Help me pick - new MB, old MB black, or old MBP

[maddie80]

I am debating between the following three:

1) New macbook with 2.0 GHz processor

http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE3MjA

2) Black macbook
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB404LL/A

3) Clearance macbook pro.... (more pricey, but bigger screen, etc.)

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MB133LL/A

I currently have a Powerbook G4 that has done awesome things for me for 4 years, but is now starting to bog down. I need a laptop for work from home for word processing, internet, etc.; tons of family photos (nothing iphoto can't handle, but I have a lot of them) and I hope to get a digital videocamera and start taking little home videos of our baby this year. What do you think would work best for me? I had been planning on getting the black macbook.... Then the new macbooks came out - I bought the base model last night, but the one I brought home is defective (it's not level, so when you type it rocks). Then I realized that maybe if I am planning on doing any video I might need the firewire? Or do new videocameras upload over USB?

I honestly don't know what to get between the 3. I looooove my powerbook to death, so the form of the old MBP appeals to me. Also, they just seem a little more solid than the new MBs. BUT there are some awesome things about the newer computers too. TIA for advice!

 

[wordmunger]

If you don't already have a bunch of firewire devices, get the new MacBook. It runs circles around the older models. When you buy a camcorder, etc., just make sure it offers full functionality through USB2 (some of them have only limited functionality in USB2 -- they might only allow transfer of still photos, not video).

 

[techound1]

Get a refurb MBP!

Same warranty and bells and whistles as new/clearance for muuuch less money.

 

[andiwm2003]

Get a refurb MBP!

Same warranty and bells and whistles as new/clearance for muuuch less money.

I bought a 2.5GHz MBP with 512MB 8600GT for $1499 from the refurb section at the apple store.

it comes in a brown box and the power brick was unwrapped. the macbook pro or anything else showed not a single sign of usage. it's brand new. my guess is they used the power brick to start it up and check if its working. but not the faintest sign that somebody had owned and returned it. no dust on the screen, no scratch, no mark on the trackpad. no a single dead or stuck pixel. so i'm sure it's brand new. all other people i talked to had the same experience with the refurb store.

so, buy refurb, not clearance. saves you about $200.