I could use some help "switching" making a purchase - or mulitple purchases

[Sigma B]

Hey everyone!

I've made a few posts around here lately. With the new educational promo going on right now I have a question.

I want to buy a powerbook, but i can't decide.

I either want the 12" (and get a powermac or some desktop later) or get the 15" or 17". Either for the time being whatever I buy will be my main computer for at least a little while. I currently have a 21" Viewsonic CRT that I can toss in the mix to use.

I just can't deside what to do. I don't really know how much I'll tote my powerbook around campus (I'm a marketing major). But, it will be moved to and from my apartment to my home on the weekends. This will be my first notebook as well as first Mac.

I don't know what I should do exactly. I've played and demoed all the powerbooks as well as most all Macs in general. They all have thier pro's and con's, but I can't seem to decipher which one would be best for my needs. I will be mainly doing photoshop work and iTunes. If I ever get a digital camcorder i will get finalcut, but that's a while off. I mainly wanted a notebook because I can quickly unload photos, print them, and organize them, rather than having to go through so many photos at one time (life when i get back from vacations, xmas break etc etc....)

Sorry for rambling. I just hope someone has been in my situation and could provide insight!

Thank you for you time, consideration, and patience - especially if you read all of this!

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

If I were you I would get the 15' Powerbook with the superdrive. It has the horsepower to serve as a desktop as well as the portability factor. Trust me, even if you are not sure if you need portability it is a great thing to have. Before I got mine I didn't think much about portability but once I got it I wasn't seen without my precious.

Plus you most likely will be able to use your CRT monitor using the DVI connection built into the Powerbook. So you can have the best of both worlds.

 

[Sigma B]

if i'm going to go ahead and get the 15 should I go full on gusto and get the 17"? I don't mean to question you. Perhaps I'm looking at both ends of the spectrum...... the 15" is almost 1000 more than the 12" for that I could get the 12" and have over half the money for a G5 a little later ;-)


i don't know. I'm just indecisive about big purchases. I appreciate your time.

 

[Calvinatir]

i love my 17", no regrets at all!

 

[Dr. Dastardly]

I felt that the 17" was to large for me to comfortably tote around everywhere. But I have talked to others who say they love the extra screen area so to each their own i guess.

If money is a tight issue right now then get the 12" since you already had a nice monitor to use. My thinking with the notebooks is since you will be all over the campus, portability will be a huge asset to you.

 

[puckhead193]

I'm going to be freshmen at college, and i also can't decide if i want the 12 or 15. I need the portablibty because i need it for class. Do u plan on taking it to class? If so i wouldn't get the 17 because of the those chairs with the half desk....grrr i hate those things! If you plan on doing editing the 15 will be nicer. When do u plan on getting a desktop. Cause you can save $$$ and get the 12" and have more money to put towards the G5 or whatever you decide. I think i'm going to end up with the 15 because i don't plan on getting a G5 because the doorms are small, and there will be no room to put a G5 and a 23" monitor. THe 12 for me will be to small. Although now i'm using my brother's 12" bok, but its hard look at for a while esp. for video editing which i plan on doing with FCE. If i were you i wouldn't get an expssive laptop if you know for sure you getting a desktop. Sorry for rambling so long kinda got carried away, but i hope this helps! What ever you decide you won't regret

 

[Sigma B]

If I get a desktop it would be around christmas time, more than likely after - jan or feb.

as for dorm room issues. I have my own apartment and I have plenty of space. I just can't decide on what to do. I just keep thinking that the 12" would be perfect for my current needs, but I would "need" the power of a desktop eventually along with that.

I know that if I did get the 12" I would be more likely to carry it with me everyday. While the 15" and 17" are easy to carry to me (I'm 6'5"), I don't think they would be as easy to haul around as the 12". But, then again, the screen is just a little on the small size, but it's not like I'm going to be doing extensive photoshop work or video work away from my monitor.

I just think I would MISS firewire800, maybe gigabit ethernet, and having to deal with mini dvi.

It just seems like as soon as i convince myself to go in one direction, I easily convinice myself in the other direction. I appologize for the numerous posts. I know that you deal with many of these "which Mac for me" threads daily, but, I'm just having a crisis deciding where to plop my money.....

 

[Bhennies]

I just think I would MISS firewire800, maybe gigabit ethernet, and having to deal with mini dvi.

It just seems like as soon as i convince myself to go in one direction, I easily convinice myself in the other direction. I appologize for the numerous posts. I know that you deal with many of these "which Mac for me" threads daily, but, I'm just having a crisis deciding where to plop my money.....

FW800 is THE reason I got the 15" over the 12". I mean, there were other reasons, but FW800 was #1, screen size #2, PC slot #3.

I am in the same boat as you, I bought the powerbook with intentions of a g5 in the future. 23" display on the way as well. I would say get the 15" combo. If you're gonna get the g5 anyway, you'll have a superdrive in that, and the extra loot you can throw into RAM and a nice case.

 

[daxdagr8t]

both are great machine but if u want the ultimate portabiity go with the 12in.i bring my 12inpb everywhere i go.

 

[titaniumducky]

if i'm going to go ahead and get the 15 should I go full on gusto and get the 17"? I don't mean to question you. Perhaps I'm looking at both ends of the spectrum...... the 15" is almost 1000 more than the 12" for that I could get the 12" and have over half the money for a G5 a little later ;-)


i don't know. I'm just indecisive about big purchases. I appreciate your time.

Here's the simple breakdown:

12": You want a lot of portability and will be working on the go a lot.

15": You need screen estate on the go, this will be your only machine, and you want reasonable portability.

17": You don't need much portability, but screen estate is really important. Weight is not much of an issue, nor is price; this will be your only machine.

 

[zakee00]

If I get a desktop it would be around christmas time, more than likely after - jan or feb.

as for dorm room issues. I have my own apartment and I have plenty of space. I just can't decide on what to do. I just keep thinking that the 12" would be perfect for my current needs, but I would "need" the power of a desktop eventually along with that.

I know that if I did get the 12" I would be more likely to carry it with me everyday. While the 15" and 17" are easy to carry to me (I'm 6'5"), I don't think they would be as easy to haul around as the 12". But, then again, the screen is just a little on the small size, but it's not like I'm going to be doing extensive photoshop work or video work away from my monitor.

I just think I would MISS firewire800, maybe gigabit ethernet, and having to deal with mini dvi.

It just seems like as soon as i convince myself to go in one direction, I easily convinice myself in the other direction. I appologize for the numerous posts. I know that you deal with many of these "which Mac for me" threads daily, but, I'm just having a crisis deciding where to plop my money.....

Hahaha, don't worry, we have nothing else to do (at least i don't ). I own a Rev A 15" 1.25GHz, and it is WONDERFUL. I don't need to be very portable, but i have used it on small airplanes, away from home, in the car, and it suits me fine. My only gripe is battery life, and I manage because I have it plugged in all of the time, with power settings on lowest, and screen on like 3 blocks, you MIGHT be able to squeeze 3 hours out of it with AE off. It depends on what you want though, if you would rather have a smaller, less powerfull laptop and a mid-range G5, than go for it. Or you might rather have power you can take advantage of on-the-go, aka 15" 1.5GHz. I would'nt get a 17" though, because you already have a 21" monitor, and it is a beast to cary around, plus bad battery life. If i were you, i'd get a 12" now, and whenever you save up some money, get a G5. That is one amazing setup
Good luck,
Nick
PS whatever laptop you get, make sure to get Airport Extreme built in. It is amazing.

 

[Sigma B]

If i were you, i'd get a 12" now, and whenever you save up some money, get a G5. That is one amazing setup

This is the thought that keeps echoing in my head. Buy the 12", because I might absolutely LOVE taking my powerbook with me everywhere, and then get a nice desktop (whatever G5 I can afford or new iMac).

But the issue is that this computer will have to be my "main" computer for at least a few months, but I guess the plus side is I have a large external monitor.

 

[BakedBeans]

This is the thought that keeps echoing in my head. Buy the 12", because I might absolutely LOVE taking my powerbook with me everywhere, and then get a nice desktop (whatever G5 I can afford or new iMac).

But the issue is that this computer will have to be my "main" computer for at least a few months, but I guess the plus side is I have a large external monitor.

evn though the powerbook is small, it is a powerfull beast, and has plenty of horsepowerfor the everyday uses... as long as youdont want to do really heavy photoshop or videoediting all the time... then i think the 12inch is plenty...

that being said i always recomend the 15inch it has all of the benifits or the 12 and 17 but none of the bad....

 

[Sigma B]

but I do some rather heavy multilayer photoshoping..... ?

 

[Sigma B]

I'll be ordering from apple's website.... does anyone know if they will charge Tax on my order - there isn't an "apple store" in the state of Kentucky

 

[wordmunger]

I'll be ordering from apple's website.... does anyone know if they will charge Tax on my order - there isn't an "apple store" in the state of Kentucky

I'm pretty sure the Apple Store charges tax everywhere. Why not try Newegg.com?

 

[Sigma B]

I'm pretty sure the Apple Store charges tax everywhere. Why not try Newegg.com?

I'll be utilizing the educational discount.....

besides, i didn't think newegg carried apple powerbooks?

 

[zakee00]

I'll be utilizing the educational discount.....

besides, i didn't think newegg carried apple powerbooks?

i mess around on photoshop on my 15", and i only have 512 mb of ram. renders are blazing fast, and i work with like 8 layer files (i doubt thats alot, but hey),and it works great. that means the 12" could handle photoshop EASILY. just make sure you have the ram, thats what kills proformance. the only thing is, i dont know what it would be like on the 12" screen, i feel a bit cramped at times on my 15"...but im a newbie. but i guess thats what your 21" screen is for (until you get a g5 ;-)) get the 12", and take your time getting a new desktop...you wont need one anytime soon, trust me ;-)