Anyone choosing between an iBook and a PowerBook, consider the operational cost of the notebook compared to performance (i.e. consider the value of your money):
Sure Powerbooks are faster than iBooks, but they are also significantly more expensive. When you buy an iBook, you can on average write it off in about 2 years. When you buy a PowerBook, you will have to keep it for about 3-3,5 years to get the same average cost/year as with the iBook.
A little example: My parents both buy a notebook today. My father buys an iBook, my mother buys a PowerBook. When, after two years my father buys a new iBook, this one is faster than my mothers powerbook that she still has to keep for another year to get the same mileage (money-wise
. After three years she buys her second PowerBook, but one year later my father is already buing his third iBook (and so on). The same comparison goes for the top of the line iBook versus the 12" model. When you buy the low-end model you pay less and can buy a new one more often.
So why is this? the answer is simple: you always pay premium for top-performance. The wisest buy is to buy the simplest model you can afford (not money-wise, but feature/performance wise). Don't get over-excited and over-loaded on features, keep as much money in your pocket as possible and write-off your laptop as quickly as possible. This way you always have the best average price/performance ratio.
so, whenever someone asks me which 'Book to buy, my answer is: buy the slowest, simplest one you can afford. Look closely at your needs, anticipate your future use for the next year and buy an the notebook that suits the job just fine. Then replace it after about 2 years (when resale value is still relatively high) and on average you wil have better performance than when you always buy the fastest machine around but have to keep it for 3-3,5 years to reach the same operational cost.
Sure Powerbooks are faster than iBooks, but they are also significantly more expensive. When you buy an iBook, you can on average write it off in about 2 years. When you buy a PowerBook, you will have to keep it for about 3-3,5 years to get the same average cost/year as with the iBook.
A little example: My parents both buy a notebook today. My father buys an iBook, my mother buys a PowerBook. When, after two years my father buys a new iBook, this one is faster than my mothers powerbook that she still has to keep for another year to get the same mileage (money-wise
. After three years she buys her second PowerBook, but one year later my father is already buing his third iBook (and so on). The same comparison goes for the top of the line iBook versus the 12" model. When you buy the low-end model you pay less and can buy a new one more often.So why is this? the answer is simple: you always pay premium for top-performance. The wisest buy is to buy the simplest model you can afford (not money-wise, but feature/performance wise). Don't get over-excited and over-loaded on features, keep as much money in your pocket as possible and write-off your laptop as quickly as possible. This way you always have the best average price/performance ratio.
so, whenever someone asks me which 'Book to buy, my answer is: buy the slowest, simplest one you can afford. Look closely at your needs, anticipate your future use for the next year and buy an the notebook that suits the job just fine. Then replace it after about 2 years (when resale value is still relatively high) and on average you wil have better performance than when you always buy the fastest machine around but have to keep it for 3-3,5 years to reach the same operational cost.
