Need some buying advice - Help

[seabiscuit]

Hello Everyone:

I am an avid Mac user who has a dilemma. I currently own three Macs and I need some advice. I have the following machines:

Imac G5, 1.8 GHz, 20", 250 GB, 512mb, Airport extreme card, Superdrive, Bluetooth

Powerbook G4, 1.25 GHz, 15", 80 GB, 512mb, Airport Extreme, Superdrive,
Bluetooth

IBook G4, 1.33 GHz, 14", 60GB, 512mb, Airport Extreme, Superdrive

I am considering selling all of the machines and upgrading to the top-of-the-line 15" powerbook at 1.67 GHz and adding a 20" Apple display.

Another option is to keep my existing powerbook and and Imac G5 and
simply sell the Ibook.

Sometimes, I like the idea of using just one machine with a display and not
having so many macs around. Basically, for simplicity of knowing where
all of your files are at any given time.

I went to an Apple Store in Washington, DC this past weekend. They suggested keeping the Imac G5 and getting a lower end 12" powerbook or
ibook. Use the laptop for simple surfing, emails, and iphoto tasks. Whenever, I want to edit some video for family functions, I could use the
G5.

Does it make sense to upgrade from my existing powerbook to the top-of the-line powerbook?

By the way, I am not a high end user. I do not use high end editing programs.

I am sure that I get by with my powerbook and possibly wait for the G5
powerbook that eventually may come out.

Any thoughts as to what I might do.

John

 

[illustratorDavi]

Hi seabiscuit

You sound like you already have a perfect mac setup.

I'm a high end user and i'm still just on a 15inch G4 imac -- i wish i had the income to upgrade this regularly -- your imac must be less than a year old !!

If anything I would sell the ibook if you need to raise funds. Invest in memory for you imac and powerbook. You will gain better performance and more stable applications.

To get over the files everywhere problem -- get an external hard drive which you can connect to both machines and/or go wireless to swap files between computers. Maybe you could use isync to auto sync the files between computers every night.

20inch display -- according to an apple technical rep i spoke to at macexpo, the imac 20 inch is the same display as the external model - just in a different case. The external display is beautiful but so is your imac

Your imac has much more power and potential for instance your G5 is 64bit for tiger.

I don't really think you will notice much of a difference between a current G4 powerbook and yours -- except that fresh install zippy feel and your imac should really be faster.

Maybe a third option is to get a G5 powermac - if you don't need to be portable - except your desk will feel alot tighter with that box sitting there rather than your lovely sleek imac.

David

 

[macbaseball]

I think you should either keep your computers you have right now or get a fully loaded Power Mac (I mean in RAM, Hard Drive storage, and video card but probably not the 2.5). You'll see the improvement in speed with the Power Mac and you will have the 20 inch display that you want (Perhaps consider the Dell as it was down to under $400). I personally think it's a pain plugging in all the wires when I want to use my computer, but I also think it would be weird having my files on a bunch of different computers ...

 

[gallivant]

I think the most sensible setup is either an iMac and a PowerMac, and a PowerBook or iBook. Given the amount of money you could raise with all those machines, I think there are two optimal paths:

1) Ditch the iMac and iBook and get a nice huge display for the PowerBook when you want to do large-screen work. If you really want to sell the current PB for that, go ahead, but I think it makes more sense to keep it around for a while and save your money for a more significant upgrade like a dual-core PB.

2) Dual-processor PowerMac and huge display on the desk, 12" iBook for the road. iBooks are incredibly mobile, nearly indestructable, and have amazing battery life; if you're not on the road, though, you can make use of the power and display expansiveness of the desktop system.

 

[Bear]

The question is, do you need more than one machine?

If the Powerbook you currently have is handling your needs along with the imac, it sounds like a good combination and just sell the iBook.

If two machines is really more than you need, then maybe selling everything and getting a new 15" Powerbook w/128MB of VRAM with an external screen is the way to go.

The one thing you probably shouldn't do is sell your Powerbook and buy a 12" one with the money you get - you probably wouldn't have money left over from that.

 

[Ashapalan]

i would be one to keep the imac, and selling the other two, and with the funds get a 12" combo drive powerbook.

Then you have two computers and the best of both worlds, modern.

If ever you need to burn a DVD, you can get it all ready on the powerbook and do it at home on the imac.

That way you may have enough left to think about a big display for the road...

just a thought.