ibook or centrino

[nikeballa09]

I will be purchasing a new laptop soon because college is gonna start on sept 23. i would just like some buying advice. i have been reading threads on macrumors for some time now and i encountered one about the centrino processors being a lot better then the G4. this week comp usa has a very good deal on a toshiba with a bundle including scanner, printer, wireless router, and some other nice things for $1049. I am really thinking about buying this pc laptop, but i also wouldnt mind an ibook. The only thing is that with the i book i will be paying more money for a machine with older and more out dated technology. so i would like some advice on why i should get the ibook over the centrino based laptop.

Thank you very much!

 

[JFreak]

get the ibook and don't believe the centrino hype. all intel has "innovated" is put a wireless chipset into the motherboard, the technology which apple has by the way used since 1998 and is called the airport. sure, pentium-M might be faster number cruncher, but does that matter to you that much? you can get more real-world work done with the ibook, which at least to me matters a lot more.

 

[Brother Michael]

The iBook with an edu discount will cost about the same. It might be a little more because of the bluetooth upgrade, Airport Extreme (which is better than the default centrino wi-fi with I think is only 802.11b), and a RAM upgrade.

In the end though you will not be sorry for spending the money on the iBook. I absolutely love my iBook and its like 3+ years old.

Mike

 

[Zaty]

Get the iBook

The Pentium M is faster than a G4, not doubt about that. But that's not what's really important. Some manufacturers use pretty fast CPUs but they also use cheap and crappy components to cut costs. So that fact, that a notebook features a Pentium M doesn't say much about its performance. Apple on the other hand usually uses components that work well together. Finally, OS X is so much better (i.e. more secure) than XP. Therefore I say get the iBook, you won't regeret your decision.

 

[groovebuster]

Actually I was in almost the same position recently... well, I have an iBook already, but there was a project that I couldn't use it for. Reason? The software I had to use only worked on a Windows machine. It didn't even run under Virtual PC! No joke! So I had to buy a Windows Notebook. It turned out to be a Fujitsu-Siemens S6120.

Know what? I love it! It's fast, has long battery life and is reliable. And it only weighs 1.6 kgs

Of course it "only" runs Windows XP and I really curse once in a while about the stupid design of the OS. BUT... I can't hear the fairy-tales anymore that you are so much more productive with MacOS X. 95% of the time you are working within applications! If you are using standard applications, you don't notice any difference, because they are siamese twins on both platforms.

AND I can run software now, that is only available for Windows and doesn't run at all or too slow with Virtual PC.

I still like the Mac better, because the OS is just designed better. But from a professional point of view... if you are using standard applications almost all of the time for business, there isn't a big difference. Just go with what fits your needs better. In my case it was a software issue that made me buy my Notebook.

groovebuster

 

[groovebuster]

get the ibook and don't believe the centrino hype. all intel has "innovated" is put a wireless chipset into the motherboard,

Not true. The WLAN is just one piece of the centrino technology. It's mostly about energy conservation. That's why almost any centrino notbeook beats the **** out of any Apple iBook/PowerBook regarding battery life.

the technology which apple has by the way used since 1998 and is called the airport.

Your point is?

sure, pentium-M might be faster number cruncher, but does that matter to you that much? you can get more real-world work done with the ibook, which at least to me matters a lot more.

More work done? ... Not true from my experience. The OS feels(!) nicer, but that's all. A faster machine is a faster machine. If that's what you need, Apple is way behind these days.

groovebuster

 

[svenr]

My answer can be summed up in one word:

OS X

Honestly though, the difference is not so much in raw tech specs but in HOW you can work with your computer. The Toshiba may or may nor have better specs, I don't know the details. But it can't run OS X. And I would prefer my virus-free, spyware-free ... trouble-free OS X experience anytime over any version of Windows. UNIX-based, yet simple to use, extremely well integrated with your hardware and other software because both come from the same firm. Intuitive, friendly. OS X.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/

(Dude, I think I should've become an ad copy writer! )

Oh, there's one more thing: The iBook just looks better. I'm writing this on an iBook that I also used in university. Probably no one important (i.e. only geeks) will ever ask about your Centrino laptop, but I got a bit of attention for my white iBook at times. It can't hurt if that attention comes from a beautiful girl ... (yes, it has happened.)

 

[JFreak]

point being that apple has used wireless for years, and now intel advertises centrino as if they would have invented wifi. and yes, the operating system will come in the way every now and then, and more often in windows (i have to use pc at work) than in osx. even if i did the same work - creating a presentation for example - i can get it done faster in osx than in windows, plus i seem to be more creative in my work when in osx, and a part of that mystery is the fact that the os doesn't come in the way.

apple hardware also keeps its value better than pc hardware. go to ebay and check what kind of prices you can get from 2yr old computers!

 

[dotnina]

::snip:: creating a presentation for example - i can get it done faster in osx than in windows, plus i seem to be more creative in my work when in osx, and a part of that mystery is the fact that the os doesn't come in the way.::snip::

I'm the same way, and I haven't been able to figure out why.

I agree: the OS doesn't come in the way. You can leave a bunch of applications open and not even think about it. Everything's very multi-tasking-friendly.

 

[kettle]

boo hoo, a faster machine is a faster machine

....More work done? ... Not true from my experience. The OS feels(!) nicer, but that's all. A faster machine is a faster machine. If that's what you need, Apple is way behind these days.

groovebuster

Wow, you might even manage to wind someone up at this rate.

I really hate it when I can out type a processor, in truth there are so many other real life occurrences that make any computer task take longer than it should. Most of them are genuine and don't sound like Mac hating (i saw a mac in a store once)(and it made me feel stupid, so I stood next to a dell and spied the mac from a distance) rubbish.

I would like to know these applications that take so much power, or the Mac machines you have experience of.

I just don't believe any person is really capable of taking advantage of scientifically measured performance differences, real life just doesn't work like that.

Are you rendering a HD animated movie on your Fujitsu-Siemens S6120?

here are three reasons for using a Windows PC over any other Personal Computer.

1. you want to run really high FPS on the latest PC only games.
2. Going with what you know/ avoiding what you don't want to know/ you were given a (new) PC for free.
3. you have an invested interest in the Windows based PC being perceived as the only choice in consumer level computer technology.

Usable computer performance is basically a measure of how a machine can be utillised to organise a persons workflow in a time efficient manner.

Use anything you like to achieve this...

I use both platforms and I know I am a nicer person when I use my Mac all day, I really genuinely get angry when I have to play the Windows game and people do know when I've been playing the windows game. However, on my Mac, I don't waste energy fighting and put more energy into my workflow.

My mac is my friend and we like to make each other happy.

 

[JFreak]

i also like "the little things" of osx very much, and they show (at least to me) that everything has bee carefully thought out and not just implemented for the sake of new features.

for example, the mail app: a beautiful way of showing new mail with a red dot to the app icon (actually the count of new messages, but having the dock small as possible makes it a red dot) to notify the user of unread email - instead of the windows way: a variety of annoying ways to show a popup window, or to flash the taskbar. i really like the apple way as i can concentrate on my work without abrupt interruptions and whenever i have time to actually read the email, i will instantly see if there is or isn't new mail.

i think it's the little things that make a whole. windows has a lot of annoying little things and osx has a lot of beautiful little things. which one to choose?

 

[JFreak]

kettle,
there is actually a fourth valid reason also: you have invested money to windows software and the licenses don't allow cross-platform use.

 

[svenr]

Actually I was in almost the same position recently... well, I have an iBook already, but there was a project that I couldn't use it for. Reason? The software I had to use only worked on a Windows machine. It didn't even run under Virtual PC!

That may of course have to do with the version of Windows you have installed on VirtualPC.

I also wanna add my experience in this regard:
I went to business school. Probably the most homogeneous windows environment you can imagine. Computer services even discouraged students from getting Macs. Of course, I was unfazed.

In one of my marketing classes, we had to run a simulation software, Markstrat 3. It required a lot of analyzing, forecasting, etc. to be done on the side, usually in financial models we built in Excel. I met my learning team several hours per week to "play" the next round. We would usually go to a study room where they have PCs installed, but also have VGA cables so you can hook up your own laptop to the big screens.

Markstrat runs only on Windows and it is programmed so that it always takes up the entire screen. You can not resize the window, only send it to the Start bar. It didn't take long and we figured that Markstrat actually runs better on my iBook than on the real PCs there. Why? I can run Windows in Virtual PC inside a normal MacOS window any size I want. So we could get around the forced full-screen mode and have our Excel spreadsheet and Markstrat side by side, which made copying and pasting data back and forth much easier.

Needless to say, Excel ran just fine as a native OS X app on my iBook which connected without problems with the study room screens. That was of course one of those precious moments when you have all your Windows buddies asking you to finally set up your iBook so we can start working!

I guess the experience with Windows-only apps varies, you'll have to look into what specifically is needed for your major. I'm personally very happy with VirtualPC, it has never let me down and gives me the peace of mind of having two systems in one box should I really need it. (Which rarely ever happens; Markstrat was the only case in two years Windows dominated b-school).

 

[AmigoMac]

Get the iBook...

Get the iBook, Get the iBook...

Centrino could be good, but I do not trust a company with unbelievable TV ads ...

( two people transmitting from somewhere in the mountains with a webcam a very high-resolution) (With a blue background a la Mac OS X) ...

(a man surfing in Internet from the Everest... ha!)

you know, if they want people to believe that Internet is everywhere no matter where you boot you laptop ... is insane!

-Statements pretty off topic- but still you don't want to miss the OS X experience, do you? Come on, iTunes is for windows too but patching the OS, scanning for Viruses, Taking care of the firewall every second, spyware ... that's not fun! ...

Only, if my Simulation program would run in Mac OS X, I'd be the happiest man in the world ...

did I recommend you to get the iBook?

 

[Bigheadache]

Wow, you might even manage to wind someone up at this rate.

I really hate it when I can out type a processor, in truth there are so many other real life occurrences that make any computer task take longer than it should. Most of them are genuine and don't sound like Mac hating (i saw a mac in a store once)(and it made me feel stupid, so I stood next to a dell and spied the mac from a distance) rubbish.

I would like to know these applications that take so much power, or the Mac machines you have experience of.

I just don't believe any person is really capable of taking advantage of scientifically measured performance differences, real life just doesn't work like that.

Are you rendering a HD animated movie on your Fujitsu-Siemens S6120?

here are three reasons for using a Windows PC over any other Personal Computer.

1. you want to run really high FPS on the latest PC only games.
2. Going with what you know/ avoiding what you don't want to know/ you were given a (new) PC for free.
3. you have an invested interest in the Windows based PC being perceived as the only choice in consumer level computer technology.

Usable computer performance is basically a measure of how a machine can be utillised to organise a persons workflow in a time efficient manner.

Use anything you like to achieve this...

I use both platforms and I know I am a nicer person when I use my Mac all day, I really genuinely get angry when I have to play the Windows game and people do know when I've been playing the windows game. However, on my Mac, I don't waste energy fighting and put more energy into my workflow.

My mac is my friend and we like to make each other happy.

if a machine can make you feel that angry I kindly suggest you get off your bum, and get out and enjoy life a bit more instead of spending all day in front of a computer

 

[Mord]

for as school laptop get a freaking ibook, with an ibook you dont have to think about anti virus stuff, and that centrino laptop probably has integrated graphics which plain suck.

also check out the maximum ram and the advertised battery life.

 

[groovebuster]

That may of course have to do with the version of Windows you have installed on VirtualPC.

Nope...

groovebuster

 

[AmigoMac]

and that centrino laptop probably has integrated graphics which plain suck.

also check out the maximum ram and the advertised battery life.

This is the way, they give old stuff out... because you have to be computer savvy or you get that cr*p

 

[cubist]

One other thing to consider: Look at prices of used machines. Three years from now, the iBook will still be worth almost half what you paid for it, but the Centrino notebook will be worth almost nothing.

FTM, have you considered buying a used machine?

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Get the iBook ! Seriously - what answer do you expect on MacRumors ?

To be honest - it really depends on what you want to do with your machine. If you have to run a lot Windows only apps then you go better with the PC. Or if you want some serious FPS. Otherwise I would definitly get the iBook.

Cheers

 

[vga4life]

Don't buy an ibook. Buy a refurbished 12" powerbook for $1349.

The powerbook is much faster, has a video card supported by CoreImage (in the next version of Mac OS X), and has 802.11g (aka Airport or Wi-fi) and bluetooth built in. Once you add airport to an ibook you're approaching that price anyhow.

The ibook should not be considered.

-vga4life

 

[wPod]

Not true. The WLAN is just one piece of the centrino technology. It's mostly about energy conservation. That's why almost any centrino notbeook beats the **** out of any Apple iBook/PowerBook regarding battery life.

?!!?!? are you joking?! or just on crack? yes, true centrino is designed for energy conservation and lasts the longest of any wintel laptop, but any centrino machine ive ever seen lasts no more than two hours max while an iBook will easily last 4 hours or more. there really is no reason to get a wintel laptop unless you are required to use some windows only software that wont even run in virtual PC . . . or unless you are into some sort of kinky pain enjoyment thing.

then to agree with everyone else getting a windows machine will only invite viruses, adware and frustration. save yourself some time, the iBooks are much better for any college envirnment (unless all you want to do is play games then get a windows desktop)

 

[kettle]

oi numpty!

if a machine can make you feel that angry I kindly suggest you get off your bum, and get out and enjoy life a bit more instead of spending all day in front of a computer

I'll let you off with being ignorant as to how people in the real world earn the money to go out and enjoy life. Trust me, I use windoze because I have to, my Mac is what gets me through the hell of using Microsoft (we don't need to develop) Shhiteware on a mongrel system assembled in some random computer part hell.

So to rebuke your suggestion, I kindly request you pay me five hundred quid a week to embark on the quest of Bigheadache wisdom.

Buy the windoze laptop and proove us Mac lovers wrong, but don't come moaning when it goes tits up on you.

 

[ginner]

I, admittedly, have fairly limited experience using Apple computers and thus the newness of the operating system somewhat degrades my experience, though I was a long time reader of these forums and believed my next computer would be a mac. I'm also from the UK so here Apple computers come with a much greater price premium to consider. They sure look nice and the users on here never have anything critical to say about them.

However, I honestly believe the Centrino is the better option for you. I sit here using my Sony Centrino based note book with a fantastic 13" widescreen resolution, g standard wireless internet access through my router and a ridiculously fast processor allowing me to multitask away happily with no cables connected to my 1.7kg laptop, in the sunny garden, for in excess of 5 hours. I'm yet to have a crash (even application) and my computer has not been turned off for three weeks.

If you really want mac only software, such as OSX or iLife choose a mac, if you're happy with the windows software you've accumulated and will not incur you additional costs get the Centrino. The vast majority of programs you'll need on your course will be available free from your department, but not for a mac (at least that's my experience).

I've not had a virus on any computer I've used in over 5 years, I take my laptop to anywhere on campus and have easy internet access. The horror stories of windows life are very much exaggerated.

Or do your really consider the 'virus free' lifestyle worth all the extra money and effort?

 

[Abstract]

Actually I was in almost the same position recently... well, I have an iBook already, but there was a project that I couldn't use it for. Reason? The software I had to use only worked on a Windows machine. It didn't even run under Virtual PC! No joke! So I had to buy a Windows Notebook. It turned out to be a Fujitsu-Siemens S6120.

Know what? I love it! It's fast, has long battery life and is reliable. And it only weighs 1.6 kgs

Of course it "only" runs Windows XP and I really curse once in a while about the stupid design of the OS. BUT... I can't hear the fairy-tales anymore that you are so much more productive with MacOS X. 95% of the time you are working within applications! If you are using standard applications, you don't notice any difference, because they are siamese twins on both platforms.

AND I can run software now, that is only available for Windows and doesn't run at all or too slow with Virtual PC.

I still like the Mac better, because the OS is just designed better. But from a professional point of view... if you are using standard applications almost all of the time for business, there isn't a big difference. Just go with what fits your needs better. In my case it was a software issue that made me buy my Notebook.

groovebuster

At that price, I'd get the Toshiba. They make great laptops, admittedly. If its a fast computer that does everything you want, and you don't mind WinXP, then this is definitely for you.