What laptop should I buy?

[AmnesiacOpera]

Hello, I'm a college student looking to buy a new mac(preferably laptop). I have approxiamatly $1,700 to spend (I live in the US). I would mainly use the computer to write papers, search the web, ect. I'm also planning on experimenting with Final Cut Pro and Flash MX Pro. I have a monitor I can the laptop up to when I'm at home, so I'm not concerned about the screen size of the laptop. I've also seen the Cram and Jam promotion and will probably get the 15g iPod for $69. What computer do you think I should buy that would not exceed my price budget?
(PS This will be my first Mac that I have personally owned, though I have used Macs at school and at my job.)

 

[BakedBeans]

well if your going to use final cut pro ect... then i would suggest that you look very closely into buying the 12 inch powerbook...but if you will be using the internet and stuff 95% of the time then you might as well save 500 dollars and get the 12inch ibook.... if you can get edu discount you also might to look at the 15 inch combo...nice screen real estate and fairley powerfull...with a nice graphics card...

at the end of the day, i would always say get the best with what you can afford which would be either powerbook...

hope it sheds some light for you...let us know what you opt 4

 

[AmnesiacOpera]

I forgot to mention that I already own a mac-compatiable external DVD burner, so I don't need a Superdrive. The 12inch PB is looking nice, but the graphics card seems a bit weak...

 

[BakedBeans]

I forgot to mention that I already own a mac-compatiable external DVD burner, so I don't need a Superdrive. The 12inch PB is looking nice, but the graphics card seems a bit weak...

in that case the 15inch combo is a great deal....probably the sweetspot in the powerbook lineup...it will last ages..and is very powerfull...it wasnt all that long ago that we could only dream that we had that type of power on our desktops...