Is it my videocard ?

[mrderisory]

My powerbook started having trouble playing videos or loading websites with flash content. Then it started flickering like a strobe light whenever the screen was predominately white or similar light color. Within several days my screen went black!

I assumed my screen had gone out on me. I hooked it up to a HP monitor which I am using right now. It displays fine on there. But I cannot stand being mobilized!!

I am going to buy a new Macbook or Macbook Pro. When they update. However, it would be amazing if I could use my Powerbook as a laptop, until then.

That is when I discovered if I hold down the F2 key to make the screen light up it will light up for..... 2-3 seconds before flickering and fading to black. The fact its able to light up at all, leads me to believe the screen is not completely gone.

Does this sound like the videocard to anyone else. I really don't want to buy one and find out its not it. And anything else to try and fix wouldn't be worth the money.

Thanks for opinions. And 13" Macbook or 13" Macbook Pro?

 

[airplaneman]

It might be the connections or your backlights dying. It's probably not your GPU because it works on an external.

As for a new computer, it's really up to you. I would go for the MBP just because it is sturdier and faster with a backlit keyboard, FW800, superb screen, 8 hour battery, SD card slot, multitouch glass trackpad, etc. New MacBook Pros should come out within 6 months while new MacBooks, rumored to be lighter with a possible new design, should be here within the next couple weeks. If you're really looking for the least weight, go for an Air.