Not switching
I have waited for the new 15PBs for a long time. About two weeks ago I got sick of waiting and ordered a Dell 600M. Of course, right after that the rumors got me going again and I have been thinking of sending it back if the new PBs were incredible. They're not in my opinion, here are a few notes on the process:
1. The Dell screen is absolutely great. I can fit a big hunk of timeline or photo or a LOT of thumbnails on it (it runs at 1400 by 1050, about the sme as the 17PB). It's NOT hard to see the smaller text, it is absolutely crisp and sharp even to my less than perfect eyes. There is no way I'm going to order a more expensive (and the new PB15, never mind 17 IS!) machine with an inferior screen. I have put the dell screen beside the PB screen, unless the new PB screen is a huge leap (and it doesn't look like it) I simply can't see looking at such a ****e screen for more $. It amazes me that no one bitches about the screens on the 17 or old 15, they are junk compared to a good modern notebook screen.
2. The Dell build quality is very good. Solid, clean, it's a pleasure to look at (especially that screen, check one out if you won't believe me!).
3. The 1.6M is fast. Faster by light years compared to the 1ghz powerbooks (in MY real-world tests, not some obscure specifically double-secret compiled pile of nonsense), faster than many desktops. If you go to the Maya site and compare times using their test you'll see that Apple's G4 is lagging HARD. I'm doing more and more video editing and visual trickery in Photoshop, the feeling of not waiting is very nice. The amount of time it took to export my latest video effort vs. a much shorter and very basic project in Imovie (BTW, don't try slow-mo export in I-movie, it will mess it up for some reason) was crazy. I had time to go for lunch while Imovie did its thing, the whole 15-minute show on the dell took get a cup of coffee time. This is cool.
4. The 600M doesn't have a firewire port. This almost killed it for me, I have Firewire drives, cameras etc. However, I bought a card and it works well. $50cdn.
5. On the other hand, I don't want to cart around an extra DVI/VGA cable for doing slide shows (I do a lot of those with a projector), or risk forgetting that cable in "hostile terriritory" as I would with a PB. This is actually a big deal to me; it's bad enough doing show setup without suddenly having to find a DVI/VGA cable.
6. Port Replicator: Very nice, Dell had a deal and I got one of these basically free. It has DVI, (to be honest I don't notice a huge increase in quality using DVI vs. VGA on the external monitor, although I thought I would). I do like leaving all the various cables attached to the box on the desk and just taking my machine out with one click (FW aside).
7. Price. With a 3-year Dell warranty I got the whole mess for $3000cdn. A not as overall well equipped 15PB w/waranty would be about $4100cdn, but if you want to actually have an even remotely comparable machine you'd have to buy a 17 at $4700 (4299+500 for a meaningful warranty). I can cart a firewire card around for $1100-1700+, and buy a another fat external drive plus a new monitor plus a lot of beer. I don't know where the people who are posting the prices on the Dells get them, they must be carefully not using any of the freebies Dell normally throws in.
8. Premiere doesn't suck. I've learned how to use it well enough, it works. I would like Final Cut Pro, but the reality is that unless you're a full-on video guru Premiere works just fine. I won't pay the extra $ for one program on a notebook, mabe on a video-dedicated desktop.
9. 100G of hard drive space if you want it, just slap in an extra hard drive. 80 is now available on most of the Dells too, but 60 is enough for me on the road, I have big FW drives at home for that.
10. Battery life is good. Not stellar, but better than my original TiPB and way better than any PC laptop I've owned.
11. DVD burning and straight capture to burn to DVD is dead simple on the Dell. It's NOT, despite what the hype says, on the Mac.
12. I have the Dell in my hands. God only knows when the PB15 will actually ship. If the G5 (I thought about buying a desktop too, but here in Canada they don't actually exist yet!) is any indicator look for more delays and excuses from Apple then look for PB15s sometime in October or November.
13. Of course, I could wait for the G5 Powerbook. Please.
14. XP doesn't suck. I don't like it compared to OSX, but it works well and despite all the horror stories here it runs well and I have never had it lock up (programs sure, but not the actual OS). If you're an idiot about basic security you can get wormed or virused, but I have never had either despite large volumes of email and time on the web.
So, as a Switcher who switched to PCs from Apple, I say this latest effort from Apple is weak and won't be going back to Mac notebooks. Maybe when the G5 desktops gets reasonable in price and I need more juice, but not now. Thanks for the fun ride on this board, it has been hella interesting but it's over. Flame away.
