PowerBook 15" vs 17"
I currently have a 15" PowerBook but plan to replace it with another 15" or 17". My laptop is my main computer with I use at work and home. How much bigger does the 17" feel compared to the 15"? Is it a pain to carry around? I doe everything from word processing to website design and video editing. Any thoughts from current 17" PowerBook users or anyone who has used both?
Comments
A 2nd AD I know bought herself a 17" book and everyone in the office has been drooling over it, but it does seem awfully HUGE.
I was standing in the local Apple Store yesterday talking to a photographer who'd reserved a 15" 'book and he was fairly set on getting that machine, but he admitted to having been tempted to spend the extra money and go up to the 17". His reasons for getting the 15" book were based on its portability and the fact that he could buy an even LARGER monitor to hook to the 'book whenever he was back in his studio.
That new 15" book certainly is pretty, and it's fast too! Makes my 600Mhz G3 iBook look like a SLUG!
Originally posted by sak
I currently have a 15" PowerBook but plan to replace it with another 15" or 17". My laptop is my main computer with I use at work and home. How much bigger does the 17" feel compared to the 15"? Is it a pain to carry around? I doe everything from word processing to website design and video editing. Any thoughts from current 17" PowerBook users or anyone who has used both?
This is exactly the dilemma I am facing at the moment. As these PBs are yet to be available in my local stores in Beijing, I called the Apple resellers in HK. They do have the new 17 inch and reserved one for me to pick up when I go over next week. But..... they can not get their hands on enough new stock superdrive 15 inchers to hold anything for any period of time!!! The difference between the two seem to be only a little faster G4 processor and a larger screen. Everything else is the same. Am I correct?
And if the screen isn't big enough, there is a 30" cinema display that will be coming out in a few months that you'll be able to hook up to you Powerbook.
Now you have the portability and size... best of both worlds.
Originally posted by Dr_Holistic
...there is a 30" cinema display that will be coming out in a few months...
Cocksure. As ever.
I would not want this model if I needed to take it places frequently. It is just a little too bulky and I'd be afraid of dropping it or something. The 15" is just a little easier to handle, pull out of a bag, etc. That said, if I just wanted to take it back and forth from home to office now and then, it would be no problem at all.
The screen is only a little brighter than the TiBook I've been using but the contrast is better so it seems sharper. Photos and movies really look more impressive!
I really like having the ports on the sides but having them on the back was never really a problem for me. Since I use a Firewire disk and a USB key drive frequently, ports on the side are easier to get to.
I don't think the speakers are much better than the those in the TiBook but I wouldn't really expect much anyway. I think there is room for improvement there though. I'll be using headphones or earbuds when I watch a movie or do any serious listening.
The keyboard keys seem stiffer and I'm still getting used to that, but I think I will prefer this keyboard when I'm used to it. It's not awkward at all to type with the extra one inch of depth compared to the TiBook.
The fan(s) are a little noisier than the Ti, but they don't come on until I'm really working the processor or disk. When viewing a slide show of high resolution photos or stitching a QTVR panorama, both fans come on after awhile. But they're not nearly as loud as the 466Mhz tower I sold when I got my first PowerBook.
I have only two complaints about the 17" PowerBook and the first would probably be the same on the new 15" Al model. That is, the gap between the top and bottom when the PowerBook is closed. It just seems like it's not closed properly and it would worry me if I put it in a case for traveling. I have come to the conclusion that this gap is normal though as it is exactly the same on all four edges. My other minor complaint is that the trackpad is actually too big. I tend to want to put my thumb in the center of the button and then I'm brushing the upper right edge of the trackpad with a wrong finger causing eratic movements of the cursor. This is something I suppose I'll get used to by just tracking and clicking off-center. I've become quite adept at using a trackpad and I really think the pad and button on the 17" model would be better smaller.
All in all I'm really pleased with the purchase and this machine is sure faster than my old one. I would recommend it to anyone, but for those who are quite mobile with their computers I think they'd be happier with one of the smaller models unless they really need the extra screen space.
Dave
It is big. I had concerns with it being too bulky, but did not run into any problems. It's great for movies on flights! The weight is pretty reasonable. I purchased a 17" incase bag with it. It is slim enough to fit right in my rolling briefcase.
I, too, am irked by the fact that the thing doesn't seem to latch tight!! I'm not worried about it in the case, but when it is out I am extra careful with it. No problems yet. Also, I haven't had any issues with the layout of the keyboard.
Somebody said that the specs are the same as the high end 15" (with the exception of the processor). Not quite true. Both the 15" and the 17" have 512MB RAM, but the 15" is split in 2-256MB chips, while the 17" has one 512MB chip (i.e. one extra bay). This proves to be a better configuration for upgrading to 1GB or more.
For the price difference, you could buy a 15" LCD with your 15" PB and give yourself a two-monitor set-up with a TON more screen real estate than you'd get with just the 17 by itself (if screen size is the issue).
I think the 17" is the Hummer of laptops -- i.e., a conspicuous waste of money, with very little added functionality for the extra cost.
Originally posted by mpls244
There is no meaningful difference between the 15"Al and the 17". I mean, we're talking about 160 horizontal pixels, 46 vertical pixels, and .08 GHz.
For the price difference, you could buy a 15" LCD with your 15" PB and give yourself a two-monitor set-up with a TON more screen real estate than you'd get with just the 17 by itself (if screen size is the issue).
The 46 vertical pixels don't make much difference but when you need room for palettes, 160 horizontal pixels makes a lot of difference. As for using two monitors, that's hard to do when using the PowerBook on your lap or on the road.
I made the decision to choose the 15" Al PB. At home I will use it with a 22 inch cinema display. I've found that since I started using the cinema display that I don't mind traveling for short periods of time with a smaller display (Pismo 500). This works for me. Your mileage may vary.
I suspect that the availability issue will be solved soon. When I was ordering my PB the other day the staff at the local Apple Store here in California said they were expecting a large shipment of PBs in within a day or so.