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notbook buying decision

P

pdham

macrumors member
Original poster
Jan 28, 2003
71
0
Madison
Hey guys first off this is my first post so I would like to say hello.

This is my question; I am going to be purchasing a new apple notebook this weekend and I am trying to decide between two of them. I am a Journalism student so portability is a big issue. I will use iTunes to listen to music but nothing more and I may (but most likely not) use iMovie.
The two computers that i am deciding between are as follows:

iBook - g3 800mhz, 604mb, combo drive, 40gig, ATI Radeaon 7500, 14.1in - $1829

and

Powerbook - g4 867mhz, 604mb, combo drive, 40gig, Geforce 4,
12.1 in - $1949

Now the bigger screen is definitly intriguing because when I write, i like to have two word docs up at once... one notes another text or a word doc and explorer. Also the 2 - 4 weeks shipping is an issue with the powerbook.... I need this computer soon for school reasons. So please tell me your opinions.
Thanks,
Paul
 
Most people avoid the 14" iBook since it offers only a bigger screen, not more space in pixels so word documents and stuffs will be larger but they will not be clearer (unless you have bad eyesight)

If you're not going to do any Altivec'ed stuff (like iMovie) then the G3 will be faster in just about everything, plus the iBook has a better video card.

I think you would like the 12" iBook for portability reasons (about the same size as a book) plus it can support external monitors (with a firmware hack).

Happy Maccing!
grinning.gif


Edit: you say you're a student?
Go check out the Apple edu store and compare prices, you'll see some discounts.
 
Hello and welcome to the forums!

The 14" iBook has the same screen resolution as the 12" iBook and PB, so you won't be able to display more on that machine than the other two.

Second, since you are a student, you should check to see if your institute qualifies you to get the education prices from Apple.
[Edit]Price info removed after the notice delivered below :p [/edit]

Portability wise, the 12" machines are beautiful, it feels so light! If you are not a power user, then you should consider the 12" iBook, it will be a couple of hundred less.

However, compared to the retail prices, Apple has done some major discounting on the new PBs for edu customers!
 
*sigh*

Make sure you're checking out the individual purchase site...not the institutional pricing site.

It's only a hundred or so dollars cheaper.

[EDIT]I maxed the RAM buying through the U of M (which gets slightly better prices than the regular edu store)...$1767.[/EDIT]
 
Originally posted by Over Achiever
*sigh*

Make sure you're checking out the individual purchase site...not the institutional pricing site.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reminder, what is sad is that I have been checking out those prices all day and it never clicked! :rolleyes:
 
Dear Jounalism Major,

You might want to consider a new but discontinued PowerBook or even a refurbished unit.

Not only would this save you some serious money but the 550 MHz and the first 667 MHz models have the more modest 1152x768 resolution that may suit you better than the 1280x854 resolution in the newer 667/800/867/1GHz models (I'm talking 15.2" models here).

I have a friend whose an attorney and spends most of his time reading PDF's and working in Word. I recommended he stay with his Powerbook 550 model because the text would shrink down and be less readable on the 1280x854 models.

Some of the earlier 667's are still available new at steep discounts. Check out Amazon.com, SmallDog.com, J&R, etc. I bet you could get a new 667 for under $1800 (there are 2 667 models so be aware which one you are ordering).

A 550 or 667 would be more than adequate for your computing needs and still be fine for the occasional demanding task.

The only drawback is that the 550's and early 667's tended to run their internal fans quite often. This only seemed to be when running demanding tasks (or watching a DVD), in your case I'd say it's an acceptable trade-off.

Good luck on your seach - at least you've narrowed it down to an Apple product - that's a big step in the right direction!

moby1
 
thanks for the info thus far.... so it comes down to this.

ibook with G3 and better video card

or powerbook with g4 and it also has ddr ran which as far as I know (at least in a pc) is faster then the sram in the ibook (is it worth the wait)

both with 12 in screens.


or I just found a power book G4 800, 512m and a 15.2in screen on amazon for 2,094.

I cant decide... Help

Paul

p.s. which one will play dvds better and run (in general) OSX 10.24 better.

Thanks
 
best deal ever on ibook

i've been monitoring prices on ibooks for a while and haven't seen a deal as good as what microcenter is now offering on the 12" ibook - $899 with combo drive. It is 700mHz, but is about $300 cheaper than anywhere else. I'm actually thinking about picking one up for my wife - easy money-making opportunity as well b/c you can turn around and sell it on ebay for $1100 easy.
Check out the deal at www.microcenter.com - I think the offer is only good through 2/9.
 
ok guys.... you have been more then helpful. I did some digging and found a 15.2 Power Book 800, 512mb, 40gig, ATI Radeon 7500 for 2,094 and free shipping. This is still within my price range so I think I am going to go with this one... any thoughts.

Thanks Paul
 
The PB 800 is an excellent choice!

I saw that deal at Amazon.com, it's thru J&R. I've never ordered from J&R but that's a great price.

It does have the higher resolution - like I said, I loved it but it does make reading text a bit more difficult than on the older ones with lower resolution.

I was actually tempted to go for that deal. I owned an 800 for a few months until I had to move to a ThinkPad (temporary, to complete a project). I found the 800 more than adequate and a big improvement over the 550 I had before (lever 3 cache really helps). It ran smooth and quiet too - quieter that the 550.

If you don't use Airport, it's easy to remove the card & sell it on eBay, lowering the price another $65 or so...

moby1
 
same boat

I, too, have be debating the whole 12" Powerbook vs. 12" iBook. I lust for the PB, but my wallet and head is telling me iBook. A lot of iBook users have came on here telling me how much they love them, and how they just plain work. Also, for school, having Apple Works from the get-go will come in handy.

My wife said we were getting a Mac by the end of the month (shes the keeper of the money.. hehe) but dang... we got just two days left :(
 
Re: same boat

Originally posted by sethwerkheiser
I, too, have be debating the whole 12" Powerbook vs. 12" iBook. I lust for the PB, but my wallet and head is telling me iBook. A lot of iBook users have came on here telling me how much they love them, and how they just plain work. Also, for school, having Apple Works from the get-go will come in handy.

My wife said we were getting a Mac by the end of the month (shes the keeper of the money.. hehe) but dang... we got just two days left :(
Click to expand...

You think that is a problem? My wife was cool with me getting a Mac as our new computer until she started her statistics class and was asked to buy SPSS for Windows (which I am hoping is v.11.0 that is available on the Mac), but now she is not cool with the Mac no more! She wants a new PeeeCeee. :(
 
Re: Re: same boat

Originally posted by iShater


You think that is a problem? My wife was cool with me getting a Mac as our new computer until she started her statistics class and was asked to buy SPSS for Windows (which I am hoping is v.11.0 that is available on the Mac), but now she is not cool with the Mac no more! She wants a new PeeeCeee. :(
Click to expand...

My wife wants to buy a Windows PC, you know what for? TO PLAY THE SIMS!!! ARGH!

She's invested some SERIOUS time in that game since she bought it over 2 years ago or so. She downloads new furniture, new faces, new everything, ALL THE TIME. She's got like TWO CDR's full of the stuff since I last backed em up.

Because of this she wants a windows laptop so she doesnt lose all this junk, I mean... stuff.

THANKFULLY I AM getting an iBook and she's going to buy some $899 Compaq. I hate to waste the money on a windows machine, just for playing ONE game but hey - when the wife is happy (and I get my iBook FIRST!) we're all happy :)
 
Re: Re: Re: same boat

Originally posted by sethwerkheiser


My wife wants to buy a Windows PC, you know what for? TO PLAY THE SIMS!!! ARGH!

She's invested some SERIOUS time in that game since she bought it over 2 years ago or so. She downloads new furniture, new faces, new everything, ALL THE TIME. She's got like TWO CDR's full of the stuff since I last backed em up.

Because of this she wants a windows laptop so she doesnt lose all this junk, I mean... stuff.

THANKFULLY I AM getting an iBook and she's going to buy some $899 Compaq. I hate to waste the money on a windows machine, just for playing ONE game but hey - when the wife is happy (and I get my iBook FIRST!) we're all happy :)
Click to expand...

Heeeeeheeeeee, OMG that is funny! at least my wife wants the PC to be able to do work from home mainly.

But The Sims is available on the Mac, wouldn't it be cheaper for her (and you) to just get the game again for the Mac?
 
Originally posted by vniow

If you're not going to do any Altivec'ed stuff (like iMovie) then the G3 will be faster in just about everything, plus the iBook has a better video card.
Click to expand...

How do you know that the iBook has a better video card?
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: same boat

Originally posted by iShater


Heeeeeheeeeee, OMG that is funny! at least my wife wants the PC to be able to do work from home mainly.

But The Sims is available on the Mac, wouldn't it be cheaper for her (and you) to just get the game again for the Mac?
Click to expand...

Oh, but you see... its all those MEGS upon MEGS Of stuff she downloaded... and characters she created - the ones that are super duper and have big houses and stuff (all without cheats). She doesnt want to lose that. I roll my eyes to that, but...

Hopefully when she sees my iBook, and how The Sims plays on it she'll change her mind. I HOPE! I don't want any more Windows machines in the house.
 
If you want to save some money, I would go with the 12" iBook. If money isn't an issue, then I would go ahead and get the 12" PowerBook. Personally, I think that if I were you, I would go for the 12" PowerBook.
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: same boat

Originally posted by sethwerkheiser


Oh, but you see... its all those MEGS upon MEGS Of stuff she downloaded... and characters she created - the ones that are super duper and have big houses and stuff (all without cheats). She doesnt want to lose that. I roll my eyes to that, but...

Hopefully when she sees my iBook, and how The Sims plays on it she'll change her mind. I HOPE! I don't want any more Windows machines in the house.
Click to expand...

Are you sure those object files and saved games will not work with the Mac version?
 
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: same boat

Originally posted by iShater


Are you sure those object files and saved games will not work with the Mac version?
Click to expand...

all that stuff works on the mac but... the pc version of TheSims is 3 updates ahead of the amc version.

So the mac version has:
TheSims
LivinLarge
HouseParty
HotDate

The PC version has:
TheSims
LivinLarge
HouseParty
HotDate
Vacation
Unleashed
Online (big draw for Sims fans)

So although you can play TheSims on the mac and use all the nifty things you download there are 2 more expansion packs not yet ported and the big new Online version. Asypr is working on Vacation and Unleashed I believe but i dont think there are any plans to release the Online version. Silly thing is the game is designed on Macs. Ironic they need macs to design a PC game, and then create crappy Mac ports years after the PC versions come out.
 
there's unleashed for mac out... i swear i saw vacation, but maybe that was some craziness on compusa's part and put it in the wrong place... Does the sims play well on an ibook or is it a memory hog?
 
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