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To 17" or not to 17" That is the question

daneoni

daneoni

macrumors G5
Original poster
Mar 24, 2006
12,019
1,924
Now the 17" is really tempting for the fact that:

1. I got a really good resale value for my PB (higher than what i paid for it) so in essence i'm paying half price for the MBP..which won't be the same when meroms ship
2. Their most likely using new sets of logic boards, so hopefully there will be no whine issue
3. You get more bang for the buck compared to the 15"

1.Downside is if i buy this machine, i'll have to pay for iLife 07 & Leopard and i prefer restore disks having the OS/suite already rather than buying a retail disk

2.My next computer upgrade will be...oh i dunno...when the next gen processors ship (penryn)

3. Carrying this big boy around wont be easy but its not impossible.

What do you guys think...get the 17 incher while my PB value is still hot or wait & wait till january when i probably wont get half the price of my PB and i'll have to pay a premium for the new merom chips
 
daneoni said:
1.Downside is if i buy this machine, i'll have to pay for iLife 07 & Leopard and i prefer restore disks having the OS/suite already rather than buying a retail disk

2.My next computer upgrade will be...oh i dunno...when the next gen processors ship (penryn)

3. Carrying this big boy around wont be easy but its not impossible.

What do you guys think...get the 17 incher while my PB value is still hot or wait & wait till january when i probably wont get half the price of my PB and i'll have to pay a premium for the new merom chips
Click to expand...

Well personally I see no reason to base purchase decisions on software that's still a while off.

But I also think the 17" is too big to lug around. That's just me.
 
I'd pick up the 17...especially while you got a good price for your PB. I was in the same boat. I sold my 15" PB for $3k, bought a MBP, then sold the MBP 15" and bought a 17", actually turned a net profit.
 
I would wait for the Macbook, then sell the powerbook and pick it up. That will last you until bigger processors and it wont loose as much value as the powerbook. 17" is too big.
 
®îçhå®? said:
I would wait for the Macbook, then sell the powerbook and pick it up. That will last you until bigger processors and it wont loose as much value as the powerbook. 17" is too big.
Click to expand...

I dunno the MacBooks sound promising but i dunno if i'll be able to go back to a 1280 resolution...coming from a 1440
 
®îçhå®? said:
I would wait for the Macbook, then sell the powerbook and pick it up. That will last you until bigger processors and it wont loose as much value as the powerbook. 17" is too big.
Click to expand...

Loads of people say that, but the 17 is only barely larger than the 15. I've had a 17 for two years now (G4) and I bring it everywhere - it's still small enough to fit on an economy class airplane food tray ;)

I couldn't go back to a 15" laptop (had a TiBook before). The 17 is heavier, but not as heavy as you think. You'll get used to it pretty quickly.
 
Don't wait around!

To most people who are thinking of buying a new model that's just come out, I'd say - buy NOW! The longer you wait, the closer you'll get to the next revision. You want your purchase to be as new and shiny and up-to-date as possible (which should last oooh about five minutes :D .
 
i have a 17" powerbook, and i can tell you this; it is way more portable then most people think. i carry mine everywhere, and i barely notice it hanging from my shoulder. the trick is not to get some stupid massively oversized bag for it, get a nice small sleeve and you'll swear thats a 15" laptop.

as for waiting for merom and leopard, or buying now, i'm really not sure what i would do in your position. on one hand, you have the prospect of a better computer if you wait a year, but on the other hand, you have an extra year with the MBP and you save a bunch of money; but then you'd have to spend that money to upgrade to leopard and iLife 07'...

i dunno, flip a coin ;)
 
Interesting points from everyone..sigh...i hate making apple decisions< they are too prolific.
 
The size difference is hardly noticeable when transporting the two.
My backpack can hold a 15" and a 17". Currently a 15". There is about a 600 grams weight difference, so again a hardly noticeable factor.

As another poster mentioned I too don't get why transport should be such an important factor when considering getting a 17" vs. a 15". It's no truble at all

Instead you should consider the space where you will be using your laptop. Is the space cramped then get the 15", if you have plenty of room then get the 17". If money is no object that is.
 
Well i took plinkomans advice and flipped a coin. My rules were the best out of three wins...heads i buy a 17" and tails i wait. Creepily i got three tails no heads.

So i'm waiting.

Thanx for all the replies i appreciate it
 
daneoni said:
Well i took plinkomans advice and flipped a coin. My rules were the best out of three wins...heads i buy a 17" and tails i wait. Creepily i got three tails no heads.

So i'm waiting.

Thanx for all the replies i appreciate it
Click to expand...

If that's how you determined whether or not to buy something, you obviously had no need for it in the first place. Have fun with your PB. Personally, I would have ditched your PB if you got a good resale price for it and jumped on the Intel bandwagon (which I did)...but to each their own...
 
MovieCutter said:
If that's how you determined whether or not to buy something, you obviously had no need for it in the first place. Have fun with your PB. Personally, I would have ditched your PB if you got a good resale price for it and jumped on the Intel bandwagon (which I did)...but to each their own...
Click to expand...

DOnt get me wrong i want this bad but im terrible at decision making.
 
The 17" isn't a lot bigger, when lugging it around. Just a bit wider. But the extra screen size is nice. I would def. sell the pbook, if you can get more than the price of a MBP for it. And get a MBP - 15" or 17".

Can you still get a good price for your pbook when leopard will be out? Sell your pbook for a good price while you can.
 
Depends on the 17...

I'm facing a somewhat different issue: as my portable/personal computer, I've currently got an 867 tibook that's served well; no complaints, actually. I've been thinking about upgrading to something faster now, and this is a good year to spend the dough on a new computer (tax benefits, etc.). So, now that the macbooks have streeted, I'm thinking it might be a good time to get into something new, perhaps a 17" model.

On the other hand, I've got a pretty healthy investment in software that's paid for and optimized in the pre-intel OSX (I've got a G5 desktop and a G5 imac in addition to the laptop) and I'm not in any rush to pay a load of upgrade fees to various vendors just to be able to run all the stuff I use on a new computer that's going to cost me over $2 large already. Was thinking therefore that it might be worthwhile picking up a last-of-the-line G4 17" powerbook at what's sure to be a deep-discounted price. In keeping with my last 3 computer purchases, I'm thinking the refurb route would be good for a few hundred bucks less again than the discounted price of a "new"/remaindered G4 PB.

So, am I crazy? Is there something about these intel machines that mandates I have one NOWWWW!!! or am I taking the correct attitude here, which is to say, "the new ones look just like the old ones, and aside from the snazzy aluminum package, the point is what's running on the unit, not necessarily (only) how it looks from across a room." I'd like to succumb to the idea that I'll be missing something if I don't get the newest/greatest, but I've been buying computers (and apples particularly) for long enough to expect that I won't end up missing much other than the spot where a big hole in my wallet SHOULD be...

vic
 
vixapphire said:
So, am I crazy? Is there something about these intel machines that mandates I have one NOWWWW!!! or am I taking the correct attitude here, which is to say, "the new ones look just like the old ones, and aside from the snazzy aluminum package, the point is what's running on the unit, not necessarily (only) how it looks from across a room." I'd like to succumb to the idea that I'll be missing something if I don't get the newest/greatest, but I've been buying computers (and apples particularly) for long enough to expect that I won't end up missing much other than the spot where a big hole in my wallet SHOULD be...

vic
Click to expand...


if your lively hood depends on it. I say stick to G4. And much better place to buy stuff then would be ebay or craigslist or here rather than apple (as they donot discount the price much). If that is not going to do any thing remotely related to running your apps for work get the new intel one. i sold my powerbook 12" but only to end up buying a cheaper ibook under a month. It is just not worth the hassle.

As to deciding between the 15.4 and 17" i think 17" has more bang for the buck esp when compared to the highend 15.4. So you should either go for the low end 15" or just get the 17". I would say get the 17" inch ... sizewise both are same.

PS: Technology/Electronics is never an investment. Use it as much as you can. thats all you can probably do to make your cash count.
 
vixapphire said:
I'm facing a somewhat different issue: as my portable/personal computer, I've currently got an 867 tibook that's served well; no complaints, actually. I've been thinking about upgrading to something faster now, and this is a good year to spend the dough on a new computer (tax benefits, etc.). So, now that the macbooks have streeted, I'm thinking it might be a good time to get into something new, perhaps a 17" model.

On the other hand, I've got a pretty healthy investment in software that's paid for and optimized in the pre-intel OSX (I've got a G5 desktop and a G5 imac in addition to the laptop) and I'm not in any rush to pay a load of upgrade fees to various vendors just to be able to run all the stuff I use on a new computer that's going to cost me over $2 large already. Was thinking therefore that it might be worthwhile picking up a last-of-the-line G4 17" powerbook at what's sure to be a deep-discounted price. In keeping with my last 3 computer purchases, I'm thinking the refurb route would be good for a few hundred bucks less again than the discounted price of a "new"/remaindered G4 PB.

So, am I crazy? Is there something about these intel machines that mandates I have one NOWWWW!!! or am I taking the correct attitude here, which is to say, "the new ones look just like the old ones, and aside from the snazzy aluminum package, the point is what's running on the unit, not necessarily (only) how it looks from across a room." I'd like to succumb to the idea that I'll be missing something if I don't get the newest/greatest, but I've been buying computers (and apples particularly) for long enough to expect that I won't end up missing much other than the spot where a big hole in my wallet SHOULD be...

vic
Click to expand...

well, if you already have a G5 to run your ppc software on, then you may as well go ahead and get the MBP. then you could just slowly upgrade/crossgrade all your software little by little (since you'll need to eventually), while you have your G5 to run everything else. unless, of course, you need to run your software on the go.
 
Can i reclaim VAT from an apple receipt as i intend to do so saving me anothe £200+. Is this possible?
 
Ok, maybe i have a question now. Lets say i am a 1.67Ghz PowerBook G4 (which i don't) and it runs all my software perfectly fine since it is built for it. Now i want to upgrade to a a 2Ghz MacBook Pro which apple says is 4x as fast as "powerbook". So theoretically, even if i am running software under Rosetta (which uses up around 50% of the system resources), shouldn't it still be 2x faster than "my" PowerBOok? I'm sure there are like nine threads on this, and i just haven't seen them, but at what point in time would it actually run slower the powerbook? Shouldn't it consistantly run faster no matter what?
 
i was having similar thoughts last august when i was purchasign a PB. i ended up getting the 17" only b/c i wasnt paying for it. the 15 is a better deal and you can always get a second monitor to make up for the size. i can take the 17" to class and around town but most ppl tell me its too big. myself being a taller larger guy have no problem and enjoy the large 17" screen. id say, if you have to pay for this yourself then get the 15
 
JasonElise1983

this is not the case. apple always fabricates thier benchmarks a little bit. check out barefeats.com for some authentic results. rosetta runs applications sluggishly and definately below powerpc level right now
 
Sold my 17'

And now Im typing in my 15"MPB, is way better, 600 grams is a lot when your bag weigths 4 kg, i carry the computer everywhere and I do notice the difference. And now I have exactly the same res that my old Pb 17" (1440x900).
remeber the new charger is heavy to!
go for the 15" is more than enough.
 
Bit the bullet and got the 17" stock model (had to forego 100GB 7200RPM drive) since i'll be dual booting.

Est Ship date is 10th May.

Fingers crossed.
 
daneoni, great thread! Enjoyed reading all the posts! Good luck on your new 17" MBP. Please post pics!

JasonElise1983, programs runs 2x faster on universal programs, but 2x slower on Rosetta (goto macworld.com, and/or search in macrumors.).

Will be getting my 17" MBP this summer. :cool:
 
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