Why buy an iBook now??

tekritertekriter
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I'm wondering if anyone besides me is wondering why anyone would buy an iBook right now - especially the 14 incher. The specs on the 12 inchers didn't change, the price only dropped to what the rebate gave you until Dec 31st, and it's obvious that the G3 is history. The G4 will take over in a couple of months in the iBook, perhaps even at Macworld Tokyo. The 12 inchers should have been discounted deeply, in my opinion.



Don't get me wrong - I like the iBook, and was ready to order one pending the Stevenote, but I can't see speding full price for a G3 machine after yesterday.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    imacfpimacfp Posts: 750member
    I think it will be harder to make the iBook G4 than it was to make the iMac G4. The PowerMacs will be going G5 at some point, but I don't think the PowerBooks will due to heat and power issues. The Apollo G4 is supposed to be for the PowerBooks and now the iMacs. I expect the iBook to keep the G3 for awhile longer. The 14" iBook is nice but the specs really aren't worth the price unless you must have a larger display. The 12" is good deal though.
  • Reply 2 of 19
    fran441fran441 Posts: 3,715member
    Sorry, but the G3 is going to be in the iBook for at least one more 'revision'. A G4 iBook would compete to closely with the PowerBook G4, especially because of the 14" screen.



    If you're looking to buy an iBook, now is a good time, because you won't see the G4 in the iBook until this time next year.
  • Reply 3 of 19
    muahmuah Posts: 165member
    [quote]Originally posted by Fran441:

    <strong>Sorry, but the G3 is going to be in the iBook for at least one more 'revision'. A G4 iBook would compete to closely with the PowerBook G4, especially because of the 14" screen.



    If you're looking to buy an iBook, now is a good time, because you won't see the G4 in the iBook until this time next year.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I agree that a G4 14" iBook would compete too closely with the TiBook, but nobody can say Apple won't do it (cube). But it doesn't make sense to move apollo (or whatever high end G4/G5 processor you think will be next) into TiBook and PowerMac, put iMac at current G4, and leave iBook at G3. That would be a marketing nightmare for the iBook unless they cut prices in half.
  • Reply 4 of 19
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    [quote]Originally posted by muah:

    <strong>



    I agree that a G4 14" iBook would compete too closely with the TiBook, but nobody can say Apple won't do it (cube). </strong><hr></blockquote>



    When I read Fran's post I was thinking he meant that a G4 iBook would rip sales from the TIBook. Not that a G4 iBook would be a Cube. High power low cost small and light would fly off the shelves thus making a G4 iBook not a Cube.
  • Reply 5 of 19
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    I'm pretty sure the G3 will still be around on the iBook for a while.
  • Reply 6 of 19
    escherescher Posts: 1,811member
    [quote]Originally posted by EmAn:

    <strong>I'm pretty sure the G3 will still be around on the iBook for a while.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    I share EmAn's feelings about the G3 staying in the iBook. Personally, I'm glad that I got my $1300 iBook CD-ROM in May. I've used it every day since I got it. The new low-end price of $1200 is excellent. The only truly disappointing fact about the "new" iBook is that the low end model is still stuck with the 66Mhz bus that the iMac had four years ago.



    Escher
  • Reply 7 of 19
    evil edevil ed Posts: 106member
    Who says now's a bad time for an iBook?? My company ordered me a 600Mhz iBook with 640Mb RAM today. I'm not complaining. It's the smallest and lightest way to have a Mac on the move (12.1" model, that is).
  • Reply 8 of 19
    max8319max8319 Posts: 347member
    there are many reasons to buy now.....a decked out ibook for $1500 and A PISMO REPLACEMENT in the 14" ibook....there are many reasons. the 14" ibook is perfect for pismo owners looking to upgrade and a low price (compared to the pb). it's got all (nearly) the specs that the pismo has and it's got the same screen.....there are many reasons
  • Reply 9 of 19
    warpdwarpd Posts: 204member
    "the 14" ibook is perfect for pismo owners looking to upgrade and a low price (compared to the pb). it's got all (nearly) the specs that the pismo has and it's got the same screen.....there are many reasons " To be honest, I don't agree. As a Pismo 500 owner, I see no compelling reason to buy a 600mhz G3 iBook. Lets not forget that is you lay aside the snow exterior, the iBook, for the most part, offers a 100mhz advantage. It has been 2 years since I bought my Pismo, and I don't think that anybody can say with a straight face that the 600 iBook, even with the 14.1" screen is a worthwhile upgrade. A 667 Ti, would be the only way, but then who has $3500 laying around? No, I mean it; who has $3500 laying around? Can I borrow it please??
  • Reply 10 of 19
    satchmosatchmo Posts: 2,699member
    Can one really be productive using OSX on a G3 based 500mhz 66 bus iBook?



    I can't say as I don't have one but it would be one killer of a laptop if they had 600mhz G4's across the iBook line.
  • Reply 11 of 19
    ghost_user_nameghost_user_name Posts: 22,667member
    [quote]Originally posted by satchmo:

    <strong>Can one really be productive using OSX on a G3 based 500mhz 66 bus iBook?



    I can't say as I don't have one but it would be one killer of a laptop if they had 600mhz G4's across the iBook line.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    No but to be "productive" you can't use OS X.
  • Reply 12 of 19
    jlljll Posts: 2,713member
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

    <strong>



    No but to be "productive" you can't use OS X.</strong><hr></blockquote>



  • Reply 13 of 19
    emaneman Posts: 7,204member
    [quote]Originally posted by Scott H.:

    <strong>



    No but to be "productive" you can't use OS X.</strong><hr></blockquote>



    You'd be right if 10.0.4 was still the current version of OS X.
  • Reply 14 of 19
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    It doesn't have to compete too closely with a powerBook even if they have similarly clocked G4's. iBooks keep their current screens, resolutions,and HDD's. They gain G4 and faster graphics, but 16MB max and no spanning.



    PowerBooks move up to faster Radeon 7500M and 32MB with Bigger HDD's, 133Mhz bus, more standard RAM, a much higher res (1440 x 960) screen and monitor spanning.



    iBook 12 & 14"



    G4 128 & 256 MB RAM standard (1 slot soldered) 640MB max. 100Mhz bus

    16MB Radeon, 1024x768 (no spanning)

    20 - 30 GB HDD. (4200rpm)





    PowerBook 15.2"



    G4 256 and 512 MB standard

    1GB max. 133Mhz bus.

    32MB Radeon 7500M, 1440x960 TFT, spanning enabled)

    30, 48, 60GB HDD (5400rpm)

    GB ethernet, PC Cardbus slot.

    Adding the iPod's battery technology to the powerbook for improved battery life/weight.





    The above ought to be enough to differentiate the two models. Graphics pros will want the faster bus increased memory and far superior graphics abilities of the powerbook. Consumers will get the benefit of altivec, but will have to live with one display use, less memory and smaller/slower drives/RAM, and ~20% slower G4 chips.



    700mhz iBooks



    733 - 867 Mhz PowerBooks.



    That's enough difference to span a nice complete range of prices and options.
  • Reply 15 of 19
    rraburrabu Posts: 264member
    Unless Apple wanted to compete with Wintel laptops for price/performance.



    A midrange Toshiba laptop at the same price point as the mid-ranged iBook would have in common with the iBook:

    - DVD/CDRW 4-4-24 6xDVD

    - max screen res of 1024x768

    - TV-out

    - USB and firewire

    - 802.11b wireless networking



    pros to Toshiba:

    - 14.1" screen (might be con; seems to be the viewing angle is less than the iBook, expecially vertical angles)

    - 16M DDR video memory with NVIDIA GeForce 2GO

    - 30G hard drive

    - 3 USB ports opposed to 2 (big deal)

    - can do monitor spanning

    - has some legacy ports like the parallel port

    - faster processor (me thinks a P3-900 will outpace a G3-600 by some)



    pros to iBook:

    - better quality screen (in my opinion though I haven't seen the 2 side by side at one time)

    - has target disk mode (don't know if any PC laptop can do anything similar)

    - can support up to 640M RAM as opposed to 512M max

    - has nice trackpad versus crappy accupoint stick (in my opinion)

    - smaller and lighter

    - better battery by several hours

    - runs Mac OSX



    That last point wins it in favour of the iBook for me. However, if I didn't care as much about the OS I'm running, I'd probably go for the Toshiba because of 2 points:

    - better graphics

    - faster processor



    For Apple to truly be competitive, I think they should up the video to 16M and allow monitor spanning and give the processor a speed bump. 700/800 G3s that would echo the 700/800 G4 iMacs nicely.



    When the iBooks first came out they kicked butt. For the price, the PC then would have had a Celeron and weaker video (6M card). However, I'd say that the PC world has raised the bar a little. I'm disappointed that Apple didn't bump the iBook a little harder.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    zozo Posts: 3,117member
    [quote]Originally posted by rrabu:

    <strong>

    However, if I didn't care as much about the OS I'm running, I'd probably go for the Toshiba because of 2 points:

    - better graphics

    - faster processor

    </strong><hr></blockquote>



    I xas thinking about better graphics chip too, but seeing some benchmarks of iBook vs new TiBook in games, and there really didnt seem to be much difference, almost negligiable.



    Also on accelr8yourmac check out the benchmarks between the new TiBook and the old one. There is really almost no difference whatsoever in playing games (my own real concern for which graphics card to have). Its either the drivers suck or it relies more on processor speed and bus than graphics chipset.



    I just ordered the 14.1 iBook and will have it in 2 weeks (hopefully). Unfortunately to have a normal QWERTY keyboard iBook you have to wait longer... or I could have the AZERTY french/dutch 14.1 by Monday/Tuesday. No thanks??? I rather (barely) wait an extra week than have that crap.



    PS 512MB SODIMM prices have SKY ROCKETED in a few weeks!!! 2 weeks ago a 512DIMM cost about 85$... now the same place has them for about 220$!!!!!



    Guess I'll be sticking with 'only' 384MB ram for the time being. Grrrr...



    BTW, does anyone know if I would see a difference if the 512MB DIMM has a CAS Latency of 322 (rather than 222) but is 133Mhz? Apple RAM is all 222 latency and 322 is slower. The 384MB if RAM will be 222 and if I were to buy the 512SODIMM it would be 322. Also, do y'all think I will see any noticable difference in OS X with 384 rather than 640?
  • Reply 17 of 19
    rraburrabu Posts: 264member
    My younger brother has the 500/66 iBook so I ran a few games on that just to compare to my current machine (Beige 266 tower with 16M Rage 128 Vid Card on the 33MHz PCI bus).



    Oni was way better on the iBook. It was responsive and speedwise seemed to not lose much going to 800x600 vs 640x480.



    Unreal (not tournament) was quite decent on the iBook. However, I felt that the graphics quality didn't look quite as nice. Perhaps more the difference of an LCD running at 800x600 versus my 19" monitor doing the same. I regret that I didn't bother trying higher resolutions.



    The game I really wanted to test was Diablo2. It boggs down on my machine when there is lots of action in the scene (like a Necromancer with an army). Unfortunately, I didn't bring the CD case with the Key on it to test when I was visiting. My guess would be that the iBook would do better since this is more of a CPU intensive task.



    In the end, I think I'll be getting the 12" 600/100 iBook. To save money, I've joined the student ADC so can get the 20% off first Apple system purchase. Hope it's not too long a wait.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    tekritertekriter Posts: 44member
    When I started this thread my main point was not that the iBook was no good, or that it wouldn't play games or anything like that. My point was that Apple is obviously abandoning the G3 processors, and also that OS X on a G3 might not be a wonderful experience. So to invest my own money (not my company's) in a G3 machine might not be a good idea. OS X is only gonna get bigger, with more processor demand in the future. It would be comparable to buying the last 68040 machine because you thought you wouldn't need a PowerPC.
  • Reply 19 of 19
    mac gurumac guru Posts: 367member
    [quote] Can one really be productive using OSX on a G3 based 500mhz 66 bus iBook <hr></blockquote>



    Actually, I have said iBook and have used OS X 10.1 extensivly on it... and one can be very productive. That is IF you check email, Type WORD docs, and work in Graphic Converter...



    I hate to say it but unless you use a computer to do general blah stuff OS X ain't it.



    I'm a Graphic Artist and there is absolutly NO way I can use OS X even though Stevie-boy says I can... I can't.



    There are numerous apps I use on an hourly basis that just simply will not be out for OS X any time soon... Sure we have Illustrator and Photoshop is around the corner but unless the page layout fairy has visited InDesign 2.0 and made it 10x better than quark I have to wait for Quark as well!



    Bah!



    Mac Guru
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