Sigma B said:
I was wondering where I could find out the exact battery life (with wireless on and off) for all the new models of powerbooks?
I'm trying to decide and battery life is a very large factor. Oh! And this is my first Mac too, and first offical question here at macrumors!
"I was wondering..." is a statement, more specifically, a declaration of a state of mind. So you're first question here is: "Is that because the notebook is big in relation to them?"
First off...hold off on Powerbooks until WWDC, as there have been some rumors on possible updates. In other words, don't buy anything until after WWDC so you don't possibly buy a product that gets updated the day after. (Some people here know what that's like...)
Second, you should also pay attention to more than battery life if you seriously want to invest in a Powerbook. I'm going to break down some details into the pros and cons of working with each model Powerbook in situations...
Powerbook 12 inch - Pros: For being able to use it at college for English/Literature classes, or for almost all internet browsing and word processing, you don't need anything bigger. Even if you plan to work a bit in Photoshop, a lot in iTunes, or a bit in iPhoto, you can do it well on that little screen, as long as you're sitting right in front of it.
Powerbook 12 inch - Cons: If you're going to do a lot of audio/video/Garage Band work, then a 12 inch model will probably make working with applications like FCP (or FCE), Garage Band, iMovie, iPhoto, and just about any 3D software needlessly straining on your eyes.
Powerbook 15 inch - Pros: This is an above average machine for just about any software you can think of...FCP, DVD Studio Pro, Maya, Photoshop, Garage Band, Mail, Safari, Office 2004. You can negotiate between applications that require high resolutions without straining your eyes as long as you have the resolution to its 2nd highest setting, or if you keep the screen close to you. You also get a bit of a memory booster - 2GB as supposed to 1.25GB - and that works out very well for working with multiple apps at once. And, the keyboard and trackpad seem to be placed at just the right positions for a 15 inch or larger monitor notebook
Powerbook 15 inch - Cons: If the apps that you plan to use a lot require high screen resolutions and have small text, then you'll find yourself straining from time to time to read some of the text. Though it's not a big deal.
Powerbook 17 inch - Pros: This is a nice machine if you want to watch DVDs and absolutely must work with a lot of video/audio/etc. production software that has a lot of fine print. It's also faster than the 15 inch model, so your productivity will be even faster.
Powerbook 17 inch - Cons: The keyboard may seem like a bit of a reach, and it's not ideal for bringing/using at college, because you not only need a large bag to hold it, but you need to be careful that it doesn't keep bumping into chairs/people.
Third, if you're a professional working with audio/video, then power usage is of little concern. Pro users with portables will keep them plugged into an outlet. But since you're concerned about power usage (the technical issues already explained in the above cement mixture of posts), then it sounds like you won't be working a lot with audio/video/etc. for professional production. Also, since you're going to use your Powerbook for a while, you'll eventually run into some software (maybe out of interest, maybe as a requirement) that requires a fairly high resolution. So if you're planning to use the Powerbook for email/internet/chatting/text/music purposes only, then the 12 inch model should do. But if you want to work with a bit of software from time to time that takes up a bit of space on your monitor, then the 15 inch model should do.
You might try something like CNET:
