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ABOUT TO PULL THE TRIGGER ZOMG!!!! (sorry, very, very excited. What to get?)

iMpathetic

iMpathetic

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Oct 7, 2007
2,547
4
IMBY
Hey everyone.

I have been cleared for takeoff, so to speak.

I have $900 (and later $1050, if the stars align correctly) to spend on a used Mac. I would prefer closer to $800 or so, but I'm open to everything.

Basically, I am building a cheap C2D system for use at my computer-intensive dad's house. If OS X doesn't work out I will be running Win7.

I need a Mac to replace the old broken iBook though!

Here's the things I was thinking of doing:

a) buy 20" aluminum iMac and spend the rest of my money on fixing the iBook so I still have a laptop. For $875 shipped, I'd have a 20" 2.4GHz iMac with 4GB RAM, a 320GB HDD, a bluetooth keyboard and MM, and Applecare!

b) Buy 17" Powerbook. I think the particular iBook I had was just really crappy, I really like the larger screen, and my heavy lifting can be done by the custom PC at dad's.

c) Build another PC.

d) For the same price as the iMac, buy a refurb MB with nVidia gfx.

e) Perhaps find a used MBA?

I love portability and the Mac, mainly use my laptops for surfing, listening to music, and iChat, and also really love power when I can afford it. Bit of a paradox, really. I also love to tinker with PC's, hence the build.

Thanks for all your help. I'm so excited! It's like I'm a child again! Oh, wait....
 
iMpathetic said:
Hey everyone.

I have been cleared for takeoff, so to speak.

I have $900 (and later $1050, if the stars align correctly) to spend on a used Mac. I would prefer closer to $800 or so, but I'm open to everything.

Basically, I am building a cheap C2D system for use at my computer-intensive dad's house. If OS X doesn't work out I will be running Win7.

I need a Mac to replace the old broken iBook though!

Here's the things I was thinking of doing:

a) buy 20" aluminum iMac and spend the rest of my money on fixing the iBook so I still have a laptop. For $875 shipped, I'd have a 20" 2.4GHz iMac with 4GB RAM, a 320GB HDD, a bluetooth keyboard and MM, and Applecare!

b) Buy 17" Powerbook. I think the particular iBook I had was just really crappy, I really like the larger screen, and my heavy lifting can be done by the custom PC at dad's.

c) Build another PC.

d) For the same price as the iMac, buy a refurb MB with nVidia gfx.

e) Perhaps find a used MBA?

I love portability and the Mac, mainly use my laptops for surfing, listening to music, and iChat, and also really love power when I can afford it. Bit of a paradox, really. I also love to tinker with PC's, hence the build.

Thanks for all your help. I'm so excited! It's like I'm a child again! Oh, wait....
Click to expand...

I would immediately throw out c.

I would save up for the new iMac... your getting close!
 
As opposed to a?

Is it really that much better? I frankly think the iMac is more than enough.
 
I recommend aluminum MB. I have a late '07 Blackbook, and it's still nice. Not for intensive stuff like I would want, *intel GMA X3100* <_<, but the MB is good enough and portable
 
How about a refurb Nvidia white Macbook (when they come out?) or last gen Macbook? You could even get a new one through MacMall and the likes for just a little over $900. I've seen your setups and you have monitors if you want a desktop equivalent for when it's used on a desk.

Option A sounds like a solid option too. Option B, I wouldn't spend that much money on a PPC Mac. Option C, no.

Edit: I just realized you already put down a Nvidia Macbook. Reading helps!
 
I'd go for the MacBook. You'd have a powerful notebook to carry around everywhere, and you can even use it as a desktop.

Second choice...Get the iMac + Fix the iBook.
 
Throw out the 17" powerbook idea if you are considering a computer you want to stay relevent. The MBA is twice as fast as the most recent powerbook, so it is not worth the price difference on a used MBA. I would get the imac or the MBA. If you need to be able to do some memory intensive work from time to time then go for the imac. Otherwise, the MBA has a graphics card that is suitable (not ideal for "real work" but it will do the job), and if you have an external monitor, then you have a portable, and a desktop option, where if you get the iMac, you are stuck within a few feet of an outlet.
If you can find a MB Aluminum for a good price, like the other guy said, that is also a great option. It will have more expandability and power for about the price of a used MBA, and they are still very portable. It would also be a better desktop option than the MBA. Just something to think about.
Please don't buy a G4 unless you really are only getting on the internet and using itunes. The odds that it will be able to handle the new OS is looking less likely everyday.
 
Club Mac currently has the Nvidia Macbook for $919.

Basically, I think where your options stand are between getting the iMac (Option A) which is a very good price for what you get, or getting the Macbook through option D. New/Refurb machines are always the best way to go, so I wouldn't even consider the other options.
 
Thanks for your opinions, everyone.

What about a Core Duo 2.16GHz MBP with 256MB VRAM?
 
IIRC the Core Duos can't access more than 2 gb of Ram which these days, is just barely acceptable and it certainly won't be in the future. There are rumors as well the Snow Leopard will require a 64 bit processor which would eliminate the Core Duos. I would shy away from those.
 
Try to hold out until you've got enough for a new iMac, or perhaps an aluminum MB. Why the H not? You'll feel better having the latest and greatest.

I had a 17" PowerBook. My first Mac. It was AWESOME, but the processor (1.67GHz) was really, really slow in comparison to my current 2.4 BlackBook. For example, it would take about 5 hours to convert a movie to iPod format. My current computer takes a little over 30 minutes.

Definitely don't get the PowerBook. Hold out and get the new iMac or an aluminum MacBook. If you can hold out, you can save a bit on a refurb alu MB. Just keep checking the refurb store daily and you'll find one really cheap.
 
11800506 said:
IIRC the Core Duos can't access more than 2 gb of Ram which these days, is just barely acceptable and it certainly won't be in the future. There are rumors as well the Snow Leopard will require a 64 bit processor which would eliminate the Core Duos. I would shy away from those.
Click to expand...

The max is 3GB.

While they are not the latest and greatest, they are leaps and bounds ahead of the G4 I've been using. I also prefer the MBP form factor to the MB.

lamina said:
Try to hold out until you've got enough for a new iMac, or perhaps an aluminum MB. Why the H not? You'll feel better having the latest and greatest.

I had a 17" PowerBook. My first Mac. It was AWESOME, but the processor (1.67GHz) was really, really slow in comparison to my current 2.4 BlackBook. For example, it would take about 5 hours to convert a movie to iPod format. My current computer takes a little over 30 minutes.

Definitely don't get the PowerBook. Hold out and get the new iMac or an aluminum MacBook. If you can hold out, you can save a bit on a refurb alu MB. Just keep checking the refurb store daily and you'll find one really cheap.
Click to expand...

You really think I'll be able to find an aluminum MacBook for $900?
 
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Refurb nvidea MacBook! If you're building a PC you don't need another desktop (iMac). The powerbook... No. I had a core duo MacBook and 17" PB (1.67) at one point and it took me all of about 10 minutes to realize how frustrating the speed of the PowerBook was going to be compared to the MacBook. And to repeat, that was a core duo.
 
What about a 2.4GHz black MB at the same price?

Would that be worth it or not?

I wish the refurb store wasn't down.
 
DO NOT GET A POWERBOOK.

a nvidia MacBook or C2D MacBook Pro would be good with about the same performance. A MacBook Pro would have a bigger screen and more ports while the MB would be smaller and (maybe) cheaper. It depends on what screen size you want. a 2.33 GHz can be upgraded to a 15" 1920*1200 screen by swapping the screen while the computer is asleep.

If your iBook has the same problem as mine (logic board) it will be the same price as buying the iMac to fix
 
Well, on the local CL there's a 15" 2.0GHz CD MBP with 3GB RAM and a 320GB HDD, two batteries, and AppleCare.
 
have you considered a mac mini?

you can get the new model on amazon for 594, you can get 4 gigs of ram for about 50, you can upgrade the hard drive for cheap, and you can get a new monitor... all within you budget
 
A Mac mini is like the worst of both worlds. Not expandable and not truly portable.

I don't care if I don't know what I'm talking about, I owned one once and it was sooo pointless.
 
iMpathetic said:
A Mac mini is like the worst of both worlds. Not expandable and not truly portable.

I don't care if I don't know what I'm talking about, I owned one once and it was sooo pointless.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is expandable.
It is just as portable as an iMac.
Yes, you don't know what you're talking about. ;)
 
iMpathetic said:
Well, I am pretty much better than you could ever hope to be. Leave it at that.
Click to expand...

Such a bold statement from somebody who uses the nick "iMpathetic"? No wonder you cannot make up your own mind what machine to buy. :confused:

But since you want to replace a broken notebook... Shouldn't it be a no-brainer then to buy a new notebook that fits in your budget?

Or maybe you never needed a notebook in the first place, then, of course, a nice desktop makes perfect sense and usually you would get much more computer than with a notebook for the same price.

When you can't decide, do what I usually do: Flip a coin. And then do the opposite of what the coin told you to do. :D
 
If you're buying a Mac purely to upgrade it, you are in for a sore surprise good sir.

Beyond a Mac Pro, you can't do anything aside from the HDD and RAM with every other model.
 
Hey everyone.

I don't know if this is hard to detect on the internet or something, but both my username and location are kidding.

Anyway, what about building a Hackintosh and getting a netbook to run OS X on?
 
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