Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

12" Powerbook good choice for a travel laptop?

S

silversyren

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 9, 2006
51
0
Hello,

My dad wants a laptop. He travels a lot, overseas to China.

Laptop Requirements:

- Travel-size friendly.
- Under $500.
- Fast for online stock trading.
- Able to connect easily by wireless.

I've priced-checked some laptops and honestly, I'd like to get him a mac so he doesn't have to deal with any viruses.

Any opinion on the 12" inch latest rev of the powerbook?

He trades stocks online so I'm slightly worried about compatibility. He wants the laptop for getting online fast and trading stocks. He doesn't need photoshop or anything else like that. Also, does the 12" powerbook have problems with weak airport? I know my 15" Powerbook sometimes can't find a wireless signal and my sister's macbook or my cousin's dell can.

Thanks!
 
My PowerBook 12" has been all over Europe with me. You're right about the wireless signal, which is the weakpoint in an otherwise perfect travel machine. Fully featured unlike the Air. You may want to get him a new battery though. The original one will be getting on a bit now.
 
Oh, I totally didn't even consider the ibook for some reason. Will be looking into that as well.

Thanks so much!
 
I think you mean the 'last' version of the PB G4 - the 'latest' would mean they are still being produced, which is a lot of people's major fantasy round here (including me).
My G4 12 inch PB is a very trusted travelling companion so it'd be a wise move, in my opinion. The wifi is good, unlike the newer MBPs.
 
Most definitely. I have used a number of iterations of the 12" PowerBook since it was first released. It's a fantastic machine (and what I'm typing this on!). I'm only now getting a Mac Pro, but I'll keep the PowerBook for as long as I can.

Also, it's just the exact right size to fit a couple of sheets of A4 paper when you close the lid, so you keep your work neat and in the same place!

Get a neoprene skin to go with it.

AppleMatt
 
The 12" ers are great travel companions. I held off getting a MBP for yonks because I didn't want to lose the small shape and light weight.
 
good luck!

if you can find the last rev 12 inch pb for under 500, be on that like white on rice cause that will be a steal... You wont find one though. try for an iBook for that price
 
Yeah, I just did a quick look at ebay and it seems like the 12 inch powerbooks are at least $600.

How's this ibook look for $500? Good deal? I'm in a slight time crunch -- gotta get it and set it up for my dad before I fly back home.

12" iBook G4 1.33GHz with 1.5G RAM, 40G HD, VGA adapter

- A new keyboard, to replace the old one after it had been damaged
- A VGA adapter
- 1.5GB of RAM instead of the original 512MB.
It has a few minor scratches on the outside case and some graying near the palm-rests. Other than that, it is the same computer that I originally bought from the local Apple Store.

Full feature list:

iBook G4
PowerPC 1.33 GHz, 512KB L2 cache
1.5GB RAM (512MB+1GB)
Sudden Motion Sensor
CD-RW/DVD Combo Drive
40GB Hard Drive, Serial-ATA
Bluetooth
400Mb/s Firewire
ATI Mobility Radeon 9550, 32MB VRAM
12" XGA active matrix display, 1024x768 native resolution
High-Speed USB
VGA adapter cable
Power extension cord
802.11g (Airport Extreme) wireless
Built-in 56kbps modem
Mac OSX 10.4 ("Tiger")
iLife '05
World Book Encyclopedia
Full installation DVDs

Computer is in perfect working order; battery lasts about ~3 hours on a charge in power-save mode.
Click to expand...
 
silversyren said:
Yeah, I just did a quick look at ebay and it seems like the 12 inch powerbooks are at least $600.

How's this ibook look for $500? Good deal? I'm in a slight time crunch -- gotta get it and set it up for my dad before I fly back home.
Click to expand...

I don't think the iBook (or the 12" PowerBook for that matter) ever supported 1.5GB of RAM. 1.25GB was the maximum (256MB on the motherboard, plus a 1GB SO-DIMM in the single memory slot). Either way, the specs look fine.
 
oingoboingo said:
I don't think the iBook (or the 12" PowerBook for that matter) ever supported 1.5GB of RAM. 1.25GB was the maximum (256MB on the motherboard, plus a 1GB SO-DIMM in the single memory slot). Either way, the specs look fine.
Click to expand...

Th last revisions of each did. Mine's running 1.5GB right now, a 1.33GHz iBook G4.
 
I have to say that this lovely 2 year old 12" PB, maxed out, is still a very great machine to this day, and a perfect compliment to my Mac Pro. It suffices for internet browsing, photo storage, music and video watching, and runs all the 08 iApps well (minus iMovie 08), all on leopard. I really wish Apple had carried on the form factor, but oh well. I'd say it would suffice for his needs.

FYI, the iBook can handle 1.5 Gbs of RAM whereas the 12" PowerBook can only handle 1.25, but they should both be about the same speed given the maximum specs they ever saw.
 
Yep

oingoboingo said:
I don't think the iBook (or the 12" PowerBook for that matter) ever supported 1.5GB of RAM. 1.25GB was the maximum (256MB on the motherboard, plus a 1GB SO-DIMM in the single memory slot). Either way, the specs look fine.
Click to expand...

The last revision of the iBook G4s had 512 soldered in. Why in the HELL they never upped the 12" powerbook's soldered memory, I don't know. I'm still a little bitter about that (but I do still use the powerbook every day).
 
iMpathetic said:
Th last revisions of each did. Mine's running 1.5GB right now, a 1.33GHz iBook G4.
Click to expand...

Oh OK, that's interesting to know. As appleretailguy said, it would have been good to have 512MB soldered into the final revision 12" PowerBooks too, but who can really ever understand the decisions Apple makes regarding these things. I could really use some more RAM in my 12" PowerBook...
 
iToaster said:
I have to say that this lovely 2 year old 12" PB, maxed out, is still a very great machine to this day, and a perfect compliment to my Mac Pro.
Click to expand...

Just saw your sig, when it's delivered I'll have exactly the same configuration as you! I'm looking forward to see how much faster the Mac Pro is over the PowerBook.

AppleMatt
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back