PPC netbook 12 inch PB or Clamshell iBook?

If portability is your primary concern, go with the 12" PowerBook, no questions. Realize that the clamshell iBook weighs 6.7lb, and your 17" MBP weighs 6.6lb. The PowerBook will also be a much faster machine, it can run much more up-to-date software, faster WiFi, higher resolution screen, and a much better keyboard.

The iBook runs 3D games like a midrange computer from 1999. Neither of them are gaming machines, but the PowerBook will offer you much, much better graphics performance.

Yes, you can clone your OS 9 setup onto the iBook. That would be the primary advantage of the iBook over the PowerBook - it can run OS 9. If you can live without that though, go for the PowerBook, no questions asked.

InuNacho said:

Currently my main machine is a ginormous 17inch MBP which is cool and all, but when it comes to just typing something up on the go, it's a huge pain. I need something small but efficient and I've narrowed it down to those two in terms of reliability, my main issues are what they can and cannot do.

How well does the iBook run 3D games like Quake, I'd imagine that UT would be a no go. If the iBook can't run it would Classic Environment run stuff like that alright?

I don't know where my OS 9 disc is so could I clone my PM's OS 9 partition and slap it on the iBook without any problems?

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May be you could consider a 12 inches Powerbook G4 1.33 Ghz with 1.25 GB of RAM.

Stay away from the Clamshell!!!!!

InuNacho said:

Currently my main machine is a ginormous 17inch MBP which is cool and all, but when it comes to just typing something up on the go, it's a huge pain. I need something small but efficient and I've narrowed it down to those two in terms of reliability, my main issues are what they can and cannot do.

How well does the iBook run 3D games like Quake, I'd imagine that UT would be a no go. If the iBook can't run it would Classic Environment run stuff like that alright?

I don't know where my OS 9 disc is so could I clone my PM's OS 9 partition and slap it on the iBook without any problems?

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I'd get both, then drop the Clamshell off a roof.

I wouldn't bother with a Clamshell.

12 inch powerbook handsdown or, Dell Mini 10v hackintosh. Clamshell for historic OS 9 fun only.

Been using Macs since 1989. If your looking for a daily user, the PB will give much better performance and milage.
But if your looking for fun laptop to mess around with and don't have real high expectations, go ahead buy a Clamshell. Note that they are a pain to work on if you plan on upgrading things like the hard drive, you basically have to disassemble the whole laptop. But they can be fun to mess around with and they're value as a collectors piece is going up rapidly.

Get the powerbook. The benefit to having a clamshell would be that if your toilet seat breaks, you can rip off the lcd of the clamshell and hollow out a hole...BAM new toilet seat (comes in a color of your choice).

Please see

my post from today entitled: Frackin' impressive.

Maybe we shouldn't be dissin' the G3's so much.

Davy.Shalom said:

Get the powerbook. The benefit to having a clamshell would be that if your toilet seat breaks, you can rip off the lcd of the clamshell and hollow out a hole...BAM new toilet seat (comes in a color of your choice).

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I think you're confusing it with the "crapshell"

The clamshell weighs as much as that 17".

Get the latest G4 model of the 12" PowerBooks you can find and maybe remove the optical drive.

What graphics card do you have specifically?

I remember that my Power Mac 7220/200 could run Quake fine, but UT ran like a slug. Right now I've got a 350MHz iMac with 8MB GPU that I'm about to boot up with 10.4.11 for the first time, I shall let you know how it scores...

skateny said:

I'd get both, then drop the Clamshell off a roof.

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The thing is, it'd probably survive. That thing's the original Game Boy of laptops.

If you're after portability don't let the clamshells 12 inch screen fool you. It's possibly the sturdiest laptop i've ever used, but also one of the biggest/heaviest

Imixmuan said:

12 inch powerbook handsdown or, Dell Mini 10v hackintosh. Clamshell for historic OS 9 fun only.

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I had the mini. I'd prefer the PowerBook. Atom processor hackintosh is a pain. I also had a 12" PowerBook and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I had the 1ghz version which just wasn't quite enough for what I wanted. If you can get the 1.5ghz version, you will be very happy with what it can do.

Go either PowerBook G4 or iBook G4. Keep in mind to get the 1.33Ghz model or above.

PB 12" or toilet seat (sorry, I meant clamshell)
Get both. Put the clamshell in a glass cabinet and take a 12" on the road.

BTW, below are the measurements and (hypothetical) cubic centimeters of five portable PPC Mac's (numbers courtesy of everymac)

3.0 cm, 27.7 cm, 21.9 cm (1819,89 cm3 / 2,1 kgs)
3.4 cm, 28.5 cm, 23.0 cm (2228,70 cm3 / 2,2 kgs)
2.6 cm, 39.2 cm, 25.9 cm (2639,73 cm3 / 3,1 kgs)
3.4 cm, 32.3 cm, 25.9 cm (2844,34 cm3 / 2,7 kgs)
4.6 cm, 34.3 cm, 29.5 cm (4654,51 cm3 / 3,04 kgs)

The first one is the 12 inch PowerBook, the second is a 12 inch iBook G4, the third is your current 17inch PowerBook, the fourth (slightly bulkier, but somewhat lighter is a 14 inch iBook and the last (surprise!) is the clamshell - almost as heavy as the 17" PB, but uses almost double the space in your bag.

So do not expect a clamshell to be more portable than your 17" PB. It is not.

RGDS,

MultiFinder17 said:

faster WiFi

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Actually the iBook would likely be unable to connect to WiFi at all, the b card won't connect to more modern networks, but the PowerBook's Airport Extreme card will.

sucramdi said:

Actually the iBook would likely be unable to connect to WiFi at all, the b card won't connect to more modern networks, but the PowerBook's Airport Extreme card will.

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I am connecting to a WiMax modem with my ibook with no issues.

sucramdi said:

Actually the iBook would likely be unable to connect to WiFi at all, the b card won't connect to more modern networks, but the PowerBook's Airport Extreme card will.

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It isn't so much an issue with the wireless networking framework so much as the type of security used. I can use a B iBook G3 with an N network just fine. However, if the iBook was running 10.2 or below, I wouldn't be able to connect, as those systems do not support WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access). Most modern networks will just run at B speeds when a B networked computer is using the network, unless you have a dual band router.