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Why are 12" Powerbooks still so expensive?
- Thread starter joe50000
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dpaanlka said:
I'm not in the habit of hauling my Cube around in my briefcase, but that's not really the point. The point was some Apple products are greeted with some amount of B&M-ing when they come out, only to be appreciated later.
But I do agree with your second statement. This is a tough crowd.
I love my 12" Powerbook, and I am not giving it up for a new MB or MBP anytime soon, that is, until Apple releases a smaller notebook in the Intel line.
I bought my Dad a Macbook, and it is a really nice machine. I love everything about it, but it doesn't compare to the portability of my 12" Powerbook. This little machine has done everything I've needed with good power.
Apple, release a 12" Pro machine, damnit!
I bought my Dad a Macbook, and it is a really nice machine. I love everything about it, but it doesn't compare to the portability of my 12" Powerbook. This little machine has done everything I've needed with good power.
Apple, release a 12" Pro machine, damnit!
mkrishnan said:
The 12" PB went through 4 revisions in its lifetime:
Rev A: 867 MHz, 256MB ram, Geforce 420Go, VGA out, USB1.1
Rev B: 1 GHz, 256MB ram, Geforce Go5200 32mb VRAM, DVI out, USB2.0
Rev C: 1.33 GHz, 256MB ram, Geforce Go5200 64mb VRAM, DVI, USB 2.0
Rev D: 1.5 GHz, 512MB ram, rest same as Rev C
The 15/17 PB got one more revision where the screen resolution was increased and DDR2 was incorporated.
Of course there were other minor upgrades in there as well. Wireless and Bluetooth were made standard and the Rev D got two finger scrolling and Bluetooth 2.0
To those who are using 12" PB on the daily basis, how long are you going to keep it? I would also like to ask this to the people who take 12" PB on the road on the regular basis (almost a daily basis). Is it holding up well in terms of reliability and appearance (scratches/dent issues)?
I've used mine on an almost daily basis for 18 months, just toting to school and word processing.
Mine incurred a dent when my bag strap broke, but is still chugging along like a champ I have some scratches, but they are really minimal and kind of inevitable really. I'm hoping my new MBP will hold up as well.
I'm trying to sell mine, but prices on Macrumors seem kinda low compared to Ebay.
Mine incurred a dent when my bag strap broke, but is still chugging along like a champ
I have some scratches, but they are really minimal and kind of inevitable really. I'm hoping my new MBP will hold up as well. I'm trying to sell mine, but prices on Macrumors seem kinda low compared to Ebay.
To answer the OPs question:
They are not made, but they aren't quite outdated.They are still powerful machines, with a good processor. They are also one of Apple's most reliable PowerBooks, with a very small defect history. They are so compact and light, I think its worth it. I just bought a used Powerbook 12 inch and it is wondeful. It is so light, and it is really tiny. Really a well built, compact, nice looking machine.
They are not made, but they aren't quite outdated.They are still powerful machines, with a good processor. They are also one of Apple's most reliable PowerBooks, with a very small defect history. They are so compact and light, I think its worth it. I just bought a used Powerbook 12 inch and it is wondeful. It is so light, and it is really tiny. Really a well built, compact, nice looking machine.
I'm looking to sell my 12" PB. RevA I'm guessing (bought in Fall 2003, 1GHz, 40GB HDD, 1.25GB RAM, CD Combo). Haven't decided what to ask, but it'll probably be in the $500 range and go from there.
It's served me well, but I've got the upgrade itch
It's served me well, but I've got the upgrade itch
I personally love my 12 inch PowerBook. It's a Rev D that I bought in the spring of 2005. It's hooked up to my 23 inch ACD and runs Photoshop, Dreamweaver, iMovie, etc. when I need it to. And the small footprint is just amazing.
However, I would love to upgrade. The 1.25 GB of RAM just isn't enough sometimes, and I would love my machine to FLY. The battery lasts about 2 hours...maybe.
I keep going to the Apple Store looking at the new models, wanting to upgrade, but nothing at the moment beats my PB. I really hate the look of the MacBooks and I have never enjoyed using any of my friends'. The trackpad is TOO big and somewhat unresponsive, the keyboard looks cartoon-y, and I miss having a latch.
What about the MacBook Pro? Well, I do love it, but I am waiting for all my apps to go Universal before I make that purchase, or at least until Leopard comes out. Still, I wish they made a 12 inch model.
At the moment, nothing beats it!
However, I would love to upgrade. The 1.25 GB of RAM just isn't enough sometimes, and I would love my machine to FLY. The battery lasts about 2 hours...maybe.
I keep going to the Apple Store looking at the new models, wanting to upgrade, but nothing at the moment beats my PB. I really hate the look of the MacBooks and I have never enjoyed using any of my friends'. The trackpad is TOO big and somewhat unresponsive, the keyboard looks cartoon-y, and I miss having a latch.
What about the MacBook Pro? Well, I do love it, but I am waiting for all my apps to go Universal before I make that purchase, or at least until Leopard comes out. Still, I wish they made a 12 inch model.
At the moment, nothing beats it!
I got a Rev A, 887Mhz 640mb Ram, and i love it too bits, does almost everything i want it to do. i'll prob update to a blackbook, sometime next year, think its about time i have a beastier machine, though if a smaller MBP comes out tomorrow i will be 1st inline to get one..
till then, my and my powerbook will keep doing what we do..
Zim
till then, my and my powerbook will keep doing what we do..
Zim
I was discussing portability on another thread and this laptop can't be beat. I travel with a 15 Powerbook and wish it were a 12. I use the 15 at home for my primary machine and can't justify two. You pay a premium for a nice discontinued item that really fills a niche. The old you got it and I want it. If Apple were to humor all us nuts who want the best in the smallest package and come out with a MBP in the 12 range the old 12 books would drop. Until then....
I'm buying a c2d macbook soon to replace my 15'' PB which is starting to creak a bit. (and so I can run BootCamp/ Parallels).
However if anyone offered me a 12'' PB for a good price, I'd snatch it up in a flash as a second computer / travel laptop.
My brother brought a second hand 12'' PB about 5 months ago, and he's very happy with it. (tho he dropped it and dented some of the metal.)
His PB seems almost polished compared to mine, and it's much more slippery (fell out of it's sleeve while he was holding it horizontally). Are your 12'' PBs slippery / polished compared to other people's 15'' PBs?
Finally, Intel are expected to release their ultra-low-voltage version of the Merom C2D chips (probably underclocked) on a variant of the Santa Rosa platform in or around April 2007.
2 or 3 months later, we *may* see it appear in a possible Apple subnotebook. That takes us up to about July 2007 for rev A and maybe september / october 2007 for rev b.
However if anyone offered me a 12'' PB for a good price, I'd snatch it up in a flash as a second computer / travel laptop.
My brother brought a second hand 12'' PB about 5 months ago, and he's very happy with it. (tho he dropped it and dented some of the metal.)
His PB seems almost polished compared to mine, and it's much more slippery (fell out of it's sleeve while he was holding it horizontally). Are your 12'' PBs slippery / polished compared to other people's 15'' PBs?
Finally, Intel are expected to release their ultra-low-voltage version of the Merom C2D chips (probably underclocked) on a variant of the Santa Rosa platform in or around April 2007.
2 or 3 months later, we *may* see it appear in a possible Apple subnotebook. That takes us up to about July 2007 for rev A and maybe september / october 2007 for rev b.
I have to agree that a bit of patience may be well worth it if you can stand to
wait till spring-summer 2007.
Not only am I hoping to see a new ultra portable MBP, but I think eventually
we'll see a Quad Core MBP sooner than most people might be expecting one.
2008 is where things get really interesting with Octa-Core processors.
Personally, I'm looking forward to Logic Pro 8, ProTools 8 and a whole lot of other 8's in 2008.
Anything you buy now will still be working fine 2 years from now, but I'm sure we'll hear plenty of fuss from people who over invested in what's
out there now.
wait till spring-summer 2007.
Not only am I hoping to see a new ultra portable MBP, but I think eventually
we'll see a Quad Core MBP sooner than most people might be expecting one.
2008 is where things get really interesting with Octa-Core processors.
Personally, I'm looking forward to Logic Pro 8, ProTools 8 and a whole lot of other 8's in 2008.
Anything you buy now will still be working fine 2 years from now, but I'm sure we'll hear plenty of fuss from people who over invested in what's
out there now.
Not only that but there is a LV version of Merom due in January (full 4MB cahce etc). ULV is a little too hobbled for my liking with it's small cache and low clock speed(though would make a suprb basis for a 10.6 ultraportable mac).
I have two 12" powerbooks (rev a and c) and I'm a little torn between just settling on that black macbook I keep eyeing (the extra size might suit me) or waiting anoth two months for wwdc announcements.
You guys over in the UK already get so hammered on these prices plus VAT, that it pays to be extra careful on your purchasing decisions.
I MUST buy my daughter a MacBook next month, so I can't wait, but if I was buying just for me, I would do so very conservatively unless you can afford
to upgrade again once things settle down a bit giving software developers some time to catch up to all these multi-core capabilities.
That being said, if I was fortunate enough to own a 12" PowerBook, I'd keep it.
I MUST buy my daughter a MacBook next month, so I can't wait, but if I was buying just for me, I would do so very conservatively unless you can afford
to upgrade again once things settle down a bit giving software developers some time to catch up to all these multi-core capabilities.
That being said, if I was fortunate enough to own a 12" PowerBook, I'd keep it.
Repeating some of the sentiments expressed above, I'm going to hang onto my revA 12" PowerBook 867 until Apple comes out with a replacement in this size range. Mine is in very good condition. No dents, only a few light scratches. The only wear I've noticed after about three years of use (not daily) is some dimming of the display. Otherwise it still works great for Keynote presentations, which is its main task.
It is good to hear so many positive comments on actual users' experience with 12" PB. So, it seems 12" PB is as sturdy as 12" iBook to be used as a daily computer (at home and outside). I might as well sell my iBook now and use my 12" PB as my daily computer (meaning it comes with me at work).
Supply and demand. Not many sellers compare to the huge number of buyers who want an Apple but can't afford anything new from Apple
I've been using a 12" powerbook as my main computer for 2.5 years. It goes in my bag to work, everywhere. It even goes to night clubs with me when I DJ. No probs at all.
12" Powerbook problems
Just watch out for the 80 gig Toshiba drives. Lots of failures.
Otherwise a great and true LAPTOP. Not a notebook!
Just watch out for the 80 gig Toshiba drives. Lots of failures.
Otherwise a great and true LAPTOP. Not a notebook!
My friend has a 12" PB.. I mean I've got a 14.1" laptop that I use as my main computer, but as a 2nd computer, damn that thing was nice. Now that I'm at uni, I can really see how a 15" is too big.. and that MacBook is just.. I don't like it at all. Nice, yes.. and I'd buy it over a 15" (due to size and price) but if Apple could just release a 12" laptop with an external CD-drive (maybe firewire400 extension?) I would snap it up in a heartbeat. Thin, Light, a long Battery, and Aluminum.
Edit:
heck, why not just forgo a media bay all together, give it one of those new PCMCIA slots (you all know what I mean) integrated graphics, and make it a hybrid tablet/notebook. Instead of a rotating hinge like Toshiba uses, why not just have the screen flip over to the bottom of the notebook, and the keyboard would be on the bottom while it's in tablet mode, and deactivated to prevent accidental touches.
Ok, what it comes down to is gateway made me a (very reliable) sub-1" laptop weighing just 4.35lbs 3 years ago (almost to the day), and I'm still waiting for apple to make me one today.
Ok. so maybe I don't know what I'm trying to say.
Edit:
heck, why not just forgo a media bay all together, give it one of those new PCMCIA slots (you all know what I mean) integrated graphics, and make it a hybrid tablet/notebook. Instead of a rotating hinge like Toshiba uses, why not just have the screen flip over to the bottom of the notebook, and the keyboard would be on the bottom while it's in tablet mode, and deactivated to prevent accidental touches.
Ok, what it comes down to is gateway made me a (very reliable) sub-1" laptop weighing just 4.35lbs 3 years ago (almost to the day), and I'm still waiting for apple to make me one today.
Ok. so maybe I don't know what I'm trying to say.