Is an extra 0.17GHz worth $165?

[Abstract]

The 15" and 17" come with a Mobility Radeon 9700, which is a bit better than the 9600. The 128MB version has dual link DVI. It's good stuff.

Not in 3 years. Also, in terms of "futureproofing", how much more futureproof is your computer when Powerbooks will come with a 4.6GHz G5-mobile and 512MB of VRAM? The difference between the 1.5GHz and 1.67GHz G4 will look miniscule. This is not futureproofing. Both systems will become obsolete at around the same time.

 

[Rod Rod]

Not in 3 years. Also, in terms of "futureproofing", how much more futureproof is your computer when Powerbooks will come with a 4.6GHz G5-mobile and 512MB of VRAM? The difference between the 1.5GHz and 1.67GHz G4 will look miniscule. This is not futureproofing. Both systems will become obsolete at around the same time.

I agree. I'm happy with my 12" 1.33 GHz PowerBook . . . I'd almost be happy to do an even trade for a 15" 1GHz PB. There are plenty of people still getting good productive use out of three year old TiBooks, and he'll probably never need the dual-link DVI. Speaking of which, people running 6800 GTs and Ultras without 30" Cinema Displays attached have (imo) wasted their money.

 

[840quadra]

Look at it this way..

10 years ago 170 MHZ computer would have cost LOTS more then $165.

 

[mcgarry]

Not in 3 years. Also, in terms of "futureproofing", how much more futureproof is your computer when Powerbooks will come with a 4.6GHz G5-mobile and 512MB of VRAM? The difference between the 1.5GHz and 1.67GHz G4 will look miniscule. This is not futureproofing. Both systems will become obsolete at around the same time.

It's relative. The 9700 w/128 is currently the best GPU on offer in a PB, and therefore the most future-proof: a relative term. I mean, why doesn't everyone just buy refurb.ed 1 GHz iBooks, since a G4 at 1.x GHz is all going to seem similar 3 years from now, right? Yes, yesterday's differences can look miniscule today, and today's tomorrow, but faster and better is still faster and better. I'm also not sure about your somewhat hyperbolic prediction for 3 years from now, though of course I hope you're right!

Again, I'm not saying he should get the 1.67, but it is a better computer than the 1.5 ... it just costs more. His call.

 

[velocityg4]

Get the 1.5ghz G4 and upgrade the ram to 1.5GB instead of the 1.67ghz w/128mb VRAM. Since if you do not plan to do any upgrades to the powerbook over three years. You will hardly notice a difference between the CPU and video in three years, however you will notice a huge difference between 512mb ram and 1.5 GB RAM now and in three years.

 

[mcgarry]

Get the 1.5ghz G4 and upgrade the ram to 1.5GB instead of the 1.67ghz w/128mb VRAM. Since if you do not plan to do any upgrades to the powerbook over three years. You will hardly notice a difference between the CPU and video in three years, however you will notice a huge difference between 512mb ram and 1.5 GB RAM now and in three years.

I agree in general. To be clear, I think we are talking about a small performance gain (but a gain nonetheless) for a small (relative to total) price increase. It's not too important either way, just a minor point for the purchaser to decide based on individual priorities.

 

[7on]

I'm pretty sure the lowest iBook config will do everything you listed. As for future proofing... a machine will last as long as you want it to. In fact the moment I hear that the next OSX will slow down my computer then I'll stop upgrading the OS.

Remember MR folks, when people ask what's best for them don't respond with what'd be best for you

 

[26139]

Get the best you can

Buy the best you can afford at the time, period.

 

[topicolo]

Not in 3 years. Also, in terms of "futureproofing", how much more futureproof is your computer when Powerbooks will come with a 4.6GHz G5-mobile and 512MB of VRAM? The difference between the 1.5GHz and 1.67GHz G4 will look miniscule. This is not futureproofing. Both systems will become obsolete at around the same time.

Knowing Apple, they'll still be offering 2.0Ghz powerbook G5s in 3 years.

 

[JasonElise1983]

i'm also a student and i can say...you don't NEED it. the speed increase is so small you probably wouldn't notice and the vram would be good for core image/video, games, and video editing, but you say you don't do those things...(but here is the tricky part)...just because you DON'T do those things, doesn't mean you WON'T ever do them. Just a thought, but i would really try to figure out if it is worth it to know you can do what ever you want with your laptop, or know that you saved a buck but are limited to your present intrests. Just my thoughts.

-jason

 

[rickvanr]

I disagree. His use doesn't warrant it. He'd be better off using that money going to a non-apple site to buy additional RAM.

I disagree with that. The better the video card, the better movies, esp. avi's will play when being stretched for full screen, also, core image in tiger... expose, anything that uses the video card will be a little speedier, and if you plug in another monitor, is 64 x 2, not 32 x 2, and with that you will noticed a considerable difference. I do on my powerbook.

 

[mattster16]

No it wouldn't. However, Apple knowing many people will want the 128 Video ram priced this one $165 more. Therefore, if you want the extra video ram you have to buy the one for $165 more.

The 1.5 Ghz can still have 128mb vram. Mine does. It was a build to order option, the only difference is the dual-link DVI.

 

[macbaseball]

Where can i go to understand what the Rev B and Rev C means? I keep reading that on these forums, but am new. I dont seem to have a good grasp on exactly how often these computers... specificaly powerbooks, get updated.

Rev. B or C just means when the line of Powerbooks came out. The higher the letter the more current the update is. Like for example the Rev B of the Powerbook was 1.33 GHz. Apple has since come out with two more imporvements of the Powerbook, the Rev. C and D. You really don't have to go anywhere to learn what they mean, just look at the specs of the computer. I know I'm not explaining this well, I just can't explain it words.

 

[CaptainCaveMann]

I priced two 15" PowerBooks, one with 1.5GHz, and one with 1.67GHz. Otherwise, they seem to be exactly the same (after customization).

Is the extra 0.17GHZ worth the $165 increase?

I will be using the laptop to take notes, view/create PDFs, watch movies (avis, dvds, etc.), listen to music, surf the web, email, etc. No photoshop/3d games/etc.

It is, however, really important to me that the comp be as quick and responsive as possible. Will the extra 0.17GHz make a big difference in that regard?

In a word, no. Not to me anyway. But the only thing that matters is not if its worth it to us but is it worth it to you? 165 bucks will buy a good stick of ram. I would save it and go for the ram.

 

[Rod Rod]

The 1.5 Ghz can still have 128mb vram. Mine does. It was a build to order option, the only difference is the dual-link DVI.

You can't configure-to-order a current 1.5 GHz 15" PowerBook with 128MB VRAM. The 128MB VRAM option only exists for the current 1.67GHz 15".

 

[Abstract]

I disagree with that. The better the video card, the better movies, esp. avi's will play when being stretched for full screen, also, core image in tiger... expose, anything that uses the video card will be a little speedier, and if you plug in another monitor, is 64 x 2, not 32 x 2, and with that you will noticed a considerable difference. I do on my powerbook.

CoreImage will work perfectly with the Nvidia 5200 with 32MB of vRAM in my 12" Powerbook.

And he won't need more vRAM to watch movies either. I've been watching movies on my computers for ages, and one of them only had 16MB of video RAM and yet it ran perfectly fine. They also show on my 12" PB, even in full screen, and they run perfectly.

Why do people think this guy needs such a kickass computer to surf the web and write some papers in Word? Even if he wants to try out other things later (and that's "IF"), his computer will still handle itself despite the basic Photoshop or video/sound editing he may play around with.

I also do very basic PS and imaging work, and all on my 12" PB. He's not even doing that much.

 

[GroundLoop]

It would be better I guess, but would it be worth it for my purposes over the next 3 years?

It would cost an extra $255 to get the 128VRAM (more than a 10% price increase), and I'm a student, so I really want to make sure I'm not wasting my money for my purposes over the next 3 years (3 years from now I will toss it out and get a new one).

Hrm....

$255 dollars for three years.

That comes out to be 23.29 cents a day.

I would say get the upgrade and just don't go to the gumball machine anymore.



Seriously though, if you know that you are going to keep it for the next three years, get the upgrade, because 10.5 will likely come out within that time period, and who knows what its hardware requirements will be.

Hickman

 

[KingSleaze]

My advice, get the best that you can afford now. You will be the one using it for however long you have it. Yes, there will be some advances in that time that this machine might not be able to handle, yes, your own needs (and uses) may change from what you originally bought it......the best machine you can get now, will last you longer meeting your needs better.

 

[savar]

I priced two 15" PowerBooks, one with 1.5GHz, and one with 1.67GHz. Otherwise, they seem to be exactly the same (after customization).

Is the extra 0.17GHZ worth the $165 increase?

I will be using the laptop to take notes, view/create PDFs, watch movies (avis, dvds, etc.), listen to music, surf the web, email, etc. No photoshop/3d games/etc.

It is, however, really important to me that the comp be as quick and responsive as possible. Will the extra 0.17GHz make a big difference in that regard?

Not a chance. The average user won't even notice several hundred megahertz difference. I recall reading that users need around a 30% to notice the difference, unless they do expensive operations in photoshop, FCP, etc. Responsiveness remains the same across significant differences in hardware. Definitely spend that money on something else or save it. If the price discrepancy you note is indeed true, then its bad pricing because no cogent individual would ever go for that.

 

[maclamb]

I would say, all things being equal, get the best you can afford at the time.
But, if its a choice between cpu/vram and more RAM, of course, go with the RAM.
If you can do both (as I am doing) I would say get the best.
For example, if you decide to sell the machine the future, those extrta features can help the selling price...Or if the 30" monitor enters earth orbit, it mioght be nice to be able to use it. Right now it's 3K, but who knows,.in a year or so maybe he (i?) could afford one and then w/o the ram he'd (we'd) be screwed...