Thinking about getting an iBook

[Matt Phoenix]

So, for a while, I've wanted to try out a Mac. I've also wanted to get a laptop, so if I were to get an iBook that would kill two birds with one stone. Now, part of the reason I wanted to try out a Mac would be for iLife. I'd like to try some editing in iMovie, although I doubt that I'd try and edit anything over an hour. If anything, I'd edit a home movie or edit a show for the TV broadcasting class I'm taking. Would the iBook be able to handle this, or is it too underpowered (in comparison to the MacBookPro or Powerbook) to handle this task? By the way, if I were to get a laptop, I'd like to upgrade to at least a gig of memory, perhaps 1.5GB. Also, I'm not sure if I'd use Photoshop too often with it (although I have used it a bit on my PC), but if I were to get that for my Mac, how is the iBook with that?

Thanks for the help in advance ;-). Sorry if this all sounds very noobish, but you got to start somewhere, right?

 

[18thTomorrow]

The system you describe sounds very adequate for what you would like to do with it.

I use iLife (GB, iMovie, iPhoto, and iDVD) and do some heavy photoshop work (regularly design posters and 20" x 10" 300dpi wedding album spreads spreads) on a 1 ghz 14" iBook with 768 MB ram. Some people might scoff at my little "toy"--get a Powerbook or a Powermac to do the real workhorse stuff--but really, the iBook performs extremely well in those arenas for being a budget system. I use it to drive an external monitor running at 1600x1200 and have never noticed a lag.

 

[mikemodena]

So, for a while, I've wanted to try out a Mac. I've also wanted to get a laptop, so if I were to get an iBook that would kill two birds with one stone. Now, part of the reason I wanted to try out a Mac would be for iLife. I'd like to try some editing in iMovie, although I doubt that I'd try and edit anything over an hour. If anything, I'd edit a home movie or edit a show for the TV broadcasting class I'm taking. Would the iBook be able to handle this, or is it too underpowered (in comparison to the MacBookPro or Powerbook) to handle this task? By the way, if I were to get a laptop, I'd like to upgrade to at least a gig of memory, perhaps 1.5GB. Also, I'm not sure if I'd use Photoshop too often with it (although I have used it a bit on my PC), but if I were to get that for my Mac, how is the iBook with that?

Thanks for the help in advance ;-). Sorry if this all sounds very noobish, but you got to start somewhere, right?

Yes, we all have to start somewhere I've been using a PowerMac G5 for awhile now, and last week when I found out I had to go to Florida I went and bought a brand new iBook. I brought it with me and along with my LaCie edited the TV show my advanced video class makes. I used Final Cut Pro 5 and and everything is shot infront of a blue screen and I did all the chroma keying and some motionkeyframes and titles, and it ran it just fine, albeit the render time was a little bit slower than my G5 So, for what you need it for.. you'll never notice a slowdown, as long as you upgrade it to atleast 1GB of RAM.

 

[Matt Phoenix]

Wow...I really didn't think the iBook would run Final Cut Pro that well.

Another question: would you all recommend the 12 inch model or the 14 inch one? Is the extra 2 inches and the slightly better processor really worth a couple hundred extra bucks? I used to think that a 12 inch screen would be too small until I tried my friend's iBook and realized it was a great size.

 

[~Shard~]

Just keep in mind iBooks are getting upgraded to redesigned Intel machines next month.

 

[lasuther]

iBooks have been rumored for update in April. I would not buy one now. If you have to get a Mac now, the 17" iMac is a good buy.

The 14" iBook has the same screen resolution as the 12", so you don't get any additional screen space with the 14". But the iBook is rumored to move to a 13.3" widescreen, so wait if you can.

lasuther

 

[DarkNetworks]

Just wait but if you can't wait any longer, get the iMacs or MacBook Pro...

 

[Matt Phoenix]

Actually, I do plan on waiting. However, I'm not expecting a huge power increase with the processor change. I was just wondering if iBooks in general could handle what I wanted it to do. ;-) Thanks for the help so far!

 

[~Shard~]

However, I'm not expecting a huge power increase with the processor change.

Actually I would. Well, not huge, but I think it will be similar to the PowerBooks -> MacBook Pro change, where you will see 3-4x improvement in "performance" (to use an ambiguous term) - but probably not quite as significant, maybe 2-3x. Moving from a G4 to a Yonah will still be quite a nice jump I'm guessing.

 

[mikemodena]

Actually, I do plan on waiting. However, I'm not expecting a huge power increase with the processor change. I was just wondering if iBooks in general could handle what I wanted it to do. ;-) Thanks for the help so far!

It definately will do what you're looking for, especially if you wait for the intel version. I got this one now for a few reasons, mostly because I needed one immediately and partially because I want the last PPC version.

 

[balofagus]

I got an iBook at the beginning of the month and it is amazing. This is coming from someone whos used a PC since I was 5 (we still have that one). I feel the iBook outperforms any PC I've ever used. It does fine for my Photoshop needs and I am even learning Maya on...although I haven't done much and I'm only using Personal Learning Edition. Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy it!

 

[Matt Phoenix]

I got an iBook at the beginning of the month and it is amazing. This is coming from someone whos used a PC since I was 5 (we still have that one). I feel the iBook outperforms any PC I've ever used. It does fine for my Photoshop needs and I am even learning Maya on...although I haven't done much and I'm only using Personal Learning Edition. Whatever you decide I hope you enjoy it!

Thanks! Yea, I've been using PCs for many years and I feel it's time to try something new. Another question for you all: If I get an iBook, how hard is it to do the RAM upgrades yourself? I've watched some of the demos that make it look extremely easy, but it's sometimes a bit different once you crack open the case. With my desktop, I've added RAM, replaced cards and fans, installed new drives, etc., all with ease, but that is a desktop. I have no experience doing any of this with a laptop. :-x

 

[JCT]

Thanks! Yea, I've been using PCs for many years and I feel it's time to try something new. Another question for you all: If I get an iBook, how hard is it to do the RAM upgrades yourself? I've watched some of the demos that make it look extremely easy, but it's sometimes a bit different once you crack open the case. With my desktop, I've added RAM, replaced cards and fans, installed new drives, etc., all with ease, but that is a desktop. I have no experience doing any of this with a laptop. :-x

If you're comfortable knocking around in a PC case you should be fine with replacing some RAM in an iBook. Be sure to invest in a good set of small phillips head screwdrivers (Radioshack and Sears both sell them) and take care not to strip the screws. I recently replaced the Hard drive and optical drive in one of my lab iBooks -- now there's a chore . The manual that comes with the machine will have instructions.

Oh, and be forewarned, Macs can be like potato chips -- I started with an iBook about 2 years ago after over 10 years of self-building PCs. Now I am almost PC-free and surrounded by Macs!

Have fun,

JT