Jealous of your Macs.

[zachlegomaniac]

Hi Everyone,

I have a 3 1/2 year old ibook g4 with 1.3ghz/512RAM/60GB, and every time I browse through the posts here I notice everyone seems to have a relatively new mac at their disposal. The ibook is the only computer I have and it has never given me a single problem (yesss). MY problem is: I'm jealous/jonesing for a speedier machine at this point. I really think I should wait until fall 09 (unless this guy takes a sudden turn for the worse) to purchase a new macbook, but I'm not sure. Whenever I get on my brother or sister's macs (much newer) to carry out my daily computing needs (I'm a writer, but also oversee a large historical estate) I think daammmmnnn this thing is speedy, and I get to feeling a bit anxious. How often do you folks update your machines? Any sage words of advice? Where does everyone come up with the cash?

Thanks,
Zach

 

[Poncho]

If you don't NEED a new machine wait.

I always pretend that I have already bought my new machine but it is in the shop being built to my own spec and that the longer I wait before going to pick it up the better and faster bits they can use to make it....

Voila! You already have a better Mac, just haven't got round to the shop to pick it up yet!

 

[aross99]

3.5 Years is pretty good for a laptop. My Powerbook made it about that long before I switched to a MBP. The change from the PowerPC chips to Intel was a significant performance increase - one we aren't likely to see again for a while. That is a significant reason why you notice such a big difference between a new machine and your iBook.

My MBP (C2D 2.33) is going to be three years old in November, and it still screams. Compared to what I see in the Apple store today, it seems like an upgrade would only be an incremental improvement for me.

If you are looking for a good deal, don't forget to check out the Refurb items at apple.com. There are some REALLY good deals there. You can pickup a while MacBook for $849 at times. They come with a full factory warranty, and most people seem to have good luck with them.

 

[Lurchdubious]

I don't know about a "Pretend mac" waiting for you somewhere...just buy it when you need it (or when you decide that you need it 😉)

I got lucky by starting dental school and needing (read Wanting) to have a computer with me everyday at school. My wife needed a computer at home as well for a small business she has so she gets the blackbook and she was on board with me getting a shiny new UMB so I ordered the day they were released. 😀

As far as where people get the money, that's going to be different for everyone. There's no Mac-money-tree you haven't heard about, although some times I wonder if there is, as it seems that some people have more cash than they know what to do with around here. Or at least they like people to think they do.

Maybe just start saving now and when you have enough cash, pull the trigger?

 

[Consultant]

To make it faster, you can upgrade your RAM. Under $50 for 1gb.
dealnews.com/memory/prices/systems/Apple-i-Book-G4-PC2700/30682/1GB.html

You can also upgrade the harddrive but that's more challenging.

You can always get refurb which look new and has same warranty as new:
store.apple.com/us/browse/home/specialdeals/

 

[drewsof07]

Where does everyone come up with the cash?

Personally, I sell my Plasma. 😛

Just kidding. haha

Wait until A: The iBook craps out, or B: You need more performance.
Then there will be newer revisions with faster processors, bigger hard drives, etc. I also find myself "Jones-ing" for at 13" unibody MacBook to replace my 12" Powerbook, but I promised myself I'd wait until the Powerbook is sold or dies before buying another computer. Also my girlfriend would kill me if I bought another (bringing my current collection to 4) 😛

As the great philosopher Tom Petty once said: "The waiting is the hardest part"

 

[Grasbak]

Just moved from 17" iMac G5 (iSight) to new 24" 2.66GHz.

So far the difference is amazing..... the old one struggled with anything while it was backing up over firewire (400), safari on its own would cause the fans to ramp up (noisily).

As someone said above, I get the impression the intel move was the big leap in performance, maybe since then its been more gradual....

 

[jtgotsjets]

I am in a similar boat.
My iBook is five years old now. It works with pretty much everything I do, but it doesn't perform as well as I'd like with music production.
I think my current plan is to get an iMac in a couple months. It will replace the iBook as a main computer for music work (and it'll essentially be my tv). The ibookwill stick around for netbook-like use.
Where am I getting the money? Thankfully- graduation gift. After this upgrade, i'm planning on staying on the same computer for 6-8 years.

 

[clyde2801]

I went back to a 12" powerbook 1.5 ghz for browing and word processing. Max the ram out on yours, and keep on trucking.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Every 3 or 4 years I get a new Mac. Though I could wait longer and longer now cause the machines have longer shelf lives nowadays.

 

[kajitox]

With your specs, I think you might be due for an update. You could easily get 4x (or 8x) the RAM, twice the processing speed...it would be quite the update. Personally if I had the cash or knew that I needed to start saving up, I would start now and do what you're doing: aim for a target season (like fall) and wait until they make an update. THEN STICK TO IT. If you just wait for the next update, it's a never ending process.

But, you really could get a lot more out of a computer if it were speedy like your brother's and sister's...plus your iBook has definitely (in my eyes) made itself worth its while.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

I was considering the move to a MBP from my final rev. iBook until I got CS3 running on it, which I assumed wouldn't be great. However, it runs very well (PS+DW+Bridge all at once, with iTunes, Safari/Firefox, and Mail), as do iMovie and FCE when I need them. Upgrading my RAM and HD helped this guy's longevity, and I honestly don't see myself needing a MBP until at least Nehalem, should that ever actually arrive.

 

[bobjob186]

Every 6 months I find myself in front of a new machine....it's a problem but a problem I love having. I rarely buy from apple and I find good enough deals to where I can make money after using the machine for half a year. I have a pb 12" 1.5ghz and the thing is super slow when coming from a new intel mac. But if you just never use anything else the computer seems fine. Just stop playing with other peoples machines and you should stay just fine.

 

[zachlegomaniac]

tips

thanks for the tips everyone. i really think that switch from powerpc to intel was huge, as my brother did only get his about one year (or less) after mine. i was going to wait until fall for the nehalem (and the four year mark, happy birthday ibook), but maybe i'll shoot for the fall regardless of the changes. i have enough money to grab one now, but i'm 27 and have been with my girlfriend for three years this july so there are other things i might need to put before my precious mac. 😱

 

[instaxgirl]

I have an iBook with almost identical specs. Bump the RAM up, you'll notice a serious difference (loyal and perfect as this thing's been I was starting to get seriously pissed off with it, bumped it to 1.5GB and the urge to kick it off the bed disappeared)

I've always comforted myself with the fact that if I'd waited 6 months and bought a Macbook I would have had the top case replaced a dozen times by now 🙄 + hurray for 12" 🙂 My iBook's still incredibly capable, I'm not updating until it breaks.

 

[clyde2801]

I have an iBook with almost identical specs. Bump the RAM up, you'll notice a serious difference (loyal and perfect as this thing's been I was starting to get seriously pissed off with it, bumped it to 1.5GB and the urge to kick it off the bed disappeared)

I've always comforted myself with the fact that if I'd waited 6 months and bought a Macbook I would have had the top case replaced a dozen times by now 🙄 + hurray for 12" 🙂 My iBook's still incredibly capable, I'm not updating until it breaks.

You go, girl! 😀 Max the ram out, have the hard drive replaced with a bigger and faster one, and your book should hold out easily for another year or two. I've gone back to the 12" PB (fiancee ended up getting my MBP, but she's worth it) and I've forgotten how much I love the form, feel and function of the machine for everyday consumer level computer tasks.

 

[student_trap]

My MBP (C2D 2.33) is going to be three years old in November, and it still screams. Compared to what I see in the Apple store today, it seems like an upgrade would only be an incremental improvement for me.

I have the exact same model which will be 3 years in January, and I too look at the curent crop of computers and think, sheesh, things haven't moved too far awway over the last three years.

Put it this way, mine cost me ~£1500 with 2GB ram and 160GB HD and today, today it cost nearly £1000 for the same thing. TBH that seems like a whole lot of value for two years computing.🙂



To the opp, I have over the last few years bought a lot of macs which I worked hard to pay for. In general i probably get a new one every 2 years, although this is sometimes brought forward (due to my powerbook meeting coke for the first time for example), and also for different purposes (I need a laptop and desktop)

 

[Abstract]

i have enough money to grab one now, but i'm 27 and have been with my girlfriend for three years this july so there are other things i might need to put before my precious mac. 😱

Good for you for knowing what's important. 🙂


Anyway, it sounds like you don't really do anything that needs better specs. If you bought a new Mac today, I can't imagine any of the tasks you do now being unbearably slow 3-4 years from now. It's mostly just writing, some web browsing, email, music, and photos, right? If that's the case, you have the option of buying now, or waiting. It's all up to you. 🙂