Help with new iBook/Pwrbook purchase

[fitzu812]

Mac friends...I switched to Windoze about 4 years ago and I'm done with it. I want my Mac back! So, it's been a while since I've dealt with Mac's and I'm looking for some suggestions on a portable solution. The price of the new iBooks is very attractive but I like as much power as I can get for my dolloar. The 17" powerbook is too big. The port options make the 15" more attractive than the 12" but I dont like the extra weight. Will I really see a difference with a 1.5 GHz vs. a 1.67? Your thoughts and comments would be much apprciated. I'm looking forward to getting my Mac back! Thanks in advance.

-T

 

[liketom]

Mac friends...I switched to Windoze about 4 years ago and I'm done with it. I want my Mac back! So, it's been a while since I've dealt with Mac's and I'm looking for some suggestions on a portable solution. The price of the new iBooks is very attractive but I like as much power as I can get for my dolloar. The 17" powerbook is too big. The port options make the 15" more attractive than the 12" but I dont like the extra weight. Will I really see a difference with a 1.5 GHz vs. a 1.67? Your thoughts and comments would be much apprciated. I'm looking forward to getting my Mac back! Thanks in advance.

-T

welcome back into the fold lol

12" ibook is great if you want to take it around and use it everywhere - power is ok will do almost everything bar major video editing FCP ect ...
12" Powerbook is the same more mobile a little faster and can handle more CPU intensive stuff
15" powerbook is the winner out of the range - portable fast and good screen size
17" Powerbook - if you want a desktop replacement then this would be it - screen size is awesome and i would hazzard a guess not many 17" travel too far from there desks


always go with what you can afford / deppending what you want to use it for


hope this helps

 

[TBi]

The price of the new iBooks is very attractive but I like as much power as I can get for my dollar.

If you are looking for bang for your buck you'd probably be better off getting an iBook 12". If on the other hand you are looking for lots of power the the PB would be the tastier option. I'm in love with 12" notebooks at the moment (and i find the 15" quite ugly...) so i'd recommend the 12" PB over the 15"PB. Although the 15" has a better graphics card and screen plus a cardbus slot.

I'd buy a 12" if you are going to use a big secondary screen at your desk and enjoy the extra portability (i don't play games...)

I'd definately buy a 15" if (you like the look of it) you will be using it's screen mainly and not have a second screen or if you want to play games properly.

From what i hear the speed increase from 1.5 to 1.67 isn't really worth it so don't let that be a deciding factor in your purchase.

Personally i have a 12" iBook so i can't really comment. Sadly all it is missing for me is a DVI output, although my 2005FPW looks fantastic on it's VGA connector.

 

[JeffTL]

Do you really have any use for the extra ports ports? Are FireWire 800, gigabit Ethernet, and a PC Card slot useful for you? Bear in mind that of the three, the most useful for most people is FireWire 800, provided that you use or potentially will be using a device that supports it. If you need those, you really should go with the 15" PowerBook. If you don't need those, look at the iBooks -- line-in can be addressed with third party accessories, and either iBook has more durability than the 12" PowerBook.

Also be sure to consider an iBook + iMac combination -- for the cost of one high-end PowerBook, you get two good computers instead of one.

 

[jbrowntech]

17" easy to transport

I am a college student & I take my powerbook with me everywhere. It is so thin (3/4 of an inch) that weight is not a problem. For students, it easily slips into a backpack (using notebook sleeve of course), or buy a 17" notebook case and throw your books in the compartments. I know many businessmen that use the 17" and feel no more of a burden than carrying around a smaller model.