For owners of the 12" Powerbook, what reasons are you keeping it? (or not trading for a MBP or MB?)
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Why keep your 12" Powerbook?
- Thread starter princealfie
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The only reason I am writing this on my new MBP is because my 12" PB died and would have been too expensive to fix (logic board). I'd have used her for years. Great machine. My initial attraction to the 12" was the mix of power and portability, BUT it dying was actually the best thing that ever happened. Although I was loyal to the size of the 12" G4, I am absolutely in love with my MBP's 15" screen, illuminated keyboard and blazing speed. It's a jump I would have never made if the 12" was still alive, but from death comes life and this sexy beast rocks!!! I feel like I'm carrying just a tad bit more and when I work on it I feel like I have a sleek command centre at my fingertips. This is the best machine I have ever owned.
When i was looking at the powerbook line going to college last year the 12" packed a good amount of features into a small for factor. the form factor was important because space is limited especially in lecture halls and on desks when you have a lot of books out or just crap from the stuff in your dorm. it is very portable and a very decent if not powerful computer. The 13" MB honestly would be nice because my sister got one for christmas and i do notice a big difference and the form factor/featers (ishight and magsafe) are great, but my gripe is the keyboard layout which i find to be a little on the awkward side. the 12" has served me well and a i hope it continues to do so. it is pretty perfect for basic computer functions, dvd player, tv, and light music/video/photo editing.
I have a 12" iBook and not a powerbook, but for me...
1) Weight and size vs. new models available... I've bitched enough about that.
2) I go through phases, and right now, I'm in a phase of liking to use my iMac... so I don't have as much notebook lust, because I use my iBook less and I just use it for Firefox/Adium when I do use it.
3) It got a new battery in the recall, which was really the only part of it that had deteriorated over time.
4) Just waitin' for Leopard and Vista to be officially released....
1) Weight and size vs. new models available... I've bitched enough about that.
2) I go through phases, and right now, I'm in a phase of liking to use my iMac... so I don't have as much notebook lust, because I use my iBook less and I just use it for Firefox/Adium when I do use it.
3) It got a new battery in the recall, which was really the only part of it that had deteriorated over time.
4) Just waitin' for Leopard and Vista to be officially released....
My 12 inch Powerbook can still do all I need it to do. My G4 MDD does the heavy photo and scanning work. Would love to get a new MacBook or MBP but there are lots of other toys that I want also.
Will replace my Powerbook in the next 12-24 months. Lets see what MacWorld expo brings us.
Will replace my Powerbook in the next 12-24 months. Lets see what MacWorld expo brings us.
The MacBook would be a perfectly fine size for me if only it had a discrete GPU. I need something that can match my iMac in everything but hard drive access times.
I keep mine because of its form factor and decent performance for a G4-equipped notebook. My 12" PB still has 1.5 year worth of Applecare left. So, it something goes wrong, at least I have a warranty to fall back on. Because of its svelte aluminum casing, it does not look outdated compared to newer notebooks. I think PowerBook and MacBook Pro models age very well compared to Window-based notebooks.
Powerbooks are sick. I have a 15 inch MBP and the only powerbook I like is the 12 inch, so small and sleek.
IMO it is the nicest looking laptop ever made. I love how the keyboard goes from one side to the other. It looks so solid and perfect.
The form factor and feel of the 12" PB is so good that I have resisted upgrading - the Macbook doesn't seem as solid as the PB, and I don't care for the plastic, and the 15" MBP seems like a monster compared to the 12".
On the other hand, my 12" PB has always had heat/fan issues, which unfortunately seem to be carried over to both the MB and MBP.
On the other hand, my 12" PB has always had heat/fan issues, which unfortunately seem to be carried over to both the MB and MBP.
Apple doesn't offer me a direct upgrade from the 12" PB. I have to go up to a larger screen and heavier machine. I also won't touch a Glossy screen so the minimum I can upgrade to is a 15".
Yes I must agree the 1 GHz is starting to show age, but the things I do on it have not really changed so its not a big deal. Compared to the MacBook and MacBook Pro I love the way my PowerBook looks a friend of mine has a MacBook Pro and him and I were trading some music and my PowerBook looked so small next to it yet they look alike so it makes my PowerBook look like its not really as old as it really is. I love the little thing, if I only had a new battery.
Simply cause there is no real reason for me to upgrade right now?
1.5ghz g4 is plenty for me, and will be for quite some time.
I've played around with the new macbooks, and there nice, but i love the look of the Al, and feel the powerbook has the best keyboard my fingers have ever touched! The mbp is a little to much in terms of $$$, and i'm not sure if i really want a 15inch laptop.
I'll upgrade it probally when i graduate college, sometime in 2009, when i have the funds and apple has a better re-design for the macbook.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that i also use the Notebook MS Word feature alot, and well MS + Rosseta=sucky! When i was playing around with it, it felt slower than my g4 powerbook... it also seems that alot of MB's are suffering from quality issues, moreso than the 12inch powerbooks...
1.5ghz g4 is plenty for me, and will be for quite some time.
I've played around with the new macbooks, and there nice, but i love the look of the Al, and feel the powerbook has the best keyboard my fingers have ever touched! The mbp is a little to much in terms of $$$, and i'm not sure if i really want a 15inch laptop.
I'll upgrade it probally when i graduate college, sometime in 2009, when i have the funds and apple has a better re-design for the macbook.
EDIT: I forgot to mention that i also use the Notebook MS Word feature alot, and well MS + Rosseta=sucky! When i was playing around with it, it felt slower than my g4 powerbook... it also seems that alot of MB's are suffering from quality issues, moreso than the 12inch powerbooks...
Because it is soooooo neat.
p.s.
Of course it still does the job it was designed to do.
Had to replace the battery about a year ago.
FJ
p.s.
Of course it still does the job it was designed to do.
Had to replace the battery about a year ago.
FJ
I had a 12 inch ibook for the longest time, it was my only computer. And i loved the portability. But my 15 inch is just as portable for my needs (taking it to the library to study, on planes, ect) and i will not go back to a 12 inch. I love the extra screen space and in my opinion its just as portable.
Size. Macbook feels to big compared to my little baby. Its like a light textbook. Its perfect to carry around. Plus it had plenty of power since I dont do anything Pro. Why upgrade when you cant get anything so small, and the Intel chip is the best u can get to upgrade. Not much in my opinion for thousand to upgrade.
Agreed. I bring my PB 12" 867mhz pretty much everywhere I go. I plan to swap out the 60gb hard drive with a flash drive actually to extend the battery life.
I have fond memories of my 12" PB
But alas, she has passed. On to computer heaven...EBAY as parts. Due to an incident with a cat, my beloved 12" PB suffered an early death. I hadn't even thought of an upgrade because she was as stable as a Pack Mule and light as a feather. She did everything I demanded of her and was always there for me. After the incident, and a short mourning period, I found a great deal on a 15" MBP in the Apple Refurb bin. I gotta say, this is one sweet maching. It was like trading in a Camaro Z28 for a Vette. The glossy screen was a nice added touch too. I know they cost a bit more, but it seems worth it to me.
But alas, she has passed. On to computer heaven...EBAY as parts. Due to an incident with a cat, my beloved 12" PB suffered an early death. I hadn't even thought of an upgrade because she was as stable as a Pack Mule and light as a feather. She did everything I demanded of her and was always there for me. After the incident, and a short mourning period, I found a great deal on a 15" MBP in the Apple Refurb bin. I gotta say, this is one sweet maching. It was like trading in a Camaro Z28 for a Vette. The glossy screen was a nice added touch too. I know they cost a bit more, but it seems worth it to me.
It still works
I still work with my 12" PB because it still has the reasons I bought it for: It's small and powerfull. I didn't even buy it because it was a Mac: I needed a small, portable computer for on the road. OS X would be fun to try, at home where the serious work is done I would still have a fully equipped desktop.
Needles to say, after a month or so I hardly ever used my desktop and was working on the PowerBook (with an external screen, granted) all the time. And now I'm finally looking for a replacement. Not for the PowerBook, which will remain my trusted travel-companion since there is nothing equally small and light available, and it still feels powerfull enough. But my dust-collecting desktop will be replaced, and it will be replaced with a brand new iMac. Yes, I'm addicted now
I still work with my 12" PB because it still has the reasons I bought it for: It's small and powerfull. I didn't even buy it because it was a Mac: I needed a small, portable computer for on the road. OS X would be fun to try, at home where the serious work is done I would still have a fully equipped desktop.
Needles to say, after a month or so I hardly ever used my desktop and was working on the PowerBook (with an external screen, granted) all the time. And now I'm finally looking for a replacement. Not for the PowerBook, which will remain my trusted travel-companion since there is nothing equally small and light available, and it still feels powerfull enough. But my dust-collecting desktop will be replaced, and it will be replaced with a brand new iMac. Yes, I'm addicted now
I've got a 12'' iBook and I plan to keep it for a while. I don't really do much on it(FireFox, Pages) so its fast enough, and 12'' is a perfect size.
Not to mention I don't have the $$ for a MacBook
I plan to upgrade my Mac Mini before I do my iBook
Not to mention I don't have the $$ for a MacBook
I plan to upgrade my Mac Mini before I do my iBook