ibook 12inch

[user name]

Hello im new and I am a p.c user but since going to uni ive been using macs and quite like them.

I want a laptop but shall I get a p.c or mac?

I've been looking at the 12inch ibook 1.2 ghz with an upgrade to 512mb and 60gb hard drive. My worry is that this is not enough power, when I look at p.c's they have like 2.8 ghz for the same ish price. But the mac seems reasonable value for such a small laptop.

Are macs more powerful than pc's even though they have less ghz?

What should I go for?

Thanks guys

[acceber]

I want a laptop but shall I get a p.c or mac?


Heh. :)

I have an iBook 12" and it's great. I personally don't feel crippled with a 1.07GHz system. iBooks are great if you're a student, they're durable and very portable with great battery life. If you going to get an iBook get one now because they're just recently been updated.

[user name]

im currently using photoshop on a pc with 850mhz and 128ram and its mega slow, will there be a big difference with the ibook?

[jsw]

im currently using photoshop on a pc with 850mhz and 128ram and its mega slow, will there be a big difference with the ibook?Photoshop's slow speed on your PC is undoubtedly due more to the small amount of RAM than to the processor. The iBook will run Photoshop just fine - but the default 256MB that comes with it is really too little for Photoshop use except occasionally and with small files, since otherwise the 4200RPM hard drive and virtual memory access will slow it to a virtual halt. Still, the iBook with 256MB RAM will run Photoshop appreciably faster than your PC.

[cube]

Get a PC. It's compatible with all the virii available.

[jsw]

As has been mentioned, the 1.2GHz iBooks are quite fast enough. Their major advantages over the 2.8GHz PCs you mention (aside from the OS, of course) are small size and much better battery life. A PC laptop isn't much good if the batteries crap out after an hour and a half in class. iBooks, with a slower processor and smaller screen, last much longer. Plus the cases are quite durable. And, again, the OS is much better! ;)

[johnnyjibbs]

The original poster appears to be confused by the megahertz myth and no-one has explained this yet to them.

User name: first of all, a 1.2GHz G4 iBook is NOT the same power as a 1.2GHz Pentium III or 4 - it is much faster.

This is because the chip inside the iBook is much more efficient and processes more stuff per clock speed cycle. I would quite easily say that a 1.2GHz G4 is around the speed of a 2 - 2.5 GHz Pentium 4.

Or, put simply, the iBook will be MUCH FASTER than your 850MHz PIII.

This fact alone is a big and common misconception amongst PC users.

The G4 processor is particulalry good at vector caluclations using the alti-vec core ("Velocity Engine") which is ideally suited to Photoshop. However, the base unit is crippled by only having 256MB of RAM, as others above have noted. I would reccommend putting a 512MB module (or a 1GB chip if you can afford it) into the free slot to take your RAM up to 768MB (or 1.25GB). However, Apple rips people off with RAM and you will do much better to go with www.crucial.com or other vendors.

The 60GB HD upgrade is a worthwhile option too. Also consider internal Bluetooth as a possibility, since this can't be upgraded later.

Bottom line though - the iBook will be a very capable machine. Go get, and welcome to the ease and enjoyment of Mac OS X!

[Solafaa]

As johnnyjibbs said PC's and Macs are not the same, i have a 17" PowerBook 1.5 GHz andi can tell you its faster then my old 3.06 laptop. The operating system that comes with macs are much faster, the new G4 iBooks would be very fast and more then enough for PhotoShope. If you woud be doing lots of editing then get extra RAM not from apple thou, they are set at a good price aswell.

[user name]

thanks to teh guy who posted about the pc/mac difference in processors, much appriciated.

Whys apples ram a rip off? i was gonna get an upgrade to 512mb so would this mean that i had 768 all together (256+512) or would I just have a 512 instead of the 256?

If the price of apples ram is a rip off dont worry I am getting a student discount.

Thanks for the link but do you know of any UK website of a similar mannor?

Thanks

[wPod]

Whys apples ram a rip off?

i think it has something to do with their distribuitor. i heard the place apple buys ram got in trouble for selling it at too high of a price. after that i figured ram price would go down, but it didnt. which makes me think apple is making a lot of money off of the high priced ram and as long as people are paying for it apple wont stop. i would suggest getting the minimal amount of ram that comes with your system. then searching around the forums here for where to get the cheapest ram. for example i want to get a 512mb ram stick from my 12" PB. cost at apple 200. . . cost ive seen at other websites 100 (80 with mail in rebate!). just do a quick search and you should find plenty of info here!

[cube]

I would quite easily say that a 1.2GHz G4 is around the speed of a 2 - 2.5 GHz Pentium 4.

The G4 processor is particulalry good at vector caluclations using the alti-vec core ("Velocity Engine") which is ideally suited to Photoshop.

I don't believe this. The old Pentium 4 has SSE2. The new ones also have SSE3.

Photoshop at some point was not optimized for SSE2. Premiere now has SSE2 optimization, so maybe Photoshop does too.

With a PC you can run a bad OS faster. What's the point?

[dav]

If the price of apples ram is a rip off dont worry I am getting a student discount.

Doesn't help.

[xg3]

i have the 1.2GHZ ibook 12" with 1.25GB of ram. does photoshop just fine. and many other things.

[cluthz]

thanks to teh guy who posted about the pc/mac difference in processors, much appriciated.

Whys apples ram a rip off? i was gonna get an upgrade to 512mb so would this mean that i had 768 all together (256+512) or would I just have a 512 instead of the 256?

If the price of apples ram is a rip off dont worry I am getting a student discount.

Thanks for the link but do you know of any UK website of a similar mannor?

Thanks

Buy the computer with student discount. (with 256 mb ram)
Then buy 512mb ram extra, then you would have 768 mb.
Buying an EXTRA 512mb from apple costs about $200. (maybe only 150-180 with EDU.
Other dealers will give you 512mb for about $100...

[johnnyjibbs]

I got the RAM from crucial.com. It's the same stuff that Apple uses, is much cheaper than Apple, and arrives the next day with lifetime warranty. Just go to www.crucial.com/uk and follow the steps to the iBook 1.2GHz. What could be simpler than that?

BTW, installing RAM is easy and is a user-upgradable part. Selecting Apple RAM is the lazy option. It may look like you're getting a good deal with Apple but remember, if you choose 512MB over 256MB, that is total RAM (as in they will just shove in a 256MB module in the free slot). They'll charge you the same or more than crucial.com to get 512MB chip which, when added to the 256 that is soldered on, will add up to 768MB.

[stevehaslip]

you come to a mac forum and ask whether you should get a mac or a windows laptop?
lol! :p

of course ninty percent of people will say get a mac, but then i agree with them. Once you go mac, you never go back!

[user name]

ive been to that site but what make is apples memory?

[CaptainCaveMann]

thanks to teh guy who posted about the pc/mac difference in processors, much appriciated.

Whys apples ram a rip off? i was gonna get an upgrade to 512mb so would this mean that i had 768 all together (256+512) or would I just have a 512 instead of the 256?

If the price of apples ram is a rip off dont worry I am getting a student discount.

Thanks for the link but do you know of any UK website of a similar mannor?

ThanksYou just answered your own question

[jackieonasses]

ive been to that site but what make is apples memory?samsung, i think

[joshua_msu]

[QUOTE=johnnyjibbs]The original poster appears to be confused by the megahertz myth and no-one has explained this yet to them.

User name: first of all, a 1.2GHz G4 iBook is NOT the same power as a 1.2GHz Pentium III or 4 - it is much faster.

This is because the chip inside the iBook is much more efficient and processes more stuff per clock speed cycle. I would quite easily say that a 1.2GHz G4 is around the speed of a 2 - 2.5 GHz Pentium 4.

Or, put simply, the iBook will be MUCH FASTER than your 850MHz PIII.

This fact alone is a big and common misconception amongst PC users.

QUOTE]

Theoretically this could be true, but the G4 has a sad sad FSB and cache by todays standards. That 1.2 MAY be as quick as a 1.8 or 2.0 P4, the last of which to use the 400 MHz FSB.

[dontpanic]

i was also looking at the ibook but dont know whether to get the 12 or the 14

which one should i go for

[johnnyjibbs]

Theoretically this could be true, but the G4 has a sad sad FSB and cache by todays standards. That 1.2 MAY be as quick as a 1.8 or 2.0 P4, the last of which to use the 400 MHz FSB.
All I can say is that my PB 12" 1GHz G4 (133MHz FSB, same as iBook) is easily a match for my Dell Dimension Pentium 4 2.4GHz (533MHz FSB) in games and Photoshop Elements and other general work.

[cube]

i was also looking at the ibook but dont know whether to get the 12 or the 14

which one should i go for

What's most important?

- Compactness -> 12" (same resolution, but you need good eyes)
- Speed -> 14"
- Superdrive -> 14"

[stevehaslip]

What's most important?

- Compactness -> 12" (same resolution, but you need good eyes)
- Speed -> 14"
- Superdrive -> 14"

i don't think you need good eyes for the 12" but i'm young! :D The best way to see what you prefer is by going to an Apple Store and trying both out sid eby side. You are bound to prefer one or the other.

[dontpanic]

i live in england and we don't have an apple store

my eyes are quite good, does the 12 have longer battery life than the 14 or not, i plan to take it to uni next year so is it worth having the extra portability of the 12 do you think, also is the 14 really that much faster or not

[cube]

i live in england and we don't have an apple store

my eyes are quite good, does the 12 have longer battery life than the 14 or not, i plan to take it to uni next year so is it worth having the extra portability of the 12 do you think, also is the 14 really that much faster or not

The 12" has a smaller battery, so both models are rated for up to 6 hours of operation.

I don't think 10% increase in speed is worth it. I think the 14" can only be qualified as a good design if your eyesight is bad even with glasses.

[stevehaslip]

we don't have an apple store in the uk. (yet!) come november 20th though that will change! but incase you aren't in london there are plenty of apple centres (not stores) around the country. They are official dealers such as cancom, jigsaw, john lewis etc. There are many to choose from, just search on yell (http://www.yell.co.uk) for your nearest store or you could just have a look in the back of mac user, they have a simplified map of the UK and a list of apple shops.

I wouldn't say buy from someone like cancom, if it were me i'd go to john lewis because they give you a 2 year waranty for free as well as your standard 1 year apple waranty. Also if you are a student then you are enligable for apples student discount. (its 9% off a new iBook) If you go in to a shop (and there are a few) that will only give you 6% or something then walk away straight away. Some shops think its better to make more profit than save you money.
need any more UK questions ask then i'd be more than happy to help, email, pm or post here.
Hope i helped ;)

[dontpanic]

The 12" has a smaller battery, so both models are rated for up to 6 hours of operation.

I don't think 10% increase in speed is worth it. I think the 14" can only be qualified as a good design if your eyesight is bad even with glasses.

thanks, probably go for the 12 inch then

[cube]

thanks, probably go for the 12 inch then

See for yourself first, if possible. Some people end up enlarging the fonts. Then it makes more sense a 14".

[dontpanic]

See for yourself first, if possible. Some people end up enlarging the fonts. Then it makes more sense a 14".

isn't the 14 inch the same resolution as the 12 inch model, everything will just be bigger, my eyesights fine so it probably won't matter

[cube]

isn't the 14 inch the same resolution as the 12 inch model, everything will just be bigger, my eyesights fine so it probably won't matter

Maybe it matters if you look at it the whole day, but there's no way to try until you get one.

[dontpanic]

also, if i do get the 12 inch model, should i upgrade to the 60 gb hard drive or, as i was thinking, maybe get an external usb2 drive or something?

30gb seems a bit small to me, being an ipod owner who will want to put quite a lot of music on there

[cluthz]

also, if i do get the 12 inch model, should i upgrade to the 60 gb hard drive or, as i was thinking, maybe get an external usb2 drive or something?

30gb seems a bit small to me, being an ipod owner who will want to put quite a lot of music on there

Yes!

30 GB is too small, and you always will need more disk space in the future..
Since its a bit work to get the mp3s from the ipod, you'll need to save them on your hd.

If you have say 15 GB of mp3s, and osx with ilife installed uses over 10 gb.. you're already out of hd space.
(a 30gb is about 27 gb formatted..)

The 60GB hd is only $75 extra.
Get it, and get a externat firewire/usb2 hd later when you run out of space.

[dontpanic]

should i go for a big external drive straight away though, i'm not gonna really need the 60 gb of data everywhere i go am i, and also is it worth getting the bluetooth or not?

[cube]

also, if i do get the 12 inch model, should i upgrade to the 60 gb hard drive or, as i was thinking, maybe get an external usb2 drive or something?

30gb seems a bit small to me, being an ipod owner who will want to put quite a lot of music on there

The drives Apple sells for iBook run only at 4200 RPM. But changing it yourself is a mess, very delicate, and voids the warranty. MCE has a service where they install it for you, but the only reasonable deal is for the 80GB (double the Apple price), and this would be interesting only if it's the 5400 RPM drive, which they don't say. They have dealers in the UK. See here (http://store.mcetech.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=IBUG80GB&Category_Code=SVCIBWHT&Product_Count=5)

Given that Apple sells a 5400 drive of 80GB for Powerbook for less than the 80GB 4200 costs for the iBook, I would go for the 60GB, which is relatively cheap.

[cluthz]

should i go for a big external drive straight away though, i'm not gonna really need the 60 gb of data everywhere i go am i, and also is it worth getting the bluetooth or not?

Yo may not think that now, but in a year i think you've used it all.
I remember when i bought a 80 GB disk for my Sawtooth G4 (i had 20 GB in it before). I thought i'd never use that space, 1.5 years later i bought 120 GB more...

[*Y*]

Yeah, i agree with everybody else on this forum. The ibook is a very compact, durable machine. I think you will be very happy with it. Just upgrade the ram to the maximum your budget allows, get internal bluetooth, and get a big harddrive (those things get used up pretty quick) :D

[eifster]

All I can say is that my PB 12" 1GHz G4 (133MHz FSB, same as iBook) is easily a match for my Dell Dimension Pentium 4 2.4GHz (533MHz FSB) in games and Photoshop Elements and other general work.

Just bought my first mac over the weekend...ibook 14" with 512ram...I should have read some of this forum beforehand...it appears I should have gone with the 12" and 256ram, upgrading on my own. I did get the Bluetooth and 60G. I hope to have it today when i get home. Should I send back and get the 12"? Can I? Or does anyone think there is some benefit to the larger screen? I have been using Dells mostly but have gotten fed up with Windows....mostly use itunes, digital photo storage, Office, web/email....

Thanks!

[iShater]

Just bought my first mac over the weekend...ibook 14" with 512ram...I should have read some of this forum beforehand...it appears I should have gone with the 12" and 256ram, upgrading on my own. I did get the Bluetooth and 60G. I hope to have it today when i get home. Should I send back and get the 12"? Can I? Or does anyone think there is some benefit to the larger screen? I have been using Dells mostly but have gotten fed up with Windows....mostly use itunes, digital photo storage, Office, web/email....

Thanks!

My brother bought the 14", and he loves it. Unless you are used to a 12" laptop already, then you should be ok. Not sure if cancelling the order after it is shipped releases you from any restocking fees.

I just noticed that you customized it, I doubt you can return it without paying a fee.

[yoak]

I have had my ibook for 3 weeks.
I got my 512 RAM from Crucial 2 weeks ago after getting a tip from this forum. I paid $137 for it, and it shipped to Norway in less than a week.
I have the 60G HD as well and can really recomend the 12" ibook. I love it, my girlfriend loves it. :)

[eifster]

My brother bought the 14", and he loves it. Unless you are used to a 12" laptop already, then you should be ok. Not sure if cancelling the order after it is shipped releases you from any restocking fees.

I just noticed that you customized it, I doubt you can return it without paying a fee.

Thanks for the reply...i guess i'm stuck with it...but i'm not complaining! Can't wait...last mac i used was in 1984...back in college... :D

[dontpanic]

i got a 14" ibook for £790 :eek:

[stevietheb]

My two cents:

So long as I'm in school and continue to carry the laptop everywhere...I will always use a 12". Perhaps one day if I want to use it in favor of a desktop, I'll go to a 15" powerbook--but, for my money, the 14" iBook doesn't make sense since it has the same resolution.

[ionas]

The original poster appears to be confused by the
Or, put simply, the iBook will be MUCH FASTER than your 850MHz PIII.

well a bit ... its like a 1.2GHz Centrino (Pentium-M)

the point is:
mac os x uses less CPU and BUS to display more nice looks, faster and smoother but it uses a hellwhole of RAM.

it is a lot more stable and a bit more secure than windows :-p (i am more the pessimistic mac user ;-)

i like my powermac g5 dual 2.0 i bought in july 2004 besides the ****ING CHIRPING - but i ll buy an iBook 12" soon :-) (default setup + 2nd skin to put it into some bag and have it protected + 512mb ram)