Can't hold out any longer: iBook or Powerbook?

[Matt Phoenix]

That is an excellent price on the Powerbook. If you have a lot of music and large files, get the Powerbook, due to it's larger hard drive and also the Superdrive. If not, save some money (since you are a grad student and your wife is pregnant) and go for the iBook. Personally, I love the 14 inch one for its larger screen, but if you're used to using the 12 inch one, it should be no problem to go with that.

 

[beatle888]

Both hold their resale value well, especially with the educational discount you will barely take a hit at all. If you want to play games at all, like the thinner form factor or prefer the aluminum case get the powerbook. If not, buy the ibook. For your uses you will barely notice a speed difference except for load times, since the powerbook has a faster hard drive.

Personally I would go for the ibook. Then as soon as the macbook is released buy that and ebay the ibook.

i agree with VELOCITYG4 that the macs have great resale value...BUT i doubt a G4 will have good resale value once things start really happening for the Intel base macs. i wouldnt count on selling a G4 laptop for much at all in a year.

 

[danny_w]

i agree with VELOCITYG4 that the macs have great resale value...BUT i doubt a G4 will have good resale value once things start really happening for the Intel base macs. i wouldnt count on selling a G4 laptop for much at all in a year.

I switched over a year ago, but the whole idea of resale value for computers still seems strange to me. I am so used to computers being worthless the moment you buy them (or build them) that if it has any value at all after a year I'm pleased.

 

[aarongman]

Here is an article on the differences between the different mac systems for the newbies or people looking into getting an apple.

Choosing Between the iMac, Macbook Pro, Mac Mini and Other Mac Computers

 

[student_trap]

i doubt that the G4's will hold their value like they used to, but don't worry, keep the mac if you can, it'll be worth it!

As for ibook or powerbook, if you want battery life and aren't going to do any screen spanning, then get an ibook, otherwise go powerbook. One issue to remember is that, leopard will probably have much more eye candy than tiger, and the ibooks' graphics card doesn't currently support all of the graphics of tiger!