Powerbook 15" 1.25 advise - yet again

[Bilba]

Hi all....
I have been a long time lurker, but this is my first post.
I made the switch from PC to mac about 2 years ago (been a looong time P.C network specialist). My first and only mac product was a used 500Mhz Pbook with dvd drive and 512MB ram. I sold it last week. The reasons why I sold the laptop are:
1) H.D was getting too small (20gb)
2) no burner
3) battery was not working great, so I didnt want to keep investing in the old model.
4) performance was getting slow once I started playing with audio appz.
5) I like the style,features of the new pbook, i.e. bluethooth, Superdrive, E-airport,FW 800, backlight keyboard.

I was all about to order the 1.25 15" beast when I started reading all these rumors

I don't believe that a G5 Pbook will happen soon, and I really don't care that much about speed bump. However, what I would really like is an updated superdrive. seems like x2 is sooo old these days. This really bothers me. Before anyone suggests buying an external superdrive, let me say that this is not an option for me. I want to have my drive portable. the rumors about a possible price drop also makes me reluctant to buy now.

Besides that, I can live rather well with the current 1.25 model. At the same time I do not want to spend all this money, just to see an updated version in the near couple of days. This seems like an unwise investment.

So here I am, waiting and waiting, to place my order. In terms of need, I am now without a laptop. I have a nice desktop at home, but being a college student, I got really used to using my pbook in the library and stuff. Beside, not having an OSX to play with starts to be annoying.

Any words of advise? it seems like the more I wait, the more it makes sense to wait a little bit longer... I already paid 99$ for the student developer program, and I was already qualified for the student discount. It is just that I feel like I must resist the temptation and buy a new and updated system rather than the current model...

sigh...don't know if this makes much sense. oh well this is why boards like this exists,..

Thanks

 

[advres]

to let you know - if anyone says they know when new versions of mac products are coming out it is purely speculation. most of these rumors are based on past experience but they hold no weight. However, during the keynote speech at macworld it was metioned that we have a lot of new products to look forward to in 2004. you can take that information as you will.

on another note, I have the 1.25 and am extremely happy with it. I would suggest just going for it. I only have one question for you. you said the speed increase of a new system wouldn't matter alll that much and you stated that a 2X DVDR/W seems dated. The machine you just had didn't even have a burner. Isn't 2X a little faster than NOX?

 

[simon1]

I was in a similar situation to yourself. In the end I bite the bullet and ordered a new 15"powerbook nearly 3 weeks ago. Picking it up tomorrow. Personally, i'm not that bothered if it get's updated now. I've got the laptop i wanted and don't need anything quicker/better. Plus i'm not waiting probably months to start my mac experience. Just get it and enjoy it. After all, no doubt you will get another one in 4/5 yrs time to replace whatever you do decide to buy

 

[a6rnh]

15" is great..

15"ai
1.25ghz
80gb
1gb ram

long time mac user in the uk. love my pb15ai. keyboard is great, screen is nice,
power is good. just not happy with battery performance, i only seem to get 2.5 hours at most and i haven't even started using it for intense photoshop/video work yet. apple seem to think i should get 4-5 hours out it which, from reading online articles, is nonsense.

you can guarantee that the pbook always gets talked about even from sneering pc users.

don't bother waiting for an update, i think g5 pbooks are at least a year away. mine gets very hot with a g4 in!

go buy one, they look and work great. panther and safari are also better than anything on the pc, and the whole OS integration is really clever (i'm talking itunes, imovie, idvd, iphoto, panther, preview)

cheers

 

[Spizzo]

I was in the same boat you're in, but just purchased the 17" powerbook about an hour ago. I figure with this pepsi promotion going on, the prices on everything will stay the same till its over, then you might see a price drop. I went to CompUSA yesterday to decided between the 15 and 17 as we have no Apple Store here, and decided i couldnt wait any longer. Just my 2 Cents.

 

[Bilba]

...

Just to make it clear. I am not waiting for G5, I am just concerned that in 2-3 weeks Apple will realease an updated Pbook G4, which will have better superdrive, and some new goodies. I might be wrong, but it just doesnt make sense to sell top of the line powerbook with x2 dvd drive.

And regarding the comment of me not having a dvd-r drive before: I believe that it is irrelevant. I wouldnt buy a 2003 BMW, knowing that a 2004 model is coming soon, unless there is a price difference.
This has nothing to do with me owning a BMW, or a Toyota before. When something is outdated it is outdated, regardless to what you used to have. While I dont consider the 1.25 15" pbook "outdated", and I do know it will give more than I require, the x2 drive does bother me, as it is damn old.

I might be picky and stubborn, but hey these things aren't cheap. if you buy your pbook today paying $2800 for it and in 2 weeks a new versions comes out, the value of your current machine drops. While no one here knows for sure when and what will happen with the new pbook, it makes sense to consult with people here, and see what they would have done, or are doing.

I guess what makes this decision so difficult, is the fact that it is possible to rationalize waiting or buying.

 

[michaelrjohnson]

i think we all feel your pain, and have lived through a similar circumstance once in our mac-based lives. I am currently suffering through the same situation (im a college student too). I want a new computer, but this is my ONLY complaint about Apple Inc. I hate the speculation regrading upgrades. They dont' have to tell me what is coming, just tell me when it is coming.

if you CAN'T wait, buy now. from waht i've heard, its a great machine. If you can wait a bit longer, like me. do so. i'm itching to ditch my imac g3 400mhz too, but i'm just going to stick it out until the new revision.

 

[somecows]

The way I see it, you just have to work with the facts that you have. It's true that we don't know when a new PB will come out. However, we do know that one will come out someday, and it is a reasonable assumption that it will come out sooner rather than later. That is to say, it's been about 140 days since the last revision, chances are the new revision will come sooner than 140 days from today. Thus, it might make sense to wait.

However, you have to keep in mind that you might have to wait longer than 2 or 3 weeks. Perhaps a month, or two months. And then you will have to wait until the revised version becomes available. There are often shipment delays when something new gets released. Though perhaps since this won't be a major revision, it wont be as much of an issue.

One other thing is that you have no guarantee that a new revision will have a faster burner.

So, at this point it just becomes a judgement call.

Personally, I would wait. A month or two is nothing compared to the period of time you will own the machine.

 

[Bilba]

thanks

Thanks for the input. I do value each and evey opinion. I believe that I will wait 2-3 weeks, hoping for the best. However I already know that if a revision will not happen during this time, I will keep on waiting longer, only because I already waited... The only fact that I am pleased about is that it is the first time in my adult life that I am able to rationalize holding off a purchase.

I am going to cross my fingers in hope that an update will happen sooner than later.
140 days is way way way to much for me to wait for. I'll be able to work with 14-21 days..

 

[Grimace]

Go buy it now!! Seriously, the internal specs aren't going to change with the G4. To have it, hold it, use it, love it - that is worth going to an Apple Store right now.

 

[jxyama]

am i missing something? i don't see too many other laptops with built-in CD/DVD burner that runs at faster than 2x for DVD burning... the fastest i could see was 4x. sure, 2x is slower but i'm not sure if you'd want to call it as outdated as you seem to imply...

i looked at dell. are there other laptop vendors with internal dvd burner that runs readily faster than 2x?

 

[Bilba]

I don't compare Apple to Dell, or for that matter Apple to P.C. x4 drive on powerbook 15/17" seems fine, x8 drive is amazing. x2 drive is outdated, in terms of apple inovation and lifecycle of the product.

 

[jxyama]

Originally posted by Bilba
I don't compare Apple to Dell, or for that matter Apple to P.C. x4 drive on powerbook 15/17" seems fine, x8 drive is amazing. x2 drive is outdated, in terms of apple inovation and lifecycle of the product.

i was just wondering because i didn't remember seeing much of dvd burners in laptops to begin with.

so there are x4 and x8 internal laptop drives readily available?

 

[iPC]

Originally posted by carletonmusic
Go buy it now!! Seriously, the internal specs aren't going to change with the G4. To have it, hold it, use it, love it - that is worth going to an Apple Store right now.

Anectdote - when Apple upgraded the combo drive in the iBook (went from 16x to 24x cd writing speed) they made no mention of it. A lot of Mac buyers (most computer buyers really) don't know or care what the exact specs are. "Does it do what I want it to do?"

 

[Steven1621]

when must you have your new computer by? i am in the same position as you and am just holding on for as long as i can. i think there will be an update this spring and i think i can wait till then. if you really must have a computer now, just go ahead and buy. it will certainly serve your needs. i do understand your concern, but either way you will have a great machine.

the feeling in am getting is that apple with update the pb line in late april or may. just my guess, but that is about as good as anyones.

 

[Bilba]

As I said, the fact that I already have a dekstop makes it easier to wait. I am going on a trip on spring break, so I would like to have it before that. I guess I'll just wait 2-3 more weeks, and see how it goes.

who knows, i might wake up tomorrow and order it. It is all a question of mood and resistance.