Powerbooks... 15", 17"...?

I think the 17" machine is a bit big to be truly portable. The 15" PowerBook is a more manageable size. Plus, there'll be more 15" machines, meaning you'll have a better selection to choose from.

Since you plan to work in Final Cut, I'd suggest a MacBook Pro over a PowerBook any day. I'm guessing your budget is limited, though, right?

Powerbook and Final Cut Studio

I use Final Cut all the time on my Powerbook. Over the Summer I edited and produced a press release DVD my company sent to the United States Senate on the Powerbook alone. I got much better performance on the Powerbook using the Final Cut Studio apps than I did with a Macbook @ 2.0ghz, w/ 1GB RAM, running the universal Final Cut Studio suite. In fact I didn't get much performance at all out of the MacBook. In fairness the Universal Binary of Final Cut has been patched since then, so performance has probably improved; however not having dedicated video memory, I'm not sure if the MacBook would be better than the PB.

That said I do have a rather "souped up" Powerbook and I am looking to sell it. I bought it in November of last year (2005), so it was one of the last Powerbook batches. 15 inch PB, 1.67Ghz, 1.5GB DDR2 RAM, 100GB hard drive at 7200rpm, 128mb vRam. high-resolution 15 in widescreen TFT active-matrix display (1680x1050). It also has AppleCare coverage until 11/08.

I don't have enough posts to put it up on the marketplace, but if you're interested PM me. I was planning on listing it on eBay by Monday, but I'll hold off if anyone is interested here.

final cut will run on it fine, but it def wont be fast. i really think that you will be fine b/c i have a 17" PB with the same specs as the one you listed and ive used final cut on it plenty. i know that if i used it all the time tho, id had wished i had just gotten a refurb G5 tho

zipper. that 17inch you mentioned sounds like it would run final cut nicely. If there is any way you could splurge for the MacBook Pro I think you'd be happier in the long term though. It's going last you longer than a PB. Are you dead set on a laptop?

chadgroove said:

That said I do have a rather "souped up" Powerbook and I am looking to sell it. I bought it in November of last year (2005), so it was one of the last Powerbook batches. 15 inch PB, 1.67Ghz, 1.5GB DDR2 RAM, 100GB hard drive at 7200rpm, 128mb vRam. high-resolution 15 in widescreen TFT active-matrix display (1680x1050). It also has AppleCare coverage until 11/08.

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I thought 15 inch PowerBooks had resolution of 1440x960 and 17 inch ones had 1680x1050

theway i see it 15 is for going all over, 17 is fro desk to couch or bed.

I really don't think 17" is going to work at school! Space is limited desk-wise on campus, plus you have to walk a lot and everything gets heavy (especially if you have lots of books).

zipper1022 said:

someone told me that you coudlnt run Final cut studio on a 1.67ghz 1gb ram, 100gb hard drive 17" powerbook

is that true?

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Nonsense. Why wouldn't Apple's hi-end software run on Apple's hi-end PowerBook?

Dont belive everything you hear

i run FCP HD on a 1Ghz G4 titanium Powerbook with 1GB RAM and while it is certainly not fast by any means, its definitely useable and runs fine.

and i think the people who seem to think that the 17" is too big to use on a desk at school, or is not portable have yet to see one in person. its marginally bigger and marginally heavier than a 15; and you can use it anywhere you can use a 15, with the possible exception of a coach class airline seat (where you really need to pay attention to the guy in front of you)

I've had my 15'' for over a year now and its been great.

zipper,

I considered the 17in too and went with the 15in. I did this because the 15inch is much more portable, the 15inch has a great screen resolution (the last Powerbook models like mine. Also the 17in was quite a bit more expensive and the difference in price didn't justify the bigger screen, and the additional bulk/size of the 17in.

It was a better investment in my opinion for me to buy a 20in Widescreen LCD which I could hook the Powerbook (and any other computer in the future) up to. That is what I did, and I'm glad I made the choice. I now have a black MacBook with a 13.3inch screen and I love it. When I come home I just plug in the DVI connection and I have 20 inches of screen real estate. The widescreen LCD will be good for years to come with many different computers, whereas the 17in Powerbook's screen, while quite impressive is unfortunately attached to the Powerbook. When you're done with the PB, there goes that nice screen, and you'll have to purchase new 17in MacBook Pro at a premium.

I'm one of those who thinks laptop = portability, desktop = more power (processor wise, screen wise, etc). Though that gap is closing speed wise, the 17in Powerbooks and MBPs just seem like portable desktops to me. All the friends I have with 17in PBs or those huge 17in Toshiba Satellites let them sit on their desks; moving them only when when go to and from college. Alot of them won't even bother bringing it home for Christmas break.

Thats just the way I see it, if anyone disagrees please chime in. My friends might just be really lazy, and I might have just really wanted that 20in widescreen. =P In any case