PowerBook G4 Vs. MacBook ?

[DaleMassey]

Bit of a generic question this.
Not even sure whether it should go in here or the MacBook forum.
After a bit of advice really.
Currently got a PowerBook G4 17" with 17" 1600x1050 screen. Its 1.67GHz so its the last model before Intel.
Would getting a new MacBook (whenever they come out) be upgrading or downgrading?
The 17" is kind of bulky to be taking to college all the time, and so was considering the 13.3" MacBook.
Would anybody particularly recommend it? Or swear against it?
The new MacBooks will be miles faster than my old machine, surely, but will they be as practical?

 

[tdgrn]

I watched a video of the last G5 iMac and the first Intel iMac and the Intel blew the G5 out of the water as far as boot up times and load times with random applications. With the new Intel chips in the MacBooks, that would be the way that you would want to go with, as they are much faster.

 

[TEG]

I will be nice, but it is a consumer machine. You might be happier with a 15" MacBook Pro. I have a 15" PowerBook and it is perfect for college. I find the 13" to be too small (vertically) for most use.

TEG

 

[GoCubsGo]

I have a PB 1.67 myself and frankly the Intel MacBook would blow the PB out of the water with just about everything I do on it. However, my only reservation is not so much speed as it is the video card. My PB can still handle Aperture with mild pains, and PS CS. It is zippy fast with internet and e-mail (basic). However, as far as speed, the MB is not a downgrade. You won't get the resolution you have on the 17" (of course) and depending upon what you're going to do, you may welcome the smaller size and faster speed.

I think moving from a 17" PB to a 13" MB is a great move for you. You'll also find people can run things like photoshop on their MB (easily) and Aperture. Not that you mentioned being a photographer, but I'm speaking about applications that are usually resource hogs.

As a college student who is studying something unrelated to say photography, video, etc. I would say a MB is great.

Through my ramble there's an answer in there somewhere, I promise!

 

[DaleMassey]

Thanks everyone.
I do some pretty resource heavy stuff on the PowerBook as it is, PS and DW CS3, Logic Express and Final Cut Express.
They seem to run fine but only on their own - multi-taskign is a no no! And it does stutter sometimes with them.
I guess my trusty PB is going on eBay then!

Without sounding like a broken record... September 16th is the latest guess for new apple launches, right?

 

[Minimoose 360]

Yep, that's the date on all our tongues, but no promises.

Better be though, I'm an entering collegiate with NO FRIGGIN LAPTOP!

 

[Firefly2002]

Thanks everyone.
I do some pretty resource heavy stuff on the PowerBook as it is, PS and DW CS3, Logic Express and Final Cut Express.
They seem to run fine but only on their own - multi-taskign is a no no! And it does stutter sometimes with them.
I guess my trusty PB is going on eBay then!

Without sounding like a broken record... September 16th is the latest guess for new apple launches, right?

You might wanna go for the 15" MBP and not the MB. Also, you might want to test a 15" (or 13.3" if that's whhat you want) before buying... you might find it too small after using the 17" for years.

 

[CaptainChunk]

You might wanna go for the 15" MBP and not the MB. Also, you might want to test a 15" (or 13.3" if that's whhat you want) before buying... you might find it too small after using the 17" for years.

Agreed. And if you ever decide you might want to run other Pro applications (like Final Cut Studio, for example) in the future, you'll be a lot happier with the discrete graphics solution you'd get on a MBP.