College Student: Wait or buy new Mac?

[IEatApples]

Yea I'm going to college this fall

I need some help choosing what to do
I have about $4000$ to spend.

Options are:

1. Buy iMac Now

2. Buy PowerBook Now

3. Wait to buy iMac "soon"???

4. Wait to buy PowerBook "soon"???

And I'm always open for better ideas

[mgargan1]

you could get both. Get a 20" imac, and then a 12" powerbook. You can get a free ipod at the apple store with a purchase. I would buy now... that way you'll get used to everything

[QCassidy352]

There's no real reason to get both. I'd say get the powerbook, and I'd say wait. It's anyone's guess when they will be updated, but they're certainly due. I'm starting law school in late august and I'm looking to buy a 12" PB but I'm holding out.

[IEatApples]

Something needed to be said: I live in Norway = Expensive
(go to apple.no and convert the prices at xe.net - you'll see.)
I do get the educational discount@ (http://store.apple.com/Apple/WebObjects/noInd.woa)

However: Regarding the Powerbook I think it just suck compared to the iMac right now. Oh and I was thinking 15" not the 12" (?to small?).

Right now I'm thinking: 17" iMac (2GHz, 1GB, 250GB) +iSight +iPod 60GB +iWork +Camera? +Printer?

[efoto]

Originally Posted by QCassidy352

There's no real reason to get both. I'd say get the powerbook, and I'd say wait. It's anyone's guess when they will be updated, but they're certainly due. I'm starting law school in late august and I'm looking to buy a 12" PB but I'm holding out.

I can't see them doing much more than simple updates to the PB line before they go over to Intel chips. There isn't much point in dumping a lot of money in the line right before a major change-over. I realize they said they would continue to support PPC products, but I just don't see them developing new stuff much more....

I would say get a PB now, they are great/stable products that will last a long while to come. As someone mentioned, you can snag a free iPod if you act soon too which is always pretty cool

[steve jr.]

I say find a cheap used one on eBay or something that will hold you over until the intel macs come out. This way, you are not without, but you aren't spending an arm and a leg to get something that will be hugely replaced in 1 -2 years.

I like the 15'' PB idea. That is what I am going to get. 12'' is too small for me, and 17'' is way too big. I'm a small kid, and 15 is just right. And it is portable, so you can use it anywhere. (Get an iSight too) Just be sure you keep it locked up or under close eye so it doesn't get stolen.

- Steve

[wdlove]

If you are interested in the iMac, then go ahead and purchase now. They were recently updated, chances are it will be a while till another update. maybe not until Intel. That way you will have time to enjoy your new Mac.

[Heb1228]

I'm in school now and this is my first laptop, and my advice is that a laptop is WAY better to have when your going to college since you can take it to class or the library or to a coffee shop to write papers.

You'll take a cut in performance with a PB vs. an iMac G5, but being the school the portability will be more than worth it.

And Intel Macs are not going to mean a new PB is going to obselete in a year. It'll be at least three years before companies stop making universal binaries and by then a laptop is old enough it has a hard time running the newest apps anyway.

[Demon Hunter]

Life is too short. Get it now and don't look back.

[IEatApples]

Thanks for the tips , but I have a friend in college who bought a new portable (crappy pc), and he told me that having a portable for school is not as nessesary as you would think. He advised me to get the iMAC now.

If any of you out there have an opinion about this, please tell me.

[steve jr.]

Yeah, with the iMac, it's a good computer, but how often are you in your dorm/room? If someone figured out how to get in (or it could be a roommate too), they could take it and you not know about it until much later in the evening. Then it would be almost impossible to find it. With a portable, you still have the theft factor, but it's always (well, almost always) with you. And if need be, you could lock it in a drawer or hide it somewhere. Hope this helps. Go with a lightly used 15 PowerBook

[efoto]

Originally Posted by IEatApples

Thanks for the tips , but I have a friend in college who bought a new portable (crappy pc), and he told me that having a portable for school is not as nessesary as you would think. He advised me to get the iMAC now.

If any of you out there have an opinion about this, please tell me.

I have a 12" PB and a pc at school, and I easily use the PB more. I have both hooked into a 20" LCD but the PB gets taken with me most everywhere I go, the pc just sits in the corner and serves music and stores stuff....occasionally plays a game, but honestly it just sits there.

Depending on what your area of study is, if you have decided yet, you may or may not want/need a portable, but either way you can't be the fact that with the laptop you could have a computer with you at all times, if you like that.