Getting an iBook

[brandon6684]

As soon as the next iBook revision comes and Tiger is shipping on them, I'm planning on getting a 12" iBook. One lingering concern I have about the iBooks that is keeping me openminded toward a 12" PowerBook is the 32MB video card they come with. Having a G3 iMac with 16MB VRAM, I already know that it can become a probelem in a couple of revisons, since mine now can't even use QuartzExtreme, and I don't want to be left out in the cold again within a couple of OS revisions like I am now.

The AppleInsider report about the coming iBook updates said something about upgraded video in the iBooks. Do you think it could be an upgrade to 64MB? That would be the only update I could see that makes sense. The current Radeon 9200 is already a good card, so I don't see them upgrading to a differnt 32MB card. Besides, the "consumer" iMac comes with the same amount of VRAM as the "high end" Power Mac.

Another thing between the PB and iBook right now is standard RAM. I could buy a PB without having to upgrade the RAM, or get 768 for the price of upgrading to 512 in the iBook. Anybody care to guess at the chances of 512MB standard RAM in the iBook? From rumors I've heard, the last PB updates may be a trend that will carried out in the next wave of updates with everly thing getting 512 standard in the wave of updates. Anybody else know any thing about this?

At $1499, the 12" PowerBook is a good deal compared to the current iBooks, but if I can get a 12" iBook with 64MB VRAM, 512MB RAM, and a 1.33GHz proccessor for $999(or even if they wend back up to $1099) I'd definiatly get one. Right now the PB wins against the current crop of iBooks, but I'm hoping the next update make them more attractive.

 

[yuy]

I think the same way as you

I plan to buy an ibook after Tiger and update as well, but was annoyed by the rumors that the graphic card ATI 9200 with only 32 vram can not work well with Core Image. I don't want buy an outdated machine either.

Let's hope there will be an upgrade related to graphic system in iBook.

 

[JzzTrump22]

Don't count on the iBook comming with 512 ram standard, the powernooks just started doing that. Don't count on the vram either, because as of right now, the ibook is faster then the 12" PB. Why would apple make an idiotic move and make the ibook just about equal to the 12" PB. Mabey further down the line this will happen. But not for a long time.

 

[brandon6684]

Don't count on the vram either, because as of right now, the ibook is faster then the 12" PB..

The iBook is currently at 1.2/1.33GHz and the 12" PB is at 1.5. The 12" iBook is expected to only go up to 1.33GHz.

 

[JzzTrump22]

The iBook is currently at 1.2/1.33GHz and the 12" PB is at 1.5. The 12" iBook is expected to only go up to 1.33GHz.

I meant once the iBooks new revision is released, which is comming very soon. It's posted in the rumors forum.

 

[timmyb]

Don't count on the iBook comming with 512 ram standard, the powernooks just started doing that.

Appleinsider ran a story a few weeks ago saying that all Apple hardware would come with 512 RAM as standard in order to get the most from Tiger.

 

[maya]

If Apple is placing 512 of ram in all the models then I hope its 1 DIMM and not 2. That would really piss me off as I would have no empty slot.

I might upgrade when some specs are released, at present all I see is maybe:

More Ram, BT 2.0, more vRam same old card, or new card with either less vRam. No new form factor yet until it gets a better processor generation or dual core status.

 

[brandon6684]

I meant once the iBooks new revision is released, which is comming very soon. It's posted in the rumors forum.

Yeah, that's what I was talking about, according to AppleInsider, the 12" iBooks are expected to go to 1.33GHz, compared to 1.5 for the 1.5 GHz PowerBook, not to mention the PB would still have fster memory, faster hard drive, bluetooth standard, and the iBooks may not come with the motion sensor or the new trackpad(although this seems more likely), so even with the same VRAM, the PB would still have the "extra" high end features.

 

[joshua_msu]

Yeah, that's what I was talking about, according to AppleInsider, the 12" iBooks are expected to go to 1.33GHz, compared to 1.5 for the 1.5 GHz PowerBook, not to mention the PB would still have fster memory, faster hard drive, bluetooth standard, and the iBooks may not come with the motion sensor or the new trackpad(although this seems more likely), so even with the same VRAM, the PB would still have the "extra" high end features.

Yea, that scrolling trackpad is certainly high end. My 4 year old P3 laptop has one.