laptop for college: iBook vs. PowerBook

[mark2288]

I'm going to college next year and want to get a laptop that is portable, and have come to either a iBook or Powerbook.

What do you suggest?

 

[Chundles]

I'm going to college next year and want to get a laptop that is portable, and have come to either a iBook or Powerbook.

What do you suggest?

You mean an iBook or a MacBook Pro.

Well, by next year there will be no more iBook either so you're probably looking at a MacBook or a MacBook Pro.

I simply wouldn't even worry about it yet as by the end of this year all the Macs will be running on Intel processors so even thinking about an iBook is a bit premature, especially when you can afford to wait almost 12 months.

I'd hold off until at least the middle of this year when it is likely that new iBooks (MacBooks) will be released and the MacBook Pro could possibly go 64bit.

Once the laptops have been upgraded then you should buy according to the computer rule: get the absolute best that you can afford.

So set your budget and stick to it strictly, examine what sort of storage you are going to need, whether you are going to need more advanced input/output options and whether you need the fastest processors.

These things are going to be quick, bloody quick so it's not going to be too bad a move to go down a notch in power but spec it up on the BTO options. So you could buy the lower powered MacBook but put in more storage and some thrid party RAM and have a machine that suits you needs more than the fastest machine.

Give it time, this year will have some great announcements and you are in the enviable position of being able to watch the whole thing happen before you need to make your decision.

 

[mchendricks]

We need more info to help recommend a machine. It depends on what type of school work you are going to do. Basic word processing (papers) and presentations will be okay on either. If you are doing video editing, then PB is a better choice.

Tell us about your major and what you want to do with it. Also, how much are you looking to spend?

Congrats on getting a mac notebook. I loved mine.

 

[WillMak]

I have a 12" ibook 1.33 with 1.5 ram and it works great for school. good battery life

 

[Lopez.T.H.]

Chundels, I think they are gonna keep the iBooks. The MacBookPro was made to replace the Powerbook. I think the iBook is more suited for college life. Its durable powerful for most needs. Unless video production or heavy image editing.

 

[Chundles]

Chundels, I think they are gonna keep the iBooks. The MacBookPro was made to replace the Powerbook. I think the iBook is more suited for college life. Its durable powerful for most needs. Unless video production or heavy image editing.

Yeah but I don't think it's going to be called the iBook, I reckon it will be called the MacBook.

I never said they were getting rid of the cheaper laptop, just replacing the iBook line with the Intel powered MacBook.

Notice I said MacBook, not MacBook Pro. The PowerBook is to the MacBook Pro as the iBook is to the MacBook.

 

[maxterpiece]

wait wait wait wait. wait for the intel ibook or it's equivalent. Apple's consumer level laptops are fantastic for college. They are really durable, get great battery life, and have everything you need. But by all means, G4 processor are pretty terrible power-wise - they get great battery life, but intel's claims of 4x speed increases aren't too far off. If you wait, you will get a machine that is literally 3 or 4 years more advanced, technologywise.

 

[xparaparafreakx]

I am looking at getting a laptop for college next year too and this is what I am going to do:

Upgrade PBG4 ram to 768Mb to hold me off til next Rev of Mac Book Pro.

Get a Mac Book Pro and install Windows on it. Bring both laptops with me in my backpack .