Mac Suggestions

[zflauaus]

I am in the buying mood for a Mac. Nothing else. I have used Windows since 3.1, ( rough times) and am looking to get out of Windows. My XP is not stable and hardly responds when I want it to. I am looking for a Mac (specifically a laptop) to replace Windows. I am a student (7th Grade, but smart for computers) and will be mainly using the internet, word processors, chat, listening to music, and watching movies. I need at least 512mb of memory, and a 40-60 Gig hard drive. I do not need anything else really, I already have an external DVD Burner and a Wireless Keyboard and mouse combo. I need to be under about $1400, give or take a couple hundred. I was leaning toward the iBook, but I am very convincable, just not about PCs. Any suggestions as to what I should buy?

 

[grapes911]

Being that you are leaning towrads a laptop, get the ibook. The powerbook seems like to much machine for your use. Upgrade the ram (from somewhere other than apple, search these threads to find out ram info) and you should be set.

 

[powerbook911]

The iBook is a very nice notebook. I just sold mine a couple weeks ago, when I upgraded to my Powerbook, but the iBook was very capable.

You might always look at the cheapest Powerbook. Amazon has the cheapeast Powerbook for $1349.99, after $150 rebate.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007KX4WO

You'd then have the 512MB of memory and a 60 gig hard drive stock.

Otherwise, you can get the basic ibook for $894 after rebate at amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002A6YVC/

 

[DavidLeblond]

I upgraded my RAM from Crucial.com. They have it where you can just put in your iBook model and it'll give you the right type RAM.

Definitely an iBook for you. I'm in the same camp as you (hell I remember using Dosshell.exe before there even was a Windows.) I was actually pretty happy with Windows until around the time Windows 98SE came out. Then Windows ME made me start to doubt MS. Windows XP killed it for me.

 

[mad jew]

I use my iBook for pretty similar uses and it copes really well. Like everyone here says, just make sure the RAM is maxed (well at least 750Mb).

 

[h0e0h]

just remember, they do give a k-12 education discount on the apple store. Keep that in mind when you think about the 12" PB, which is what I have. I would also recommend some accessories, but there are plenty of threads for that already...

 

[rickvanr]

512MB RAM should be fine, my powerbook came with 512MB and it hardly skips a beat, no matter what I'm doing on it, whether it's editing video, fiddling with photoshop, etc... although not all at the same time. I'd recommend the 12 inch powerbook, because you can plug in a monitor to it, and 1024 x 768 is just too small sometimes. But if you are fine with 1024 x 768, then the iBook should be fine, and it should be faster then my powerbook (1GHz TiBook)

 

[zflauaus]

just remember, they do give a k-12 education discount on the apple store. Keep that in mind when you think about the 12" PB, which is what I have. I would also recommend some accessories, but there are plenty of threads for that already...

Okay, but i don't understand what the Apple Store Policy means if I'm a student.

" Who is Eligible To Purchase
* Employee of public or private K-12 institutions in the United States
* School Board members who are currently serving as elected or appointed members
* PTA or PTO executives currently serving as elected or appointed officers
* Qualified homeschools
* Employee of a public or private, profit or non-profit preschool "


It says nothing about students purchasing a computer. Does that mean I can just go ahead and buy one with the discount?

 

[rickvanr]

could be wrong, but I think if you want the discount and are a student you have to be a university student. k-12 is only for faculty/ teachers. As last year I was ineligible, but this year, I am loving the benefits.

 

[h0e0h]

I must have misread it then, but i'm sure there are ways to get around it