Help me decide, please!

[motherduce]

I have been looking into an Apple laptop for a while. Decided on the 12" iBook for now, but unsure of how to go about getting it.

The best two options I've found is one of the following...

OPTION 1
refurbished from the Apple store at $799, with tax is basically $850. Then I'd upgrade the memory ($100), buy a sleeve and carrying case ($50+), and probably a portable laptop mouse ($30+), bringing my total to around $1050 total with tax/shipping.

OPTION 2
New from MacMall, where I can get new iBook, 512 RAM upgrade, 4x5 Wacom Graphire3, Canon All in One Printer, Bag/Sleeve, and a Logitech Keyboard and Mouse combo for $1052 after rebates (I'd have to pay about $1350 up front).

-----
or should I go with OPTION 3 and wait 2-3 more months to see if prices drop across the board (something I don't know will happen, seeing as how the seemingly decades old 12" powerbook is still at an ungodly high price).

I'm not sure of the quality, reliability of MacMall and their rebates. Anyone had good/bad experience???

Anyhow, wanted to throw this out there, and see what you all had to say...

Cheers,
MD

 

[powerbook911]

Well, if you really want it to be *new* then I'd suggest Amazon.

$899, after $100 rebate. Plus, if you sign up for Amazon.com and A9.cm and use A9.com a few days, they'll give you a 1.57 percent discount, so that would take another $15 or so off. You get free ground ship, or they might offer you during checkout a few *trial* to Amazon Prime, and then you could get free 2-day ship.

Just my thoughts.

As for waiting, if you wait then you might as well wait for a MacBook.

 

[devilot]

Well, if you really want it to be *new* then I'd suggest Amazon.

That's what I would recommend as well. Free shipping, no tax, and if you wait a bit, Amazon lets the price on the iBook drop to $899-$100 rebate! That is a good deal.

 

[motherduce]

Well, if you really want it to be *new* then I'd suggest Amazon.

$899, after $100 rebate. Plus, if you sign up for Amazon.com and A9.cm and use A9.com a few days, they'll give you a 1.57 percent discount, so that would take another $15 or so off. You get free ground ship, or they might offer you during checkout a few *trial* to Amazon Prime, and then you could get free 2-day ship.

Just my thoughts.

As for waiting, if you wait then you might as well wait for a MacBook.

The cheaper option would be the refurbished here. It's $864 with free shipping, so Amazon is not an option until they drop to $799 with no tax.

 

[miloblithe]

I'm one of those waiting-obsessed types, so I'd be wary of buying at a time when the iBook hasn't been updated in 6 months and the PowerBooks haven't been updated for 4 months. On the other hand, Apple so far seems happy enough having overlapping lines without dropping prices on older PPC machines, and my understanding is that there's no chip they want to book in the cheaper MacBook until the summer?

 

[motherduce]

I'm one of those waiting-obsessed types, so I'd be wary of buying at a time when the iBook hasn't been updated in 6 months and the PowerBooks haven't been updated for 4 months. On the other hand, Apple so far seems happy enough having overlapping lines without dropping prices on older PPC machines, and my understanding is that there's no chip they want to book in the cheaper MacBook until the summer?

Yeah, I've been waiting for a while, but you're right Apple doesn't seem to drop their prices. Heck, they're charging almost as much for a refurbished powerbook as it costs for a brand new macbook pro! Insane.

That's why I'm thinking if I get it now, I doubt I'll lose much money on the deal unless somehow they comeout with a faster G4 iBook before releasing the Intel version.

 

[crazydreaming]

My advice?

As a former iBook 12" owner, spend the extra ~$200 and get this 12" Powerbook for $1089 1.5ghz, 60GB, combo, free 3-day shipping

top of this page: http://dealmac.com/

 

[motherduce]

My advice?

As a former iBook 12" owner, spend the extra ~$200 and get this 12" Powerbook for $1089 1.5ghz, 60GB, combo, free 3-day shipping

top of this page: http://dealmac.com/

Why? I had a 15" powerbook that I had to return because of the screen. This rev of powerbooks also has a sound issue that Apple is ignoring, not to mention from everything I've read the iBook has better WIFI reception and is more durable.

 

[crazydreaming]

Why? I had a 15" powerbook that I had to return because of the screen. This rev of powerbooks also has a sound issue that Apple is ignoring, not to mention from everything I've read the iBook has better WIFI reception and is more durable.

I haven't heard any major problems with the latest 12" iBook, that model hardly changed. I'm the owner of a 15" rev. D Powerbook w/no problems and the difference between that and my old iBook is night and day.

-Sleeker
-Lighter
-Slightly smaller
-Bluetooth
-Faster
-Slightly better screen (arguable)
-MUCH better keyboard
-Audio In
-I like how they don't stain and get dirty like the iBooks
-bigger hard drive?
-Superdrive option
-good resale value


It's up to you, but I seriously wish I would have spent the extra money to get a Powerbook instead of iBook after I bought the iBook. Plus, when I bought my iBook it was a $400 difference between that and the powerbook, now it's only ~$200...

Don't get me wrong, the iBooks are great machines, and you'll be happy, but you just may be happier with the Powerbook.

 

[motherduce]

-Sleeker
-Lighter
-Slightly smaller
-Bluetooth
-Faster
-Slightly better screen (arguable)
-MUCH better keyboard
-Audio In
-I like how they don't stain and get dirty like the iBooks
-bigger hard drive?
-Superdrive option
-good resale value

The iBook has bluetooth as well, and I don't know about the powerbook having a better resale, because the 12" powerbooks are severely outdated technology (by computer standards) and of course the new macbook pros are here already.

Now, all of this argument is nice, but I've read all the powerbook vs iBook arguments already. This thread was about MacMall vs Apple Refurb for a 12" iBook 1.33 plus accessories. So far I've gotten a powerbook vs ibook argument and a couple people telling me to go to Amazon, which makes no sense based on my original post.

If I go Apple Store, I have to buy all the accessories myself (more customization, get what I want, but pay more). MacMall has a bunch of crap available for FAR, but it may be just that, crap. Has anyone used MacMall and been satisfied? Is the memory they install decent?

 

[motherduce]

Anybody with MacMall experience?

 

[motherduce]

bumping this, anyone help me out here?