15" Albook or PowerMac w/ 23" HD?!? HELP!!

[MUrhino]

Hey everybody. I've got a dilema on my hands. Through the student developer program I can either get a new 15" albook (when it comes out) airport extreme, and a 10gb ipod for around $3000....or I can get a Dual 1.25 PowerMac w/ the beautiful 23" screen for about the same...a little more though. I'm a student at the University of Missouri and have a great deal of trouble making decisions such as this one because both would be great purchases . A laptop would be nice, but I wouldn't take it to class for notes or anything. On the other hand I figure I could save up and buy the 23" later this summer hoping that it may have some tv tuner upgrades put into it by then. I'm not a big developer or anything, but I would like to do some gaming, regular photoshoping, movie watching here and there, office...etc. I would appreciate any input!!...HELP!!!

 

[morlium]

If you're going to go with the PowerMac, I'd up the tower to the 1.42 and lessen the monitor to 20". For what you describe, the 20 is a much better option at $700 less. Check it out at a local computer store - the 20" is a very nice, very large display, with great resolution at a great price. It realy can't be beat, and you can put that money towards the tower.

Also, for what you describe, either the 17" or 15" PowerBook will suffice. (There is really no guarantee that an Al version of the 15" is ever coming out, so I wouldn't necessarily plan on that.) Laptops are nice, even if you're just going from one side of your room to the other. Desktops are nice for expandability.

If you really don't think you're ever going to leave your desk, however, I would definitely get the 1.42 and a 20".

However, whichever you choose, I'm sure you'll be extremely happy for years to come.

 

[.a]

if you buy the powerbook: BE GENTLE TO IT!
i didn't handle my tiBook with care and after two years it's dead... hmmm... if you do not carry it around a lot, then the tiBook is okay - the aluminiumBook will be probably better.
i carried my tiBook almost every day.
now i don't have to anymore. (kind of logical : )

but i would rather go with a new tower.
.a

 

[dongmin]

Re: 15" Albook or PowerMac w/ 23" HD?!? HELP!!

Originally posted by MUrhino
Hey everybody. I've got a dilema on my hands. Through the student developer program I can either get a new 15" albook (when it comes out) airport extreme, and a 10gb ipod for around $3000....or I can get a Dual 1.25 PowerMac w/ the beautiful 23" screen for about the same...a little more though. I'm a student at the University of Missouri and have a great deal of trouble making decisions such as this one because both would be great purchases . A laptop would be nice, but I wouldn't take it to class for notes or anything. On the other hand I figure I could save up and buy the 23" later this summer hoping that it may have some tv tuner upgrades put into it by then. I'm not a big developer or anything, but I would like to do some gaming, regular photoshoping, movie watching here and there, office...etc. I would appreciate any input!!...HELP!!!

Why not the 17" AlBook??? The resolution on those puppies are quite good, 1440x900 (20% more screen space than the 15"). Upgrade to a gig of RAM and add an iPod for $3200 total.

While you may not be toting your computer around to classes everyday, the portability will still come in handy when you go home for winter and summer breaks. I don't know about you, but I moved around a lot during college and the years right after college.

 

[Pablo]

Re: Re: 15" Albook or PowerMac w/ 23" HD?!? HELP!!

Originally posted by dongmin
Upgrade to a gig of RAM and add an iPod for $3200 total.

Where's this? Is it a price from a college bookstore, or is it available elsewhere?

 

[amnesiac1984]

Get a powermac 1.42 with the 20" like morlium said, or get a 1.25 with the 20" and have the ipod too! You could get on eof the new 40 gb if they come out with the money you save on the 20"

 

[yzedf]

If you can, wait for the expected new 15.x" PB before you decide. You might as well know what you are comparing.

As for the desktop, 1.25dual with 20" AND 17" is the way to go, in my opinion. More screen space, and the same cost, compared to 23" display.

Not sure yet if the upgrade price is worth getting the 1.42 over the 1.25...

Whatever you do, this poor bum (me) is jealous!

Good luck

 

[MUrhino]

Re: Re: Re: 15" Albook or PowerMac w/ 23" HD?!? HELP!!

Originally posted by Pablo
Where's this? Is it a price from a college bookstore, or is it available elsewhere?

It's their student developer program. It's only a one-time deal though and I have to pay $100 to join, but I'd save around $500 or so....that's why I'm trying to get a lot of feedback....want to be sure about my purchase.

 

[Pablo]

Gotcha...thanks.

My wife's a teacher, and gets a small discount, but not nearly as attractive as the above quoted prices.

 

[wsteineker]

Alright, here's what I've noticed as a student in a similar position to yours. I do a good amount of Photoshopping, I develop and maintain 3 webpages in Dreamweaver, and am starting to dabble in layout work (InDesign). I play around with games such as Warcraft III and the lot. I'm a movie junkie, too, with about 300 DVDs or so. That said, I think our situations have a lot in common in terms of needs.

I currently have a G4 450 Cube with a 15" Studio LCD, 1.5 GP RAM, 20 GB HD, 32 MB DDR Radeon. Either a new tower or a portable would be a sizeable upgrade, but I have decided on a new 15" AlBook. Here's why.

I have found that being tethered to the desk is, to put it mildly, colossally inconvenient. I work at my desk 5 days out of 7, but those other two are priceless. What if you've got a project due but also want to take a weekend away? What if you are inspired to do some really ggreat stuff on a webpage or a psd and you happen to be away from your desk? What if you simply want to watch a DVD in bed? All of these questions are easily answered by getting a PowerBook.

While I do realize that the naysayers will point to expandability and more overall power for your dollar, I say screw that. I've very happily used my Cube for almost 3 years (more by the time I actually get the new PB), and I haven't upgraded anything but the RAM. It still does everything that Jaguar asks of it without so much as a hiccup. I can have iTunes, Dreamweaver MX, Photoshop 7, and Word going at the same time and it's all rock solid. All that to say that the new PowerBooks should be MORE than enough power for needs like your and mine. All that, and you'll be able to take it anywhere.

 

[WannabeSQ]

You could do what I was thinking of, get an iBook or the 12" powerbook AND a dual 1.25 with a 17" screen, and save up and buy a larger screen later if necessary.

 

[PyroTurtle]

get a powerbook, as a college student, it's really handy...
the best set-up is a powermac and a powerbook, but that's too much money

if you really want to sit at a desk ALL THE TIME, then get the tower, but imagine taking your laptop to the library....and to class....and away with you on the weekends as someone else said....as a student it really is a good deal...and once it's too old, you get a tower and the laptop is still good for reports, worrd processing, e-mail, wirelessly browsing from the couch with your tower as a base station....that's just my thought with looking at the long run

 

[MUrhino]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm thinking of getting the tower now, since summer is approaching, and getting an old ibook later, for presentations, portability, and email.