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Apple Laptop buying advice

post #1 of 9
8/5/03 at 9:08pm
Thread Starter 
I've been wanting to get a Mac laptop since my house has an 802.11b router. Currently I've got a Bondi iMac that I upgraded to a 500Mhz G3 w/firewire (Sonnet Harmoni) to give it a little extra life in running Jaguar, but the video card in it is just too weak to scroll a website smoothly, let alone a playback a nice sized quicktime file or a game of WC3. My dilemma is between the 12" iBook and the 12" PB.

I'd like a laptop that doesn't choke like my iMac does on these tasks. Something that'll let me scroll through websites quickly, watch a DVD without frames dropping, play the occasional game of WC3 or Dungeon Seige, and do some work in iPhoto. The most I'd like to spend is about what the 12" PowerBook is going for, $1599. My fear is that since the 12" is EOL, the new 12"ers will be bumped back up to their original price of $1799, which for me is pushing it, since I'll still have to get an Airport card, RAM etc.
I really like the 12" PB design and all but it seems as if the battery life is less than the iBook's and I think I'd rather have an ATI 7500 over a GF4MX 420 (DVD playback, image quality). Then we have the G4's 256K L2 but with AltiVec or the iBook's PPC750FX with 512K L2. Would iPhoto even take advantage of the G4?
It's like each defeats the others advantages...

I'd be interested in everyone's comments, especially those who've used both machines a lot. Hopefully someone can keep my head from spinning.

Thanks
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post #2 of 9
8/5/03 at 9:57pm
Quote:
Originally posted by dillardc
I've been wanting to get a Mac laptop since my house has an 802.11b router. Currently I've got a Bondi iMac that I upgraded to a 500Mhz G3 w/firewire (Sonnet Harmoni) to give it a little extra life in running Jaguar, but the video card in it is just too weak to scroll a website smoothly, let alone a playback a nice sized quicktime file or a game of WC3. My dilemma is between the 12" iBook and the 12" PB.

I'd like a laptop that doesn't choke like my iMac does on these tasks. Something that'll let me scroll through websites quickly, watch a DVD without frames dropping, play the occasional game of WC3 or Dungeon Seige, and do some work in iPhoto. The most I'd like to spend is about what the 12" PowerBook is going for, $1599. My fear is that since the 12" is EOL, the new 12"ers will be bumped back up to their original price of $1799, which for me is pushing it, since I'll still have to get an Airport card, RAM etc.
I really like the 12" PB design and all but it seems as if the battery life is less than the iBook's and I think I'd rather have an ATI 7500 over a GF4MX 420 (DVD playback, image quality). Then we have the G4's 256K L2 but with AltiVec or the iBook's PPC750FX with 512K L2. Would iPhoto even take advantage of the G4?
It's like each defeats the others advantages...

I'd be interested in everyone's comments, especially those who've used both machines a lot. Hopefully someone can keep my head from spinning.

Thanks

1) The 12"PB will probably not be bumped back to $1799.

2)Those graphics cards are pretty much the same, I think. Don't quote me on that.

3)iPhoto might not take advantage of Altivec, but Mac OS X will.

Keep in mind that I haven't used either machine, except for small stuff at the Apple store. Even their all I really did was play around with iTunes. The PB was much better at the visualizer than the iBook. The iBook stuttered(the visualizer, the music played fine), while the PB was more smooth.
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post #3 of 9
8/6/03 at 5:04am
Leave the G3 to the death it deserves. The PB12 is better in every way, but unless you NEED the machine right now, wait, all G4 models are overdue for a bump. If you do buy right now, take advantage of the iPod offer.
IBL!
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IBL!
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post #4 of 9
8/6/03 at 2:29pm
The 12" PB (=Bluetooth, G4, aluminum, FW, combo drive) is $1399 for college students.. if you know any.. Pretty great deal.
art may imitate life, but life imitates tv.
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art may imitate life, but life imitates tv.
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post #5 of 9
8/7/03 at 12:45pm
Thread Starter 
I don't know any college students, but I noticed the refurbs are that price as well, and the warranty is the same so that has me thinking more about going that way.

Thanks

Quote:
Originally posted by bradbower
The 12" PB (=Bluetooth, G4, aluminum, FW, combo drive) is $1399 for college students.. if you know any.. Pretty great deal.
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post #6 of 9
8/7/03 at 1:39pm
I think that the refurb prices are where the new Macs need to be priced. Maybe not the eMac, but definately the others.
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post #7 of 9
8/7/03 at 2:40pm
I think I may wait to buy the powerbook, I am hoping they update it october/november for christmas sales. I really hope that I don't have to wait for January.
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post #8 of 9
8/7/03 at 5:11pm
Thread Starter 
Yes, and being that they are basically restored to brand new and given the full warranty, I think I'm gonna go the refurb way.

Quote:
Originally posted by CubeDude
I think that the refurb prices are where the new Macs need to be priced. Maybe not the eMac, but definately the others.
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post #9 of 9
8/9/03 at 9:56pm
Thread Starter 
I went ahead and took the plunge and got a new PowerBook G4 12" Thanks for the help everyone
Quote:
Originally posted by CubeDude
1) The 12"PB will probably not be bumped back to $1799.

2)Those graphics cards are pretty much the same, I think. Don't quote me on that.

3)iPhoto might not take advantage of Altivec, but Mac OS X will.

Keep in mind that I haven't used either machine, except for small stuff at the Apple store. Even their all I really did was play around with iTunes. The PB was much better at the visualizer than the iBook. The iBook stuttered(the visualizer, the music played fine), while the PB was more smooth.
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