A powerbook regrets thread.

[Rob587]

I always see threads about people asking weather or not to buy things, and people that have the item respond with how great it is. Most of the time people are going to be biased if they have the item in question, so I thought id ask to hear from the people with any regrets about what they have.

the topic is the 15" powerbok vs the 17" powerbook as a desktop replacement for college.

 

[BakedBeans]

i only have 1 regret about my powerbook,
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selling it


seriously, the 15inch imo is the best buy, amazing screen and still totally portable, fast also - i suppose it costing so much (regardless of its excellent sell on value and undoubted value)

 

[PlaceofDis]

my only regret with my 12" powerbook is that i didnt go for the 15" at the time, i would have benefited from it for sure, but a 17" would be way too big for me, and i think its not as portable as most would like it to be

 

[WinterMute]

The 17" is a portable desktop almost, the new models are snappier, but my old 1Ghz is still rumbling along, it gets carted across London almost every day.

In a good bag (I use a Brenthaven rucksack) it's no bother at all, but I wouldn't want to be a small person with one, it certainly has a weight penalty.

It's a great machine, and I'll replace it when the G4 hits 2Ghz or goes dual-core, or when Apple invents a micro-wormhole generator to siphon all the G5's heat straight into space and the G5 PowerBook finally arrives.

I'll be gutted if they don't continue with the 17" format, it's a beauty.

 

[fistful]

In my haste and excitement when ordering my powerbook I forgot to bto the illuminated keyboard. still kind of irks me a bit when others mention it and how much they enjoy it.

If I had to do it again I probably would have gotten the better system with the faster processor, larger/faster HD and the 128mb video card minus the superdrive. otherwise I'm perfectly happy with my machine.

 

[raptorhigh]

I use my 15 inch tibook as a desktop and love it. I do run dual monitor, but could easily use it with just the built-in screen. I have no regrets with it, although I'm probably going to be upgrading to a newer 15 soon.

Although I think the next big regret for many will be the "Damn, should have gotten the 128 Mb video card". I'm going to upgrade to it specifically for the anticipation of Tiger.

 

[plinden]

I always see threads about people asking weather or not to buy things, and people that have the item respond with how great it is. Most of the time people are going to be biased if they have the item in question, so I thought id ask to hear from the people with any regrets about what they have.

the topic is the 15" powerbok vs the 17" powerbook as a desktop replacement for college.

That I don't have one ...

 

[Daedalus]

I bought a 12" powerbook last summer, and regretted it. I sold it a few months later to someone who would use it more.

First off, this isn't a powerbook bash, though. It was a great piece of hardware. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I just bought the wrong system for my needs. I should have known better. I can't stand working at low resolutions like 1024x768 (I'm spoiled by working on large monitors), and I didn't really need portability. I should have bought a Powermac or an iMac. But I got sucked in by the beauty of the powerbook, and let desire override logic.

So now I'm trying again. I've got a Mini on order. It'll let me use the 20" LCD I already have, and it's tiny and quiet, which is exactly what I've been looking for. This time I think I got it right.

 

[TDM21]

My only regret is that I don't have the money to buy an external monitor for my 12" PB. I feel like you can do more on a pc with the same resolution. Of course I have used a pc for 4 years before switching back to Mac (went from os 7.5 to 10.3). I really want a 17" or bigger LCD monitor, but my poor budget won't allow it.

 

[Cuckoo]

I do have a serious regret. Im the proud owner of a 15" 1.25ghz PB, with 512mb RAM. Often i think owning a 12" with a 20" display would be better. Use it with a BT mouse and kb at home (with the display) and 12" for more portability.

If only the 12" was a bit more powerful.....

 

[mgargan1]

if you have the money... get the 17". I'll tell you why, as this will be your primary pc, you will want the most screen real-estate you can. Plus, the 17" comes with all the goodies already packaged in... if you want the top of the line, it's $200 more than the 15". Which is worth it in the long run. You're not (you might think you might) take your laptop everywhere you go. However, when you do take your laptop with you, it's not too too bad. I had the 17" powerbook, but it got robbed when my house was robbed. I have the 12" now, and I work at an apple reseller... so I see the 15" every day. Trust me, if you don't mind spending a little more... get the 17". This has to last you 4+ years... get the best you can afford. It's not bad at all to carry around once in a while. Plus the 17" can handle 5.1 surround sound, which the 15" can not.

 

[Eevee]

My only one regret is:

a) it's not a G5 (Oh, it's not out yet...sorry)
b) got the rev C. The new rev D can drive the apple 30 " HD display, and mine can't.

The 15" is a great machine.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

My regret is that Apple keeps upgrading them

 

[virividox]

my only regret is i wish i needed to go to college now and not 2 years ago cuz then my laptop would be so much better haha

 

[Otto Rehhagel]

I bought a 12" powerbook last summer, and regretted it. I sold it a few months later to someone who would use it more.

First off, this isn't a powerbook bash, though. It was a great piece of hardware. There was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I just bought the wrong system for my needs. I should have known better. I can't stand working at low resolutions like 1024x768 (I'm spoiled by working on large monitors), and I didn't really need portability. I should have bought a Powermac or an iMac. But I got sucked in by the beauty of the powerbook, and let desire override logic.

So now I'm trying again. I've got a Mini on order. It'll let me use the 20" LCD I already have, and it's tiny and quiet, which is exactly what I've been looking for. This time I think I got it right.

Won't your 20" LCD work with your 12" powerbook? Assuming you are going to keep your powerbook, you won't have to regret anything, just plug your 20" LCD into the pb and you have a pretty good setup.

I regret selling my 17" powerbook. It was the perfect desktop replacement and made an excellent portable DVD player, but in the end, I needed the money.

 

[AnewMac]

The 17" is a portable desktop almost, the new models are snappier, but my old 1Ghz is still rumbling along, it gets carted across London almost every day.

I'll be gutted if they don't continue with the 17" format, it's a beauty.

My sentiments exactly. How old is my 1 Ghz 17"? It still does everything I ask of it, never a problem. Absolutely stunning, it is a little heavy, but we are talking desptop replacements, right?

 

[Santaduck]

So: most of these "regrets" are regrets that you didn't get an even better powerbook at the time...

I was curious too, because I always found PB keyboards to be conspicuously undersized and cramped in feel. Do PB owners feel that way too, or do you get used to it?

 

[Otto Rehhagel]

I was curious too, because I always found PB keyboards to be conspicuously undersized and cramped in feel. Do PB owners feel that way too, or do you get used to it?

I actually love the powerbook keyboard, but also wanted an iCurve, so I couldn't use it so I bought the apple blutooth keyboard. But after using it for a while, I longed for the powerbook keyboard. The keys give good feedback, they don't hurt the fingers after long hours of typing. Anyone else agree?

 

[dorqiekat]

I have loads,

not buying an iBook when first starting college (got a sony vaio instead)

saving up every penny to buy a 1G 12" PB from a reseller a year later (since starting college)

dropping it on campus couple weeks later!!!!!!! (got a big ding)

Not locking my window the night my apartment was broken into, having my precious PB stolen ( a couple weeks after fixing the ding)

not having the patience to buy a replacement PB...... having Apple update.

allowing my dad to give the iPod to my brother from the "cram and jam" rebate.

 

[mcgarry]

So: most of these "regrets" are regrets that you didn't get an even better powerbook at the time...

I was curious too, because I always found PB keyboards to be conspicuously undersized and cramped in feel. Do PB owners feel that way too, or do you get used to it?

It's all personal taste, but I like my PB keyboard better than any other I have ever used, laptop or desktop. Like Otto said, it's too bad it can't be used (too much) when it's in an iCurve.

Also like Otto, I was thinking of getting a new $30 Apple keyboard (A1048) to best mimic the feel (i'd go USB for the extra ports)-- right now I use an Apple USB Keyboard (M2452), and it feels like such a big step down from the PB. (anyone have any better ideas?) Plus, my current keyboard seriously triples my amount of typos ... probably just a personal thing.

 

[Ryan1524]

nope, no regrets about purchasing it. couldn't ask for a more perfect notebook.

however, my hinge is getting tight lately, and makes a cracking sound every now and then when i move it. i know it's getting tight cause a friend has a 17" and his hinge defies gravity.

 

[whw5]

My only regret is that i'm getting a free ibook next year through my school. So now I'm gonna sell this puppy and take my loses. By the time I recover the money I'm gonna lose, I'll by myself a nice G5 imac. BTW can you sell your extended warrenty back to apple if one year isn't up?

 

[stcanard]

I was curious too, because I always found PB keyboards to be conspicuously undersized and cramped in feel. Do PB owners feel that way too, or do you get used to it?

Are you talking about the 12"? I've never found my 15" keyboard to be undersized, and just checked -- aside from the missing numeric keypad, it's the same size as the HP keyboard on my work desktop.

My only regret is that when I bought it I stayed with the default 2x256 memory configuration instead of paying the $50 to go to a single 512, because when I added my 1GB I've had to waste 256MB.

Other than that, no regrets, and as a Rev A Aluminum PB owner, I have not yet seen a PB upgrade that's made me wish I had waited before buying.

 

[Daedalus]

Won't your 20" LCD work with your 12" powerbook? Assuming you are going to keep your powerbook, you won't have to regret anything, just plug your 20" LCD into the pb and you have a pretty good setup.

It certainly could have worked that way. But the LCD was hooked up to my linux machine at the time, and I usually found myself just using Linux (I'm a linux fan too), rather than unpacking the Powerbook, hooking up all the cables, etc.

The Powerbook was fine. My usage just is better suited to a nice desktop system at work, and a nice desktop system at home where I can just log in and go... since I essentially never work anywhere but those two locations. And the money I spent would have bought me a much more powerful desktop (iMac or Powermac), instead of paying for portability I really didn't need.

The Powerbook was gorgeous, and the envy of my co-workers.

 

[darkwing]

I always see threads about people asking weather or not to buy things, and people that have the item respond with how great it is. Most of the time people are going to be biased if they have the item in question, so I thought id ask to hear from the people with any regrets about what they have.

the topic is the 15" powerbok vs the 17" powerbook as a desktop replacement for college.

My only regret is that my rev C 17" powerbook is slow in many tasks compared to a new Dothan machine.

Steven