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12 inch Ibook or 12 inch Powerbook

B

bob909bob

macrumors member
Original poster
Well this is what I am looking for in a laptop. I want something with 64 mb video memory and good quilty screen. It will be used for photos, music, email, word processing, and also some gaming (that's why I need 64mb vid mem).

Obviously the current Ibooks don't meet my video card needs and now with the new 12 inch PB with HD I was wondering if I should wait till the next Ibook update or get the PB ASAP.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong but I dont think the iBooks are gonna get updated until Mactel and the 12" PB is not HD yet but sure it should play some games.
If 64MB GPU is your priority, I'd say get the PB now.
 
I'll be the first to say it:

If you need it now, buy it. Otherwise, wait a little longer, and buy it when they are a little better. Both were updated relatively recently, so you've got some waiting to do if you choose to.
 
Lucky8 said:
Correct me if I'm wrong but I dont think the iBooks are gonna get updated until Mactel and the 12" PB is not HD yet but sure it should play some games.
If 64MB GPU is your priority, I'd say get the PB now.
Click to expand...

I'm not saying your wrong but where did you hear that at???
 
bob909bob said:
I'm not saying your wrong but where did you hear that at???
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if anyone knows anything concrete, but it just make sense. The iBooks were updated in the summer, not too long ago, so they're not expecting any updates very soon. Yes, it is a full year between this past summer and next summer, when Mactels were promised buy, but knowing Steve, we could see them next spring. The first candidates are the iBooks and minis, with more pro machines released later.

Regardless, the iBooks are in good shape. Any healthy updates to them would put them very near the 12'' pbook, which shouldn't make a lot of sense given the price gap. Get an iBook now if the usage isn't too intense, get a pBook otherwise. The iBook is obviously a better deal for the price, no doubt, but don't worry about that. If you need the vram, get that pbook and be happy. 🙂
 
YOu're not going to see a 12" iBook because they can't even update the 12" PB. Neither of them are High Def (HD), and neither of them are going to be great for gaming unless you're playing one of the good ports that have been proven to work well on Macs.

I say get the 12" PB, although I don't think it's worth it unless you game often enough.
 
I have never understood the large price gap between a 12" iBook and Powerbook. The specs are so close and yet the prices are so far away.
 
I say get the iBook....it's cheaper and you can throw in more ram. Forget about gaming on the PB...if you think you're gonna be getting a whole performance boost out of gaming on it instead of the iB you're kidding yourself. The performance difference will be negliglble. Mark my words...the 12" powerbook is not going to see another update. If anything it will be replaced by a 13 inch widescreen when they go intel. Just use the cash you save and buy an xbox360 or a PS3.
 
EricNau said:
I have never understood the large price gap between a 12" iBook and Powerbook. The specs are so close and yet the prices are so far away.
Click to expand...

Ha.

1. 64mb vs. 32mb video
2. faster system bus
3. ultra ata hard drives (not that this makes a huge difference)
4. 5400 rpm hard drives
5. support for external displays (who really wants to hack an ibook and connect it to an ALUMINIUM display?)
6. dvi support (this could go under video, but o well..)
7. audio-in
8. size, 12" pb is 20% smaller
9. lighter
10. "power" vs. "i"

Realistically, there really isn't too much difference. but i believe its safe to say that seperating the pro and consumer lines is best done by price, and apple has shown that.
 
same boat as you.. at our university.. the price difference is a lot smaller.
950 for the ibook and 1199 for the powerbook (cdrom version) or 1299 for the superdrive version.

So for me at least, It's worth getting the powerbook, because I can't live with a 40gb hd. If you can afford it get the best you can get. If moneys tight the choice is obvious. ibook
 
Anawrahta said:
I say get the iBook....it's cheaper and you can throw in more ram. Forget about gaming on the PB...if you think you're gonna be getting a whole performance boost out of gaming on it instead of the iB you're kidding yourself. The performance difference will be negliglble. Mark my words...the 12" powerbook is not going to see another update. If anything it will be replaced by a 13 inch widescreen when they go intel. Just use the cash you save and buy an xbox360 or a PS3.
Click to expand...


Goodpoint about getting the xbox 360 or PS 3 with the extra money. They'll both be better for gaming than the ibook or the powerbok.
 
aesth3tic said:
Ha.

1. 64mb vs. 32mb video
2. faster system bus
3. ultra ata hard drives (not that this makes a huge difference)
4. 5400 rpm hard drives
5. support for external displays (who really wants to hack an ibook and connect it to an ALUMINIUM display?)
6. dvi support (this could go under video, but o well..)
7. audio-in
8. size, 12" pb is 20% smaller
9. lighter
10. "power" vs. "i"

Realistically, there really isn't too much difference. but i believe its safe to say that seperating the pro and consumer lines is best done by price, and apple has shown that.
Click to expand...
Those are great points, I've owned and used both 12" 1.33GHz PB and iBook... These are my points:

1. iBook is hardier
2. iBook has better wi-fi reception (I can get full reception while my PB in
the exact same location struggles to get 1 or 2 bars).
3. iBook gets MUCH better battery life (AE off, BT off, using ONLY MS word,
the PB gets around 4ish hours, the iBook around 6.
4. iBook runs much cooler to the touch-- the PB would get uncomfortable to
touch at all.
5. the iBook is MUCH cheaper
6. the iBook's weight and size difference is not very noticeable as a student
carrying it in a backpack.
7. the iBook matches my iMac and white nano. 😛
8. iBook is much cheaper.
 
When I took a test drive of the 12" iBook and 12" Powerbook this morning, I noticed that the Powerbook has a lot more travel in the keyboard and, as a fast touch typist, I consider this to be a definite advantage. In the end, though, I went with the iBook because I'm generally only using my machine for basic Internet/iTunes/iPhoto tasks, and I'm on a tight budget.
 
Alasta said:
When I took a test drive of the 12" iBook and 12" Powerbook this morning, I noticed that the Powerbook has a lot more travel in the keyboard and, as a fast touch typist, I consider this to be a definite advantage. In the end, though, I went with the iBook because I'm generally only using my machine for basic Internet/iTunes/iPhoto tasks, and I'm on a tight budget.
Click to expand...
What do you mean by "travel" in the keyboard?
Can you teach me to type? 🙂
 
aesth3tic said:
Ha.

1. 64mb vs. 32mb video
2. faster system bus
3. ultra ata hard drives (not that this makes a huge difference)
4. 5400 rpm hard drives
5. support for external displays (who really wants to hack an ibook and connect it to an ALUMINIUM display?)
6. dvi support (this could go under video, but o well..)
7. audio-in
8. size, 12" pb is 20% smaller
9. lighter
10. "power" vs. "i"

Realistically, there really isn't too much difference. but i believe its safe to say that seperating the pro and consumer lines is best done by price, and apple has shown that.
Click to expand...

iBook GPU is alot faster than PowerBook's...
 
devilot76 said:
Those are great points, I've owned and used both 12" 1.33GHz PB and iBook... These are my points:
Click to expand...

And let me add: although the ibook has 32 VRAM, the 9550 is a lot better than the 5200go in the powerbook, so I wouldn't even say that the PB has a better video card. And, the ibook has 512 RAM on board, while the powerbook still has 256. Really, the difference in specs is laughable now.
 
I have the same problem but I have decided to go for the PB mainly because i need the integrated superdrive. My first Mac!!!!! but if you dont need to burn dvds than these two are basically the same machine, so if you dont need the dvd go for the ibook.
 
Alasta said:
When I took a test drive of the 12" iBook and 12" Powerbook this morning, I noticed that the Powerbook has a lot more travel in the keyboard and, as a fast touch typist, I consider this to be a definite advantage. In the end, though, I went with the iBook because I'm generally only using my machine for basic Internet/iTunes/iPhoto tasks, and I'm on a tight budget.
Click to expand...

IMO the keyboard is really the only thing the powerbook has going for it. Less heat, more durable, longer battery life, better WiFi reception - these are the things that make a truly portable computer functional! Yes, the iBook a 1/4 lb heavier and a little chunkier, but it's hardly noticeable. And finally, yes you can get superdrive in the powerbook, but i think most people who are gonna be editing/burning movies are gonna go for a 15"+ laptop.

I'm sitting here with my ibook connected to my 17" VGA monitor, typing on apple's lovely bluetooth keyboard and I'm also sitting on the $500 i saved. It's cushy.

Edit: Wowsers! you can edit now right in the forum??? That's really nice. Is this a result of the updating that was going on earlier?
 
Who knows what model Matshita Panasonic superdrive comes in the Powerbooks now? If you have a PB, the drive's number should show up in About This Mac specs.
 
aesth3tic said:
Ha.

1. 64mb vs. 32mb video
2. faster system bus
3. ultra ata hard drives (not that this makes a huge difference)
4. 5400 rpm hard drives
5. support for external displays (who really wants to hack an ibook and connect it to an ALUMINIUM display?)
6. dvi support (this could go under video, but o well..)
7. audio-in
8. size, 12" pb is 20% smaller
9. lighter
10. "power" vs. "i"
Click to expand...


Ha.
1. 64mb vs. 32mb video
•Forget to mention that the iBook has a better graphics card?
2. faster system bus
•An advantage to the PowerBooks.
3. ultra ata hard drives (not that this makes a huge difference)
•I don't think there would be a difference at all. 0% gain IMO.
4. 5400 rpm hard drives
•This is a strong point, but not worth almost $500
5. support for external displays (who really wants to hack an ibook and connect it to an ALUMINIUM display?)
•That is there opinion to do so - all people are different.
6. dvi support (this could go under video, but o well..)
•Another strong point.
7. audio-in
•Buy an iMic...better 😉
8. size, 12" pb is 20% smaller
•OMG the iBook is tiny!!! I don't think this should be a deciding point unless you *need* to have an extremley small notebook.
9. lighter
•OMG the iBook is like a peice of paper!!!
10. "power" vs. "i"
•No.

On the other hand...

1. iBook is hardier
•True... the PowerBooks dent and warp easy.
2. iBook has better wi-fi reception (I can get full reception while my PB in
the exact same location struggles to get 1 or 2 bars).
•Strong point of iBook
3. iBook gets MUCH better battery life (AE off, BT off, using ONLY MS word,
the PB gets around 4ish hours, the iBook around 6.
•Another strong point
4. iBook runs much cooler to the touch-- the PB would get uncomfortable to
touch at all.
•And another strong point
6. the iBook's weight and size difference is not very noticeable as a student
carrying it in a backpack.
•They are both extremely light
7. the iBook matches my iMac and white nano.
•Yet another strong point
8. iBook is much cheaper.
•$500 in difference ($999 compared to $1,499)
One thing not mentioned here is that the iBooks are extremely vulnerable to scratches. I'd rather have a scratched up notebook then a dented and warped one.

I'd go iBook.



😛
 
go ibook AND imac.

i was, as many before have mentioned, very disappointed with the latest snub of the 12-inch powerbook.

i decided to go with the ibook based on price alone and am looking at adding the new imac as well.

btw, the latest ibook appears to be $799 in the refurbished section right now on apple.com.

at that price, seems like its waiting at the altar to be paired with a brand new imac, don't you think?
 
coal said:
i was, as many before have mentioned, very disappointed with the latest snub of the 12-inch powerbook.

i decided to go with the ibook based on price alone and am looking at adding the new imac as well.

btw, the latest ibook appears to be $799 in the refurbished section right now on apple.com.

at that price, seems like its waiting at the altar to be paired with a brand new imac, don't you think?
Click to expand...

Even with that $799 price tag on the iBook, couldn't money be a big issue? I mean if you wanna spend $1,299 + $799 = $2,098 - go ahead, that'll be a sweet setup.

I'd just go iBook and if you have to have a desktop, get a refurb eMac.
 
lilstewart92 said:
Even with that $799 price tag on the iBook, couldn't money be a big issue? I mean if you wanna spend $1,299 + $799 = $2,098 - go ahead, that'll be a sweet setup.

I'd just go iBook and if you have to have a desktop, get a refurb eMac.
Click to expand...


you're absolutely right, sir.

i think my reply would have been much more appropriate in any one of the 15 inch powerbook purchasing advice threads 😉

again though, go with the ibook.
 
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