disappointed with PB purchase today

[sbb155]

"I guess the consensus is, yes the screen MAY stink, but don't complain about it, since you bought it."

I complained because overall I like the product, but there is room for improvement. The criticism here is harsh, but uncannily illogocal. Why not strive for what the PC users have at the screen level?

No one complains here when people laud the dell widescreen over the apple cinema display, based on price. I am doing the same, based on the price of a premium laptop.

Make no mistake, I am satisfied overall with the purchase, but just barely. It is people like me (open to change, but working in a PC environment) that apple seems to target with their "switch" campaign.

I took the plunge, and switched. But I had to compromise on the screen level. It IS a sub-par offering, I am sure that apple will move to higher resolution, and you will get an outpouring of "good work apple" when the screen is updated to 2005 standards. But now, since apple doesn't have such an offering, those that are blind to the problem will always be critical.

Yes, I am complaining about the screen. It is not as good as it should be. But I wanted an apple laptop, and I compromised. But, I will still point out the obvious - it can be better. That being said, I am satisfied with the switch, but the attitudes here have led me to believe that an open discussion is often not possible.

Let's just move on.... Should I get a 512MB stick for total of 1GB, or add a 1gb stick for a total of 1.5GB... this is really a more important issue for me at this point.

 

[daveL]

I have a TiBook with 1 GB. I use VPC with it, while running all the normal OS X apps (Safari, Mail, Terminal, etc.) and have not found a situation where I'm memory starved. Save your money and go with 1 GB, unless you have additional requirements, of course.

 

[plinden]

I don't think there's much "mac cult" in this thread at all. You posted inflammatory and very negative remarks about a machine you only just purchased. That doesn't make much sense to the casual reader. If you think the screen (a rather important component of a laptop) is so awful, why on earth did you buy it? (rhetorical) What other kind of comments did you expect?

When we question this it's not testosterone. It's just applying logic. But then that can appear as something else to the estrogen abundant can't it? (tongue in cheek)

I have to come to the defense of the original poster - I didn't find her remarks inflammatory and negative. Sure, she doesn't like the screen, but perhaps that wasn't the major factor in her decision to buy. It /is/ possible to like almost everything about a purchase but still complain about one part.

That said, I don't agree with her. I find the screen on my IBM T40p (14", 1440x1050) fine for for the relatively short periods I use it away from home, but it gives me a headache working on it for more than a few hours. I had to get an external monitor to be able to work on it for extended periods (ie. a normal workday). And comparing it to my coworker's 15" rev B PB, I still don't see much difference in brightness and sharpness.

I personally think the resolution on the PB is just about perfect for its size.

But then that's my 39 yr old eyes talking.

 

[aussie_geek]

Yeah but....

I had the opportunity to put my PowerBook next to a Sony Vaio with the xbrite screen. The Vaio had better resolution but the pixels were so small I could hardly read them.

Another thing that I noticed was that there was no 'anti glare' coating on the Vaio's screen. So at the same time I was looking at a super bright LCD (that was actually too bright - I looked away from the screen and could still see the MS Windows desktop when I closed my eyes) and the reflection of the flourescent lights from the roof as well.

At work I have 2 CRT's side by side that I do my work on, and the PowerBook on side for internet etc and MacRumors 😉. I welcome the time I spend on the PowerBook - it gives my eyes a rest.

aussie_geek

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

sbb155, you have to realize that it all depends on personal preference.

Why do some folks prefer the 14 inch iBook vice the 12 inch version? Both have the same screen resolution, yet the 14 inch iBook sells very well even though it's resolution is very low compared to the size of the screen.

Personally, I am very happy with the resolution of my PB15. I wouldn't want the pixels to be any smaller. Otherwise it would be hard to read, in my case.

Sushi

I have a 15 inch view sonic flat screen. The highest res it has is 1024x768. Its a bigger screen than the 14 inch ibook and it looks awesome.

 

[john1123]

Let's just move on.... Should I get a 512MB stick for total of 1GB, or add a 1gb stick for a total of 1.5GB... this is really a more important issue for me at this point.

It really depends on what you want to do with your PBook. 1GB should be enough for almost anything, including everyday photoshop, imovie and all that. 1.5GB would be good for advanced movie/photo editing.

 

[Kenrik]

**WHAT FOLLOWS IS VERY IMPORTAINT** when powerbooks ship the LCD is configured to look like crap (really... not kidding here) you have to go into display options and select The color profile that looks best or make a new one. This makes a HUGE difference, the stock prefrence is very dull but that screen is actually very bright and with crisp colors if corectly set up.

 

[Chrispy]

Come on all... just let it rest 😱 So sbb115 made a comment that not everyone agrees with, and we all responded (some tastefully and other not so much) about how we feel. I personally think the resolution could be slightly higher but not much. A guy a work brough in a sony vaio with a 15" display running at 1600x1200 😱 I had to be right on top of it to read it. For some people (like the person who owned the vaio) this is fine and for others (like me) it is an unpleasant experience (sold my thinkpad partially becuase I could not read the screen). This is a forum for us all to share ideas and opinions in what most people would hope to be a respectful and friendly environment. Some users here actually do not mind windows while others hate it. I prefer OS X but I will use WinXP without being in too much pain about it. It just takes more work that is all. Right now I am currently using XP as my main computer as I am without a mac (long story and work related). I am going between a mac and windows laptop in my mind for what to buy as my portable (will probably go with mac 😛 ) because everything at my job is so centered around windows. Even if I ended up with a windows laptop I would still end up owning a mac of some kind (like a Mini). It is possible to hold multiple opinions about a product, purchase, platform or even a company. Let us all just let this one go and do our best to be accepting members in what I consider to be one of the best forum communities out there. 🙂

 

[JzzTrump22]

The screen isn't the best. It could definatly be better. But it works pretty well and i'm pleased with it. You would think for the price you pay for a PB, you would get a really good screen.

 

[hulugu]

...I am sure that there is some testosterone induced arrogance, not to mention cult-like mac worship here, but anybody could opbjectively tell you that for the price, the screen is really a major downside, the resolution is really a "last generation" type of resolution for a 15" widescreen.

Cult-like! I'm so sick of hearing this meme; the horse is glue.

Sbb155, I wish you were happier with the 15" screen-resolution because I actually think that higher resolutions merely result in smaller icons and text which effects the user-interface negatively. Xbrite technology or something similar to increase the brightness would be nice just because I always like Apple to have the SOTA. The new SMS is really cool and only comes on IBM Thinkpads.

However, you have every right to grumble and no one should tell you different, I hope this is but one small omission.

 

[hulugu]

**WHAT FOLLOWS IS VERY IMPORTAINT** when powerbooks ship the LCD is configured to look like crap (really... not kidding here) you have to go into display options and select The color profile that looks best or make a new one. This makes a HUGE difference, the stock prefrence is very dull but that screen is actually very bright and with crisp colors if corectly set up.

What should the original poster do to make her screen nicer? Any particular suggestions.

 

[Southbridge]

THERES NO PERFECT LAPTOP

ok... can I say something? because I went through the whole process looking for a laptop last week and finally decided on the 12" PB 1.5Ghz. I must say a week later it still an amazing machine and I love it.

Basically the way I saw it... there was NO PERFECT LAPTOP. For me it came down to:

a) a good screen
b) a good OS
c) portability issues (size, battery life, weight, etc.)

I could not find a laptop that excelled in all three aspects. You're basically compromising on one of them.

I think in terms of designing a laptop you have to make comprimises too... perhaps a nicer screen would impinge on the portibility issues etc.

The 15" definately has a better screen than the 12" and a Sony X-Brite screen is definately better than the 15"... So... the original poster could have gone with the better screen but given up a good OS. I think 15" is a perfect comprimise if you're not porting the 15" around a lot.

I chose the 12" because portiability was the most important to me, and honestly at first the lower resolution of the screen bothered me. But now a week later it really doesnt bother me. I'm much happier with the choice I made about the size.

So the question you have to ask is why exactly you bought your particular laptop, and what needs is it going to serve. If screen is the top of your list of important things in a laptop, then I might not recommend a powerbook. On the other hand if you want a kickass GUI, smooth integration of media, user friendliness, and stability from your computer then the Mac is the best out there.

 

[Demon Hunter]

So the question you have to ask is why exactly you bought your particular laptop, and what needs is it going to serve. If screen is the top of your list of important things in a laptop, then I might not recommend a powerbook. On the other hand if you want a kickass GUI, smooth integration of media, user friendliness, and stability from your computer then the Mac is the best out there.

Well said, Southbridge. 🙂

Simply out of curiousity... why sell a laptop (when it's hard to read text) when you can lower the resolution? Does it still have the same effect? Actually, I never knew LCDs had native resolutions... all very interesting...

 

[adamjay]

its kinda like saying "i bought this new car, but i don't like the way i sit in the driver's seat"... ummm didn't you TEST DRIVE the car?
and if you didn't, its your fault for making the decision to buy it.

sorry for my lack of sympathy.

but honestly, i think you are experiencing the difference between how OSX looks at the bare interface level and how Windows looks. the 15" PB has a resolution of 1280x854, its a 15.2" widescreen. for 6 months i was using a 15.4" HP with 1280x800 (less resolution per inch than the PB) for work. It would have seemed like there was more resolution on the PC when i was just looking at the desktop or navigating Explorer. But then when i open an application that is cross platform (audio apps are a good example) the app looked the same on a 15" PB as it did on the HP.
So why don't you try reducing font and icon sizes for now, do some tweaking and take some bayer for those kneejerk reactions.

if that doesn't work,
you can always sell it and get a dell duuude. 😀

 

[willhclark]

The person who started this thread makes a good point. I don't see why I can't get an Apple powerbook with UXGA resoltion like on my Sager 5680 PC laptop which gets up to 2048 x 1536 on its 15" screen. Sure, it makes sense for an ibook to have lower resolution since they're cheaper. The higher end Powerbooks should have high res as at least an option.

 

[sushi]

I have a 15 inch view sonic flat screen. The highest res it has is 1024x768. Its a bigger screen than the 14 inch ibook and it looks awesome.

I hear ya!

I have a Logitec 15 inch with 1024x768. Looks great. Wouldn't want the pixels to be any smaller.

Sushi

 

[sushi]

The person who started this thread makes a good point. I don't see why I can't get an Apple powerbook with UXGA resoltion like on my Sager 5680 PC laptop which gets up to 2048 x 1536 on its 15" screen. Sure, it makes sense for an ibook to have lower resolution since they're cheaper. The higher end Powerbooks should have high res as at least an option.

Why?

Because for many folks the screen becomes too hard to read if the pixels become too small.

Sure you can change the resolution. However, at this time, generally native resolution looks the best. Maybe Tiger will change this.

Anyhow, for those of us who use our computers primarily to read/manipulate text, pixel size is very important.

Sushi

 

[Chrispy]

Why?

Because for many folks the screen becomes too hard to read if the pixels become too small.

Sure you can change the resolution. However, at this time, generally native resolution looks the best. Maybe Tiger will change this.

Anyhow, for those of us who use our computers primarily to read/manipulate text, pixel size is very important.

Sushi

but honestly, i think you are experiencing the difference between how OSX looks at the bare interface level and how Windows looks. the 15" PB has a resolution of 1280x854, its a 15.2" widescreen. for 6 months i was using a 15.4" HP with 1280x800 (less resolution per inch than the PB) for work. It would have seemed like there was more resolution on the PC when i was just looking at the desktop or navigating Explorer. But then when i open an application that is cross platform (audio apps are a good example) the app looked the same on a 15" PB as it did on the HP.

These are two very good points. The resolution in mac does seem lower than it does on PC becuase of the size of items on the screen. I thought the exact same thing when I first switched. As I said, I hated having the resolution really high on my Thinkpad because I could not read it. When I use my laptop at my desk it is hooked up to an external keyboard and mouse so it is not right in my face. Sometimes even the 12" screen at 1024x768 is too small. I am actually considering getting the 14" iBook instead for this very reason....

 

[Southbridge]

The person who started this thread makes a good point. I don't see why I can't get an Apple powerbook with UXGA resoltion like on my Sager 5680 PC laptop which gets up to 2048 x 1536 on its 15" screen. Sure, it makes sense for an ibook to have lower resolution since they're cheaper. The higher end Powerbooks should have high res as at least an option.

want to know why? Because Apple isnt a democracy. If you dont like their products then buy something else.

You have to remember it's not Apple vs. PC's... because Apple is one company and PC makers are thousands of companies... It's more like Apple vs. Dell vs. HP vs.. etc. What unifies the PC's is the operating system. So that means if you want choice between hardware then you can consult one of the thousand PC makers... If you want a great OS then you choose Apple.

Honestly i think you can get better hardware from a PC maker. But a computer isnt all just about hardware. Hardware and Software are like Ying and Yang. If you perfer your computer to go blazing fast speeds with awesome graphics.. then choose a PC. If you want a computer with a beautiful interface then you choose Apple.

 

[Bangpow]

I didn't read all of the posts in this thread, but I just got my PB a week ago and i couldn't be happier.

Yeah, Wintel lappy's had better screens, but i am more about functionality and stability, which the PB provides both.

I can see how some people may not like the screen, but there's always going to be something about every computer that someone won't like.


Just my $.02

 

[Yvan256]

I'm planning on buying both an iMac G5 (just waiting Tiger and rev.B, hoping for something better than FX5200 Ultra/64MB) and a 12" iBook (again waiting for the next rev. PowerBook just got updated and iBooks are due for an update soon too). Don't really need the power of the PowerBook (I'll leave that to the iMac), and I'm choosing the 12" model for portability (my old Thinkpad 760XL is big enough, if a bit heavy).

My question is: I've seen the iMac G4 and the iMac G5. I never liked the iMac G4 display: looks faded, colors washed-out, etc. The iMac G5, on the other hand, makes DVDs look like crap (the display is so good, MPEG-2 artifacts are easily seen).

My question is the following: is the LCD on the 12" iBook the same as the LCD on the 12" PowerBook? Are those LCDs more like the iMac G4 or the iMac G5?

No, don't tell me to "go to the Apple store to check it out", there's no such things in Canada.

I do have an Apple reseller about 30 minutes from here, but he doesn't have much in stock (only buys on demand from clients, no stock in-store) except a 17" iMac G5. So I can't drive anywhere to "check it out for myself".

So, what would be your recommendation, based only on the LCD? A 12" iBook or a 12" PowerBook?

If I ever choose the "need-to-burn-DVDs-while-on-the-go", how about the 14" iBook vs the 15" PowerBook?

 

[Southbridge]

I'm planning on buying both an iMac G5 (just waiting Tiger and rev.B, hoping for something better than FX5200 Ultra/64MB) and a 12" iBook (again waiting for the next rev. PowerBook just got updated and iBooks are due for an update soon too). Don't really need the power of the PowerBook (I'll leave that to the iMac), and I'm choosing the 12" model for portability (my old Thinkpad 760XL is big enough, if a bit heavy).

My question is: I've seen the iMac G4 and the iMac G5. I never liked the iMac G4 display: looks faded, colors washed-out, etc. The iMac G5, on the other hand, makes DVDs look like crap (the display is so good, MPEG-2 artifacts are easily seen).

My question is the following: is the LCD on the 12" iBook the same as the LCD on the 12" PowerBook? Are those LCDs more like the iMac G4 or the iMac G5?

No, don't tell me to "go to the Apple store to check it out", there's no such things in Canada.

I do have an Apple reseller about 30 minutes from here, but he doesn't have much in stock (only buys on demand from clients, no stock in-store) except a 17" iMac G5. So I can't drive anywhere to "check it out for myself".

So, what would be your recommendation, based only on the LCD? A 12" iBook or a 12" PowerBook?

If I ever choose the "need-to-burn-DVDs-while-on-the-go", how about the 14" iBook vs the 15" PowerBook?

well... personally I'd always recommend that you go look, and feel a computer before you actually buy it... everybody has their own opinions and stuff so I think the best is your own intuition about things...

between a 12" PB and a 12" iBook... the screen shouldnt be the deciding factor... the PB is a little faster... and generally I think its a little better made... but actually check out this article:

http://www.macworld.com/2005/02/reviews/powerbookg4rev/index.php

they recommend pretty much on getting a 12" iBook and beefing up the RAM to get similar performance with the 12" PB... If cash is an issue and you dont need a superdrive... I'd probably go with that recommendation.

 

[Yvan256]

well... personally I'd always recommend that you go look, and feel a computer before you actually buy it... everybody has their own opinions and stuff so I think the best is your own intuition about things...

As I said, I can't go look at the computers, there's none where I live. And even if I drive 30 minutes to go to the reseller, they don't have any in stock.

between a 12" PB and a 12" iBook... the screen shouldnt be the deciding factor... the PB is a little faster... and generally I think its a little better made... but actually check out this article:

http://www.macworld.com/2005/02/reviews/powerbookg4rev/index.php

they recommend pretty much on getting a 12" iBook and beefing up the RAM to get similar performance with the 12" PB... If cash is an issue and you dont need a superdrive... I'd probably go with that recommendation.

Ok, thanks!

Now, I just need to wait for the next revs of iMac and iBook, and the release of Tiger. <g>

 

[spercharged69]

I can't believe there are people in this thread arguing against higher resolution displays. Good god, as much as I love my 17" PowerBook, I've owned PC laptops with UXGA screens for the past two years.

The "Whaaa, everything is smalller" argument is completely ridiculous. Can't read the text, turn up the font sizes. Can't see icons, scale them bigger. With more pixels to go around, everything will be cleaner, crisper, and more defined.

"Smaller" is a terrible misconception of people who don't know how to work their computers.

 

[joshua_msu]

I can't believe there are people in this thread arguing against higher resolution displays. Good god, as much as I love my 17" PowerBook, I've owned PC laptops with UXGA screens for the past two years.

You forgot you must not speak any bad of Apple here. People dont take kindly to it. Now, drink your Kool Aid like the others and follow Apple blindly in whatever they do.