Okay guys...which one do I get?

pscates

Now that they exist (FINALLY), I?m down to making the decision between the 12? and 15? PowerBook. As many of you know, I often said that if the 12? was made to be a bit more like the two others in specs/features, I?d probably get it...UNLESS the 15? blew me away. And it kinda has. I?m in quite a pickle here (but a nice one to be in, I guess) and I?d love to hear everyone?s input here because I trust and respect most everyone here (surry murbot ...JUST KIDDING!!! I wanna hear from you the most since you?ve owned every Mac ever made, in the last 8 months alone, it seems).



So a tiny bit of background for those who don?t know:



1. Graphic artist by trade and find myself doing more freelance work lately (good!): logos, informational graphics/diagrams, editorial art, etc. When I?m being ?graphics boy?, It?s mostly Adobe Illustrator...a good 80% of the time. Then some Photoshop. But nothing hardcore at all. I use InDesign 2 for any and all projects involving page layout or document design.



2. This PowerBook will be my sole computer, so keep that in mind. It?s not a back-up or a travel computer. It?ll be my ONLY computer! That?s important to know...



3. I travel a bit, mostly for pleasure...weekend trips, housesitting gigs, trips to the mountains and aimless weekend drives and staying in cheap, funky roadside motels, etc. Hey, we all have our little hobbies. Ruggedness and comfort is a small consideration. But this still factors in and I?d want to hear your take on it.



4. When I?m not playing with vectors and pixels, I surf, write, e-mail, do the iTunes thing, etc.



5. That?s it, really



Also, give input on SuperDrive vs. Combo Drive on each model 12? or 15?. Give me arguments for ?going cheap? or going the ?tricked-out? road (hell, even try to convince that the 17? is what I need...I?ll listen).



Also, how?s AirPort reception on these new 15? models? Certainly better than the TiBook, right?



Any and all input is totally appreciated. I just want to see where most people fall. I?m honestly torn right down the middle on these. Everytime I think ?okay, that?s it...I?m getting the 15? SuperDrive, something or someone will come along and make me suddenly think ?you know, that little combo drive 12? would really be nice...hooked to a large display, no less...?.



Basically, do this: take all the above into consideration and pretend that budget is pretty much not a concern (I?ve been saving/preparing for this for months, so it?s cool)...what would YOU do?



Those who offer the most helpful, level-headed advice gets the new PowerBook named after them.

torifile

Get the 12", an external monitor, keyboard and mouse. Since it's your only computer, you'll appreciate how well it could function as a desktop replacement with this stuff and when you're on the road you've got way more portability. I have a similar setup (with a rev. a minipb) and I haven't had a single complaint.

cubedude

I'd get a tricked-out 12" and a 20" Cinema display.



I'd also get it with a SuperDrive(I guess that falls under "tricked-out") and at least 512 megs of RAM.



You mention you like to drive aimlessly so the size of the 12" would be nice.



I'd also get it with built-in Bluetooth and the new BT mouse & keyboard, just for fun.

pscates

That's two for the 12". I'm SHOCKED!

digitaldave

pscates,



Thanks for starting this thread . I'm also trying to decide between the 12" and 15" versions. I'd be using it for similar things (but not for work), including sorting out my digital photos in Photoshop Elements.



Speaking of Photoshop, can you use the monitor spanning to have the pallets on the PB display, and the image you're working on displayed on the external display? I ahve a 19" CRT that I could use for this...



Cheers,



Dave.

ernest emac

Treat yourself - get the 15"

torifile

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave Abrey

pscates,



Thanks for starting this thread . I'm also trying to decide between the 12" and 15" versions. I'd be using it for similar things (but not for work), including sorting out my digital photos in Photoshop Elements.



Speaking of Photoshop, can you use the monitor spanning to have the pallets on the PB display, and the image you're working on displayed on the external display? I ahve a 19" CRT that I could use for this...



Cheers,



Dave.

Yes, you can have extended desktops on the 12". That's what I do when I'm at home. It's nice to have all that screen space.

dnisbet

I'd lean toward the 12" too. It's a rev. B now, it's pretty well spec'ed.



The only thing is the screen size (and keyboard lighting). If you think you can manage with 1024x768 on the road. Then there you go.



Definately go for the super-drive, making DVD's seriously impressed my friends. Max out the RAM for Photoshop.



I took a long car journey the other week, sat my PB on my lap put some headphones on and watched a DVD, it's a great size for that, not too small not too big. If you need to watch DVD's on a big screen then just plug in the video adaptor.



The machine is so versatile it'll handle pretty much everything it's bigger brother's have, especially now with USB 2 (i'm kind of envious of that but never mind, FireWire serves my purpose on that front)

ryukyu

I would defintely go with the 15" for 2 reasons.

The screen resolution and the backlit keyboard.

I am a graphic artist and like working in "dark" environments. The backlit keyboard would be a huge plus for me.

But, in the end, it's up to you 'scates.

der kopf

My preference goes out to the souped-up 15 incher. I know the 12" is adoring in its tinycity, but that's the exact flipside of the thing as well: less and smaller screen estate, everywhere you go (except at your desk). To retort CubeDude: I do think pscates car is big enough to hold both him ánd a 15" powerbook, and maybe even company, who knows, maybe redheaded company.







Of course, if you're going motorcycling (which I don't think you will, though you have shown some interest), the 12" might be a more suitable tote-around fellow.



You say you lance in the free manner, which kind of begs for the bigger 15". Imagine meeting your occasional client somewhere in his/her office, or in a diner: how would you rather present to them the progress you've made on their project? Exactly!



Now that sturdiness is no longer a real issue (I can well imagine someone even fend off muggers with the new slab of high-grade metal and electronics that is the new 15" Powerbook - I got to play with one after the Keynote ), you have another reason to go for the bigger comp.



Price, of course, might make you go for the smaller one. The 15" powerbook is definitely more expensive.



Between the superdrive and the combo drive, I'd go for a superdrive. Not only can you bake your own DVD videos, if you're into that at all, but you can make relatively large backups on a single disc (instead of about 7 equally sized ones). Many might and will point out that because the optical thingy would be a superdrive, it would slow down the normal CD burning, but you really should consider how much this "slowing down" will affect you:

Quote:

Combo drive (DVD-ROM/CD-RW): reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 24x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 10x speed, reads CDs at up to 24x speed

SuperDrive (DVD-R/CD-RW): writes DVD-R discs at up to 2x speed, reads DVDs at up to 8x speed, writes CD-R discs at up to 16x speed, writes CD-RW discs at up to 4x speed, reads CDs at up to 24x speed

Do the math: take a 700MB/80min CD-R, recording at 24x will take 3.3 minutes, at 16x it will take 5 minutes. Is that 1.7 minute worth a crippled optical drive? (you'll notice that I'm readily avoiding the topic of cd-rw speed).



The gist of my post may be clear by now: if it was up to me, if I were you, I'd go for the 15". But I am not you.

pscates

Guys, I need to make one thing VERY clear here: when I referred to "travel" and all, I'm thinking more of being in the hotel/motel/house using the PowerBook...NOT on the road, in the car AS I'M DRIVING.







What kind of an idiot do you think I am?







It's bad enough all the cell phone-using, mascara-applying drivers that have nearly killed me in the past year...I'm certainly not going to add to the chaos by actually USING my PowerBook while in the car.







Jeez...

pscates

This is going to be a great thread...I can just feel it!



Keep 'em coming...I'm reading - and appreciating - every one.



So far, der Kopf is making a wonderful case...

dnisbet

Quote:

Originally posted by pscates

This is going to be a great thread...I can just feel it!



Keep 'em coming...I'm reading - and appreciating - every one.



So far, der Kopf is making a wonderful case...

plus his name's pretty cool

Quote:

Originally posted by pscates Those who offer the most helpful, level-headed advice gets the new PowerBook named after them.

torifile

Quote:

Originally posted by pscates

This is going to be a great thread...I can just feel it!



Keep 'em coming...I'm reading - and appreciating - every one.



So far, der Kopf is making a wonderful case...

[analytical mode]

Scates, you're betraying your bias already. It hasn't even been 2 hours since you started this thread and you're already telling us what you were leaning towards before you posted this thread.

[/analytical mode]







Just kidding. Despite all that der kopf said, you'll appreciate the extra smallness of the 12" if you move it around regularly. I had a 15" tibook and I never enjoyed lugging it around. And it was lighter than the 15" albooks. In my estimation the 15"er has 2 advantages: the screen size and the backlit keyboard. Neither of these are unremediable. However, the 12"er has an advantage that the 15"er can't meet, regardless of what you do: smaller size. It's a powerful little machine and it's damn cute.

pscates

Well, cuteness certainly goes a long way



Sorry to reveal any bias. I really could go either way. I've gone to the online store and have ran/configured about 434 possible scenarios...

ryukyu

Quote:

Originally posted by pscates

Well, cuteness certainly goes a long way



Sorry to reveal any bias. I really could go either way. I've gone to the online store and have ran/configured about 434 possible scenarios...

Size is important, but that would depend om your intended usage.

If you're going to be lugging it around all day with you, then size ( and weight) is important.

If you're going to be lugging from your house, to your car, to your hotel room, then I'd say it's not a huge factor.

If you're going to be doing any kind of on screen presentation to clients, I have to agree with der Kopf. Get the bigger screen.

alcimedes

go with the high-end 15".



my dad just bought one and it rules. my wife owns a 12", and although it's really nice, i'd go with the 15" any day of the week.

brunobruin

You know, I was going to recommend the 12 as well, but then I remembered what it was like when I traded in my iBook for my PowerBook. The screen literally felt TWICE as big. You can do some serious work on this machine without hooking it to another monitor. I did a lot of heavy Illustrator work on some building floor plans last winter and I did them all while sitting on my couch. I could never have done that on a 12-inch screen.



Someone in my office has a 12-inch PowerBook, I helped him spec it out, and they are just the cutest things EVER, but I personally will never go back to such a small screen. I have gotten too accustomed to be able to work anywhere, without being tethered to a desk and an external display.

murbot

Paul, I think you would be much happier with the 15" PowerBook with SuperDrive. Sit back and let me convince you why.



You are a graphic artist spending most of your time in Illustrator. You have mentioned on more than one occasion how you would appreciate an increase in screen resolution from the 1024x768 you have on your FP iMac at home. You were constantly showing/hiding all of your palettes, and looking forward to the 1280x854 resolution of the 15" PowerBook.



You are doing more freelance work, which I assume means a fair amount of travelling and working at your client's location? A larger display is going to much better for showing off your work. The display on the 12" is nice, but it doesn't have near the viewing angle the 15" display has (on the 15" 1GHz I had, anyway). Having two people looking at the display of the 12" , one of you is going to get a not-so-good look at what you are displaying.



Also, it may save you money to get the 15". If you go with the higher resolution of the 15", would you necessarily need the external LCD? You could simply pick up an iCurve to mount the PowerBook on when at home, along with your external keyboard and mouse. You won't get yourself used to a high resolution display, only to be saddled down with a small 1024x768 display while on an extended road trip.



In addition to the higher display resolution (and quality), you will also get:

• a faster system bus (167MHz vs. 133MHz)


• faster RAM (333MHz PC2700 vs. 266MHz PC2700)


• a faster processor (1.25GHz vs. 1GHz)


• a better video card (64MB Radeon vs. 32MB NVIDIA)


• backlit keyboard


• real (adapter-less) DVI out


• 2 available RAM slots

Now about the optical drive, I'd go for it and get the SuperDrive. Really, unless you are sitting there burning through several CD-Rs a day, 16x is a perfectly acceptable speed. I have a feeling you'll have this laptop for a long time, so why not just put down the extra dough and get the "deluxe" model? I remember you rambling on about how you could handle any type of media with the SuperDrive in your FP iMac, and how cool you thought that was when you got it... wouldn't that be a kick in the head to find that you need that DVD-R capability 6 months down the road, and you cheaped out on the Combo?



Just a few thoughts for you to mull over. Only you know how much you are actually doing these things, for example if you're not really worried about presentations to clients, you really wanted an even higher resolution at home (Cinema Display), etc, the 12" may be more suitable. Just going by what you've posted so far, and things you've said over the past several months, I think the 15" is probably a better fit. It's not like it's NOT portable... people seem to get into this "oh the 12" is so portable, the 15" is like a desktop replacement" line of thinking. It's not like you're using the PowerBook on an airplane tray or on a bus or something for hours on end. I'm sure you'll slip it out of a bag and open it up on a table or desk, and the extra 1 pound of weight the 15" has isn't exactly going to break your back, now is it?



So, another tally for the 15" SuperDrive PowerBook. You KNOW you want it, you just need to have enough people tell you so, right?

pscates

I shall name it...murbot.







Best post EVER.

not unlike myself

I think it all comes down to this. Porn looks better on a bigger screen. I say get the 17. (and that is the most practical advice you're gonna get)