I'm taking the plunge...

[NCTRNL]

I am getting ready to order my PB from Apple.com with the education discount after I get my financial aid refund. I am so antsy that I have been reading these forums like crazy. I find myself going to stores that sell them and just playing with them until I can get my own. I have never owned a Mac before so this is a little bit of a step. This will be for school presentations, writing papers, burning CD's and perhaps DVD's, and internet, maybe some gaming. Here is what I plan on ordering:

15" 1.5ghz Powerbook (128mb video memory and don't say I should get an iBook)
512mb RAM ( 1 dimm)
80 GB hd (5400 rpm)
Superdrive
backlit keyboard
20GB Ipod (cram and jam)
airport extreme base station (for wireless internet in my apt)
applecare


I figured I would just make sure I wasn't missing anything. I'm going crazy waiting to order this thing...

[LeeTom]

Looks like you nailed it right on the head. Perfect setup. You might want to order another 512MB stick later on from Crucial ( http://www.crucial.com ), but it's not necessary.

Lee Tom

[NCTRNL]

Looks like you nailed it right on the head. Perfect setup. You might want to order another 512MB stick later on from Crucial ( http://www.crucial.com ), but it's not necessary.

Lee Tom

Yeah, that's why I went with the single dimm so I could do that later.

[cr2sh]

I'm going crazy waiting to order this thing...

The specs look great.. so.. uh... what are you waiting for?!? Order it already! Jeez.. do you realize how life changing this thing is going to be! You'll never be the same dude, seriously.

[Brother Michael]

You know you really should get an i...(looks at stipulation in original post)...Sight! Yea that's it! iSight for that new iChat AV! :D

No seriously, congrats on the new Mac! Enjoy it!

Mike

[NCTRNL]

The specs look great.. so.. uh... what are you waiting for?!? Order it already! Jeez.. do you realize how life changing this thing is going to be! You'll never be the same dude, seriously.

I gotta wait for my refund check man. I would order it right now if I could. Then after I order it I gotta wait for the damn thing to ship. That's gonna be the longest week of my life.

[vraxtus]

Sadly you may find that PBs are not the best gaming machines... the performance typically ranges from "adequate" to "sub-par". At least such has been my experience from PB gaming. You'll be lucky to avg 20+ FPS on things such as Halo or UT2K4... and this I know since my G5 only gets 22 FPS avg on Halo with a Rad9800 SE. Otherwise, that rig should be fine for everything else... Personally I don't see a need for a SuperDrive in a laptop... and even for me in a year I've not used my G5 SD ONCE... but maybe you're different.

[emw]

Sweet setup - I'm sure you'll get good use out of it. You don't specify the 15" or 17" - which one? If you're going to be carting it around to class and using it significantly during the day, you might want to consider going for an extra battery.

The only other change I'd make is to order it now and pay it off when you get your refund, unless it'll be more than a month from now. But that's me.

[EGT]

You're gonna LOVEEEEE IT!!! Let us know how you get on :D

[NCTRNL]

Yeah, but don't they charge you before you can order it? I can't imagine that they would make it if it hadn't been paid for. I am getting a 15" powerbook. Gaming is really the last thing that I am gonna be doing most likely. That is what the PS2 is for. The extra battery might be a good idea though...

[vraxtus]

Yeah, but don't they charge you before you can order it? I can't imagine that they would make it if it hadn't been paid for. I am getting a 15" powerbook. Gaming is really the last thing that I am gonna be doing most likely. That is what the PS2 is for. The extra battery might be a good idea though...


Extra battery is a good idea only so far as you'll be away from a power outlet for an EXTENDED period of time. Keep in mind that if you get an extra batt and never use it, it will still decay over time.

[emw]

Yeah, but don't they charge you before you can order it?

Sure they do. I'd use a credit card, then pay off the card with the refund check. That way you get the PB before the check arrives, but don't have to pay it off for a month.

Again, this scenario breaks down if:

1) You don't have a credit card, or

2) You don't have enough credit on a credit card, or

3) You already carry a balance and would have to pay interest on the purchase, or

4) You won't get the check before the bill is due.

Assuming 1-4 don't apply, then go for it.

Not that I'm offering credit advice or anything...

[vraxtus]

Not that I'm offering credit advice or anything...


I say just wait. Better to be safe than risk credit issues because you're too impatient.

[starcrossed]

The exact same Powerbook I got, and after a month now I'm still in love with it. Hopefully your check comes soon, cause I know the days I waited for the Powerbook to come in the mail were some of the longest days of my life, but it was completly worth it the wait in order to get the edu. discount and a build to order model and not a stock model.

[emw]

I say just wait. Better to be safe than risk credit issues because you're too impatient.

Ah, the voice of reason... Spoilsport. :D

[vraxtus]

The exact same Powerbook I got, and after a month now I'm still in love with it.


:rolleyes:

I'd hope you'll still be in love with it for way more than a month.

[NCTRNL]

The exact same Powerbook I got, and after a month now I'm still in love with it. Hopefully your check comes soon, cause I know the days I waited for the Powerbook to come in the mail were some of the longest days of my life, but it was completly worth it the wait in order to get the edu. discount and a build to order model and not a stock model.

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I will just wait until I get the check so I dont have to worry about the credit card thing. I had originally planned on waiting until January until I found out I would be getting a sizable refund from financial aid.

[sushi]

That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I will just wait until I get the check so I dont have to worry about the credit card thing. I had originally planned on waiting until January until I found out I would be getting a sizable refund from financial aid.
I love my PB15. Got the initial model last November.

Upon return from a business trip last week, I had to send it to the Apple Store for fixing a few things and replace the HD. Turned it in Thursday, picked it up on Sunday. While it only took 3-4 days to fix, it seemed like months. But now she is back and I am very happy! :D

This leads me to my suggestion. In my case, I was very lucky that I backed up my whole HD before my trip, and backed up key data during my trip. I would suggest getting an external FW HD for backup purposes. Then periodically back up your data to the external HD.

Reference the SD. You are wise to get the Superdrive version for a couple of reasons:
- Easier to sell in a couple of years when you want to upgrade.
- Can create DVDs to share with friends and family.
- Can make backup copies of your purchased DVDs.

Reference the memory. I upgraded to 1GB. Comes in very handy at times.

Good call on the Apple Care as well. It is invaluable when your laptop craps out.

You will love your Airport Express base station. It rocks!

Make sure you get a good carrying bag/case to protect your baby and carry the accessories that you need in the portable mode.

Good luck on your first Mac purchase!

Sushi

[vraxtus]

Reference the SD. You are wise to get the Superdrive version for a couple of reasons:
- Easier to sell in a couple of years when you want to upgrade.
- Can create DVDs to share with friends and family.
- Can make backup copies of your purchased DVDs.


But the question here is, how many people ACTUALLY do this on a regular basis?

Most students don't have enough time to sleep, let alone put together a DVD...

Always consider practicality first...

[NCTRNL]

I think that this is the bag that I am going to go with:

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/catalog/categories.t2?categoryId=7

[sushi]

But the question here is, how many people ACTUALLY do this on a regular basis?

Most students don't have enough time to sleep, let alone put together a DVD...

Always consider practicality first...
Most will eventually sell their PowerBooks to upgrade in the future. For many folks, having the SD is a baseline requirement. It gives you a better chance to sell you laptop quickly when the time comes.

I realize that students are time crunched. Been there done that in an a very demanding and restricted environment, and still I had time for personal things.

How long does it take to create and burn a DVD? Not long at all. I am not talking a professional production here. Just sharing some digital pics and short videos via a DVD. Apple's iLife includes everything that you need:iPhoto, iTunes, iMovie and iDVD.

In the old days we did it with video tape using much more limited equipment. And it took a lot more time to do. Now it is so easy and takes very little time.

Folks and friends love to hear from their favorite students. Create a simple DVD. Burn copies. Send. Simple, quick and easy. Takes very little time. It sure beats how we had to do it in the old days for sure.

Sushi

[RBMaraman]

I think that this is the bag that I am going to go with:

http://www.timbuk2.com/tb2/catalog/categories.t2?categoryId=7

Excellent choice! I highly recommend Timbuk2 bags. They are excellent.

And just so you know, Apple doesn't charge your credit card until your PB ships. So, you can go ahead and order it. Since you're doing a BTO, it won't ship for several days, which means that you'll get your check before the PB ships.

Enjoy your new Mac! :D

[emw]

But the question here is, how many people ACTUALLY do this on a regular basis?

Most students don't have enough time to sleep, let alone put together a DVD...

Always consider practicality first...

Speaking of practicality, DVDs make a fairly decent medium for backing up files as well, holding significantly more than CDs. Sure, they're not super cheap, but better than losing your data, especially homework, prof notes, etc.

[Brother Michael]

I am in video production...I would absolutely love to to have a Super Drive.

I would say for me it is a big item to have.

Mike

[wide]

The only problem with the SuperDrive is that it writes slower than the Combo Drive. Hopefully the next gen PBook will have 6x (if they make that) or 8x SD.

[NCTRNL]

Yeah and it burns CD's a little slower. But honestly...I am not gonna mess with it. I am just gonna get the SuperDrive.

[sushi]

Yeah and it burns CD's a little slower. But honestly...I am not gonna mess with it. I am just gonna get the SuperDrive.
Good choice...me thinks!

Sushi

[Badradio]

Great choice on the machine, NCTRNL - I'm going to order the same pb myself this week. I do have to question the decision to go for one 512 Ram stick though. It's only $10 more to buy a dimm from www.crucial.com than it is to swap the two 256s for one 512. I'm going to leave the 256s in then just buy two 512s from crucial; you spend the same money but you have two 256s to sell on. Anyone buying the combo drive pb is going to be interested in those.

[NCTRNL]

Yeah, I see that those 512mb dimm's are $109.99 a piece. Maybe that would be a better idea. Is it tough to sell the 256 dimm's that come in the unit? I have never looked into anything like that.

[Badradio]

I doubt it would be that hard. There aren't many chips at all on the uk eBay site - always a good sign. There's always someone looking for some cheap memory though - even if you can only offload them for $20-$30 each, you'll be ahead on balance.
I just don't like the idea of giving Apple even more money for a machine with the same memory spec. Not that the powerBook isn't worth every penny...

[NCTRNL]

Yeah, here it is $90 to get one memory stick instead of the 2x256 chips. If I saved the $90 there and then bought the memory for $210 on Crucial.com, I guess if I could sell them together for something around $100, then I would be close to even and I would have 1GB of memory.

[Badradio]

Upgrading to 1gig for an extra $110 sounds like a good deal to me. And you can wait until you're ready to add the memory; not feel obliged because you spent the $90 for the single stick. Good luck with it, and enjoy the powerBook.

[NCTRNL]

Upgrading to 1gig for an extra $110 sounds like a good deal to me. And you can wait until you're ready to add the memory; not feel obliged because you spent the $90 for the single stick. Good luck with it, and enjoy the powerBook.

You make a good point there. I had thought about doing the memory like that but the way you explained it really makes sense. I was having trouble justifying it in my head but that sounds like a much better idea to me. How easy is it to add memory to the powerbook? I have added memory to desktops but not to laptops before. And with the money that I saved on changing the memory config I can get the 40GB Ipod instead of the 20GB. Another beautiful thing about the EDU discount is that the Applecare is only $239....

[morkintosh]

The specs look great.. so.. uh... what are you waiting for?!? Order it already! Jeez.. do you realize how life changing this thing is going to be! You'll never be the same dude, seriously.

It's true, I was a life time PC user and I thought that I'd just give a 12" powerbook a try, for working on the plane and such. After 2 days it was already the best computer I'd ever owned. 18 months later I have that powerbook, 2 dual G5s (with cinema displays) and a little G4 for file and print serving. PC isn't even in my vocabulary any more!

[Badradio]

Not ordered my pb yet so I don't have first-hand knowledge, but from the NUMEROUS pb posts I've read, it seems easy to swap out the chips. Just unscrew the panel underneath (as it shows in the docs you get in the box) and replace the chips. Download some of the user guides from the Apple support pages - lots to have a look at before the machine arrives.

[Badradio]

Man, I wish I could still get student discount :(

[NCTRNL]

It's true, I was a life time PC user and I thought that I'd just give a 12" powerbook a try, for working on the plane and such. After 2 days it was already the best computer I'd ever owned. 18 months later I have that powerbook, 2 dual G5s (with cinema displays) and a little G4 for file and print serving. PC isn't even in my vocabulary any more!

Yeah, I am a lifetime PC user. We have started to dabble with Mac's here at work and I just have to have one of my own. I am just sick of PC's man. Have you ever gone and looked at laptops in a store? I am just drawn to the Mac's like crazy. The PC laptops don't interest me in the least anymore. The Dell laptops used to interest me a lot...but not anymore.

[emw]

You make a good point there. I had thought about doing the memory like that but the way you explained it really makes sense. I was having trouble justifying it in my head but that sounds like a much better idea to me. How easy is it to add memory to the powerbook? I have added memory to desktops but not to laptops before. And with the money that I saved on changing the memory config I can get the 40GB Ipod instead of the 20GB. Another beautiful thing about the EDU discount is that the Applecare is only $239....

Installing memory in a PB is pretty easy - main part is making sure you get it installed all the way.

As for pricing at Crucial, check out this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=82104), which details some "on-the-fly" pricing at Crucial. You may save yourself a few extra bucks.

Oh, and keep rubbing in your educational discount... :D

[KevRC4130]

I'm not sure if it's been said, but don't forget to get in on the printer deal. You can get a fairly nice HP 5150 for FREE (with mail-in rebate of course). Even if you don't want it, you could always sell it and make $50+ :)

[vraxtus]

Installing memory in a PB is pretty easy - main part is making sure you get it installed all the way.


This is true. I installed RAM in my PB while playing War3. :D

[Champale]

Speaking as both a life long Mac addict and certified gaming geek, I have to say that the one thing I find PCs better for are the games.

Not necessarily in their performance ability vs Macs but in the sheer amount of titles available.

Yeah, I know developers are getting better about releasing games for Macs, bless their souls. But PCs still get the best titles first. That's just plain business sense considering the number of Windows machines vs Macs.

Not everyone can afford a pc and a mac. I'm lucky in that we have 3 PCs in our house plus an iBook from work and my own 15" PB.

My wife thinks I'm insane. Maybe I am. Maybe I am...

:)

[noel4r]

how about an external monitor? do you have one already? the other thing you might want to save some money on the Airport Base Station and get another router instead (D-Link, Linksys, etc.). It works just fine w/ Airport Extreme Card.

[Badradio]

how about an external monitor? do you have one already? the other thing you might want to save some money on the Airport Base Station and get another router instead (D-Link, Linksys, etc.). It works just fine w/ Airport Extreme Card.

True - both good routers and a lot cheaper than an AE basestation. Hang on a minute, educational discount and the printer offer is still available in the States? Why am I trying to save you more money when I have to pay full whack?

Grumble... ;)

[NCTRNL]

Well if a Linksys or D-Link would be cheaper, then which model would work best. I use a D-Link wired router right now. Could I just plug one of those into the wireless router and then have it work for wireless? I was just going to go with the airport station but if this is easier and cheaper...than...what the hell

[NCTRNL]

how about an external monitor? do you have one already? the other thing you might want to save some money on the Airport Base Station and get another router instead (D-Link, Linksys, etc.). It works just fine w/ Airport Extreme Card.

Yeah, I figured I would wait until about January to buy an external monitor. I really love the Apple HD Cineman displays but I just wonder if, for the price, I could get more use out of those or I should just buy another monitor...

[Badradio]

Well if a Linksys or D-Link would be cheaper, then which model would work best. I use a D-Link wired router right now. Could I just plug one of those into the wireless router and then have it work for wireless? I was just going to go with the airport station but if this is easier and cheaper...than...what the hell

Just get a wireless access point ($80-$100 I think) and add it to your network). If you already have an adsl connection feeding your network, the ae base would be overkill. With the ae card already in your notebook, you're ready to go.

[vraxtus]

Good god how much are you people encouraging this kid to spend on his setup that 1) may not even last that long because it *is* a Powerbook, 2) he could spend on a much more powerful desktop instead, and 3) he doesn't even know if he will like???

@_@

[NCTRNL]

I don't want a desktop. I know that I will like it. If I don't...I can sell the laptop. Now. Would this be a good wireless access point to go with? The reason that I was thinking about the Airport Extreme is because I would be able to print through it but maybe this is a better option:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1088680027519&skuId=6759849&type=product

I went to Newegg.com but it's only $4 cheaper there.

[vraxtus]

I don't want a desktop. I know that I will like it. If I don't...I can sell the laptop. Now. Would this be a good wireless access point to go with? The reason that I was thinking about the Airport Extreme is because I would be able to print through it but maybe this is a better option:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1088680027519&skuId=6759849&type=product

I went to Newegg.com but it's only $4 cheaper there.


Well I'm just saying that if you're a real gamer, a desktop is THE way to go.

[NCTRNL]

Well I'm just saying that if you're a real gamer, a desktop is THE way to go.


Believe me, I am not a real gamer. As I said above, I have a PS2 for that. This is mainly going to be for school work and internet stuff.

[vraxtus]

Believe me, I am not a real gamer. As I said above, I have a PS2 for that. This is mainly going to be for school work and internet stuff.


Right on, enjoy it then!

[Badradio]

Vraxtus does have a point though - it is a lot of cash. Are you sure you need the wireless rig? Would it be such a hardship to run an ethernet cable across the room to your pb?
I want to take my PS2 online, but I'd rather spend $5 on an ethernet cable than $100+ on wifi. Just as good a system as long as you don't mind the inconvenience of rolling the cable up when you're not using it - and as long as my cats don't chew through it...
As for the desktop/laptop debate, I find it hard to work stuck in the same spot all the time. I want the hardware to be where I am when the ideas are flowing.

[NCTRNL]

Well...I want to be able to use it upstairs...downstairs...anywhere basically. There is one desktop and another PC laptop that will be using it. The desktop is using a cable from the D-Link Router and the PC Laptop has been using a cable from that but has wireless capability too so there would be a large benefit from having the wireless capability.

[Badradio]

Yeah - I'd go for it then. The idea of being able to surf the net in front of the tv, in the garden, on the toilet :eek: is just too cool.

[NCTRNL]

Yeah - I'd go for it then. The idea of being able to surf the net in front of the tv, in the garden, on the toilet :eek: is just too cool.


That's what I am thinking. Does anyone know of a wireless access point that they know works well. The D-Link one I was looking at gets some bad reviews...

[Badradio]

I'd stick with Linksys or Netgear. I don't want to make any specific recommendations; I'd only feel bad if you bought a duff unit, but check out some reviews on their products.

[vraxtus]

I'd stick with Linksys or Netgear. I don't want to make any specific recommendations; I'd only feel bad if you bought a duff unit, but check out some reviews on their products.


I have a Linksys one but I have frequent router hiccups where I need to reset my connection every week or so. Other than that I tend to get a good signal overall.

[Manzana]

...but maybe this is a better option:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=1088680027519&skuId=6759849&type=product



I have this d-link and it works. I hardwired a win98se box to it, added a d-link wireless card to an xp box, and set everything up with my 15" pb no problem.

I have seen this particular router get some bad reviews, esp from mac people...and I think, (but I'm not sure of this) it's because it has some proprietary stuff in it. but other mac users on this board use d-link just fine.

I got it for the price. at compusa it was on rebate along with a bundle that included the wifi card and an antenna (which it turns out that I really needed!)

[NCTRNL]

This one might turn out to be better for me:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=33-122-013&depa=0

[vraxtus]

I'd still recommend a Linksys over Netgear.

[NCTRNL]

I'd still recommend a Linksys over Netgear.


The netgear gets crucified in the user ratings unless there is a different one. Linksys does make a wireless access point but the thing is over $200 and at that point I might as well get the airport extreme station...

[vraxtus]

The netgear gets crucified in the user ratings unless there is a different one. Linksys does make a wireless access point but the thing is over $200 and at that point I might as well get the airport extreme station...


What are you talking about?

I got a Wireless B with 4 E-net ports and it was only $60 a year ago...

And trust me, B is fast enough for most things you'll be doing.


EDIT: Here this is what I got.


http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=33-124-002&depa=5

[NCTRNL]

How about I just get the airport express with airtunes instead of the airport extreme and be done with it? That would do what I want wouldn't it?

[vraxtus]

How about I just get the airport express with airtunes instead of the airport extreme and be done with it? That would do what I want wouldn't it?


Up to you but that Wireless/4-port router is half the price of AP Express and also has a $10 rebate... and you can run hard lines from it as well.

[emw]

Up to you but that Wireless/4-port router is half the price of AP Express and also has a $10 rebate... and you can run hard lines from it as well.

I agree. The Linksys WRT54G is pretty slick and fairly inexpensive (around $60), and it plays nice with Airport, Airport Extreme, and PC wireless devices.

[NCTRNL]

UPDATE: I will be getting my refund check around September 10th. That's when I can order it. I just want to make sure I order it before Cram and Jam is over...

[emw]

UPDATE: I will be getting my refund check around September 10th. That's when I can order it. I just want to make sure I order it before Cram and Jam is over...

Cram and Jam goes until September 25th. You have until November to submit the paperwork as long as your purchase is done before the 25th.

Did you decide on the final final config?

[NCTRNL]

Cram and Jam goes until September 25th. You have until November to submit the paperwork as long as your purchase is done before the 25th.

Did you decide on the final final config?

I think I am gonna keep it all the same except go for the 2 Dimm setup to save a little money and then get the 40GB ipod and the airport express instead of the extreme.

[kilpajr]

I think I am gonna keep it all the same except go for the 2 Dimm setup to save a little money and then get the 40GB ipod and the airport express instead of the extreme.

Just got my 15" PB w/ 128 VRAM, 5400 HD, 1 512, 20GB IPOD on edu discount. First time mac user and I love it. I have a netgear wireless router (614 I think is the model number) and it works great. I saw it on buy.com not too long ago for really cheap, like $40 after rebate I think (too tired to look right now). I have a dell laptop connected wirelessly which is also connected to my HP printer and I have no problems.

Now, I have a question. Before everyone gets upset, I have looked at previous posts for a while now. What (free) software do y'all think is a must have?

[NCTRNL]

Well, I am getting my refund today, so I will be ordering the PB next monday probably. FINALLY!!!

[Bhennies]

...