.

crowdaddy

May 23, 2004, 08:58 PM

rinseout

May 23, 2004, 10:39 PM

would maxing out on a 14"Ibook (1.2 GHZ, 1.25 ram, superdrive) be worth it (opposed to a PB) for someone heading into the medical sciences? This means I will not be doing any professional multimedia work, just surfing, MS office, and a game here or there. Can the ibook handle what I want to do with it?
Depends what you mean by "a game here or there", but everything you say you want can be handled by that machine. Everything you say you want can be handled by the 12", too. Why waste money on the 1 Gig memory upgrade? Buy 512 now and wait for prices to fall.

No computer currently on the market, Mac or otherwise, will fail to accomplish the tasks of "surfing, MS office, and a game here or there." You can get all that in a Pocket PC these days.

Krizoitz

May 24, 2004, 12:48 AM

I suggest one of those neat 5 subject notebooks with the pockets. For text input you have your choice of a plethora of pens or pencils, you can even color code your notes if you are so inclined. Plus there are lots of free-ware games, like tic-tac-toe, dots, mazes, etc. Not to mention you can use your pen or pencil to do the crossword in the daily paper.

Plus the only time you have to worry about data corruption is if you spill coffee on it or something.

Abstract

May 24, 2004, 06:53 AM

ok....

would maxing out on a 14"Ibook (1.2 GHZ, 1.25 ram, superdrive) be worth it (opposed to a PB) for someone heading into the medical sciences? This means I will not be doing any professional multimedia work, just surfing, MS office, and a game here or there. Can the ibook handle what I want to do with it?

Hehe, yeah, a laptop from 1997 can handle what you do. ;)

I'm in the medical sciences (Medical Radiation Physics), and either system will work great. No more of this "Is this system suitable for what I do?" crap, especially when most people who ask this question, like most people who use computers, use MS Office, surf the web, play Solitaire. and maybe do some light Photoshop work. No, I'm not saying that an iBook will be "suitable". Its superfluous for what you do. Geez, most "switchers" who ask questions really seem hesitant that a new Mac isn't powerful. Macs are powerful at almost everything you'll ever do with a computer. Don't doubt the power of an iBook just because it doesn't have "Intel Inside." The iBook you're going to buy is a brand spankin' new computer, and it'll definitely feel like a new computer: speed, build, and otherwise. If it had an Intel Centrino 1.4 Ghz chip inside it, you wouldn't even be asking these questions. They're fair questions, but if you're not confident in the computer you buy, then don't buy it and get something you know, trust, and feel comfortable with.

The Gateway 200X is an absolute gem, as is the IBM T40.

crowdaddy

May 24, 2004, 08:22 AM

Well, you must understand where I am coming from. I am not confident because I am a windows user. I don't know how the specs match up versus today's PC front runners, so please have a little bit of patience. As far as gaming, I would like to play call of duty, battlefield 1942, would the ibook be able to play those smoothly? See, as a windows user i know off the bat by looking at the specs of a PC if a game can be run or not, but im not in my element right now so that is why I am asking questions. Thanks for your time...

gekko513

May 24, 2004, 08:28 AM

I would just like to add that using an external monitor with the PowerBooks works just great. The OS will automatically detect the new monitor. Adjusting the settings to your likings is a one time thing. The next time you plug the monitor in, your settings get restored. I use an external 17" LCD @ 1280x1024. It's nice to get some extra screen space and it's particulary nice to see how easily OSX switches to use the external monitor as the main screen.

The iBooks uses display-mirroring, which isn't quite as useful. I don't have an iBook, so I don't know if this also limits the screen resolution to 1024x768 on the external monitor, but it seems likely. If you plan to use an external monitor you should take this into consideration.

crowdaddy

May 24, 2004, 08:37 AM

Well I was planning on having a one of those VGA switchboard things so that at my desk I could either view a G5 1.6, or a plugged in ibook, so I can consolidate monitors. I believe I am going to be using a CRT...

crowdaddy

May 24, 2004, 10:53 AM

If you were me would you (for college)....

Have a vgs swtichboard (so i can use one monitor) for:

a)1.6G5 1GB ram + ibook combo 14" 768ram
or
b)1.6G5 1GB ram + Powerbook combo 12" 768 ram?

nikeballa09

May 24, 2004, 07:38 PM

Abstract

May 24, 2004, 08:37 PM

^Crowdaddy: I was a Windows user until a few months ago. Again, its a brand new computer. I'm sure you'll type documents, use Excel, and brows the web just fine.

Get the 12" PB if you're going to use an external monitor. The iBook only mirrors, meaning the resolution won't go beyond what the iBook is capable, which is only 1024 x 768. The PB allows you to get much more, depending on your monitor.

And I wouldn't even get a 1.6 GHz G5 with 1GB of RAM. I don't see why you'd need it. If you're concerned about speed, I'd just get a 15" PB. Seriously, they're not that big, and always seem much smaller than a 15" Windows laptop. For some reason, it carries an aura of smallness in every respect. I can't explain it.
Heck, a 12" PB will do it. You don't even need a 15". My 12" PB is my main system, and is the only computer I own. Plus, I don't own an external monitor. Get an external monitor if you wish, but I don't think a separate 1.6GHz G5 is worth it. A 15 inch 1.5GHz G4 PB would definitely challenge it in terms of speed, anyway, so what's the point.

^Nike:
http://www.sfbags.com/
http://www.tombihn.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=TB0300&Category_Code=TBP&Product_Count=6
http://homepage.mac.com/sweetcocoa/lapcop.html
http://www.crucial.com/store/listparts.asp?Mfr%2BProductline=Apple%2BPowerBook&mfr=Apple&cat=RAM&model=PowerBook+G4+1GHz+%2812-inch+Display%29&submit=Go
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=14449
http://versiontracker.com/
http://insidemacgames.com/
http://fire.sourceforge.net/

Hope these websites help. The top 2 links are good for bags for Macs.

crowdaddy

May 24, 2004, 09:41 PM

winwintoo

May 24, 2004, 10:05 PM

so having both a maxed 12"pb and a G5 1.6 for college is overkill? What sort of setup would you reccomend then with a 12"PB at college? A 23 HD monitor? or is that overkill too? I just want to have all bases covered and be able to have entertainment like movies and TV on my comp. Entertaining myself is the major concern here.

Umm, Crowdaddy, I think I can solve all your problems for you. Put all your money in a bag and send it to me. You obviously have way too much of it if you can afford to have both a top of the line laptop and a top of the line desktop to keep yourself "entertained" while you're at school. Goodness with all that technology when will you ever get time for the stuff that's really important at school - drinking beer and shooting pool??
m

josepho

May 25, 2004, 03:45 AM

What kind of backpack or case would you guys recommend for college. I would like one that would fit the 12in ibook without too much slack. I would also like it to be able to fit essential college stuff like a notepad pens/pencils. CD's that I can back my stuff up, etc.
Thanks again.

Well, I had pretty much the exact same criteria when I was looking for a bag for my 12" PB, and I decided on the Roll-O-Notes by Crumpler. It pretty much just fits in exactly the stuff you've mentioned, so it's by no means a big hefty bag to carry around. Sure, at times you wish there was a little more room (when you wanna take a jumper or something), but in general I find it's perfect for my needs!

You might too!

wide

May 25, 2004, 06:59 AM

Some good points made.

I have an additional question for you all. What if you want to completely max out on a laptop but still have awesome portability. The 17' is too big, and so it leaves the 12' and the 15'. What would be worth getting 110% maxed out? If i buy the 12' i could probably pick up a 20" display so i can convert the system to a desktop at my desk... any thoughts?

15" all the way. Better performance, better graphics card, better screen--if you can afford a better computer, just get it. Anyway, Apple LCDs are really overpriced. You can get a just as good 19 inch LCD for 500 dollars. Check www.cnet.com and check out the reviews of the LCDs.

crowdaddy

May 25, 2004, 10:37 AM

winwintoo

May 25, 2004, 12:30 PM

No, i don't have *that* much money, i have set a savings celing of 4700$ CDN and with the student developer purchase plan, i save like 1000$-1500$, So i could afford a G5 1.6 and a lappy. But I agree, its over kill; I just want portability but not sacrificing a game like Call of Duty once in a while. I also want to be able to take it to class for lectures and stuff. Has anyone used a LCD TV before? I could get one of those and a lappy so I can consolidate everything into one: i could play my xbox off the screen i use for my comp, watch dvds, use that as my monitor for my laptop at my desk, etc.

Sorry for getting pi$$$$y with you, I had just realized that the loud noise I heard at 9:30 last Thursday morning wasn't thunder or the oil refinery blowing up, it was the prices of PowerBooks falling - right after I made a "no returns" deal on a discontinued model!

This morning I stopped at Staples to look for a sleeve of some kind to carry it in (I just throw it in the car, don't need a briefcase or anything) and found a decent one laying there with no tags or anything. They salesguy couldn't find a price so he gave it to me for $10. While he was looking for a price, I found tags that had been torn off a fairly high price bag shoved in behind the displays - somebody before me got a good deal!!

Hope you are happy with whatever you decide on...

Take care, M