Powerbooks & Intel: Purchase Concerns

[Seasought]

I've been doing some research on the current Mac G4 Powerbooks, trying to decide whether or not I'll make the switch from my history of Windows and Linux over to OS X as my primary workstation. I've been reading as many 'switch' articles I can find, reasons for and against changing as well as as much current information with regard to where 'Apple is going' with thier notebook line. I wanted to post here to see if one (or several) of you may have a perspective I have overlooked that will help sway me in a more definitive direction concerning this.

What I use my current Windoze setup for:

• Gaming (Eve online)
• Graphic Design (Illustrator, Photoshop)
• Writing (insert any word processor here)
• Internet and Email/Research

Why I'm considering switching:

• I'm sick of the Windoze OS and feel it operates and feels like a fisher price toy; it lacks a professional look and feel and, after so many years, simply disgusts me. I won't even start to go into the company behind the product, but it is also a negative factor.
  
• Since OS X came out and I've had the opportunity to use client's machines or troubleshoot them for Internet access. I've come to really enjoy using it; my past experience in Linux also encourages this.
  
• Learning. I want to learn how and why OS X works, perhaps even get involved in Mac programming and design.

Aside from essentially reducing my gaming to near zero, my concern is that this Intel switch is going to make investing in a current Powerbook a mistake, investing in hardware that is slowly being faded out from the market.

Does Apple intend to start focusing more so on their OS and not so much on high quality, nice-looking (and feeling) hardware? In other words, are they going to go the 'Dell route' of producing cheaper machines with sub-par case and design construction in favor of higher sales?

Does Apple plan on phasing out their current line of powerbook cases and design?

It's a shallow reason I suppose, but I love the way the current Powerbooks look and I'd rather not purchase one if the support for them is slowly going to erode with the Intel switch.

Thanks in advance.

 

[jaduffy108]

my two cents...

I've been doing some research on the current Mac G4 Powerbooks, trying to decide whether or not I'll make the switch from my history of Windows and Linux over to OS X as my primary workstation. I've been reading as many 'switch' articles I can find, reasons for and against changing as well as as much current information with regard to where 'Apple is going' with thier notebook line. I wanted to post here to see if one (or several) of you may have a perspective I have overlooked that will help sway me in a more definitive direction concerning this.

What I use my current Windoze setup for:

• Gaming (Eve online)
• Graphic Design (Illustrator, Photoshop)
• Writing (insert any word processor here)
• Internet and Email/Research

Why I'm considering switching:

• I'm sick of the Windoze OS and feel it operates and feels like a fisher price toy; it lacks a professional look and feel and, after so many years, simply disgusts me. I won't even start to go into the company behind the product, but it is also a negative factor.
  
• Since OS X came out and I've had the opportunity to use client's machines or troubleshoot them for Internet access. I've come to really enjoy using it; my past experience in Linux also encourages this.
  
• Learning. I want to learn how and why OS X works, perhaps even get involved in Mac programming and design.

Aside from essentially reducing my gaming to near zero, my concern is that this Intel switch is going to make investing in a current Powerbook a mistake, investing in hardware that is slowly being faded out from the market.

Does Apple intend to start focusing more so on their OS and not so much on high quality, nice-looking (and feeling) hardware? In other words, are they going to go the 'Dell route' of producing cheaper machines with sub-par case and design construction in favor of higher sales?

Does Apple plan on phasing out their current line of powerbook cases and design?

It's a shallow reason I suppose, but I love the way the current Powerbooks look and I'd rather not purchase one if the support for them is slowly going to erode with the Intel switch.

Thanks in advance.

>>>I would suggest reading the Powerbook vs XPS thread. I believe you will find it informative.
To sum up: I own a revD 17" PB with 2 gigs of RAM. *I* would NOT suggest buying a new Apple PB (powerbook). It is the dog of the whole product line...by a significant margin. Add in that PPC is on the way out shortly...not wise. When...if...the conroe/merom based machines arrive...and...if they live up to the hype....they will be awesome machines imo. Come Jan 2007...we may begin to be able to answer these questions. Good luck...

 

[Seasought]

I would suggest reading the Powerbook vs XPS thread. I believe you will find it informative.
To sum up: I own a revD 17" PB with 2 gigs of RAM. *I* would NOT suggest buying a new Apple PB (powerbook). It is the dog of the whole product line...by a significant margin. Add in that PPC is on the way out shortly...not wise. When...if...the conroe/merom based machines arrive...and...if they live up to the hype....they will be awesome machines imo. Come Jan 2007...we may begin to be able to answer these questions. Good luck...

Thanks...I think this excerpt sums it up well for me:

It really depends on what you want more. A stylistic apple, which is portable and has very good batterylife, or a high performance gaming machine.
The dell is faster in pretty much every aspect, but its significantly harder to use as a portable laptop. It is a lot more upgradeable, and much easier to take apart (dvd burner can be removed by unscrewing one screw, hdd with two).
But it doesn't run OSX, and is made of plastic.
Your choice...

It's funny though, I've yet to encounter such a difficult buying decision.

 

[matticus008]

Does Apple intend to start focusing more so on their OS and not so much on high quality, nice-looking (and feeling) hardware? In other words, are they going to go the 'Dell route' of producing cheaper machines with sub-par case and design construction in favor of higher sales?

Does Apple plan on phasing out their current line of powerbook cases and design?

It's a shallow reason I suppose, but I love the way the current Powerbooks look and I'd rather not purchase one if the support for them is slowly going to erode with the Intel switch.

Thanks in advance.

Well, your intended uses (gaming aside) can be matched by any reasonable computer on the market, with enough RAM and disk space. Your desire to learn and obvious leaning toward OS X make the purchase an obvious choice. It will be a year or so before the Intel PowerBooks come up to bat (consumer machines will make the transition first), and even then, it will be several years before Apple begins to drop PowerPC support. By then, most people will have migrated to an Intel machine (in other words, when PowerPC begins to fade away in terms of support, it will have already been out of production for a couple years).

If you like OS X, like the look of the PowerBook, and have that desire to learn, there's no reason NOT to buy a PowerBook. Even OS X 10.5 will feature predominant PowerPC support, so you've got at least 3 years before Apple can even start moving away from the platform, which will take a couple years beyond that.

Apple will continue selling products with its exceptional sense of design and matching price tags. The only change from your perspective as a customer will be the name of the CPU inside. OS X will remain OS X, and Apple is not moving to a mass market philosophy or going down the "Dell" path. For you, it's the same as going from the G4 to the G5. The engineers and programmers will take care of the rest.

 

[Seasought]

If you like OS X, like the look of the PowerBook, and have that desire to learn, there's no reason NOT to buy a PowerBook. Even OS X 10.5 will feature predominant PowerPC support, so you've got at least 3 years before Apple can even start moving away from the platform, which will take a couple years beyond that.

The primary problems I have are that 1.) I game alot, EVE being a regular past-time and this would become an impossibility on a Powerbook. 2.) I can get a 'beefier' system via Dell for around the same price, if not less.

Thanks for responding...if I had the money I'd buy one of each .

 

[matticus008]

The primary problems I have are that 1.) I game alot, EVE being a regular past-time and this would become an impossibility on a Powerbook. 2.) I can get a 'beefier' system via Dell for around the same price, if not less.

Thanks for responding...if I had the money I'd buy one of each .

Sounds like you're sold on the PC notebook, then. (When Mac goes Intel, gaming isn't going to be better because of the CPU change, so you might be waiting a long time to switch ). In any case, good luck with whatever you end up buying!

 

[generik]

Windows for games
OSX for work

Seriously time flies when you are on a mac

 

[Seasought]

Sounds like you're sold on the PC notebook...

It is a painful and back and forth process...I'm actually leaning toward the powerbook after reading a boat load of articles.

These are difficult times

 

[Seasought]

Windows for games
OSX for work

Seriously time flies when you are on a mac

I know...when a buddy of mine bought OS X (around the time it first came out) I left work under the guise of 'going on a tech call' so I could play with OS X.

I ended up 'fixing his problem' for over a couple of hours before I realized I had lost time...I guess I should have known the answer then...admitting one has a problem is the first step I guess .

 

[savar]

Just because Apple is using Intel procs doesn't mean they are going to go cheap. The success of the iPod has, if anything, proven the model of selling a high quality product at a premium. There are lots of people who will pay for aesthetic beauty, ease of use, and seamless integration. These have been the mac design tenets for a long time and they're not going anywhere.

If you like Windows games, keep your laptop for now and get a Mactel when they come out. You'll be able to run Windows at native speed and enjoy all the benefits therein.

 

[Seasought]

Decision made...

I've decided to switch. I've wanted to learn and use the OS for awhile now and am excited about my future purchase. Thanks to everyone who replied.