Help! Buy PB Now or in July/Aug?

[quanfer]

Hey guys, I just joined this forum because I plan to purchase my first mac soon. I'm starting college in fall and I want to buy a powerbook (was deciding for awhile between 12" and 15", settled on 15" but Im not sure how cumbersome it is going to be to carry it around campus, if anyone else has opinions on this decision, tell me please). Right now there is a promotional discount for SJSU which is about $120 off the educational price. I don't know how long this promotion will last so I want to buy the PB now, but I won't need it until three months from now. I checked mac rumors and it said average update was around 170 days, so will there be an update on the PB in the next 3-4 months and I should buy it then or should I take advantage of the promotional discout now? Thanks for the help

 

[GiantsFan]

Hey guys, I just joined this forum because I plan to purchase my first mac soon. I'm starting college in fall and I want to buy a powerbook (was deciding for awhile between 12" and 15", settled on 15" but Im not sure how cumbersome it is going to be to carry it around campus, if anyone else has opinions on this decision, tell me please). Right now there is a promotional discount for SJSU which is about $120 off the educational price. I don't know how long this promotion will last so I want to buy the PB now, but I won't need it until three months from now. I checked mac rumors and it said average update was around 170 days, so will there be an update on the PB in the next 3-4 months and I should buy it then or should I take advantage of the promotional discout now? Thanks for the help

damn .. $120 discount at SJSU. maybe i shoulda gone to SJSU. nahhh. living at home not fun

i say get it and settle into your pb before school starts. but thats just my opnion.

 

[yoda13]

I agree, buy now and take advantage of the discount. I would be surprised if we get new powerbooks before the fall, and possibly not until January.

 

[wide]

Hey guys, I just joined this forum because I plan to purchase my first mac soon. I'm starting college in fall and I want to buy a powerbook (was deciding for awhile between 12" and 15", settled on 15" but Im not sure how cumbersome it is going to be to carry it around campus, if anyone else has opinions on this decision, tell me please). Right now there is a promotional discount for SJSU which is about $120 off the educational price. I don't know how long this promotion will last so I want to buy the PB now, but I won't need it until three months from now. I checked mac rumors and it said average update was around 170 days, so will there be an update on the PB in the next 3-4 months and I should buy it then or should I take advantage of the promotional discout now? Thanks for the help

If I were you, I would buy the computer now. I doubt Apple will release a new model of the PowerBook by July or August, so you will be getting the same computer whether you buy it now or in August.

Don't wait, buy your PowerBook now. I don't think we will be seeing another revision until late 2004.

And about the 15-inch PowerBook portability: I don't think you will mind carrying it around, so long as you have a good carrying case. And believe me, the 15-inch will turn a lot more heads than the 12-inch.

 

[Krizoitz]

Buy one now. And in the fall if they release new ones, you can buy that one and give me the old one. I'll give it a good home

I say take advantage of the discount now and put it towards RAM. Proccesor updates probably won't be THAT drastic and the RAM will make a bigger difference.

 

[thirteen1031]

Buy NOW!

Now. The pb's were just updated and really, it'd doubtful that there's going to be another update soon. Take advantage of the discount.

As for 12" or 15"....what do you plan to do with the machine? What is your major? What do you want to be when you grow up?

If you want this laptop for writing essays, surfing the net, taking notes in class, etc, go for the 12". It's a pound lighter and fits on school desks better--and also in bookbags. VERY portable.

However, if you're going into computer graphics, or are using the pb for a lot of photoshop work, etc., then you'll want the 15".

Of course, the most important question--have you played on both? Because in the end, our advise means nothing. You get the one which calls to you, the one you fall in love with. Some folk love that larger screen and backlit keyboard of the 15". Others just adore the small, compact portability of a 12". Get what you need for what you're going to be doing--and what you want given your likes and dislikes.

 

[quanfer]

Thanks for the replies. I have played on my sister's 15" PB for abit and I really like it. I don't know how the 12" will fit me though. I plan to use the PB just for everyday tasks, taking notes, writing essays, research. If I get a 15", it would be a combo drive so no backlit keyboard . I've been reading alot of bad reviews about the 12" screen so I was wondering if I should just spend the money for the extra screen space (and better screen), and a better vid card (if i ever wanted to play games).

 

[keysersoze]

Thanks for the replies. I have played on my sister's 15" PB for abit and I really like it. I don't know how the 12" will fit me though. I plan to use the PB just for everyday tasks, taking notes, writing essays, research. If I get a 15", it would be a combo drive so no backlit keyboard . I've been reading alot of bad reviews about the 12" screen so I was wondering if I should just spend the money for the extra screen space (and better screen), and a better vid card (if i ever wanted to play games).

I love my 12" and the screen is great. The reviews were probably for rev A or B machines. The C machines (these new ones) have an all new screen (not regurgitated iBook screens). I'd say give it a try. I do everything on mine. It's very solid and fast and bright.

Good luck!

 

[tamara6]

One thing to consider is that the 15 inch has a wide screen. That means you can fit two pages side by side, without overlapping. I find this really useful - it seems that I always need one pdf file open as a reference while I write in Word or BBEdit. In fact, the wide screen was the main reason I went with the 15 inch powerbook over the 14 inch ibook.

I should note that I'm talking about Word pages or pdf pages, not web pages, which tend to be wider.

If only apple made a wide screen smaller powerbook (13 inches instead of 12?), that would be a great option.

 

[Steven1621]

i would just buy now for there won't be another update in the near future...enough said.