buy new laptop now?

[ricebag]

So I'm a student and have an iBook G3 500 that has been just great. But recently I've had the horrible problem it tends to have where when the screen is opened too far, the backlight on the screen goes out. And I need a new computer anyway.

The question - should I buy now? I'm looking mostly at Powerbooks but a little at iBooks. I could wait a month, maybe, but not much longer - does anyone have any educated guesses whether or not we'll get a revision by then? I'm especially curious because the new iMac seems like such a ridiculously better deal than the present laptops (if a little less attractive and convenient) so I was hoping they'd update them too. I really want a sweet computer, and the buyer's guide isn't much help.

Any help you can give would be appreciated.

 

[vraxtus]

So I'm a student and have an iBook G3 500 that has been just great. But recently I've had the horrible problem it tends to have where when the screen is opened too far, the backlight on the screen goes out. And I need a new computer anyway.

The question - should I buy now? I'm looking mostly at Powerbooks but a little at iBooks. I could wait a month, maybe, but not much longer - does anyone have any educated guesses whether or not we'll get a revision by then? I'm especially curious because the new iMac seems like such a ridiculously better deal than the present laptops (if a little less attractive and convenient) so I was hoping they'd update them too. I really want a sweet computer, and the buyer's guide isn't much help.

Any help you can give would be appreciated.

New iBooks should be out pretty soon, in about a month I'd say. PB's may be further down the line, but yeah, the new iMacs pretty much beat the crap out of laptops in terms of speed... the G4 in PB's is getting pretty old now... going on almost 4 years without any huge speed boosts.

 

[dotnina]

If you're going for a laptop, it's a good time ...

Apple has $200 off when you buy a laptop + iPod (the Cram and Jam deal), and Amazon has a $150 rebate on most (all?) current Apple laptops.

I wouldn't go for an iMac (and this is just me) because it's a fast / hot processor in a tiny enclosure for the first time. If I did want an iMac, I'd wait for a second revision in a few months (though it sounds like you need a computer now).

 

[mac4drew]

New iBooks should be out pretty soon, in about a month I'd say. PB's may be further down the line, but yeah, the new iMacs pretty much beat the crap out of laptops in terms of speed... the G4 in PB's is getting pretty old now... going on almost 4 years without any huge speed boosts.

Agreed. I have almost the same computer (100 MhZ faster) as you, and I'm holding out for something else. Now that they got the G5 into something as small as the new iMac, it's only a matter of time before they can put it in a laptop. Just wait until early next year. Four months or so is worth it to get a better computer.

If you don't feel like you can hold out, what I would do is get a hard drive and memory upgrade and get the screen problem fixed. You can send it in to a mail order repair place and get it back in a week or so, and probably get away with paying under $450 for the whole thing, unless the screen thing is more serious than it sounds. For iBooks in OS X, memory makes all the difference. I had only 384 MB RAM for a long time and when I upgraded to 768 MB, it was definitely a visible difference.

 

[Abstract]

I don't think the PB's will be upgraded unless there was something worth upgrading with. Single core Freescale G4s, maybe 1.7GHz for the 15" and 17", and 1.5GHz for the 12"..... may be possible. Dual core Freescale G4.... maybe at MWSF, probably at WWDC. I don't think the G5 will fit into a PB within a year, despite the new iMac. The fact that the components fit into a 2" enclosure is great, but remember that the parts have to fit in a 1" thick enclosure within an area the size of the 17" screen itself. This way the lid still folds flush with the laptop when you close the lid. The new iMac has parts behind the 17" screen AND behind the white part hanging out from the bottom. Even using smaller laptop HD's and such, I don't know if it'll fit with the way things are now.

I'd say wait a month and see, especially if there's no harm. Not promising anything, but you never know if a faster G4 makes it in there. But unless the PB's get an upgrade, the iBooks aren't getting faster.

 

[Bobcat37]

I'm in the same predicament, but I think I'm going to order now. School started a week ago so I can't wait 1 month let alone 4 months, despite how terribly tempting it is.

I'm just going to go ahead an order a 12" PB within the next week I think. One thing though, there won't be any more surprise announcements in Paris will there????

 

[Crikey]

Interesting question. Frequently, Apple updates the iBooks in October. But it somehow doesn't seem like it's been that long since the last update. Moreover, the current iBooks are way closer in performance to the current PowerBooks than Apple usually lets them get, so I don't see a lot of incentive for Apple to narrow that gap further.

People like to whine about wanting their G5 PowerBooks, but I think the current lineup of PowerBooks and iBooks are great machines and worth every penny.

Cheers,


Crikey

 

[Elan0204]

I don't think we will see any updates for the iBook or PowerBook in the next month. If that is your timeframe, buy now. If you can wait, I bet we will see updates around or at MWSF in January 2005.

 

[vraxtus]

I don't think we will see any updates for the iBook or PowerBook in the next month. If that is your timeframe, buy now. If you can wait, I bet we will see updates around or at MWSF in January 2005.

Funny... Macrumors doesn't think so.

Product:
iBook

Last Release:
April 19, 2004

Days Since Update:
135 (Average = 155)

Recommendation:
Buy only if you need it - Approaching the end of a cycle

 

[musicpyrite]

Funny... Macrumors doesn't think so.

Product:
iBook

Last Release:
April 19, 2004

Days Since Update:
135 (Average = 155)

Recommendation:
Buy only if you need it - Approaching the end of a cycle

Thats based on the average time since last update. It doesn't take in to effect things like rumors.

 

[LiveForPhysics]

If you're willing to wait a couple months before an iBook/Powerbook revision, I'd say fix up your current iBook. In my case, I had to purchase a Powerbook recently out of necessity since I'll be going off to college in about a week, as I didn't have the option to wait until Apple updated its portable line. The current Powerbooks are more than adequate for what I need, but it would've been nice to have waited for a dual-core G5 Powerbook. Nonetheless, I don't expect another laptop revision from Apple until late winter/early spring.

 

[Badradio]

I planned to buy a new powerbook last month, but the long delivery times and the lack of help from third-party vendors when I enquired about BTO options (some offer them - but can't give me a delivery time guestimate) were a pain as I'm away on holiday soon and won't be around to take delivery. I decided to wait until I got back, but the potential for an upgrade (G4/Freescale...) will have me hanging on another couple of months I think. All I want from an upgrade is the 5400 HD in the standard model, so I can go into a store and buy one off-the-shelf (I need a laptop that can edit video - no way is the standard drive going to be fast enough). A dual core processor and Radeon Mobility 9800 would be great, but not if the price jumps by £400. Whatever the upgrade - I'll be happy as long as the 5400 drive is standard. I mean - come on - it's only £25 to upgrade it. Save me the hassle!

 

[dieselg4]

If you want it, buy it now

The iBooks are pretty close to the Powerbooks in terms of speed, so I'd guess the powerbooks will prob be upgraded before the ibooks. If they bump ibooks at all what would it be, like 1.2 thru 1.42?

I wouldn't bother getting you iBook fixed either, unless its under some kind of warranty.

 

[ricebag]

Thanks

Thank you all for your help. I sorta figured I'd get a few conflicting, messages, but just based on how similar the ibooks and pbooks are right now, compared with the huge gap between the pbooks and the imacs, I'll hold out for a while and hope. Thanks again!

 

[vraxtus]

Thank you all for your help. I sorta figured I'd get a few conflicting, messages, but just based on how similar the ibooks and pbooks are right now, compared with the huge gap between the pbooks and the imacs, I'll hold out for a while and hope. Thanks again!

Just wait a month... there's most likely going to be some kind of speed bump. Dual cores are still a while away, and a G5 is a LONG ways away... anyone holding out for that is going to be disappointed for a year...