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Getting one tomorrow....Toshiba vs. 12' PB???

P

paperinacup

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 30, 2005
413
0
These are the specs of all copmuters:

Computer 1: Toshiba
Intel Pentium M processor 750 at 1.86GHz
1024MB DDR SDRAM memory (shared)
100GB EIDE hard drive (5,400 RPM)
DVD-SuperMulti Double Layer Drive
15.4" TruBrite™ TFT LCD display; 1280 x 800
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
Integrated Intel Pro/Wireless 2200BG (802.11b/g) WLAN
PRICE IS $1399

Computer 2: Toshiba
Intel Pentium M processor 740 [1.73GHz, 2MB L2 cache, 533MHz FSB]
512 MB Ram
14.1 WXGA TruBrite LCD Display
DVD SuperMulti Burner
100 GB HD
Intel PRO/Wireless 2200BG (802.11b/g)
Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900
PRICE IS $1199 (this is a beautiful computer

OR

Computer 3: PB 12' w/ government discount
12.1-inch TFT Display
1024x768 resolution
1.5GHz PowerPC G4
512MB DDR333 SDRAM
60GB Hard Drive
NVIDIA GeForce FX
Go5200 (64MB DDR)
PRICE IS $1379


I am going to get one of these probably tomorrow and can't decide can you guys give me some comments. I know this is an Apple forum so most will be bias but I am tired of waiting for the 'mysterious update' and need a computer now.
 
paper:

I use Windows NT at work and it reminds me every day of how the Mac OS is so much smoother, intergrated, consistent and usable. You don't indicate any OS preference. If it doesn't run OS X then I would not consider it regardless of the specs for my general computing needs.
 
Dreamweaver, Flash, heavy Photoshop usage, audio editing, a little video editing, light gaming, then the normal stuff like surfing the internet, word processing.
 
paperinacup said:
Dreamweaver, Flash, heavy Photoshop usage, audio editing, a little video editing, light gaming, then the normal stuff like surfing the internet, word processing.
Click to expand...
Okay, for Photoshop and audio editing I would recommend going with as much RAM as you can - if you can't upgrade the RAM on your PowerBook (budget or purchasing restriction or what have you) then I would say go with Computer 1 just for that reason. As for games, be aware of what's available for each platform, otherwise all three should be great for light gaming. (Heck, World of Warcraft runs fine, though not super smooth, on my PowerBook G4 1.25.)

You'll want to consider what platform you like, too. That's going to be personal preference for the most part. I will tell you, though, that in terms of pure number crunching, the two Pentium M machines are likely to kick the PowerBook's rear end, and also beat it for battery life. I still love my PowerBook with all its warts and dents and find it a pleasure to use but I would definitely also consider a nice P-M based laptop in the current market.
 
Although I'm a Mac Fanboy, I'm slowly getting seduced by some of the amazing deals on Windows laptops.

I don't mind paying a small premium to buy a Mac laptop, but Apple has seriously let their price/value ratio slide in comparison to the rest of the laptop market.
 
Well no matter which computer I get I am going to make sure it has AT LEAST 1 gb of ram. Copmuter 1 has OK at the most battery life of 2 and 15 minutes. The toshiba is a pretty good deal though.
 
Before anyone jumps on us supposed Microsoft fanboys for not pushing an Apple sale, remember that someone who buys a Mac now and finds that it doesn't meet their needs will never buy a Mac again. It has to make sense for the person!
 
I'll eventually get a iMac or something whenever they start using intel processors. But the technology that the Powerbooks have just seems kind of played out. I don't really like Windows considering you have to reinstalled it 3-4 times a year but at these prices I could learn to live with it.
 
ALSO I'm wondering when the whole Longhorn OS is released will Computer 1 run it smoothly? :confused:
 
longhorn comes out when Os 10.5 comes out, I believe late 2006-ish-2007-ish...I don't know enough about longhorn to tel you if ur laptop will be good enough for longhorn...But its a safe bet/guess to say that the laptop should do the job come time for longhorn...
 
jayscheuerle said:
Do you want to run OSX or XP?
Click to expand...


Truthfully there is a version of ANY program that I want to run on both OS X and XP. So it really doesn't matter to me. I just can't stand the problems I have with windows sometimes. I previously had a 12' PB (Rev C) that I wasn't exactly amazed by. Now that I no longer have it I need a new computer. But something is telling me to get the Toshiba (1).
 
Ok thanks I needed someone to tell me it was ok lol. I have been waiting for an ibook/powerbook MAJOR update since April. 3 months later I need a computer so I guess I'll goto Costco tomorrow or the next day and pickup my new toshiba.
 
paperinacup said:
Ok thanks I needed someone to tell me it was ok lol. I have been waiting for an ibook/powerbook MAJOR update since April. 3 months later I need a computer so I guess I'll goto Costco tomorrow or the next day and pickup my new toshiba.
Click to expand...

Enjoy your Toshiba! I am sure it will be fine for you. The Pentium-M's are pretty nice CPU's.
 
keysersoze said:
Enjoy your Toshiba! I am sure it will be fine for you. The Pentium-M's are pretty nice CPU's.
Click to expand...


THanks. I also have 2 pretty beefy PCs at home to take care of the 'heavy' stuff so I hope it works out. The ONLY thing that scares me is Intel Integrated Graphics.
:mad:
 
paperinacup said:
THanks. I also have 2 pretty beefy PCs at home to take care of the 'heavy' stuff so I hope it works out. The ONLY thing that scares me is Intel Integrated Graphics.
:mad:
Click to expand...

I would say that you have a perfect setup then. The Intel graphics will be fine for 90% of what you may need to do. If you can't do something, then you have the beefy PC's to back you up. Pretty nice scenario.

*Also, the graphics in the PowerBook (at least the 12") are really dated and the Intel graphics are probably better in the end, comparing the two.
 
paperinacup said:
THanks. I also have 2 pretty beefy PCs at home to take care of the 'heavy' stuff so I hope it works out. The ONLY thing that scares me is Intel Integrated Graphics.
:mad:
Click to expand...

That changes things a bit. I would have suggested going for Computer 2, actually, if Computer 2 offered better battery life and was smaller and thinner. However, that was before you said you already had 2 good PCs to run the heavy stuff. If this is the case, I'd actually recommend getting a Powerbook just because 2h15min of battery life on Computer (1) doesn't cut it, and that's the one you want.

Also, Longhorn is thought to have very very high requirements just to get it running, so by the time it comes out, your system may barely run it.

The only thing is that you had a rev C 12" Powerbook and was not happy with it, so I don't know. :confused:
 
I wouldnt say OS X is completly better. Each OS has its major advantages.But to buy a comparable copmuter from Apple, I would have to choose the 15' Superdrive and up the ram and get a bigger hard drive. That would run me over $2000.
 
Abstract said:
That changes things a bit. I would have suggested going for Computer 2, actually, if Computer 2 offered better battery life and was smaller and thinner. However, that was before you said you already had 2 good PCs to run the heavy stuff. If this is the case, I'd actually recommend getting a Powerbook just because 2h15min of battery life on Computer (1) doesn't cut it, and that's the one you want.

Also, Longhorn is thought to have very very high requirements just to get it running, so by the time it comes out, your system may barely run it.

The only thing is that you had a rev C 12" Powerbook and was not happy with it, so I don't know. :confused:
Click to expand...


I am actually really considering is 512 more ram and 160mhz worth $200.
 
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