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Apple 13" Macbook or 17" Powerbook G4

A

Alecness315

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 26, 2009
3
0
Central New York
Ok, in the next upcoming months I am going to be saving up for a new laptop. I am think of getting the 13" 2.0 GHz Macbook (Aluminum) or a 1.5 GHz 17" Powerbook. I'm thinking of the Powerbook because of the 17" screen size. I love have a bigger screen. I'm only going to be using it for web browsing, music, and some video editing on the go. The Powerbook would be cheaper compared to the Macbook. $1000 for the Powerbook and $1299 or $1599 for the Macbook. I'm thinking of the Macbook just because of the high end video card and the intel core 2 due chip. There are many different reasons why I should get one or the other so i need your help! Thanks
 
Get the Macbook.

PPC is dead end, with new software not supporting it. Intel is the way to go, which means Macbook. Yes, you'll have a smaller screen but the machine will be faster, and will last longer.
 
The 13" Macbook is far superior in terms of performance to the 17" Powerbook, but if you like the 17" screen then you have to think how important that really is to your purchasing decision. Bear in mind an old 17" screen wont be very good anymore, dim, poor resolution etc.
 
Macbook
reasons:
1. new not used
2. will last for years to come
3. powerbook already 3-5 years old
4. snow leopard wont work on pb g4
5. many many more just dont have time to list.
 
You could also get the new white MacBook. It has very similar performance to the unibodies and is several hundred dollars less.
 
gan6660 said:
Macbook
reasons:
1. new not used
2. will last for years to come
3. powerbook already 3-5 years old
4. snow leopard wont work on pb g4
5. many many more just dont have time to list.
Click to expand...

Actually snow leopard will apparently run on a PPC. I'm just getting that from someone who is a developer and who has said it has PPC support. I could be wrong.

As for the rest, I totally agree. I'd take what appears to be a "lesser" macbook over the PB right now if that is going to be your only computer and such.
 
Alecness315 said:
Ok, in the next upcoming months I am going to be saving up for a new laptop. I am think of getting the 13" 2.0 GHz Macbook (Aluminum) or a 1.5 GHz 17" Powerbook. I'm thinking of the Powerbook because of the 17" screen size. I love have a bigger screen. I'm only going to be using it for web browsing, music, and some video editing on the go. The Powerbook would be cheaper compared to the Macbook. $1000 for the Powerbook and $1299 or $1599 for the Macbook. I'm thinking of the Macbook just because of the high end video card and the intel core 2 due chip. There are many different reasons why I should get one or the other so i need your help! Thanks
Click to expand...

You want to think MacBook, although I understand the allure of the larger screen. Maybe buy the MacBook now, continue to save while you use it, then later on sell the MB and get a MBP with a larger screen.
If you're really going to be doing video editing, it'll be much faster on the MacBook. The PowerBook can do it (don't let anyone tell you it can't - people used them for years), but not as efficiently.
 
jessica. said:
Actually snow leopard will apparently run on a PPC. I'm just getting that from someone who is a developer and who has said it has PPC support. I could be wrong.
Click to expand...

Your right it does have PPC support, theres a lot of PPC's still used in businesses so thats why.

Although i cant get the latest beta release to work :rolleyes:
 
Do not get a PowerBook. Mine is slow and they were made in 2005. If you want a 17 inch at least get a 2 GHz Core Duo MacBook Pro. The RAM limit is crippling. I need more ram which the MacBook supports 6 GB but the PowerBook supports 2 GB
 
Yeah, like many others said you can probably find Core Duo MBP 15" or 17" used or refurb for pretty cheap too.

My friend has just acquired a 15" 2.0GHz MBP for about $1200, used.

I'm sure that's a good balance between the graphic power and the screen size. Heck, if you can find a good deal on the C2D MBP's with 8600M card in it, that's even better. But make sure warranties are good on those MBP's with 8600 card in it.
 
johtaja said:
how are you liking your 17" beast kastenbrust?
Click to expand...

haha lets be honest its the God of Apple computers, its amazing, but then again i would say that wouldn't i. The only complaint i have about it is that the battery life in Windows 7 isnt the 9 hours i get in OS X.... Its about, hmmmm 50 minuets :eek: Windows sucks big time.
 
kastenbrust said:
haha lets be honest its the God of Apple computers, its amazing, but then again i would say that wouldn't i. The only complaint i have about it is that the battery life in Windows 7 isnt the 9 hours i get in OS X.... Its about, hmmmm 50 minuets :eek: Windows sucks big time.
Click to expand...

Have you got the matte screen?
 
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