Should I sell my Superdrive PBook to buy the 17 inc PB?

jcjc
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
last month I bought the Titanium PB with the superDrive

I put a gig of ram in it, bought the PB backpack and the apple warrantee. I think I could sell it for $3000 which means I would have to pay about another $800 for the 17 and a case.

is it worth it for built in bluetooth, a 800 firewire, airport extreme, a lighted keybord, a bigger screen and faster ram?



what do you think? <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />



[ 01-15-2003: Message edited by: JC ]</p>

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 7
    lucaluca Posts: 3,833member
    I think you should wait until the next revision. First of all, $3000 seems a bit optimistic... I mean, I suppose you could get that much for it but new ones are $2800 (which have 512 MB less RAM and no warranty of course) so even if $3k is a good deal, there will be plenty of people who are saving up for the bigger 17" PB. Also, I think a lot of people are going to avoid the 15" until it's revised. I just don't think now is the best time to sell any PowerBook.



    Also, I don't think you'd get enough benefit right now. You'd have the same processor speed, different though not necessarily better graphics, a superdrive just like now, and a screen with a small increase in pixels from your current one. Not worth it if you ask me.



    Oh, you also get bluetooth, Airport Extreme, and FireWire 800. If you use those, it might be worth it... of course, there are very few FireWire 800 devices out there, and bluetooth and Airport Extreme aren't especially useful either unless you are definitely going to use them, of course.
  • Reply 2 of 7
    multimediamultimedia Posts: 1,056member
    [quote]Originally posted by Luca Rescigno:

    <strong>I think you should wait until the next revision. First of all, $3000 seems a bit optimistic... I mean, I suppose you could get that much for it but new ones are $2800 (which have 512 MB less RAM and no warranty of course) so even if $3k is a good deal, there will be plenty of people who are saving up for the bigger 17" PB. Also, I think a lot of people are going to avoid the 15" until it's revised. I just don't think now is the best time to sell any PowerBook.



    Also, I don't think you'd get enough benefit right now. You'd have the same processor speed, different though not necessarily better graphics, a superdrive just like now, and a screen with a small increase in pixels from your current one. Not worth it if you ask me.



    Oh, you also get bluetooth, Airport Extreme, and FireWire 800. If you use those, it might be worth it... of course, there are very few FireWire 800 devices out there, and bluetooth and Airport Extreme aren't especially useful either unless you are definitely going to use them, of course.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    Since this analysis is flawed, I feel I must reply. If you want a big screen, this might be a better time to make the switch while your model is still current.



    The RAM is DDR in the new 12" and 17" APBs. The Aluminum case is AWESOME. And the SuperDrive is 2x instead of the 1x in your TiBook.



    When the new 15.4" model ships in March, the value of your current model will plunge precipitously. The replacement for your 15.2" will be a 15.4" much better product at a lower list price than you paid a few weeks ago. I say get all you can while you can.
  • Reply 3 of 7
    trowatrowa Posts: 176member
    Personally I would hold off from purchasing the new 17" Aluminum Powerbooks. I am always hesitant purchasing 1st revision Apple hardware. And these Powerbooks are new compared to the SuperDrive TiBooks. I would wait to see if there are any bugs that need to be worked out, before purchasing one of these machines. just to be safe and save yourself from unwanted headaches.



    Do you really need the new 17" Powerbook? I was in the same situation as you. I thought I should just sell my TiBook, then I thought there isn't really any differences to my TiBook and the 17" Powerbooks. All those features only give it a slight increase in speed compared to our TiBooks. If the processor was 1.25 Ghz, then that may be reason for me selling my TiBook, but the deciding factor was speed and reliability. And I just didn't see the new Powerbooks blowing away my machine to justify a new purchase.



    Excluding the larger display, Airport Extreme, Firewire 800 and DDR RAM there are no real differences between this machine and yours. Of course the RAM is the same DDR hack found in the powermacs. I would wait until Apple comes out with a new motherboard w/ 200 MHz FSB, real DDR 400 RAM, GeForce FX Mobile card w/ 128 MB RAM, 4x SuperDrive, and screen resolution running at 1600x1200. This can all be a reality by next year. The TiBook should be more than efficient in getting the job done in the meanwhile.
  • Reply 4 of 7
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    You've already dabbled in Superdrives, but I personally wouldn't touch one untill they hit AT LEAST 4X and preferable DVD-multi, which the DVD-forum now endorses. DVD-RAM is very nice. Lets hope +r and +rw die the bastard format death they deserve.



    As for you PB, yes it will lose value, but it's probably a better proposition that getting the 17" now. You've got a lot of security built into that Applecare, and you won't see much of a performance difference between the two machines. Bringing the RAM and Apple care up to the same spec WILL cost you too much, IMHO. You can just put the extra cash towards a nice DVI LCD and be content with a better travel size.
  • Reply 5 of 7
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to General Discussion to continue this purchasing advice thread we go....



  • Reply 6 of 7
    jcjc Posts: 342member
    You all make really great points. I am leaning towards selling while my model is still current. A bare bones model Ti superdrive sells for 2800 and comes out to 3500 with tax and applcare. so I think that I could get 3000 for mine with its gig of ram and its $150 backpack case and apple care. When a newer model 15inch comes out I fear its value will drop to 2000. in which case I would just keep it. So if I buy the new 17 I may just live with 512 ram
  • Reply 7 of 7
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    It's really a question of how much you want to pay for the 17" screen and the lighted keyboard. I would say to keep your machine because there is virtually no performance difference between the two and you have invested in Apple care, a case, and RAM. You say you can live without the extra RAM, fine, but do you still need a case? Will you also buy Apple care for the 17" ? Think about it. Applecare and a case will add to your total. The machine will certainly not be any faster with half the RAM. Before you know it the switch will have cost you an extra 650USD not including a case, another 100, and sellers fees on eBay, a few more bucks. If you do decide to get the other 512MB of RAM you will surely end up paying 1000 to gain those two inches (and that snazzy backlit keyboard) but still, you're looking at at least 750 in your costs, not including RAM.



    The Ti will almost surely be faster with a GB of RAM than the 17" with half, if you deal with large files that is.



    What's the total outlay for you, that's what you need to think about. A 15.4" middle Al will probably be cheaper still than the Ti, so even if you get less for your Ti, you will pay less for it's replacement.



    How much do you want that screen? And, is it practical for your purposes?



    On a side not I'm typing this on an eMac and the white keyboard for this machine is a real POS, supersoft and spongy, hardly and feedback. The one I tried a few months back on a 15" iMac FP was much better. Has something changed???
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