Switcher - iBook vs. PB

[lwlamar]

I plan on purchasing a new laptop soon and seeing my brother's 12" PB over Thanksgiving gave me the Mac bug. I have used a PC since college ('90 grad).

Initially, I became interested in the iBooks because of price and generally good reviews. Last week, I visited the Apple Store and had my 1st hands on experience with the entire line of Apple notebooks.

My impression was that I might prefer a larger screen than the 12" on the base iBook and PB. It also occurred to me that the finish of the iBook cases might be more susceptible to stains, dirt, etc... However, I have read the iBooks are very durable and I like the price and the software package that comes with them.

I will mainly be using new computer for email, internet, music, word processing and want one with DVD player and good battery life for occasional travel.

Any comments on PB vs. iBook? I am especially interested in:
(a) screen size issues (b) scratch/stain resistance/durability of cases, and (c) general performance differences.

Also want to know about usefulness of .Mac

Thanks for any help.

 

[plasticparadox]

I switched this week, and I have the iBook. My girlfriend has a 12" PB. However she got the PB simply because at the time, the 12" iBook was running on the G3 processor, and she wanted something that would last.

Now that the iBook has been bumped up to the G4, there's almost no reason for the casual user to choose the PB over the iBook unless you want to burn DVDs.

(a) screen size issues
I've gotten used to it. It's important to note that the 14" iBook has the same screen resolution (1024 x 768), and as such the image will appear slightly less crisp and you won't gain screen space.
Also note that you can plug your 12" into a TV or VGA monitor, at least when at home.

(b) scratch/stain resistance/durability of cases
It's a tossup. The PB doesn't show minor scratches, but drop it once and the case will dent. The iBook shows scratches, but drop it and it will stand up to more than the PB case will.

(c) general performance differences
Depends on what you are doing. I find that with my iBook, I am able to run all of my typical programs. I haven't noticed any performance issues, except when gaming. But lowering the color depth/screen resolution within the game solves those hiccups.

I bumped my iBook up to the stated maximum of RAM (640 MB), and my girlfriend did the same with her PB. I would recommend the same, especially since the price difference is negligable when compared with the speed increase.

Good Luck!

 

[CmdrLaForge]

Get the iBook.

The PB are not offering a plus on power, speed or anything else regarding your needs. They are just more expensive. Maybe MacWorld changes the picture. So wait until end of January.

 

[JulesK]

Maybe an old G3 iBook

If all you are doing is e-mail, word processing, web browsing and the like, you might want to consider one of the G3 iBook 900MHz that Apple is unloading on the refurb page. These are brand new units, not refurbs. If you can get an education or gov't discount, all the better, because they would be only $840. At that price, even if it only lasts you two years, it would be a bargain. Put the extra $180 (assuming you could get the G4 for $1020) towards RAM and other accessories.

That said, I have a Rev. B 12" PB. I, unfortunately, bought it just days before the G4 iBook was released. Had I to do it over again, I might own the G3 iBook at $840, because my needs are roughly what yours are. The PB is great, but maybe a bit more machine than I need.

I have a .Mac account. I find it useful and it wasn't a bad deal when you get the discount with a new machine (plus, my brother-in-law got a $20 discount on his renewal through me). On the other hand, if you have an e-mail account with an ISP and are willing to do without virus protection (which comes with the .mac account), then it may not be worth it. I haven't tried the new BackUp software, and if it works well (I heard that the original version did not), then it would be a very useful thing to have, if you need that sort of thing.

 

[gemio17]

What you need to do is go to your local Apple store and sit there with the 2 machines- I was all set on the 14" iBook until I went to the store, they had put the 12" pb next to the 12" iBook-for me, there is no comparison..PB wins...but that's my personal choice. That is really the best thing to do- test drive them both and then make your choice. Good Luck!!