I'm new to the forums, but I've been reading them for awhile. I already know that there have been a ton of threads about the iBooks vs. the powerbooks. Unfortunately, I need to ask something along those lines. I'm going to be a graphic design student this fall, and I know for sure I want a mac. The only problem is that I was planning to get a 12" iBook and I'm starting to think they might not get updated by the time I get to school. Keeping my windows PC for a little while is definitely out of the question because it would cost me more to get it working with the college network. So that makes me wonder whether I should get a current 12" iBook with some extra ram, larger hard drive, and Applecare, or I should get a 12" powerbook with just the 512mb ram and no Applecare for now. Any advice would be helpful at this point.
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Student in need of advice
- Thread starter sek1186
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Yeah...I was leaning toward getting a refurb powerbook if I got one at all. Right now the only 12" they have comes with 256mb ram, it does have a superdrive though. I know they had one of the current ones on their earlier with a combodrive, but it's gone now. How often do they usually update the refurb site, just in case the 1.33ghz one is gone by the time I decide what to order?
You can buy the extended Applecare up to 364 days from your new Mac purchase, so this is an expense you can defer.
Third party RAM is relatively cheap and a doddle to install, so don't let the 256 Mb in the Powerbook refurb hold you back.
Third party RAM is relatively cheap and a doddle to install, so don't let the 256 Mb in the Powerbook refurb hold you back.
If you see it now, buy it now! You won't regret it. You will regret not buying it if you don't choose the latter.
I went to school for design and got by on a 12" ibook 700mhz. 8 logicboards later I was fed up.
Get the 12" PB, Buy a 19" CRT and let it work its wonders. Get ram from Crucial.
I went to school for design and got by on a 12" ibook 700mhz. 8 logicboards later I was fed up.
Get the 12" PB, Buy a 19" CRT and let it work its wonders. Get ram from Crucial.
or get teh 12 inch brand new powerbook, save 175 dollars on an ipod (or get a free ipod mini).
if you get a refurb, and everything you're saving about 139 dollars really instead of getting new and a new ipod.
go with a new powerbook, asd i'm in the same position as yourself (except i don't need to get krunked and laid)
if you get a refurb, and everything you're saving about 139 dollars really instead of getting new and a new ipod.
go with a new powerbook, asd i'm in the same position as yourself (except i don't need to get krunked and laid)
get the 12" PB , use your student discount
get ram from crucial. get a really good sleeve or case, I have noticed the PB's are alot more sensitive to being banged around in a packpack with textbooks than the iBooks...though both lines are great for students. I would normally recommend the iBook for a student but the line needs some serious updating before it is up to par again. so go with the PB.
get ram from crucial. get a really good sleeve or case, I have noticed the PB's are alot more sensitive to being banged around in a packpack with textbooks than the iBooks...though both lines are great for students. I would normally recommend the iBook for a student but the line needs some serious updating before it is up to par again. so go with the PB.
_bnkr612 said:
remember that the logicboard problem were with g3 icebooks
the g4 icebooks are just fine...but if you can spring for the extra money, get the 12" inch powerbook
actually, the designers i know prefer a mac desktop to a laptop, even though these days, both the ibook and powerbooks have enough power to handle most student graphics type assignments
I'm on a budget, but its enough that I can actually afford a powerbook. I have to get Office 2004 and a few other things, so I don't know for sure whether I will be able to get a case right away for it. I know the iBooks are pretty durable from what I've seen, but I don't know about the powerbooks. Are they that easily dented in a bookbag? I've heard they can run hot too, is that something that happens all the time or just during certain things?
Do what I am planning to do get the 12" PB with free iPod Mini or $179 off higher end iPods. The PB has several advantages over the iBook that you as a graphic artist will find valuable.
1. Faster 5400 RPM hard drive vs 4200 RPM hard drive on the iBook. Makes accessing data faster.
2. Faster 1.5 GHz processor
3. Faster bus/RAM
4. Slightly better GPU
5. Same screen
We should hear the announcement of a new iBook next week so I would just hold off for a little while longer.
1. Faster 5400 RPM hard drive vs 4200 RPM hard drive on the iBook. Makes accessing data faster.
2. Faster 1.5 GHz processor
3. Faster bus/RAM
4. Slightly better GPU
5. Same screen
We should hear the announcement of a new iBook next week so I would just hold off for a little while longer.
Check Your School's Minimum Required Specs
sek1186,
You say that you're going to school for graphic arts. Check with your school. I'm sure that they have minimum recommended specs. for a graphic arts major's computer. I wouldn't be surprised if they recommend a PowerBook with some beefed up RAM.
sek1186,
You say that you're going to school for graphic arts. Check with your school. I'm sure that they have minimum recommended specs. for a graphic arts major's computer. I wouldn't be surprised if they recommend a PowerBook with some beefed up RAM.
My school isn't specific about whether to get a iBook or a Powerbook. Their minimum required specs for Macs could actually fit the iBook or the Powerbook though. I've heard something from a professor about the new labs there getting PowerMac G5s. That's why at first I was thinking just to get an iBook for myself, but I'm not so sure now.
Depends if you are good or if you suck. No amount of power will make you better at designing. A better brush does not make you paint better than Chagall.wako said:
If you suck, get out now. I'm dead serious. There is no way in hell you will get a job in the current design market. Don't be decieved; there are way too many designers out there graduating from college. Sure, most of them suck, but it is still competition.
I know too many good designers that can't get jobs because it's just so saturated.