Help me decide what to purchase: iBook or Mac Mini

I'd go for the iBook. I have both a PowerBook and a windows/linux desktop, and I almost never use the desktop. Actually, the only thing I use my desktop for is plugging the monitor and speakers into the PowerBook when I'm doing design. At home, I would barely ever use our family's iMacs, because why would you want to sit up straight in a chair when you can lounge on the sofa, watch tv, and im over a wireless network? The notebook is a godsend when I type up papers, I've spent more than my fair share of time at the school's library or at Starbucks working on papers.

You can always buy a monitor for an iBook (although you have to use a hack if you want the monitor to be set at a different resolution), and you'd be much more satisfied with it.

As for the battery cons, I usually keep mine plugged into the wall when I'm home, and let it drain at school. If the battery stops holding a charge in a couple years, a new battery isn't too big an expense.

Happy shopping!

In my opinion Id get the Ibook. Check the facts

1. specs are very close
2. Neither one is a gaming machine

So portability makes the ibook a little bit better. Plus when i use skype with my bluetooth headset from a friends wifi they drool.

You can't beat the portableness of the iBook, hands down what i would go for between the two. Your not gonna lose any speed and as you even stated you can expand the ram further which is often the easiest/cheapest way to speed your Apple.

Did i mention it's portable?

i'd suggest getting a ibook, its awesome and comes with everything, BT Airport Extreme, Superdrive, and also its got a max memory of 1.5gb. If you have the money get an ibook, its better than the mini except for the 5400rpm HD.

if you need portability the ibook is the way to go. I also reccomend getting more HD space.

Get the iBook, you'll regret not having portability otherwise. The latest revision iBooks are sweet indeed.

As for the battery 6 hours is plenty good, heck if you really need to just buy an extra one later down the track as a spare.

another vote for ibook

Youll love that ibook

slooksterPSV said:

I do love the ibook I have right now, so that iBook would be like love x Apple which doesn't even comprehend

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u mean you love the laptop you have right now? Or do you have one of the older ibooks

Upgrade the harddrive to at least 60 gigs. 80 is better yet. when I got my ibook last week I was grateful for my 60 gig hard drive. The OS takes about 20 gigs so it left me with about 40.

Why not consider an iMac?

If portability is not a critical factor, and apparently it isn't, as you mention being willing to go with a Mac Mini and a monitor, etc., then why not consider a G5 iMac? This would give you the faster G5 processor and also the ability to max it out to 2 GB RAM, which is more than you can do with either the Mac Mini or the current crop of Power Books... With the recent announcement of new versions, you can get a Rev B G5 iMac for a few hundred dollars less than you could a couple of weeks ago.

Definitely hold off until this coming week's announcements to see what you'll be able to get in the way of a Power Book once the new versions are available. At that point you might choose to take advantage of reduced prices on the current models as the store clears out its inventory in preparation for whatever the new models will be, or you might want to just jump at the new offerings....

Good luck in making your decision!

OTB no more, instead a happy Mac Newbie!

When you delete all the unnececary apps and bits you can get the OS down to taking only 6gb of space, this is after deleting iDVD,Garageband and a few other apps....

I would have gotten the 60gb HD if i had done BTO, but as i bought in store due to a time constraint as i couldnt afford to wait 2 weeks for the BTO to arrive....

Anyway the 40gb is enough as its not my main computer, but if i were using it as my main setup i would certainly upgrade the storage space,

Shadow

Oh and BTW as i haver both a mac mini and an iBook, from my personal experience if i had to ditch one it would be the mini, the iBook is a nicer overall machine and its portability is the main bonus.....

iBook!!!

I just got a 14" ibook two weeks ago and I love it! The white shell is beautiful (and doesn't show dirt/fingerprints like I thought it would) and everyone I've shown it to has acquired highly contagious ibook-envy.

I used to own an iMac but then switched to a powerbook and then most recently an ibook. I love the portability and I don't think I'd ever go back to sitting at a desk. A downside though is the possibility of losing it or dropping it, but if you get Apple Care (and/or maybe even a small insurance policy) then that won't matter. Also, you mentioned something about BT keyboard and mouse--you could still hook that up with an ibook if you prefer since ibook has bluetooth built in.

I have to agree though with someone else that the new iMacs are pretty amazing. If you don't care that much about portability then check those out. That new iMac is the first time in years I've even considered ever switching to a non-laptop.

My vote is still iBook, but check out apple's imacs before ordering.

Thanks for convincing me to get an iBook guys..

WAIT hold the press


buy a mac mini

that way if u have an lcd tv, you can make it anysoze you like and it will work great, ive had mine on a 43 inch pioneer plasma, dont tell me they make an imac that big

but you should realy get a power book, an add an external monitor and use wireless key board and mouse

and when you like take it with you

that more powerfull than any of the mini or "i" systems

also you can have duel screening so some images on 1 screen and some on another

I have a mini and also had a g3 iBook, but I found that I don't use or need a laptop, mostly because I hate the small keyboard and mouse/trackpad, and because of the battery; I usually ended up keeping the thing plugged in even on the couch, so what is the point? Laptops are never as portable in reality as I would like them to be. I sold my iBook and kept the mini, which is infinitely better for my kind of use. I know I'm in the minority here, but I vote for the mini!

danny_w said:

I have a mini and also had a g3 iBook, but I found that I don't use or need a laptop, mostly because I hate the small keyboard and mouse/trackpad, and because of the battery; I usually ended up keeping the thing plugged in even on the couch, so what is the point? Laptops are never as portable in reality as I would like them to be. I sold my iBook and kept the mini, which is infinitely better for my kind of use. I know I'm in the minority here, but I vote for the mini!

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im with you on the mini, which is what i have, the possabilitys are endless and no that wasnt a quote.

i was only suguesting a powerbook because it is so much more, its like buying a small portable powermac, personly im gonna have both (when i ca afford a PB) and use it a great deal more then