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iBook G4 v. IBM Thinkpad T-42
- Thread starter LESTEJA2
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Get the iBook G4 because:
1. Mac OS X is better than Windows
2. Doesn't get viruses
3. Easier Operating System to use
1. Mac OS X is better than Windows
2. Doesn't get viruses
3. Easier Operating System to use
What are the details of the T42 in terms of processor, screen size, etc? Thinkpads are great... depending on what your needs are, it might make a great laptop to run Ubuntu on also.
i wish people would stop asking this question.
There is no reason to ever ask the question "do I buy this mac or this pc". Here's why-- nobody can ever answer that question because mac vs pc is a personal choice. Nobody can make that decision for you. It's like asking "do I buy these really good apples or should I get these oranges over here?"
There is no reason to ever ask the question "do I buy this mac or this pc". Here's why-- nobody can ever answer that question because mac vs pc is a personal choice. Nobody can make that decision for you. It's like asking "do I buy these really good apples or should I get these oranges over here?"
I do work at IBM. the T42 has been handed out like candy under the laptop replacement program. I was upgraded prior to the T42, so I didn't get it, i'm typing this on on R50.
The T42 has the Pentium M, which is a good processor, but it's not as fast as the core duo, but certainly faster than the G4. it's also still a hot machine if you run it with all timers disabled/full clock speed. The nice thing is you can get the 9 cell extended battery and get 5 hours of REAL full clock speed performance (under normal condition, not running a graphic intensive game).
All in all it's a great machine, people haven't had problems with them (unlike the R50s/R60).
I'm not telling you this to sway you, just to give you some real world (visual) experience on the thinkpad.
The T42 has the Pentium M, which is a good processor, but it's not as fast as the core duo, but certainly faster than the G4. it's also still a hot machine if you run it with all timers disabled/full clock speed. The nice thing is you can get the 9 cell extended battery and get 5 hours of REAL full clock speed performance (under normal condition, not running a graphic intensive game).
All in all it's a great machine, people haven't had problems with them (unlike the R50s/R60).
I'm not telling you this to sway you, just to give you some real world (visual) experience on the thinkpad.
I think I am going to sell my iMac G3 (if anyone is interested in it e-mail me at jake.lester@hotmail.com), and purchase the IBM thinkpad t-42 and a Apple Cube for at home. I'll probably use the IBM for Ubuntu linux or maybe Gentoo.
my IBM T42 was much cooler than a PowerBook, MacBook, or MacBook Pro.
i suggest the IBM because the iBook is worse than using Windows, in my opinion.
Are you serious? The mbp has core 2 duo, and the T42 has pentium M. People here are getting T60p systems which has core 2 duo, and I've consistently heard they are cooler than the T42s. the battery life is about 6.5 hours at full clock speed on them also.
I would go with the T42 also.
Go with the T42. If you can't stand using Windows, install one of the user-friendly linux distributions like Ubuntu or openSUSE instead.
I'm writing this from my Thinkpad t42. It's been my daily business machine for 2+ years, 8-10 hours per day every day.
As a business user I've owned and used these laptops: 2 IBM's, 2 Tosiba, 2 Dell and 1 Mac. The t42 is the best laptop I've ever used. The things are built like tanks and are almost totally indestructable. When magazines review laptops the Thinkpad T is the standard by which they're compared.
That said, a Macbook or Macbook Pro will blow it away. The T42 is 1.5ghz single-core. The dedicated Radeon 7500 GPU is a big upgrade from an integrated graphics chip too. I have 1.25GB ram installed, 512m is not enough.
For the price you quote, for a spare Linux machine that's a great deal. I would go with the Thinkpad. You will be very happy with it.
If you want a real powerful machine, then you're considering a MB or MB-Pro vs. the newer Thinkpad T60 or T61, that's a whole lot more money and a new discussion.
Greg
I'm typing this from my Macbook Pro, but I've had three Thinkpads in a row (including an X60 that shares duties with my MBP, an X40 that is a download mule, and an old A22p running Linux). They are, like Apple, priced at a premium but they're built like tanks. I'm especially fond of the X series, very light (3 lbs) and long lasting. Apple doesn't really offer anything like that, so that's why I have the X60 and the MBP. It would be tought if I had to choose between them. The Thinkpads are great machines.
Basically your T42 is roughly as powerful as my X40 and the iBook roughly at the level of my G4 mini. I'd take the Thinkpad, eliminating OS from the equation. I really want to get rid of the G4 mini but the Intel ones are still pricey and the G4 still works.
Basically your T42 is roughly as powerful as my X40 and the iBook roughly at the level of my G4 mini. I'd take the Thinkpad, eliminating OS from the equation. I really want to get rid of the G4 mini but the Intel ones are still pricey and the G4 still works.
I have used all sorts of laptops. I was a PC user before March 06 last year and i have used PC laptops with better specs than the T-42 and the iBook G4 that i am using at the moment compares very well in my opinion. I have used laptops with 1.8-M,1.73-M, 2-M and it terms of performance they do not feel any faster to me than the iBook that i am using right now.
I had an opportunity more recently to use a PC laptop with better specs than the T-42 for a few months until Apple released Santa Rosa laptops (as i sold my MBP) and i tried it but it was not pleasant at all so i sold it for the person who loaned it to me as they wanted to sell it and i bought myself an iBook instead which is a much better user experience for me because of Mac OS. It is also designed well in my opinion as well.
I am planning to keep onto this iBook now at least for a good while although i had no intention of doing that when i bought it. I am doing so because i am pleased with the iBook's performance.
I have also used a 466 Clamshell iBook and to be honest i would still pick that over the T-42 even though spec wise the T-42 maybe superior for me i just cannot use Windows full time.
It depends on if the OP is ok with using Windows full time. If you are not ok with it and you do not want an iBook maybe you could look around and save a bit to get a refurb Intel laptop.
Roll back to late 2005 early 2006 and the majority of people here were arguing that PPC Mac's were better than PC's (and yes the M processors were out back then) but now with this switch to the Intel chip it seems that things have changed that.
The T-42 was rated here on C-Net.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Lenovo_Thin...12_MB_RAM_40_GB_HDD/4505-3121_7-30871787.html
I had an opportunity more recently to use a PC laptop with better specs than the T-42 for a few months until Apple released Santa Rosa laptops (as i sold my MBP) and i tried it but it was not pleasant at all so i sold it for the person who loaned it to me as they wanted to sell it and i bought myself an iBook instead which is a much better user experience for me because of Mac OS. It is also designed well in my opinion as well.
I am planning to keep onto this iBook now at least for a good while although i had no intention of doing that when i bought it. I am doing so because i am pleased with the iBook's performance.
I have also used a 466 Clamshell iBook and to be honest i would still pick that over the T-42 even though spec wise the T-42 maybe superior for me i just cannot use Windows full time.
It depends on if the OP is ok with using Windows full time. If you are not ok with it and you do not want an iBook maybe you could look around and save a bit to get a refurb Intel laptop.
Roll back to late 2005 early 2006 and the majority of people here were arguing that PPC Mac's were better than PC's (and yes the M processors were out back then) but now with this switch to the Intel chip it seems that things have changed that.
The T-42 was rated here on C-Net.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Lenovo_Thin...12_MB_RAM_40_GB_HDD/4505-3121_7-30871787.html