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Have I done somethign stupid?

M

maracz

macrumors member
Original poster
Have I done something stupid by buying an iBook now when it seems it's due for a new proccessor this summer (Gobbi probably)? I don'treally need Altivec capaibilities. But I'd feel bad if there was like a mjor speed bump and other features added on or a case redesign. What do you think?
 
Well when the new machines come out your machine wont get any slower, and the iBook was just speed bumped so it will be awhile until they update the iBook again. Since the iBook doesn't have airport extreme, my guess is the next iBook update will be a totally new revision.
 
I want to max out my ram and add an airport card and buy other accessories for my iBook. Do you think that's ok? Or should I save that money and ugrade my current iBook to the new ones when the revised ones come out?
 
Get used to it. What you bought today is well antiquated uhmm...today. If you constantly waited for the "next big thing", you'd never have a computer.


-Dual 1Ghz MDD, 2GB Ram, 2x120GB HD, Superdrive/Combo Drive, Nvidia Geforce4Ti 4600, Apple 17" LCD, Klipsch Promedia 4.2+2SWS.

note: the above was purchased just before the markdowns of the Dual 1Ghz and the Apple 17" LCD. @#$*!!!!! See what I mean jelly bean?
 
Originally posted by maracz
I want to max out my ram and add an airport card and buy other accessories for my iBook. Do you think that's ok? Or should I save that money and ugrade my current iBook to the new ones when the revised ones come out?
Click to expand...

hi there,
I just bought an ibook 900 as well. My last computer was an ibook 600 that I got just before the 700 mhz ibooks came out. Yes, that was annoying, but it didn't actually make my ibook any worse. I think that this is a good time to buy an ibook or emac, more so than any other mac computer. That's not only because they are the most recently updated, but also because as the low end machines, they probably will not change much with all these new high powered IBM 970s flying around. 😉

Yes, it's occured to me that summer ibooks will have a gobi processor, but the truth is that this machine is great and I'm really happy with it. You should be happy with yours too... just enjoy it.

Definitely max it out with RAM and other goodies. If and when the Gobi ibooks come out, if you really must have one, those nice things will increase the resale value of this ibook (I sold my 600 and it didn't cost that much more to get this new one) or be transferrable to the new ibook.

Just think to yourself- would you really rather be using your old computer all these months just on the *chance* that Gobi ibooks come out late this summer?
 
Originally posted by QCassidy352
hi there,
I just bought an ibook 900 as well. My last computer was an ibook 600 that I got just before the 700 mhz ibooks came out. Yes, that was annoying, but it didn't actually make my ibook any worse. I think that this is a good time to buy an ibook or emac, more so than any other mac computer. That's not only because they are the most recently updated, but also because as the low end machines, they probably will not change much with all these new high powered IBM 970s flying around. 😉

Yes, it's occured to me that summer ibooks will have a gobi processor, but the truth is that this machine is great and I'm really happy with it. You should be happy with yours too... just enjoy it.

Definitely max it out with RAM and other goodies. If and when the Gobi ibooks come out, if you really must have one, those nice things will increase the resale value of this ibook (I sold my 600 and it didn't cost that much more to get this new one) or be transferrable to the new ibook.

Just think to yourself- would you really rather be using your old computer all these months just on the *chance* that Gobi ibooks come out late this summer?
Click to expand...

But what if the Gobi iBooks wiil have a new case or airport extreme and a better graphics card? Plus rumors are that the low-end Gobi iBook will start at 1.4 GHZ. I'd hate myself for buyign a 800 MHZ when a 1.4 GHZ Altivec enabled iBook coems out mere months after.
 
why did you change from an ibook 600 to an ibook 900? the performance increase is minimal. very minimal.
the only thing significant is the change in video card (and vram)

have you really felt the 900 was a great step forward?
 
Originally posted by melchior
why did you change from an ibook 600 to an ibook 900? the performance increase is minimal. very minimal.
the only thing significant is the change in video card (and vram)

have you really felt the 900 was a great step forward?
Click to expand...

no way is it minimal! Clockspeed 50% increase. 4x the video memory on a better graphics card. 2x the HD space.

The speed difference is really quite impressive. The old one couldn't even run quartz extreme. The entire system is much snappier, and I can run games that would have been crap on a 600 mhz ibook. The minimum recommend processor for imovie is 700 mhz; it was very slow on my old machine.

maracz,
but no matter when you buy, you take the chance that something better will be out soon. It's not even a chance; it's a guarantee. ibooks are on close to a 6 month refresh cycle; you can't go a half year without being out of date!

If the new ones are really that much better, sell this one and pay the difference. But even if they are that much better, do you need what they'll offer? I won't use airport extreme, I like this case, and while better processors and graphics cards can't be bad, this ibook does everything I want, and seems very fast in doing it to me.

I upgraded this time because my old machine no longer did everything I needed it to do, not because I had to have the latest. If you always have to have the latest, be prepared to spend a lot. Otherwise, be happy with your computer until it can't do what you need anymore.
 
Originally posted by maracz
But what if the Gobi iBooks wiil have a new case or airport extreme and a better graphics card? Plus rumors are that the low-end Gobi iBook will start at 1.4 GHZ. I'd hate myself for buyign a 800 MHZ when a 1.4 GHZ Altivec enabled iBook coems out mere months after.
Click to expand...

Well, you can't change it now. Be happy with the 'Book. It'll perform better if it knows you love it. It senses these things, you see.

Dan
 
Originally posted by sparks9
I think it was the right time to buy.
Click to expand...
I disagree completely. Now is a terrible time to buy any Apple portable (or a PowerMac). Arn should really lower the buying reccomendation on the iBook over at the buyer's guide.

I'm waiting for the GOBI iBooks, which shouldn't be too far off (we just need to get the 970 out of the way first).
 
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
(we just need to get the 970 out of the way first).
Click to expand...

I disagree. It would be more accurate to say that we just need to get the 970 in to *powerbooks* first. It's not enough for the 970 to come out- it has to come out *in powerbooks.* Several rumors have suggested that this will not happen until Q1 2004.

I just don't see the Gobi at 1.2-1.4 ghz with a 200 mhz FSB in an ibook while the PBs are stuck with 1-1.2 Ghz G4s. So IMO, the release of Gobi could be quite some time off if the powerbooks don't get 970s right off the bat.
 
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
I disagree completely. Now is a terrible time to buy any Apple portable (or a PowerMac). Arn should really lower the buying reccomendation on the iBook over at the buyer's guide.

I'm waiting for the GOBI iBooks, which shouldn't be too far off (we just need to get the 970 out of the way first).
Click to expand...
Not trying to be an ass or anything, but are you insane? The iBook is an excellent performer and an incredible value. It is, far and away, the best laptop buy on the market today, regardless of platform. Maracz, you did the right thing here. I'd LOVE one of these things, but I have to pay off this 20" Cinema Display first. 😉
 
Originally posted by QCassidy352
I disagree. It would be more accurate to say that we just need to get the 970 in to *powerbooks* first. It's not enough for the 970 to come out- it has to come out *in powerbooks.* Several rumors have suggested that this will not happen until Q1 2004.

I just don't see the Gobi at 1.2-1.4 ghz with a 200 mhz FSB in an ibook while the PBs are stuck with 1-1.2 Ghz G4s. So IMO, the release of Gobi could be quite some time off if the powerbooks don't get 970s right off the bat.
Click to expand...
I believe the reason we haven't seen a 15.4" Powerbook yet is because Apple's planning a major shift to the 970 at WWDC. With that said, I think we'll see GOBI iBooks sometime this summer after the Powerbook release.

As for clock speeds, from what I've heard the 970 will start at 1.4 GHz. This means a 1, 1.1, or 1.2 GHz iBook is very reasonable.
Also, remember that as fast as a 900 MHz G3 is, a 1.x GHz GOBI could be a significantly more powerful processor.
 
Originally posted by wsteineker
Not trying to be an ass or anything, but are you insane? The iBook is an excellent performer and an incredible value. It is, far and away, the best laptop buy on the market today, regardless of platform. Maracz, you did the right thing here. I'd LOVE one of these things, but I have to pay off this 20" Cinema Display first. 😉
Click to expand...
I agree with you. The iBook is Apple's great laptop value, and one of its strongest machines against the PC industry.

The iBook is a great portable for the average user. But, like many people on these forums, I'm a somewhat above average user.

Simply put, I don't want my machine hopelessly outdated in two months (although I'm well aware that my machine will eventually be outdated, it's better later than sooner 😛 ).

maracz: Enjoy your new iBook. I'm sure you'll like it.
 
Originally posted by pyrotoaster
I agree with you. The iBook is Apple's great laptop value, and one of its strongest machines against the PC industry.

The iBook is a great portable for the average user. But, like many people on these forums, I'm a somewhat above average user.

Simply put, I don't want my machine hopelessly outdated in two months (although I'm well aware that my machine will eventually be outdated, it's better later than sooner 😛 ).
Click to expand...
Ok, I'll agree with that. I, too, have more than average needs regarding my computers (web design, print design). That's one reason I chose Apple. I hate the idea that my Dual GHz Quicksilver is already out of date, but it's a fantastic machine that I'm sure I'll get at least two more years out of. That's the point, really. The life cycles of these machines are so much longer than their pc counterparts. I always feel great about buying a new Mac because I know that no matter what comes next I'll get great productivity out of my machine for a long time. 🙂
 
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