12" or 15"

330zx330zx
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Besides screen size, what are the major differences in performance? I think im going to get a 1 gig 15", and it will be used mostly for surfing the web, writing papers etc., normal college stuff. I know i should wait for the update, but the current 15 inch ti is cheap right now, i can get the 15 inch g4 1 gig w/ 512mb ram, 60 gig hdrive, airport card, and apple care protection plan, for like 2300 dollars. But, if the 12 inch is far superior, i will think twice about it. Any purchasing advice?

thanks,

ajd

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 1
    stevesteve Posts: 523member
    I just bought a 12" PowerBook. With the educational discount, you can't go wrong for $1399. Max the RAM in that puppy and buy a nice 17" LCD sceen (a VGA one) with your savings.



    Why?



    - The 12" is smaller. The girth of the fifteen restricts casual portability, even around a dorm; when you really need the extra screen space, just plug your big monitor into your PB.



    - The 12" is built better. This is a big one. The 15" feels loose and creaky. Its Titanium frame doesn't hold up well under a lot of use, and the monitor wiggles disturbingly. The 12" hinge is FAR superior, and the whole product feels several times more solid. Trust me on this one. Also, there's no paint to chip.



    - Firmer keyboard in the 12". Writing a lot of papers? It's a must.



    - Better AirPort reception in the 12" (antennaes in the display as opposed to the base; Titanium also obscures the signal, unlike Aluminium).



    - The 12" runs much cooler. Plan on having children? Got your eye on one of them sassy college girls? Don't use the 15" on your lap.



    - Better battery life on the 12".



    The only thing the fifteen's got is a bit more power (as you said, you're not doing anything super-intensive) and a larger on-the-go screen (are you really going to need that much work area when you're not hunkered down at a desk and when battery life isn't of more importance than screen size / brightness?). The Ti as a product, concerning design and usability, was the standard in 2001; the 2003 PB12 fixes every problem one might have with it. And that's important, because, unlike a desktop, a notebook is far more "hands-on" with the hardware.



    If you really need the power, after all, just buy a G5. If portability and size are at a premium, the PB12 should be your first and (until we close in on an updated, Aluminium-built 15" PB model) ONLY choice.
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