Thoughts about which new Mac?

I am soon to come into some money for a new computer as my old Windows one is dying and cannot be repaired under the extra service agreement so I am getting refund vouchers.

I am a current heavy Mac user, with my PowerBook 12" getting constant use and follows me wherever I may go, and there is nothing wrong with my PowerBook, except that I still need Windows and Linux for my studies and work, and while I can just about get Linux on my PowerBook, Windows I can't (Virtual PC is a no no, it isn't realistic). So, to replace this long serving Windows PC I am obviously thinking about a nice new Intel Mac to suit all my needs in one lovely package, but, I'm not finding it as easy as that.

To put it bluntley I can't make my mind up as to what is the best course of action and I just wanted to put all my thoughts and ideas down on here and see what you guys think, to see if any of you have any insights or your own thoughts as to what I should do and go for.

I know this is a silly thing to ask, as well as being pretty broad and merely a "matter of personal opinion and preference", but I'd appreciate your input all the same. It gives you guys a chance to see if my thinking and logic behind this is flawed or not!

So, my thoughts so far:

I love the size and portability of my 12" PowerBook, the 15" MBP obviously is bigger (duh!) and I may miss the smallness (however I know the MBP are thinner!), but at the same time I'd appreciate the extra screen real-estate and better graphics/processor/hard drive/RAM.

The MacBook (probably black one) is a really nice size and colour, not too far off my PowerBook currently. Apart from the graphics card and the maximum potential spec not being as high as the MacBook Pro I'm sure I'd be happy with it still, but would I regret moving off the pro line in the long run? The glossy screens are an area I'm unsure about too. Some people love them, while others hate them. I've never used a glossy screen for long enough to really see if I prefer it or not. (I do dabble in the odd photographic and vide stuff on my PowerBook, if this should in anyway swade my views between Matte and Glossy)

I know people have had problems with the new Intel portables, or at least more so than the previous PPC Macs, like my current PowerBook. My friend has had some particularly bad experiences with them, everything from the batteries losing charge, the overheating, the magsafe melting, to even the aluminium becoming discoloured as if it was eroding away or being corroded in some way around the wrist areas below the keyboard. On top of that his MBP suddenly experienced random shutdowns like the MacBooks did. I know this is probably a minority, but I know more people who have had similar experiences and it scares me, especially having such a perfect PowerBook that has never gone wrong for me.

For this questionable quality reason, I'm also thinking about not going for a portable at all, and instead get a nice iMac (probably only 17") and just keep that in my room, as my PowerBook is still ideal and would suit my portable needs ok. My same friend with the poor MBP experiences brought an Intel iMac 17" first, the day they came out, and he has nothing but praise for that machine, it has never let him down and he is glad he brought it...so the quality seems to be there more in the iMacs than in the portables. You only need search these forums and the Internet and find a vast amount of problems with the Intel portables, but next to nothing for the iMac (granted, there was a brief graphics problem, but nothing as bad as the portables)

But, I am very much a portable person, I love my portable gadgets, so even though I'd still have my 12" PowerBook, I may find myself wanting Linux and Windows in portable form!

I'm not sure how much money these vouchers will come to, but it should be around the £1000 to £1200 mark ($1,957.8 to 2,349.36). If it is any more am I mad to go totally opposite to what I have said above and go for a 17" MBP?!?!?!

Your thoughts and ideas are very much appreciated.

 

Thanks for the advice so far guys!

Another big selling point to me is the ambient light sensors and the backlit keyboard that the MBP has...I was so gutted my 12" PB didn't have them and I think it's a novelty feature that I will find really quite useful, pushing me towards the MBP.

CEAbiscuit, I see what you're saying about the graphics, no I don't do heavy stuffy particularly in this area. I have Sim City and the Sims 2 I "occasionally" play, which they run pretty poorly to be honest on my PowerBook, which indeed has 64Mb, but this is dedicated NVidia chipst, not the integrated graphics of the MacBook, not that there will probably be much difference this day and age now, I don't know!

I think I'm perhaps heading in the portable direction more again. The issue about screen size and portability could be quite simple. I keep my PowerBook for those ultra small portable times I need it, and a 15" MBP for the other times. (Or even a 17"???...hmmm...is that a little too far a switch?! What real benefits do I get?) Any 17" users who find it too big and none-portable? Or any other thoughts!

12" MBP??...I think that might solve a lot of my problems, but I may try and move away and get thigns I don't get with my PowerBook (i.e.: already have the small portable sized machine) as it's still working. Plus, I'm not sure if I have a delay on when I can use these vouchers, so I can't really wait I don't think, although I would love Leopard!

 

Thanks guys.

I think I've come to a decision. Money permitting I'll get a MacBook Pro. (Might not max out just yet and get a few extras, such as a wi-fi skype phone I've been eyeing up!...(may as well while I've been given the money!!)

If money does come through less than expected then it will be the MacBook (hopefully black!)

When the actual vouchers come through I may go through all this again!!