I'm hoping to get some advice regarding a new iBook. I have an eMac at home that I love and it's great. But my tangerine iBook is about to die and I am going to need a new laptop soon. However, I don't want to (re: I can't) spend a fortune on one. I am considering the new 12" iBook, but I'm also considering the last generation 800mhz 12" iBook... there doesn't seem to be too much difference and, considering that my eMac is 700mhz, the 800 still seems fast to me. Any suggestions or warnings? Any ideas as to where I might get a good deal? How about extras? Thanks.
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new iBook or less new iBook?
- Thread starter waitingformolly
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worth checking out...
I mentioned this on another thread (sorry if you've already read it!)...I'm in the process of ordering a new iBook from <www.expercom.com> ...they have good prices, free shipping, a great selection, and have thus far been very helpful...I checked on the Better Business Bureau website and their record is very clean (one complaint in three years, which was immediately resolved)...as for new or late model...from what I understand the new model iBooks basically double the possible RAM upgrades (from 600-something Mb RAM to 1.25 GB RAM)...it depends, of course, on what you want it for and how long you want it to last...
I mentioned this on another thread (sorry if you've already read it!)...I'm in the process of ordering a new iBook from <www.expercom.com> ...they have good prices, free shipping, a great selection, and have thus far been very helpful...I checked on the Better Business Bureau website and their record is very clean (one complaint in three years, which was immediately resolved)...as for new or late model...from what I understand the new model iBooks basically double the possible RAM upgrades (from 600-something Mb RAM to 1.25 GB RAM)...it depends, of course, on what you want it for and how long you want it to last...
I'm using a new iBook to write this!!
Got it last Saturday. Apple Store built to order with an upgrade from 30 to 60Gb. This can be done yourself for an old one, but it is nice to have a new one with a factory-installed drive and a full warranty. If you get a second-hand iBook, and there is a malfunction during the next year you will end up paying out more than the diff between the second-hand model and the new.
The less-new will have a guarantee, but will be much less appealing a year from now, as it is already dated (there is also a psychological difference jumping to Ghz from Mhz, if you might re-sell it down the track when all will be Ghz)
A 1Ghz with 512 level 2 cache - you have your answer. Get a new one - you won't regret it! 800 may cut it for web browsing, but other apps need something meatier (and web rendering will be quicker to boot). Multiple apps will appreciate a bigger cake to cut up.
Don't forget that the new iBook has 256Mb of memory soldered to the motherboard, and you have one empty slot to add up to 1Gb extra. The older iBook's existing memory will have to be jettisoned before you add new memory, however.
Buy that new, new one!!
Got it last Saturday. Apple Store built to order with an upgrade from 30 to 60Gb. This can be done yourself for an old one, but it is nice to have a new one with a factory-installed drive and a full warranty. If you get a second-hand iBook, and there is a malfunction during the next year you will end up paying out more than the diff between the second-hand model and the new.
The less-new will have a guarantee, but will be much less appealing a year from now, as it is already dated (there is also a psychological difference jumping to Ghz from Mhz, if you might re-sell it down the track when all will be Ghz)
A 1Ghz with 512 level 2 cache - you have your answer. Get a new one - you won't regret it! 800 may cut it for web browsing, but other apps need something meatier (and web rendering will be quicker to boot). Multiple apps will appreciate a bigger cake to cut up.
Don't forget that the new iBook has 256Mb of memory soldered to the motherboard, and you have one empty slot to add up to 1Gb extra. The older iBook's existing memory will have to be jettisoned before you add new memory, however.
Buy that new, new one!!
Yeah I was considering this decision too, but the reason why I want the new generation of ibooks is the extra memory. 640 vs 1.256 made the decision up for me considering I want this thing to last for 4 yrs.
Cheaper one 
There are quite a few sites that recently compared the *old* 12" iBook versus the *old* 12" Powerbook. There really wasn't a large difference between them. The PB was marginally faster on some apps and virtually no difference on others.
The above comparison (google will find them for you) should be quite similar to the *old* iBook versus the latest one, as newer iBooks specs are virtually identical to those of the *old* PB.
IMHO, spend as little as possible now and save your pennies for the G5 lap-top - hopefully soemtime next year
waitingformolly said:
There are quite a few sites that recently compared the *old* 12" iBook versus the *old* 12" Powerbook. There really wasn't a large difference between them. The PB was marginally faster on some apps and virtually no difference on others.
The above comparison (google will find them for you) should be quite similar to the *old* iBook versus the latest one, as newer iBooks specs are virtually identical to those of the *old* PB.
IMHO, spend as little as possible now and save your pennies for the G5 lap-top - hopefully soemtime next year
This is one situation where living in Australia, the IT backwater of the world, would be an advantage. The computer industry has just realised that our economy is zipping along the moment and has put the specs up on all the new 'books and also dropped the prices across the board. A new 12i will set you back about AU$200 less than the old ones would. haha.
I would go for the newer one, since it has a higher clock speed (200mhz would make a difference sometimes) and more importantly, the RAM ceiling is double that of the older iBook G4. This would make the resale value higher years late, and would also give it a longer life. Not too far in the future, 640MB of RAM won't be enough.
making a decision
I really appreciate all of your input. I should have pointed out in the first posting that my plan had been to wait until G5 powerbooks came out, but who knows when that'll be? My old iBook is dying now and even my eMac is aging. Anyway, I think I might get the 800mhz now so I can save some ducats for the Powerbook next year. I don't much care about reselling it. I usually give my old Macs to friends/relatives that need computers... Plus, it totally gets them into the MacUniverse.
I really appreciate all of your input. I should have pointed out in the first posting that my plan had been to wait until G5 powerbooks came out, but who knows when that'll be? My old iBook is dying now and even my eMac is aging. Anyway, I think I might get the 800mhz now so I can save some ducats for the Powerbook next year. I don't much care about reselling it. I usually give my old Macs to friends/relatives that need computers... Plus, it totally gets them into the MacUniverse.
